City Gates

For those who aren't used to a city stretching into the sky, Alderheart's gates may be perplexing at first. Rather than being placed on the ground, they are located all the way up in Alderheart's topmost Canopy level. While these gates are largely considered relics of Alderheart's embattled past, they still act as checkpoints. The five gates are shaped like archways, and all sit near the edge of the Canopy. This placement allows guards to overlook the Wood below. As some of the city's most distinctive landmarks, the gates are a sight to behold at sunrise, when they are a bustle with new arrivals. Each gate connects to stairways that wind up through tunnels from the ground flevel, and the tunnels have smaller checkpoints that let folks in or out at different levels in the Trunk.

Gate Lifts

Even if you are not arriving in the city with a cart or wagon, taking a ride on one of the lifts connecting the forest floor with a gate above is highly recommended. There is no better way to get an understanding of the true scale of Alderheart than to see it disappearing beneath you as the lift platform rises toward the sky. The lifts are the legacy of Geswick Switch, one of the founders of Alderheart. His inventions made life in the marvelous tree city possible. His handiwork can be seen today all over Alderheart in the pulley systems, lifts, and stabilization platforms. Gussie Muggins, the Jerbeen lift operator at the Bastion Gate, is a history buff who idolizes Switch, and he will gladly tell you all about the inventor as you take a ride.

Alderheart's Five Gates

Bastion Gate

The Bastion is the grandest and most stately gate and is the only one made completely of stone. The great gate is a magnificent sight, its towering bulk held in place by root like supports shaped from the Evertree. It was one of two gates, the other being the Patchwork, originally built to defend the most vulnerable access points of Alderheart against the forces of the First Bandit Coalition. Though it was breached in battle, it has been reconstructed. Now, it stands as a grand monument to the city's success and as a testament to Alderheart's victory over the forces of brigands in the Wood.
Positioned on the south side of the tree, Bastion Gate marks the end of one of the great roads that cross Humblewood. This road leads to a rout west to the town of Winnowing Reach and south toward Slatar's Port. The Bastion sees the most traffic of the five gates. From foreign merchants to local visitors, hundreds of travelers pass through it on foot each day.

Patchwork Gate

The most unusual gate in the city, the Patchwork Gate is made from brick and mortar reinforced with various materials, including wooden boards, metal plates, and lashings of thick rope. Built alongside the Bastion Gate to protect the fledgling city from the First Bandit Coalition's assault, it is known as "the ugliest gate in Alderheart". The term is one of endearment for the old gate, which was badly damaged by the siege weapons in the Battle of Alderheart. Many songs have been written about the Patchwork - the gate that wouldn't fall - and it has become a sybol of resilience for Alderites. The Patchwork Gate is located on the Evertree's southeast side, and though it used to handle foot traffic, it now deals largely with carts carrying freight and goods. Normally, this is the gate of choice for farmers and traders laden with goods from the perch of Brackenmill and those carrying potions and books from the Avium.

Wealdway Gate

The Wealdway Gate was originally shaped out of the Evertree in Song 486, after the events of the Great Calamity. It serves as Alderheart's door to the Scorched Grove. Located on the Evertree's west side, it was meant as an entry point for villagers fleeing the destruction of their homes in the Calaity's wake. The gate is staffed by a small team of laborers, with lifts designed for smaller hand-pulled carts and wagons rather than the larger ones used by merchant caravans. The gate can handle both freight and foot traffic, but it mainly sees use by folks who travel light. ANyone laden with too much cargo is directed south toward the Bastion Gate. These days, the Ealdway Gate is mainly used by Tenders journeying to and from the Scorched Grove and its surrounding areas and anyone who wants to avoid heavy traffic.

Welcomeway Gate

On the east side of the tree is the Welcomeway Gate, the second gate after the Wealdway to be completely shaped out of the Evertree. Its nae comes from the fact that it was made to welcome folks coming on foot to the city from the eastern roadways, and its creation marked the transition of the Patchwork into a freight enterance. Seen as the most modern gate, the Welcomeway has received a lot of care and maintenance over the years. Its pleasing appearance and ease of use have earned it the nickname "The Friendly Gate". Though it mainly handles foot traffic, the Welcomeway Gate boasts innovative hand crank-opperated lifts. Though only suitable for smaller cargo, travelers can operate these lifts themselves, a great convenience for those in a hurry. In addition, the Welcomeway sports a few reinforced pulley lifts, crewed by teams in the Canopy to handle heavy loads. Operators at the Patchwork Gate direct freight towards these lifts when their gate is too busy, which helps reduce traffic and ensure easy access to the city's upper level.

Bramble Gate

The last gate to be created, the Bramble gate, is the smallest city gate. It was shaped just 70 years ago on the northwest side of the tree. You could be forgiven for thinking the Bramble is is older than the Welcomeway, as this unassuming gate hasn't seen an update since its creation. The gate takes its name from its position directly above the ruins of the old village of Bramblewell. The gate was designed as an access point for those living in smaller villages in the more remote parts of the Wood to the north of Alderheart. It is mainly equipped to handle foot traffic, with sall freight lifts suitable only for large hand carts. It gets the least traffic out of all the city gates but is still a welcome sight for those coming in from the wild Wood.