Armúr an Cheartais
Protruding from the bay that is home to Suranth's capital, Geata Iarainn, this spire of stone piercing the mist, fittingly, like a spear or a lance, is already impressive once one realizes it is a structure of some kind. That awe will only grow when one first crosses the thresholds, any of them, of Armúr an Cheartais, or to give it the name on the tongue of the common person, the Armory of the Just. Even entering this most sacred place, you immediately are greeted with thick and heavy bound steel gates regardless which entrance you approach. Flanking the gates, statues of a dwarven knight, in heavy steel plate, finished with white and silver, riding a massive boar, wielding a long spear. The tip of the spear was depicted as having a slight blue tint to the metal. The dwarf himself looked every inch a commander. Strong, stern eyes, fearless posture, but calm facial features. Each statue is the same, showing this dwarf knight tight to his saddle, spear leveled, as if thundering forward, on the charge. The heavy steel gates all marked with the same symbol, a winged spear, the tip a silvery-blue, centered on a black mountain, all upon a snow white backdrop. The insignia of the Kartheartian Church. For here is the seat of power for the faith of Sir Kartheart, the beating heart of that faith. Their Grand Cathedral.
Purpose / Function
Armur an Cheartais first and primary purpose is that of a house of religion and worship. It is the centralized religious authority for the Cult of Sir Kartheart, and the many holy orders of that faith there within. However it is so much more than that, of course. This towering structure is in some ways, a small community, almost a town, in and of itself. Some four thousand of Geata-Iarainn's residents call this spire home, and not all are direct members of the church. Some are employed by the faith for anything from care of the grounds and building, to crafting of weapons and arms for the Storm Lancers or other of their other warrior Ords. Others still are educators, scholars employed to study various texts and ancient documents or artifacts. The structure is a fortress, able to house three or even four times its number of permanent residents. Balconies adorn each level, masterfully worked from the stone of the spire itself, in beautiful geometric form, masterful craftsmenship. Even here though, function comes before form, These balconies are almost not visible from afar, because they are cut into the stone, the doors exiting the spire itself sunk into the stone. The balconies are left with a solid stone wall, complete with crenellations and arrow slits.
Within, naturally being a house of worship, one will find many proper church halls, large cathedral like spaces meant for sermons and worship. But beyond that, in the lower levels one will find the stables for the famed Thundertusk Boars, and training facilities for Storm Lancers, the most famed martial Ord of the Kartheartian faith. These facilities also act as the barracks and garrison for the Storm Lancers, giving Armur an Cheartais military significance to the nation of Suranth.
Within, naturally being a house of worship, one will find many proper church halls, large cathedral like spaces meant for sermons and worship. But beyond that, in the lower levels one will find the stables for the famed Thundertusk Boars, and training facilities for Storm Lancers, the most famed martial Ord of the Kartheartian faith. These facilities also act as the barracks and garrison for the Storm Lancers, giving Armur an Cheartais military significance to the nation of Suranth.
Alterations
The fortified balconies are the newest real alteration done to this marvelous structure, having taken nearly two decades to finish. They were built for reasons of defensibility and practicality. The Cult of Sir Kartheart is one of a more militant bent, and therefore such considerations are considered part of the spiritual responsibility of those whom follow this faith. Over its five century lifespan, it has been altered many times. In truth, work on the massive cathedral is almost always on going. The salt air and mist from the sea insures that one can almost always find at least one large restoration project underway within, restoring this ancient mural or fresco, or reinforcing a section of floor, or restoring any of the beautifully crafted stone-work or statues.
Architecture
No matter which entrance one wishes to approach The Armory from, one cannot deny the stoic and geometric beauty of form present here. The spire itself provided the medium, this lance of bedrock protruding from the bay far below, almost a kilometer. No single surface of the bedrock remains untouched, yet much of the carving of the stone face is merely enhancement, following and emphasizing the natural gradients and geometry already present, though also tastefully decorating it. In areas where rock protruded unevenly, where once were protruding ridges or bulges, there are masteful carvings depicting Sir Kartheart's most reknowned saints, famed religious leaders, both former and current, along with exquisitely detailed and lifelike depictions of Thundertusk Boars.
No gaudy colors or heavy dyes are present upon the structure. They wouldn't last anyway, under the dampness and salt of the near constant sea mist that hovers over the lower bay, nestling between the cliffs that house Geata-Iarainn. No the only decorative addition is seen in the vibrant almost crystaline blue and silvery white finish that seems to be ever vibrant on very specific parts of the structure. These accents are done tastefully to accent the outline of the windows and balcony openings, the top of the spire, along with certain parts of the statues and carvings, highlighting key details like a specific piece of armor, or hair color, and the upper walls and ledges of the equally impressive Cloud-Cave Skywalks that connect this grand temple to the rest of Geata-Iarainn. Again, no dyes, foreign stone to the formation itself, is used. Nor is it any sort of tiling, paint or otherwise. No the secret is various forms of moss that grow naturally on the sea cliffs all about Suranth's northern coast line, that thrive and grow off of salt water and sea spray, giving off an ever present luminesnce. This moss family, for it is indeed a family, give off different glows depending on the particular type. These are carefully and skillfully cared for by a Magister of the Emerald Order that the Church keeps on permanent retainer.
