The Crater of The Grand Chalice and Surrounding Areas[]
The Grand Temple is the spiritual and administrative center of the High Church. Located in the Crater of the Grand Chalice on planet Andophael it is one of the most impressive buildings in the sector. Build of reinforced ice the temple stands tall in the center of the crater.
Ever since the building of the Grand Temple Complex, the Crater of the Grand Chalice has been considered holy ground. The exterior structure of the Grand Temple remains the only building allowed there to this day.
The Path of Virtue[]
The only way on the surface to reach the Grand Temple is via the Path of Virtue. This is a long, winding path made of stone and ice that, in many respects, is symbolic of a journey of faith for instance, there are many twists and turns along the way, and you get to see the church from several different angles.
Many pilgrims have also commented on the route the path takes through the crater in relation to their own journey of faith, noting that you sometimes end up going backwards, and that just when you believe you are nearly there, you discover there is still more to go.
Access to the Path is gained in one place to the south of the crater. This led to the construction of a road that run around the lip of the crater with regular shuttle services for both residents and tourists to utilise to get there.
Surface Settlements[]
The areas of settlement on the surface are small in number but both historically and culturally significant. The build-up areas we see today were originally the areas where people from all around the sector came to explore the holy planet.
Over time, a wide range of people settled there, and whilst much of the information pertaining to these areas was lost during The Silence, the original names given to each area remain. These were all named in local tongues, and roughly translate to ‘Land of God’ or ‘Holy Land’ in most cases.
Population of these areas varies between a few hundred in Tir Duw to nearly 10000 in K’idusi Midiri, the first area that was settled and the largest populated area on the surface near the Grand Temple.
Residents in these areas now mostly work in the tourism that operates on the surface near the main route around the crater, or within the Grand Temple itself. Some locals also work within Andophael Observatory in the north or on the C.A.C.T.U.S Defence Site.
Combat And Counter Terrorism Unit:Sierra Defence Site[]
The existence of the C.A.C.T.U.S defence site has long baffled outsiders due to its proportionally large appointment of local residents as workers, all whilst satellite evidence shows that the site is made up of only a few short range missiles which would prove ineffective in full scale conflict.
Conspiracy theories exist surrounding that the High Church has instead hidden its combat prowess, with the leading theory being that, like the main temple itself, it is hidden underground somewhere. Indeed, the name of the site appears to hint at the existence of several other sites; tourists have often been found frozen to death out in the harsh expanses of the planet as they tried to locate ‘Unit: Romeo’ or the like.
Other ideas maintain that in the event of hostile activity, the High Church has prepared for a scenario where, should the Grand Temple Complex be in danger of being compromised, they would obliterate it themselves to stop it falling into enemy hands.
General Architecture[]
The main surface structure is constructed solely from ice, held up by the will of the Emperox himself. The building is at the same time impressive and strangely simplistic. The dome is constructed of thousands of massive ice blocks hewn from a nearby glacier.
All technological and structural support is well hidden from the eyes of common visitors. Support beams are hidden through cunning optical tricks. All necessary technological components are either transparent or colored to blend in with the surrounding ice, so that from the inside it appears to be constructed of one giant sheet of ice.
Hidden lighting makes it seem as if the entire building is only illuminated by Andophael's sun. Yet the attentive observer will notice that there is more light than the sun could provide. At night the entire temple becomes a shining beacon guiding all that seek it.
Important locations:[]
The Hall of Remembrance[]
After passing through the large entry doors, the visitor stands on the edge of a large hole bored into the center of the planet. Along the walls of the shaft a balustrade spirals downwards into the dim darkness. From the depth of the shaft the constant hammering and recitations of the chisel monks can be heard. Only occasionally the humming of an anti-grav platform adds their sounds when it brings a month back to his work area from the surface. No one truly knows how deep the hole goes, not even the monks who work on it.
On the walls the names of countless servants of the church stand written, recording the name, title, and date of death. Everyone who dies in service of the church is recorded here.
The monks of the chisel are tasked with the engraving of the names, endlessly chanting the names of the fallen.
"[name], your name shall never be forgotten.
[name], your deeds shall stand eternal.
[name], your service everlasting."
The Monks of Remembrance eternally walk down the spiral repeating the names engraved in stone. They are also tasked with the selection of those suggested to be added to the stone. While any member of the church automatically is added to the eternal queue, many who die for the church do not directly call from its ranks.
The depth of the Hall of Remembrance is only seldom visited by people outside the ranks of the monks working here. Mainly by church members undertake the Pilgrimage of Remembrance, walking to the bottom of the shaft entirely on foot. This feat is often undertaken by those seeking repentance for speaking ill of a saint or acknowledged, dead church member, or those accused of heresy against the Ten Virtues, or those excommunicates who wish to beg for the Church's mercy.
There is a tale about a hidden door to a secret church vault, somewhere in the wall of the shaft. This is of course utter nonsense vehemently denied by all of the monks.
The Hall of Echo[]
The Hall of Echo stretches across the surface of Andophael. It contains statues of all the holy Emperoxs who ruled the Empire. The Hall is extended for each Emperox. Currently there is one alcove for the statue of the next Emperox. It is located directly opposite to the main entrance.
Each alcove is engraved with pictographs displaying the deeds of each Emperox. The Monks of Encasement take great care so that any pilgrim can understand the great and holy deeds. Below each pictograph is information about the Emperox, written in Imperial and Church High Latin, describing the reign of the emperox and their various accomplishments.
[Not to be confused with the central hall which also displays statues of the Emperoxs and due to it's location requires more space for future holy rulers.]
The Hall of Entrance[]
"Ten blessings." - The first words any pilgrim hears when entering the Temple.
The grand Hall of Entrance is the first room each pilgrim enters. Its huge doors are always open welcoming all who make their way here. The doors are flanked by 10 paladin guards at all time, each one bearing the crest of one of the ten imperial houses.
Entering the hall every pilgrim is greeted by a priest. The priest's duty includes to make sure every pilgrim receives medical attention if necessary. The Hall itself is simple, only adorned by ten huge banners. Each one displaying one of the Ten Holy Virtues.
The Conciliabulum Minuo [The Hall of Lessening][]
A round chamber designed to swallow all sound. A pit is situated in the middle of the room. The pit is surrounded by ten statues turning their back to the central pit. Alcoves allow witnesses to view the pit.
In this room nobles are stripped of their nobility in the Ceremony of Exigo, stepping down into the pit symbolizing them stepping downwards into peasantry.
The Grand Temple (subterranean)[]
Emperox's Station[]
This underground high speed train station directly connects the Grand Temple with the Andophael star port.
The Emperox's station is the main way most church personnel enters and leaves the Grand Temple. It is adorned with mosaics displaying important historical events and important High Exarchs. (Not that there would be any unimportant ones)
Administrative block[]
"And now we enter the most boring part of our tour." -unknown tour guide
Some priests say the administrative block is the most important complex in the church. Some priests say they are gladly staying as far away from it as possible. It mainly depends on how fond they are about record keeping.
However, it is worth noting that the High Order makes its home in this block, meaning that spiritually significant decisions are made here as well as adminstrative ones.
Thousands of priests and acolytes work in the administrative block. Here the tithes and assets of the church are recorded and administrated.