The Olympian Ark
Everyone knows the city of Olympia was built atop an Ark. Set into the mountainside and extending for an unknown number of floors beneath the rock, only the first few levels are accessible. The rest of the Ark is sealed behind a thick steel door that has thus far been impenetrable.
Accessing the Ark itself requires gaining entrance to a tunnel that then leads underground. Members of GateWatch can be found guarding this access point, allowing only those with official documentation through. There are rumors of hidden ways around these checkpoints for less than official exploration, but any individual caught trespassing will find themselves quickly detained.
Upper Floors
The top three floors of the Ark are the only ones easily accessible. They seem to have been more of a place to congregate prior to the sealing of the Ark rather than the primary inhabited areas. These areas are all heavily fire damaged and it’s speculated that there was an attempt to bomb open the sealed Ark door during the Wasteland period. This resulted in any information that might have been gathered from these areas being irretrievably damaged. What little is left gives the impression of seating areas, temporary sleeping chambers, a cafeteria, and offices (presumably for the staff coordinating admittance to the Ark).
Lower Floors
So far, the only access found to the lower floors of the Ark has been a tight squeeze through a vertical vent shaft of at least 50 feet that leads into residential apartments of some sort. Whether this may lead to a way to open the massive door that seals the Ark is unknown. Access to this shaft is highly restricted, as previous expeditions have met with dangerous Horrors lurking within the depths of the Ark.
Expeditions
Over the years since the Founding, there have been many expeditions into the Olympian Ark. The Department of History at the University of Apollo has annual expeditions that it uses as a research tool for archeological students in their final year. In addition, adventurous Gatewardens and proven, registered Ark Runners are able to apply for access as well.
The Department of History is extremely well organized in its approach to expeditions, with the filing of forms and waivers mandatory before permission to access the Ark can be obtained. Once the expedition is complete, a detailed report is required with full disclosure of anything found, any new areas mapped, and any dangers encountered.
Fun Fact! From the time of the founding of the university, all official expeditions have been named for the year they were undertaken and the expedition number for that year.
In modern times, most expeditions return with nothing new discovered; however, it is an invaluable experience for students who are exploring an Ark for the first time, or new Ark Runners wishing to get their feet wet, and there is always the thrill of potentially uncovering the Find of the Century.
One of the most famous and well known expeditions in recent years is #2832. During the expedition, several items were recovered that gave the most significant insight into pre-Ark civilization discovered in the past century. This, however, came at great cost and the vent shaft in question has since been blocked off to prevent access by any but the most experienced.
Notable Discoveries
City Plans for Olympia
One of the first recorded expeditions, city plans devised by the Ancients were discovered in a fireproof safe under the floorboards of a large office in the Ark. This innovative and remarkable design detailed out the octants and their purpose and is now enshrined at the Founder's Hall in Zeus.
Time Capsule
Just outside of the Ark, a metal box was uncovered with several pre-Ark items within it. It was stamped with the words TIME CAPSULE and contained:
Vertical Farming Technology
A pristinely preserved pamphlet detailing how to farm using vertically stacked layers, allowing farmers to produce much more food on much less land utilizing artificial temperature, light, water, and humidity control in order to yield year-round perpetual harvests. It includes information on hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.
Other Items of Note