The Granite Hold

Throne Of The Wyrm Lord

The Granite Hold is a landmark that is both mountain and building in equal parts. Located several miles from the north-eastern edge of Centre Lake in the Riverlands near the centre of the city of Wyrmheim, it began construction in the year 98 Re to commemorate the founding of the Grannrormrlen. Once finished, it would serve as the empire's administrative capital for almost its entire history.
It holds the distinction of being the largest and most lavishly decorated hold to be constructed after the end of the First Country, and one of the only so-called 'true' holds constructed during the Grannrormrlen. During the Grannr, it was used as a meeting place for the Fyrstbairn, and the lower floor served as the heart of both the local Wyrmheim government, and the national bureaucracy. After Forfir's death in 863 Re and the fracturing of the empire, the Granite Hold's importance steadily began to diminish. Its enormous stature - once a source of pride for the Wyrms - now rendered it more and more of an inconvenience, and eventually, it was abandoned in the year 1224 Re in favour of a palace elsewhere in Wyrmheim.
When the Western Grannrormrlen fell during the Landamaeri War, the Granite Hold was pillaged of all its riches. The patches of rubies that adorned the top of the hold were systematically mined out by Rukhmarite invaders, and statues of Forfir and the other Fyrstbairn were torn down. In the present day, it has suffered the same fate as most of the other Ormr holds; with the lower levels being overtaken by vegetation and wildlife. Where once it was the court of the foremost individuals in the Grannr, now, the only individuals who venture inside of the hold are outlaws and vagabonds who go there to flee from authorities.

Layout

The Granite Hold was divided into four distinct layers; many of which consisted of potentially upwards of dozens of floors and hundreds or thousands of rooms. The lowest layer, which was level with the rest of Wyrmheim and extended as far as a hundred meters up, was the only level which the public were allowed access to. The second layer was restricted to only officials serving the empire, and served as the home of the bureaucracy in Wyrmheim. The third layer was physically disconnected from the two lower levels, and so could only be reached by creatures which were able to fly; limiting access to the Fyrstbairn alone. The fourth and final layer was the private domain of the Wyrm Lord; serving as a throne from which he could gaze down upon the rest of Wyrmheim.

Granite Hold

View from one of the entrances of the Granite Hold

Location: Wyrmheim, the Riverlands

Built For: Forfir

Constructing Polity: The Grannrormrlen

Began Construction: 98 Re

Finished Construction: 152 Re

Height

Highest Elevation: 524m (1,719ft)

First Layer: 0-100m (0-328ft)

Second Layer: 100-150m (328-492ft)

Third Layer: 150-250m (492-820ft)

Fourth Layer: 250-500m (820-1,640ft)

Location in the Riverlands

The First Layer

The first layer is the second largest of any of the layers in terms of total size, and was used as a public space for the people of Wyrmheim; as well as a venue within which to host galas, religious ceremonies, and other important public events. It was divided into three floors which each served a different purpose, although some rooms - such as the lake in the centre of the layer - could reach through multiple floors.

One of the hallways on the hold's first floor

First Floor

The first floor was intended to be used as a public meeting place for citizens of Wyrmheim. It could be entered from any direction, and the areas around these entryways were filled with great halls where people could come together and talk about anything. A system of canals ran throughout the floor which allowed for easy transport across the ground floor by boat, as otherwise getting from one side of the hold to the other could necessitate nearly a kilometre of walking.
In the centre of the floor was a large open space that took up much of the core of the mountain. In it was a small artificial lake which could be reached by any of the canals, and within which were situated numerous small islands. Visitors could take boats out to these and enjoy tea and conversation upon them. Their isolation also lead to them becoming popular locations for private conversations; as each island was situated far enough from others that someone talking on them would not be heard.

Second Floor

The second floor could be reached by a short walk up one of the many staircases scattered all throughout the ground floor. This floor was dedicated to holding art installations, as well as being home to numerous museums that held wonders from all over the empire. The entire floor was designed as a monument to Grannr magnificence, and was designed to allow the people of Wyrmheim to gaze upon the fruits of what they, alongside the Wyrms, had created.
Many statues, murals, and paintings could be seen on the floor; as well as certain artefacts recovered from important areas of the Grannr's history. The weapons and armour of famous soldiers who had fought in the Grannr-Leskeln war were stored here, alongside the personal effects of some of the most renowned Supervisors from the provinces. By far the grandest exhibit on the floor was the Fell Hall: A long hallway that ran down the middle of the entire floor and contained

A chunk of amethyst that was once displayed on the second floor

the decapitated heads and other body parts of various Leskeln, preserved and mounted upon the walls.

