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The Towers of Dara HappaBy Jeff Richard and Greg Stafford The Dara Happans are well known for their love of tall towers stretching into the sky. What is less known is that there are three basic styles of Dara Happan towers, each style associated with one of the ancient Tripolis. THE STAR TOWERS OF YUTHUPPAThe highest are the 100 (10x10) Star Towers of Yuthuppa, that stretch so high that they "enter the Sky World" are the 100 (10x10) Star Towers of Yuthuppa. Called "Star Towers" or the "gates from heaven and to earth", the upper reaches of these towers literally connect with the Sky World. This is not by virtue of their actual height (although that is important) but through magical means inherent in their design.These tall, elegant, slender spires are wonders of Dara Happan architecture. Each Star Tower has basically consists of three parts: a base, a shaft, and a viewing gallery. The shaft is either conical (tapering at the top), cylindrical (a circular shaft) or polygonal (with edges, as opposed to cylindrical). Some believe there is a deep significance to the number of sides. Stairs circle the inside of the shaft in a counter-clockwise fashion as one ascends, providing the necessary structural support for the highly elongated shafts. Openings at differing intervals show certain constellations and celestial during the year. The gallery is an open balcony which encircles the upper sections where the Star Seers watch the heavens. It is often covered by a roof-like open lattice canopy and adorned with ornamentation, such as decorative brick and tile work, cornices, arches and inscriptions. The gallery is actually a temple that opens into the Star World, even without ceremony. I was told that I could enter the Left Hand of the Hunter through Tower 56, if I only could get past the Tower Guards. At each opening, and atop each tower is a torch of the Envyuthic Guild - remarkably, this light never manages to outshine the night sky above the city. During the daytime, the 100 Star Towers glow visibly and the pattern of the stars is that of when the city was built and includes stars that are no longer visible. Each Star Tower reveals a specific celestial myth. On certain days of the year, pilgrims go to specific towers which are enchanted with momentous events and powers. On the given date, the openings of the tower reveal the specific celestial entities which are in the given myth - and always reveal some aspects which are not given in the spoken or written tales. As a result, the towers are all official named as a specific date. Commoners also know the story of the tower and call it by that title. For example, the Tower of the Eight Lights (shown below) reveals secrets associated with Burburstus and the Virtue Stars. The diameter of the base is 32 cubits in width, while the gallery is little more than 6 cubits wide. The mundane height of the tower is an impossible 400 cubits. The tower played a significant role in events of the later Second Age.
THE ZIGGURATS OF RAIBANTHIn the center of Raibanth is Selshena, located the Footstool of Yelm, the Selshena. It was created when Yelm lowered the Staff of Justice from the Sky to the Earth - where it approached the earth up rose the Footstool, and from atop that rose the sheer Tower of Yelm. The Footstool is an immense ziggurat, a ten-tiered stepped pyramid with facings of colorful glazed brick of celestial significance. The Sacred Processional Way of Raibanth leads from the Triumphal Road to the Footstool - the Way is lined with walls covered with decorated glazed brick. The ziggurat rises some 200 cubits high, with large stairways providing access up to the fifth-tier. A sacred stairway leads to the highest level and the Tower of Yelm. The top tier is the temple and all-seeing throne of the Emperor.The Tower of Yelm rises from the top tier into the Sky World. It is not of this world, although to commoners and foreigners it often appears to be a ten sided polygonal shaft, a single elaborately carved piece of steadfast rock, which is so hard no tool can cut it. A spiral staircase ascends from the Footstool to Kelastan, the Throne of Yelm. The Tower is Ledareeshata, the Pillar of Light, who connects the Above and Below. None but the Emperor dare try to ascend the Tower.
Image to come Raibanth has many lesser ziggurats as well - homes for the gods of the Celestial pantheon, such as the Eight Sons or of Raibamus with its great stone statue of the Citymaker. Most cities of Dara Happa have constructed ziggurats in emulation of the Footstool. For example, the Great Tower of Sankendavu in Orlentos, the Sacred Bastion of Yunirtos, the Zigguat of Kavlostos and the once grand Temple of Heaven and Earth in Yukorvikoth are all architecturally based on the Footstool. Ziggurats have even been constructed outside of Dara Happa, in locations settled or conquered by Dara Happans. The grandest is the Temple of the Brilliant Pillar in Mirin's Cross, originally constructed by King Alakagor of Saird to bless the True Golden Horde (later restored by Takenegi Reclusus, and later gilded by Takenegi Argenteus). Commonly called the Golden Temple, this great structure was originally faced with brick glazed with a brilliant golden yellow, it is now truly gilded thanks to the generosity of Takenegi Argenteus. THE ENCLOSURES OF ALKOTHThe Alkothi contribution to Dara Happan architecture is the Enclosure. As described in Glorious ReAscent of Yelm:"The Temples of Shargash are officially called Enclosures, for they are unlike any temples to other gods. They are high walls decorated with hundreds of heads and skulls of the slain enemies of the city. They are entirely open to the sky, except for a few small buildings where the attendants live and supplies are kept. The inner walls of the temple are covered with scenes of the Underworld where the Dead Gods sit and suffer." Enclosures of Shargash can be found throughout Henjarl, as well as in Raibanth, Dara Ni, Saird and Jillaro. Outside of Alkoth, Shargash is a feared god of war and destruction (and a planetary deity), and thus most of his worship is propritiatory. Otherwise, Alkoth has no real tall towers, just squat and fat ziggurats. The so-called Great Ziggurat of Alkoth is a squat, terraced red ziggurat that is the fortress-residence of the Red King of Alkoth and was originally constructed by Eusibus. THE TOWERS OF DARA NIThe original settlers of Dara Ni were a Darjinni folk who followed the Manimati First Dynasty kings. The name literally means Dar's people's Valley (or Red-Earth people's Valley). At the Dawn they were ruled over by the Hirenmador and fought over by the Hyalorings. Dara Ni was a main battleground in the wars between the High Council and the Warlords, and later between the High Council and the Dara Happan Empire. It has been ruled by Heortlings, Talastarings, Syllilans, Alkothings, the EWF, the Dara Happan Empire and others. As a result, it is a diverse mosaic of competing, conflicting and often violently feuding cultures.The city lords of Dara Ni have built "groves" of tall stone pillars to appease the aldryami of Rist since the Darkness. During the Second Age, rich families constructed their own tall towers, partially for religious purposes, partially for offensive and defensive purposes during the many internal feuds that wracked Dara Ni. Scores of tall narrow towers were built, some rising more than 220 cubits. Atop most towers is a grove sacred to the Red-Earth goddess of the valley and of Rist. After the burning of the Forest of Rist, the construction of these towers became feverish as a way of extirpating the cities' guilt for betraying the aldryami. In the late Third Age, one city - Thubana - has some 200 towers. These towers are often hastily constructed and periodically collapse, making a precise count of the number of towers at any given time difficult.
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