Within the Armory though, that is where the architecture really comes into its own. This truly is a 'grand' cathedral in every sense of the word. Thirty-one floors from top to bottom, though the top third of these are the housing for the various members of the faith, along with administration offices, the frankly massive library that the church has, and the secured vaults of the Kartheartian faith's most precious treasures.. The bottom one, below sea level, is known simply as Blackwatch, a prison that is seperate from, but shares a stone structure with, The Armory. The buffer between The Armory and Blackwatch is four floors that basically house the 'gated' community. Here shops bustle, trade occurs, craftsmen ply their profession. Kids play, adults work, it is almost a seperate little town within Geata-Iarainn. The next six floors are the stables of the Thunder-tusks, as well as the training facilities and barracks for the Storm Lancers. Everything beyond that is all various lecture halls to teach aspiring clergy folk, grand auditoriums for sermons and prayer, and proper chapel rooms, pews and all, to house the faithful and run well church. All this is complete with the sorts of accoutrements one would expect. Masterful mason work depicting all manner of Kartheartian holy symbols, the vaulted ceilings alive with frescos depicting the story of Sir Kartheart's greatest trials and victories, ending with the Viid knight ascendant, of course. These frescos depict great and tragic conflicts, battles of fury and blood, fire and sword. They depict his ascension, when he faced down Ang'grav'kel, Iracundia's own first-spawned abomination, and facing down the threat, even 'slaying' the beast. These frescos are vivid and very lifelike, though Ang'grav'kel is rendered in each fresco differently, as reflecting the unknowable nature of such a true abomination of the Void. One cannot help but feel that they are in a true temple, but also a true fortress, walking under the massive vaulted ceiling that depicts the final scene of the epic tale of Sir Kartheart's ascension, the Tusk-Storm Charge. The scene is depicted above you larger than life. It is here, in the largest worship hall in the Armory, that the artistry of the building, its vaulted and arched ceilings, its subtle but well utilized bits of exterior color, its vibrant and organic interior, hustling and bustling almost like a small town, it is in that atmosphere that the warrior-artist aethestic, that vibrant pragmatism really comes together and feels...'right' for the faith.
No gaudy colors or heavy dyes are present upon the structure. They wouldn't last anyway, under the dampness and salt of the near constant sea mist that hovers over the lower bay, nestling between the cliffs that house Geata-Iarainn. No the only decorative addition is seen in the vibrant almost crystaline blue and silvery white finish that seems to be ever vibrant on very specific parts of the structure. These accents are done tastefully to accent the outline of the windows and balcony openings, the top of the spire, along with certain parts of the statues and carvings, highlighting key details like a specific piece of armor, or hair color, and the upper walls and ledges of the equally impressive Cloud-Cave Skywalks that connect this grand temple to the rest of Geata-Iarainn. Again, no dyes, foreign stone to the formation itself, is used. Nor is it any sort of tiling, paint or otherwise. No the secret is various forms of moss that grow naturally on the sea cliffs all about Suranth's northern coast line, that thrive and grow off of salt water and sea spray, giving off an ever present luminesnce. This moss family, for it is indeed a family, give off different glows depending on the particular type. These are carefully and skillfully cared for by a Magister of the Emerald Order that the Church keeps on permanent retainer.
Within the Armory though, that is where the architecture really comes into its own. This truly is a 'grand' cathedral in every sense of the word. Thirty-one floors from top to bottom, though the top third of these are the housing for the various members of the faith, along with administration offices, the frankly massive library that the church has, and the secured vaults of the Kartheartian faith's most precious treasures.. The bottom one, below sea level, is known simply as Blackwatch, a prison that is seperate from, but shares a stone structure with, The Armory. The buffer between The Armory and Blackwatch is four floors that basically house the 'gated' community. Here shops bustle, trade occurs, craftsmen ply their profession. Kids play, adults work, it is almost a seperate little town within Geata-Iarainn. The next six floors are the stables of the Thunder-tusks, as well as the training facilities and barracks for the Storm Lancers. Everything beyond that is all various lecture halls to teach aspiring clergy folk, grand auditoriums for sermons and prayer, and proper chapel rooms, pews and all, to house the faithful and run well church. All this is complete with the sorts of accoutrements one would expect. Masterful mason work depicting all manner of Kartheartian holy symbols, the vaulted ceilings alive with frescos depicting the story of Sir Kartheart's greatest trials and victories, ending with the Viid knight ascendant, of course. These frescos depict great and tragic conflicts, battles of fury and blood, fire and sword. They depict his ascension, when he faced down Ang'grav'kel, Iracundia's own first-spawned abomination, and facing down the threat, even 'slaying' the beast. These frescos are vivid and very lifelike, though Ang'grav'kel is rendered in each fresco differently, as reflecting the unknowable nature of such a true abomination of the Void. One cannot help but feel that they are in a true temple, but also a true fortress, walking under the massive vaulted ceiling that depicts the final scene of the epic tale of Sir Kartheart's ascension, the Tusk-Storm Charge. The scene is depicted above you larger than life. It is here, in the largest worship hall in the Armory, that the artistry of the building, its vaulted and arched ceilings, its subtle but well utilized bits of exterior color, its vibrant and organic interior, hustling and bustling almost like a small town, it is in that atmosphere that the warrior-artist aethestic, that vibrant pragmatism really comes together and feels...'right' for the faith.
Founding Date
1021
Alternative Names
The Armory
Type
Cathedral / Great temple
Parent Location
Additional Rulers/Owners
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
A good article with great detailed information. I do like the very in depth detail of the structure you write about, almost seeing-it as i read. Aemon
Thank you :D I am glad to read this comment cause I will admit to trying to hide my flaw of I have zero visual artistic talent. So I need to use just words. I'm glad it works
It does, keep up the good work. Aemon