Third Floor

The third floor was the last level that was part of the first layer, and could be reached by continuing up the same staircases that lead to the second floor. This floor was the smallest of the three, and contained facilities to be used for religious ceremonies and worship. The room was divided into one hundred rooms; one for each of the Hundred Gods worshipped throughout the Grannrormrlen. Each contained an altar for people to pray at, and was decorated in a fashion befitting that god; with iconography and items designed to represent them placed throughout the room.
Various exits on this floor lead to the outside of the mountain, where platforms had been constructed to allow for views out onto the city. From these, it was possible to look upwards to see the unreachable third layer. During the Grannr, these promenades served as popular spots to pray, and it was also common for people to drop leaves and other light objects from ledges in order to watch them fall to the ground below.

The Second Layer

The second layer was the home of the Grannr's bureaucracy. Entrance into the layer was only allowed to those who had some sort of a position in the government, and to reflect this, the staircases that lead all the way up to the third floor of the first layer did not connect to the second layer at all. Instead, the second layer could be reached through a separate set of stairways arrived at through specific entrances; which were guarded around the clock.

"The hundred-metre staircases that lead up to the second layer were so exhausting to climb that, a short time after the layer's opening, a rest point was carved out at the middle point in order to allow bureaucrats to stop and catch their breath."

— Marcavian of Vinheim

Owing to the exhausting climb required to reach it, the second layer was designed to hold all the amenities that the bureaucrats working there would require throughout the day. Marcavian of Vinheim writes as follows:

"For these reasons, it was imperative that those working there not be required to journey up and down the stairs any more often than was necessary. To that end, the second layer was equipped with restrooms, cafeterias, and contained its own dedicated cooking staff consisting of locals from Wyrmheim. Goods were transported up the mountain with a series of complicated cargo lifts and cranes, and crews of labourers were required to work all throughout the day in order to keep deliveries coming. In this way, the bureaucrats were only required to inconvenience themselves with a trip up the mountain once, in the morning, and a trip down in the evening when the time came to return home. Yet the logistics required to achieve this level of convenience were truly staggering."

— Marcavian of Vinheim

Visually, the second layer was adorned with the colours of the Grannrormrlen. All of the floors were covered in red carpets which were frequently cleaned, and the walls were constructed of either marble or granite; sometimes both. These two stones would often be interspersed in decorative patterns, and artisans are said to have laboured for a combined thousands of hours to decorate the layer.
The second layer was frequently visited by Supervisors from across the many provinces of the Grannrormrlen, as well as other important governmental personnel. Unlike the first layer, in most places it was spread across only one or two floors with extremely tall ceilings. This was a necessity in order to allow the Fyrstbairn to step foot within the layer; for unlike the first layer where they never ventured, a small number of them spent a great deal of time in this layer communicating with their human subordinates.

Ofirar Floor

When Forfir gave the order to begin mass producing Ofirar in the year 726 Re, it was decided that a place would be needed for them to be raised away from mortals. To this end, a portion of space was taken from the third layer to make space for a new upper floor to be added to the second layer, which would be used only for the Ofirar's habitation.
In order to prevent any humans from entering the floor, it was constructed to only allow entry via a select few corridors. Each of these corridors was then filled with a foot of Wyrmsilver; a type of incredibly poisonous liquid metal. It was harmless to the Ofirar and the Fyrstbairn, who were unaffected by all poisons, but even a single drop of the substance was enough to guarantee an agonising death for any human if it touched their skin. Therefore, a Wyrm could move freely in and out of the floor without concern, but no humans could pass without perishing.

A hallway with its floor submerged in Wyrmsilver

The Third Layer

The third layer was the exclusive domain of the Fyrstbairn and the Wyrm Lord himself. It was separated from the second layer by around twenty metres of bare rock, with no path leading up to it. Instead, the Fyrstbairn would simply fly up to the layer; alighting on the great stone platforms that jutted out from all sides of it, from where they would then make their way inside to the layer proper.

"It was supposedly possible to see the third layer from one of the many balconies or promenades on the third floor of the first layer. The diaries and memoirs of various citizens of Wyrmheim remark of the sense of awe they experienced as they gazed up at the ring of platforms that served as the entry to the layer. It seems as if the sight of the inaccessible portion of the hold had a great allure to those who saw it; for Wyrmheim's judicial records recount that no small number of men found themselves tempted to try and climb up to it over the years. The punishments for those who failed or were caught mid-way through their ascent were relatively lenient; consisting mostly of time in the stocks or public flogging. The records do not list a single person who succeeded in making the climb."

— Marcavian of Vinheim

During the era of the Grannrormrlen, information on the interior of the layer and the goings-on that occurred there was virtually null. It is only in the last few centuries since the fall of the Western Grannrormrlen and the end of the Fyrstbairn that humans have become able to visit it. As such, much of the following information is speculation that has been pieced together from archaeological evidence left in the layer combined with contemporary speculation.

