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Gildestorl

The Gildestorl is the heart and soul of Gildegan, where all the dwarven guilds gather to show their skills. Originally meant only as a gathering place for all their representatives, the building and its aspirations have expanded substantially and made it into a hub of activity, trade and leisure.     This hexagonal colosseum stands at 394 ft (120 m), but travels another 1132 ft (345 m) underground. Its diameter is constructed to make sure everyone can see the gladiatorial fights taking place below them, but is around 450 ft (137 m) at the top of the structure.    Its underground levels have many uses, since its architecture and expansions have grown far more intricate with time. These levels were the former home of the guild offices, but instead serve to house their national archives and to supply the many businesses in the Gildestorl.

Purpose / Function

It was built originally to house the guilds in one easily accessed location. This purpose had to adapt once complaints came filing in that the quarterly discussions between the guilds were "too boring" and required far too much paper. Since wood was in short supply after the Tree Retreat, they had to come up with something more practical.    Its current function is to entertain those who stop by. Tourists, dwarves travelling from the mines, or anyone else that may enter its walls, the Gildestorl's audience was unmatched anywhere else in Gildegan. As the architecture improved and its silhouette in the skyline became all the more imposing, it was a perfect candidate for their commercial aspirations. The guilds soon realised that if the customers enjoyed themselves, they were far more likely to part with their hard-earned coins.

Alterations

The construction guild, being as legitimate as any other, also flexes its muscles when it comes to the Gildestorl. It goes miles above ground and under it, making it the largest building in all of Gildegan. If the architects approach them with an ambitious project to help their work stand out, they won't refuse it, even if the iterations take decades to put into place.    Their most famous alteration is a dwarvish rarity - building higher above ground rather than travelling further downwards. Those involved pride themselves on this achievement, since they can't rely on bedrock to keep their structures in place and there's little room for failure in the masonry.

Architecture

Building Materials

  The architecture is constantly improving and changing, thanks to the many industrial guilds and suppliers aiming to impress just as much as any other.  
  • Wood - a material that is very rare all over Gildegan, so it's spared as a decorate accent on all buildings, not just the Gildestorl. The building's cultural importance means they can use it in abundance. That being said, they have no real reason to have wooden beams or columns.
  • Stone - a prominent sight for all dwarves, stone is a staple material that is also reliable enough for building. It makes the main bulk of the Gildestorl - particularly on the higher levels, where sturdy foundations are hard to come by.
  • Metal - metalurgy is widely practised in Gildegan, so metals are the bread and butter of most building project below ground. They appear in the lower levels of the Gildestorl to help give structure alongside a modern feel, where stone wouldn't be sufficient.

Style and Decoration

  The Gildestorl is hexagonal, with a hollow part in the middle. From the top, there's a clear view of the gladiatorial arenas where people fight during the Quarterly Duels. All the sides look into this battle area, but remain barricaded with a mesh to stop combatants from accidentally harming the spectators. These meshes are made from hexagonal shaped segments that are used to make a fence.    Wooden decorations imitate the look of trees and other natural motifs, though they are made in a decidedly dwarvish style. To an Durmok or Human eye, it's fairly obvious that most the craftmen have never seen a living tree before, and have instead guessed. Interestingly, their depictions of Ents are fairly accurate and quite prevalent - placed firmly as antagonists in dwarvish carvings.

Tourism

At the end of every financial quarter, the smithing guild and fighter's guild collaborate by hosting the traditional arena tournament. The competition is visible from everywhere on ground level and above in the Gildestorl and draws in many onlookers, especially those placing Ferwinste. These fighters either come from one of these guilds or are sponsored by one mercenary group and one smithy who are business partners. In desperate situations, these sponsors are decided on the spot. A fighter can't compete without affiliating themselves with a company, one way or another.   Inevitably, each trade has their own reasons for gathering under one roof. The taverns and bars benefit the most from visitors and are very keen to inform the good people of their exemplary services. Amongst the crowds, the competition is fierce to bag a customer to stay at their establishment over a competitor. When push comes to shove, however, they will band together against their common enemy - the souvenir shops.    The Gildestorl Archives are displayed for all to see and keep diligent commerce records and which guilds are the most prominent. They also regale anyone who visits with the long and expansive history of the dwarves, whether a visitor wants to learn about it or not, in aggressive detail. This is naturally because scholars and historians have their own guilds and are just as eager to impress with their knowledge. Foreigners mistakenly believe that going here is much like a daytrip at a museum, only to realise that reading all the information would mean multiple stays in a tavern bed.
Founding Date
802
Type
Arena
Height
1526 ft / 465 m (total)
394 ft / 120 m (above ground level) 
1132 ft / 345 m (below ground level)

Diameter
450 ft / 137 m (top)

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