Grand Magai Temple
The Grand Magai Temple was one of the most notable structures build during the Second Age, and possibly the most defining of the structures build during that time. Created early during the Second Age to house the newly emerging Vita-Touched, it became a symbol across to galaxy to represent how they had changed the galaxy. After all, Vita-Touched existed because the people of the galaxy had done away with their overlords, their unseen rulers. And, in turn, the destruction of the Grand Magai Temple marked the end of the Second Age and the start of the Third Age, with the people of the galaxy once more subjugated under the power of others.
Originally known as just the Magai Temple, or just the Temple for short, it grew as the Grand Order of the Magai it housed expanded. Eventually the Order outgrew their temple, and the desire to have a single planet to call their home, and additional Temples were constructed. Still the original temple, now known as the Grand Magai Temple, remained the largest and most well-populated, as well as the best known temple for the galaxy as a whole.
Purpose / Function
The Grand Magai Temple was originally constructed as a all-purpose home base for the Grand Order of the Magai. The Magai Temple (as it was then known) was supposed to house all Vita-Touched who joined the organization, a place for them to live, learn, and rest. It also offered temporary quarters for visitors to the Temple, which primarily consisted of visitors from other organizations of Vita-Touched, so they could learn from one-another. It was a place of peace and learning.
Alterations
Over time, the Grand Temple grew explosively. Not only did the number of Vita-Touched in the galaxy rapidly increase, but so did the number of planets which joined the UGF, and who were thus required to ensure their Vita-Touched received some form of training. As most planets lacked an internal structure to do so, and had no interest in creating one when the UGF already had a perfectly serviceable alternative, their Vita-Touched joined the Grand Order of the Magai as well, and thus had to be housed in the Grand Temple.
As the building expanded first horizontally, then eventually vertically (both up and, later, down into the ground), the Order kept growing, and thus the Temple had to grow along with it. It had to not only house all these new people, but also provide room for them to learn in, room for them to practice in, room for them to gather in and eat in and room for that food to be provided (though the last was eventually resolved by having the Grand Temple rely fully on imported food).
Architecture
Having not only existed, but been in active use for over 800 years, the Grand Temple has seen quite a few changes in architecture. Originally it was built out of (primarily) steel and reinforced concrete, with plentiful windows. Back then it was a fairly flat building, expanding horizontally, but eventually they could no longer acquire additional space and had to begin building up. This, they did in layers, creating setbacks. These higher layers they also made more cylindrical, designed to handle the more severe conditions that high above the ground.
As technology developed throughout the galaxy, and more suitable materials were discovered or created, the layers of the Grand Temple were gradually replaced, allowing it to carry its ever-increasing weight. The final Grand Temple, as of its destruction in the year 834, was too massive to describe, built not only tall into the sky, but also digging down, with countless subterranean levels. It maintained the shape overall shape, however, with a square base on ground-level, and cylindrical towers built onto it.
Defenses
The Grand Temple was built as a place of peace and learning, and as such, wasn't built with much in the way of defenses. Its walls were strong, yes, but they must be to carry the rest of the building. It was, however, fairly sturdy to ensure no accidents or mistakes with magic will cause damages beyond the room they happen in. For the most part, however, the building was protected by the rest of the city around it.
For more direct attacks, the Grand Temple relied on its inhabitants. Housing countless Vita-Touched skilled in magic who would not hesitate to defend their home. Not to mention the specialized guards, who ensured the safety of the building against local threats.
History
Existing for over 800 years before its destruction, the Grand Magai Temple had a long but surprisingly uncomplicated history. It was always used for the same purpose, by the same organization, and never stopped being used. It was a place for the Magai to come home to, to live, to learn, to raise students. Over time it grew and expanded in size, to fit in all these people, but it never stopped serving its purpose. Not until its destruction, that is, at the hand of shifting tides in the perception of the Magai housed within the Grand Temple, stoked by the Coalition.
Tourism
The Grand Magai Temple itself was never open for tourism, though it occasionally drew in visitors, typically local politicians (such as Representatives from the UGF) or Vita-Touched from other organizations, or even Magai from other temples. Politicians typically stayed in buildings for that purpose, closer to the Council's quarters, but other Vita-Touched were usually housed within guest quarters in the Grand Temple.
The outside of the temple, however, saw plenty of tourism. Haven was a large and heavily populated city-planet, and plenty of people who were planetside (be it as tourists or because they lived there) were interested in seeing the massive building that housed the legendary Magai. However, as they were not allowed into the Grand Temple, plenty of other buildings popped up to house these people, or tours which led them past but didn't let them stay there.
RUINED STRUCTURE
Year 834
Year 834
Founding Date
Year 8
Alternative Names
Grand Temple; Magai Temple (old), Temple (old)
Type
Megastructure, Land based
Parent Location
Owning Organization
Related Traditions
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