A number of records have been recovered from what appears to have been a storage cupboard in the eastern half of the layer, which contain information on meetings which were held in the layer. These include minutes on what was discussed, the dates at which they occurred, and which Fyrstbairn were in attendance. The documentation recovered from this room makes up the vast majority of present information on the workings of the fourth layer.

Structure

Physically, the third layer consisted of only a single floor; parts of which ranged in height from between the 200m to 250m marks. Structural damage sustained during the Landamaeri War has made mapping the floor difficult, as large parts of the ceiling have collapsed; sealing off entire portions of the layer. The remnants include a large central hall with what appears to have once been a throne in it, alongside a large table without chairs; presumably designed for the Fyrstbairn to gather around.

Workings

It is thought that the third layer was used as a meeting place for the Fyrstbairn to come together from across the empire and discuss important issues. Presumably, the layer's isolation was intended to ensure privacy and stop the deliberations from being overheard by any of the empire's human population.

One of the scrolls recovered from the storage room

Open

Date of Meeting: 3rd of Annarr, 506 Reunion
Function: Monthly gathering of the Council of Wyrmheim
Duration: Began at 10:00, ended at 11:34. Meeting lasted 94 minutes
Attending: Totosihuforo, Tretosehuni, Fitofihueit, Setotrehunfitre, Tretoehunfisi, Tufoufihunven, The Wyrm Lord Minutes: Meeting began at 10:00 sharp with role-call. All Council members present save for Sitouononsi; who offered apologies for absence.

1. Discussion began with routine assessment of production figures. Tretosehuni stated no significant change in production of core materielle. Fitofihueit informed recruitment down by six percent in Belyria; stated reason currently unknown, investigation pending. Wyrm Lord noted displeasure at this.
2. At 10:16, Tufoufihunven presented census data for region of Ressengia. Census showed an increase in population of 5.8% since last census, in line with projected estimate. Wyrm Lord approved implementation of increased conscription efforts in region. Additionally, mandated six hundred tons of iron be transported via spider to Evergrace to facilitate the establishment of new smithies as part of recruitment effort. Discussion closed at 10:20.
3. At 10:20, Wyrm Lord queried council as to status of production of nonstandard goods. Fitofihueit presented reports from Whitefort and Sunsreach detailing production of salt and incense. Wyrm Lord approved figures, inquired about progress on construction of stained glass windows. Fitofihueit reported that a shortage of artisans in Asutoa had stalled the project, despite recent attempts to encourage the practise. Additional setbacks had been experienced in the form of earthquakes in the region, which had destroyed several items.
4. At 10:29, Wyrm Lord inquired as to status of border with Ostokive. Setotrehunfitre informed of no recent developments.
5. At 10:31, Wyrm Lord requested report on the status of the conflict in east-Belyrian jungle. Setotrehunfitre provided report stating that the conflict against the Thousandforms continues to stalemate; providing reason that ground troops were unable to make progress through the difficult terrain. Setotrehunfitre proposed the solution of using Arcana to burn down the jungle. Wyrm Lord rejected notion on the basis of damage to natural resources, citing disaster at Seiforh; ordered dispatch of another two platoons to reinforce the region. Discussion closed at 10:38.
7. At 10:39, Setotrehunfitre took the floor and informed the Wyrm Lord of a revolt in Ninoto province by a small village. Wyrm Lord requested further details. Setotrehunfitre informed that unrest had come as a result of increased taxes in the region and bereavements suffered during the war, and the objective of the rioters was to demand compensation for the death of men in the village. Wyrm Lord inquired as to value of the settlement. Several minute break was enacted to retrieve records on the settlement.
8. Session resumed at 11:02. After consultation of records, village was deemed to have no strategic value. In light of this, Wyrm Lord ordered the village be subjected to flattening. Once procedure complete, replacement population to be brought in from nearest city, and settlement to be rebuilt.
9. At 11:05, Wyrm Lord requested information on Wyrmheim grain stores. Totosihuforo presented information stating that storehouses currently held-

[The remainder of the scroll has frayed away, rendering the rest of the contents unreadable.]

The cabinet from which the scrolls were recovered

Additionally, the third layer is believed to have been the workplace of Forfir. The Wyrm Lord received a tremendous number of documents to the layer via transport every morning, which it is said that he would read over throughout the course of the day in order to keep apprised of happenings within the empire.
The Wyrm Lord was recorded to have never left the Granite Hold save for as part of public appearances. When the time came to make a proclamation or to attend a religious ceremony, he would take flight from the third or fourth layer, and make his way down to Wyrmheim. Otherwise, he remained within the hold at all times; working to ensure the Grannr's future.

The Fourth Layer

TBD

History

TBD

In the Present Day

TBD

Further Reading