Clockwork Cathedral

History

The origins of the Clockwork Cathedral are not well understood, though natives now take it for granted. Less than a century ago, a tall, gaunt,Mcloaked figure called the Assembler arrived on an ironhulled ship from the south. The pilot who steered the iron ship through the ship graveyard reportedly claimed no creature of flesh was to be found on board. The Assembler bought a ruined building that had once been a temple to Asmodeus, destroyed by a mysterious fire months before. Throughout the night of the Assembler’s arrival, neighbors reported sounds of shattering stone, grinding metal, and low, rumbling thunder. By the next morning, the old temple was gone. In its place was the Assembler’s iron ship, though no member of the Harbormaster’s Grange could say how it got from the dock to the center of the city. For the next month, the sounds continued every night, and the iron ship was larger and more complex every morning. When the sounds stopped, the Clockwork Cathedral had claimed every inch of land the Assembler had purchased. The Clockwork Cathedral is the most specialized of keystones’s Great Schools.It is the premier center of learning focusing on mechanics and constructs. An imposing building of heavy iron plates, interlocking gears, gothic arches, and sliding joints, the single-building academy has oft been compared to a mechanical centipede with a clock tower on its back. The long cathedral has numerous segments in its “hall,” each buttressed by several wrought-iron sliding braces. A giant gear sits between each segment, interlocked with smaller cogs and levers throughout the cathedral. The movement of these gears within each segment periodically cuts off a number of rooms, all driven by the central clock tower. Those who study within its metal halls must learn to time the movements of these gears, as there is no warning when they will shift, sometimes blocking off rooms for days at a time. Basic classes are often taught by senior students and generally not on school grounds. Anyone who wishes to apply for such classes may do so, but no one knows how the governing body of the cathedral (called the Ruling Escarpment) decides what students to take on. Each applicant receives a letter, delivered by a small construct, telling them if they have been rejected or accepted, and if accepted the amount of their tuition. These acceptances and the prices charged appear to be random, and no bargaining or renegotiation is allowed. The cathedral has no living maintenance staff, with all repairs, errands, cleaning, and (when needed) security provided by short, rotund constructs called “Thumpers” (due to their less-than-silent walking style). Thumpers carry the messages that offer terms to new instructors, deliver monthly salaries.

Type

Cathedral / Great temple

Parent Location

Everlight

Owning Organization

The Escarpment