The Sacred Imperial Horologium
In the far northeast of Senyon, in the middle of the grasslands and exactly on the equator of Derkomai, is an enormous, ancient sundial and solar calendar constructed of cut and fitted stone known as the Sacred Imperial Horologium or Song Taikoyel Sulsigan in the Sudkou language. The gnomon of the sundial is a square obelisk, roughly 100 feet (30 meters) tall and 10 feet (3 meters) wide on each side, cut from a single block of white marble and capped with a gold square pyramid about 16 feet (5 meters) tall. It is set at the center of an approximately 600 foot (183 meter) diameter circle paved with gigantic blocks of cut gray granite, roughly 3 feet (91 cm) thick by 10 feet (305 cm) long by 5 feet (152 cm) wide. The granite pavement face of the sundial and solar calendar has engraved white marble markers inlaid into it marking the location where the shadow from the gnomon obelisk indicates the hours of the day. At the outer edge of the pavement, four large black stones have been set up with holes cut in them. On the summer and winter solstices, as well as the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sunrise is framed in the holes of one of the large stones. In addition, there are 40 smaller square black stones set up around the outside of the paved area marking the 40 days of each Derkomai month. There are four inlaid markers in the paved face showing the four cardinal directions from the obelisk. Curiously, there is also one large white marble stone set up with a hole cut in it that appears to serve no function for time or date keeping; however, at midnight on the winter solstice, peering through the hole perfectly frames a single small yellow star with no obvious significance.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
The Sacred Imperial Horologium uses the natural progression of the seasons and the rotation of Derkomai to show the time each day, the date of the solstices and equinoxes and days of each month. Shadows cast by the gnomon obelisk and appearance of the sunrise at different locations around the pavement face of the Horologium are accurate to within one or two minutes, showing the mastery of the ancient constructors of the Horologium over celestial mechanics. Recently-constructed sundials are not nearly as accurate at the Sacred Imperial Horologium. The Horologium has clearly been infused with some unknown form of preservative magic, as it shows no signs of wear despite being constructed before recorded history.
History
The construction of the Sacred Imperial Horologium is lost to time. It may even be of Elvirim or Dwarvirim construction, rather than Human. The stones bear hallmarks of Dwarvirim work. On the other hand, neither the Dwarvirm nor Elvirim are known to have constructed any sort of time or date keeping device anywhere else in the world, while most Human cities, towns, and villages have at least a crude sundial for keeping time. According to the Grand Imperial Historians of the Great Sacred Empire, the Horologium is referenced in the earliest volumes of The Book of History of the Great Sacred Empire as having been constructed long before the empire was founded.
Legends say that the Horologium holds secret, ancient, perhaps forbidden knowledge, but unlocking that knowledge requires magical keys that are lost to time.
Significance
Since ancient times, the people of Senyon have maintained the Sacred Imperial Horologium and used it to accurately keep time and dates for festivals, especially "Yatyat," the new year festival that occurs on the winter solstice most everywhere on Derkomai.
Creation Date
Unknown
Related ethnicities
Owning Organization
Rarity
The Sacred Imperial Horologium is unique.
Dimensions
Paved area: 600 foot (183 meter) diameter circle. Gnomon obelisk: approximately 100 feet (30 meters) tall.
Raw materials & Components
The paved face of the Sacred Imperial Horologium is constructed from enormous cut granite stone blocks. The enormous gnomon obelisk is cut from a single block of pure white marble. The markers inlaid into the face are also cut from white marble and engraved indicating the hour of the day.
Tools
The stones of the Sacred Imperial Horologium show unmistakable signs of Dwarvirim work. The blocks making up the pavement are perfectly cut and fit together almost seamlessly, and none has shifted even slightly. The gnomon obelisk is also cut exactly square and stands straight, not deviating at all from perfectly vertical. As for the tools and techniques used to construct it, only the Dwarvirim may still know.
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