The Gilded Gate

The Gilded Gate, also called the The Gilded Door, is the gateway that bars entry to the domains of the Fansus' more destructive and violent Hours, occasionally referred to by certain adepts as the Prison Wing.

Appearance

The Gilded Gate is almost angelic in appearance, made of gleaming gold that casts light and warmth throughout its chamber in the Mansus. Created by the Forge Hours, the Gate is self renewing and ever-changing. Made of animate molten gold, the gate often rearranges itself into elaborate shapes from angelic figures, looming spiders or chained devils, always holding in place sturdy gold bars. This is a defense mechanism of sorts. Already made of divinely blessed gold, it cannot be disintegrated by the Golden King, and its semi-liquid state and overwhelming heat prevents the Hours' forces from laying hands upon it or damaging it in a lasting manner.

The Gate's beauty is offset however by the mobs of howling, weeping dead that throng the other side, who attempt to reach through and escape. The Gate is semi-aware, and it prevents its prisoners from escaping. It will permit those whom it has not been charged with imprisoning to pass, but for this it requires sacrifice. A prisoner or an occultist must be fed to the Door to proceed into the realm beyond.

Interactions

• Tonight I ascended the way to the Upper House. The winds of Nowhere and the chill of the House fell away as I stood before the Gilded Gate in all its radiant beauty. The heat is intense and makes approach painful, nonetheless I take a tentative step forward forward. The air grows heavy with anticipation. The Gate acknowledges me, and awaits its toll.
  • No Sacrifice I have brought with me no offering that would satisfy this construct's hunger. Despite the heat of the Gate, the air takes on a unwelcoming chill as I linger. I cannot advance. I am not welcome here. Bereft of purpose, I fade into the crowds of sleep.
  • Sacrifice My unwilling assistant clamors up from beside me, entranced by the Gate's beauty. With a flash of heat, the Gate melts and comes apart like butter in a skillet. With a rush of motion and a cut off scream, the wave of gold has engulfed my offering and receded again. The wave parts, pushing back the Dead on either side while leaving room for me to enter. A gust of musty, stale air with a hint of the scent of blood rushes out to meet me. I enter the Province of Dust.

Locations

• The Province of Dust: FNORD
• The Peacock's Chambers: FNORD
• The Array: FNORD

Hours

• The Engine of Cycles: FNORD
• The Peacock: The Peacock is contained by the Gilded Gate. The remnants of his once vast Choir cannot bring down the Gate, and Hours such as The Cuckoo twist the halls of Upper Mansus to prevent him from bypassing it like the Golden King. Mortals that secretly bear his Mark, as well as his cleverer winged Long, manage to bypass the Gate by simply walking through it or flying over or around it, ensuring his influence in the Sea-Dragon's Palace has not been entirely extinguished.
• Old Tarnished: The Gilded Gate was erected at the same time as the Golden King ascended. It is one of the few constructs within the Fansus that the Golden King cannot destroy with his touch. There are certainly other ways out of the Upper Mansus, but with the House being as labyrinthine as a maze, the Gilded Gate is the shortest way. By the time the Golden King bypasses the Gate, he barely has time to fell the target of his wrath before immediately retreating to the Golden City. It is only when the Hours of Knock such as the Anaconda approve of his march that the Gate relents and parts for him briefly, before returning to constantly denying his advance.
• The Maker: The Maker was one of the key designers of the Gilded Gate. Commissioned by its friend the Anvil, the Maker is the Hour responsible for its ever-changing, yet artistic nature. When the Gate was completed however, the Anvil surprised the Maker by trapping it, causing the Hour to realize too late it had inadvertently created for itself an inescapable prison.