"I see it, there it is -" Rothsman said excitedly,
pointing out into the depths of space.
"Where?" Mercurial asked, learning forward
towards the viewport as if that would make the mysterious Caethedral appear before
her eyes. Out there she couldn't see anything and there were no readings of any kind
of energy source or mass detected by the ships sensors.
"Just there, a door, -32 degrees near the yellow
star. Its faint, like it's just an outline. Bring the Dancer is closer - slowly -
5% thrust. I think we're right next to it."
...
Rothsman, Mecurial and their hovering drones stood
on an ethereal platform. It was solid yet nothing there. Beneath their feet they could
see galaxies spinning. In front was the door Rothsman had seen, a tall double door
arched at the top. They, the door, just hung there in space.
"So, what do we do now?" Mecurial asked. "Knock?"
Rothsman didn't think that knocking was such a
dumb idea from his platinum blonde travelling companion (fortunately an astrologist
of exceptional ability and a decent shot too) and walked up the steps with some trepidation
to the door and was about to strike it with his fist when the doors opened before
him revealing a vaulted hallway broken by dark columns. As his eyes adjusted all the
adventurer could say was
"Ain't that something else..."
The name Cathedral of the Stars is known only to a
few as a rumour or myth and only a small percentage have actual proof of its existance.
To know of the Cathedral and to live requires great secrecy and caution and either
to be judged worthy of such knowledge or be especially skilled in a field of knowledge
or to be powerful.
For the Cathedral and its denizens have many enemies,
most who search for it, some who reside within its walls but respect the law of the
Cardinal until the time of shadows is over. That the Cathedral would habour beings
who seek its destruction would be considered madness by most, but they do not understand
the purpose of the Cathedral.
Formost the Cathedral is a place of refuge when any
who come upon it can seek santuary and protection. The difficulty of locating it (or
even knowing of the Cathedral's existance) mean that only the fortituous or powerful
do enter. Secondly it serves as a meeting place where parties and faction of the Universe
can meet on neutral ground and conduct their missions; diplomatic, subterfuge, or
other. Because of this and the nature of these Great Games and the power of the players
involved, the Cathedral is full of shadows and wispers, where hearing the wrong word
can lead to death as soon as one leaves.
The Cathedral is a place of Immortals, Comezian diplomats,
Gifted, the Insane, an occaisional extraordianry human, and perhaps one of the Gackt,
haboured there by the Cardinal since the time of the Casting Down millenia ago.
The Cathedral is located in deep space, near no planets
or stars. This in itself makes it hard to find as there are no close reference points
from which to begin a search. The physical, or rather, metaphysical nature of the
Cathedral itself further decreases chances of it being found deliberately or accidently
nearly impossible; for in the real world the Cathedral is nothing more than a faintly
visible ornate door no more than a few metres wide and five tall and nearly transparent.
There is no front or back, opening the door either way will allow entry. Seen from
the side the door is half a metre thick. The anomoly is just there, hanging, in space.
If how the creators or curators of the Cathedral have
hidden it so is a mystery, then the change of moving from out-space into in-space
is beyond comprehension. When the door is closed the interior of the Cathedral is
revealed: a large gothic-inspired hall with dozens of windows along the pilaster lined
walls showing fantasic images of the universe; comets, galaxies in slow spiral and
brilliant stellar nurseries. The nave is broken into three sections: the Ascension
a straight way with columns and aisles on either side; followed by the Quire
which runs across the Ascension and both ends sporting rounded Passions where the
most moving of the Cathedral's galatic imagary can be seen. Lastly the Altar place
and Sanctuary. The Altar is raised and directly above it is the Dome from which a
vast panorama of the universe causes the most focused of soul to halt and stare in
wonder. A lecturn and the Cardinal's vestments wait for his announcements. The Sanctuary
is the most involate place of all the Cathedral and no harm can come to those who
gather there. A doorway leads deeper into the corridors and rooms of the Cathedral
but when one enters they are not heard of since.
Two other doorways located in the aisles each side
of the main door lead into the Residences; where guests and denizens stay temporarily and
under a Sacrement of Neutrality. All residents are sacred and cannot be harmed - any
caught doing so suffer punishment and then death at the command of the Cardinal and
the Cathedral's Ascetics.
Ascetics are Monks or Nuns and each serve a different
purpose. Monks are the primary administrators, guards and mediators, the Nuns performing
general functions seeing to the attentions of the Cathedral and the Residents. Although
rarely seen a third group, the Knights, provide protection to the secrets of the Cathedral
or when uncontrolable violence breaks out. A powerful place the Cathedral is constantly
under surveillance from within.
Gin & Tonic
The Cathedral is a large gaming area and fantastic
setting for conflicts between talented and powerful characters. Its corridors and
rooms allow for adventures of machivellian plots, investigation and suspense. The
Cathedral itself is perfect for showdowns and multiplayer situations where non stand
aligned but each require the co-operation of others to fufil their own agenda. Conflicts
too can be played out beneath the majesty of the Universe. The Cathedral provides
cover behind columns and pilasters, room to move, open space where immortal duels
can take place and the vertical too is not forgotten. Participants
Only a select few of Mind less than 7 have been allowed
entry into the Cathedral, mostly they are servants of a greater being. The majority
of Residents are Mind 8. The Cardinal himself is Mind 9 and a powerful psycic. If
the rumours that a Gackt is beyond Sanctuary is true then there is at least one Mind
10 or greater power walking the corridors.