The Spriory

Welcome to the Spriory, the Temple of the BeaconSpire! May the Omnul grace you with frequencies of constructive interference!   The Spriory is a portal on the boundary between the roiling Quondamarie and the theoretical edge of All. It has simultaneous manifestations in every plane, offering any individual a direct line to the Purideas, while the Great Spire at the center of the main building stands as a tangible connection between selves and Self.   The Great Spire holds Nothing, but if you peer into it, you will see Everything (but not Anything).

HISTORY:

  Long ago, at the beginning of the Cataclysmic Resortation, the Perpetuarium emerged from the Null (and vice-versa) as the Omnul began to dream. The Purideas arranged themselves in perfect angles around the edges and the Quondamarie began to bubble with potential as their archetypal projections intersected at the infinite points within.   Perhaps that’s going back a bit too far, but it does provide context.   The Spriory Temple was the first building to appear in what is now known as BeaconSpire Village, the only known settlement on the outer boundaries of the Perpetuarium itself. As one of the few physically and conceptually stable structures so close to the ever-changing Quondamarie, the location attracted the Knights of Agamus’ seven Orders as well as the academicians who eventually founded Gri’x University. The tenets and missions of these three institutions being so amenable to one another, they formed a natural alliance as the village grew around them.

THE GREAT SPIRE

  Most visitors arrive at the Spriory via the Triamble Campus portals in the Gri’x. Their expectations, based on its manifestation on that plane, have had a great deal of influence on its appearance here in BeaconSpire Proper. This description shall focus on that version. Bear in mind that while its outward appearance can vary, depending on the reality in which it is perceived, the Great Spire will always be apparent in some form, serving as a connective beacon, showing the way to all who know what to look or listen for.   (For example, this author sees the Great Spire in every common signal tower dotting the horizon of the Connodo in which they currently reside.)   In Beaconspire Village and the Gri’x, the Spire appears as a straight, thin beam made of dark, iridescent pumice-stone. Its exact composition is unknown (though trace elements are identifiable) and as it seems to go on forever both ways, it may be that there is no dominant composition. Samples tested have shown mostly quartz, feldspar, and highly condensed quondamarite.

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THE MAIN BUILDING

  The Spriory’s main building currently resembles a ‘Nodian gothic cathedral which, at first glance, seems far too massive to fit in its allotted space. It boasts all the requisite arches, columns, buttresses, stained-glass windows, and filigreed stone scrollwork, inside and out.   The lintel above the main narthex bears an intricate (to put it lightly) stone relief depicting the Mandelbrot Fractal Form. All attempts to examine it thus far have led to the general consensus that outline of the carving is indeed an infinite line contained in a finite space. (However, as every investigation has eventually been halted due to exhaustion, boredom, or another, more pressing appointment that just came up, the final verdict is still uncertain.)   As one enters the nave, the sheer height of the walls, ceiling, and windows impresses the concept of eternity into one’s mind. Nary a line or plane seems to exist here that doesn’t rise up to meet another at some lofty arch. The windows themselves depict scenes from every story and myth ever told, and while the images seem to change from one visit to another (there are a lot of stories and myths out there, and despite appearances, this part of the building is not infinite, so they all have to take turns), one can always find one’s personal favorites among them, waiting to be admired.   Passing beneath the Crossing, casual visitors are advised not to look up. This is the base of the Great Spire, which represents the connection between the central essence of each individual Self to the very core of the Omnul. Trained acolytes are on-hand to provide hot beverages and counseling to any who gaze into it too closely for too long.

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THE APSE

  At the far end, the semi-circular ambulatory holds the small chapels (or Shrines) where each and every Purideac archetype is represented.   Yes, all of them.   This part of the building is infinite, or at least, there are spaces for all the deities, and if a new petitioner brings one who isn’t yet represented in the Shrines, a new space opens up for them.   There’s even an empty chamber with blank walls, so that those who refute the Purideas’ power or existence have a place to meditate—or whatever—upon their absence, should they wish to do so. A lack of belief can be, in itself, a form of faith, and none who truly follow their faith are turned away from the Spriory.

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THE GROUNDS

  In the Village as well as many other manifestations, the Spriory shares its grounds with the Gri’x University Main Campus and the Knights of Agamus’ Lantern Lodge, forming the Immaterial Trinity of Spirit, Mind, and Heart. Many of our Acolytes are actively involved with the Knights of Agamus and Gri’x University programs as students and/or teachers, and the Spriory itself has ample classroom space for University students pursuing spiritual and philosophical curricula.   The Triamble, which began as a mere footpath between these three points, represents the inextricable connections of these pillars of consciousness.   Resident acolytes live in private cottages (or other physically-appropriate structures) in the large Abbey complex behind the main building, beyond the public gardens. Like the Spriory itself, these small, unassuming structures are capable of spatially accommodating a surprising variety of needs and preferences.