World: 

Age:

Location: 

Epi

Age of Nations

Hall of Nations

   Hall of Nations:  The Hall of Nations has been called the headquarters of the Firesmyths and also the Firesmyth's Chambers.  It served as the global seat of power where the Firesmyths helped in negotiating international treaties and policies during the first three ages of Epi.  

   Location:  The exact location of the Hall of Nations was unknown, though many during the Age of Nations would visit it for reasons of ceremony and politics.  The location was kept a secret because the only way to or from the Hall of Nations was through the Gates.

   The Buildings:  The Hall of Nations was really more than just one building.  It was comprised of several dozen buildings and other structures at the center of a mountain rung valley laid out in concentric circles.  At the center of these circles was the Hall of Nations proper, a large structure where most global meetings of significance were held. Several other support structures surrounded it in the first ring.  

   Radiating out from the Hall were transparent tubes, one for each region of Epi.  These contained semi-liquid floors that moved people faster in their direction of travel much like people-moving conveyor belts.   The tubes would pass through the outer circles until they came to a large dome structure, one dome for each tube and each dome dedicated to a Firesmyth.  Beyond the dome stood a guardian statue emitting a force field that kept out those whom the Firesmyths didn't want to enter.  

   Far beyond the edge of the guardian's protection were the transport gates, one per region.  In this way, each region of Epi would have its own access to the Hall of Nations through its Gate, its own guardian and its own Firesmyth ... until the Fall of Nations.

   Transport Gates:  A transport gate, or just gate as they were commonly referred to, provides instantaneous transportation from one gate to another by opening up a wormhole from one gate to another.

   These structures were not erected by the Arcathian state government's Transportation Services or any other Epian state government.  They were instead constructed under the direction of Firesmyths during the Second Age, predating the maglev towers by four millennia.

   There were a limited number of Gates placed on strategic areas of the planet by the Firesmyths who limited their use to times of emergency or great ceremony.  

   The gates could be activated by only by certain people placing their hand in a certain orientation and location on the side wall.  If the gate's sensors recognized the handprint and placement, the gate would open.  The destination, determined by the hand position/location, would be seen through the gate.  

   See also Gate Valley Transport Gate.

[Gallery]