The Hall of the Faceless

The Hall of the Faceless is a mountainous hall located in Elew, the Valley of Giants. Like all the halls found in the sides of the mountains in the Valley, its ceilings and archways are so grand and high that the local people, called the Ghat, believe the original inhabitants were, as the name of the area suggests, giants. However, unlike the other halls in the Valley, which are used as living spaces by the Ghat and filled with tents and sleeping mats, the Hall of the Faceless is an entirely communal area.

Appearance

The most notable feature of the Hall of the Faceless are the statues that give the hall its name. Three dozen humanoid figures, each twenty feet tall and carved of stone, line the back wall of the hall and stand guard along each of the archways. The steady passage of wind has worn them to such a degree that most have no discernible facial features anymore and the most sheltered ones, in the very ends of the back wall, have only the subtlest hints of noses, eyes and lips remaining. While outsiders often find the sight of them quite unsettling, the Ghat are entirely accustomed to their presence and consider them something like guardians to their people.

Function

The Hall of the Faceless are used by the Ghat for nearly every type of communal activity imaginable. It is where public meetings and debates are held, and where religious and social ceremonies such as handfastings are held. Additionally it is where guests to the community, including traders, are received.

History

Who built the halls of the Valley of the Giants is a mystery lost to time, as is the exact nature of the statues in the Hall of the Faceless. Some scholars believe them to be depictions of gods, others of great regents of old, while others still believe them to be made in the image of the original inhabitants of the valley.