Arx Nolatha

The cloud arx of Nolatha is one of four arces floating above Rifts Earth, hidden in the clouds. Hidden to the naked eye and even camouflaged to mystical sight from long distances, the arces remain unknown to all but a few select inhabitants of Rifts Earth. The four are Arx Nolatha, Arx Cosa, Arx Niunithal and Arx Rotons.
Arx Nolatha is known among the four to house the Prime Auguraculum, the open space where the augurs and ornithomancers conduct rituals. All four have an auguraculum, but this one has precedence and is suitably more impressive in size and decoration. In fact, the stone in the center of it is where the Gods of the Lyn-Srial appear when they visit. It is also where the Tharo sits, facing the future when rituals are performed for him or her, reinforcing his or her status as god-king.

Purpose / Function

Originally created to be citadel keeps for the Lyn Srial, who live on the surface of the planet in places like the Grand Canyon, Among the Inca in the Andes and Pin Valley in the Himalayas. The arces are not devoted living spaces. They are instead reserved for special purpose facilities such as Cloudweaver Academies, the Auguracula, and temples to Ra, Isis, Thoth and Horus and only the people working in these facilities may reside on the arces.
Besides the Prime Auguraculum, Arx Nolatha also houses the Cloudweaver Academy colleges of Peace, the Mind and Creation and the primary temple of Thoth, God of Wisdom and Creation. While important, this arx was not originally the capitol on their homeworld. It is the most important center of Lyn-srial society here on Rifts Earth, however, and is often referred to as Arx Ca'itolina (in American it would be pronounced capitolina) which is the name reserved for their capitol on their homeworld.

Architecture

A meld of Roman and Egyptian styles; it is remarkably large, open and ornate.

History

In thier homeworld, Arx Nolatha was one of the most important arces, housing the Cloudweaver Academy and the High Temple of Toth (per-Neter Thoout) as well as the Prime Auguraculum. it was the center of wisdom for their society.
When the Rift appeared in the sky, they had little time to communicate with their people. Those present on the arx deliberately steered it into the rift. They foresaw the birth of a new era for Lyn-srial on Rifts Earth with access to far greater power than they could possibly have access to here on their homeworld. In their hubris, they dismissed the warnings about troubled times and sacrifices before that new era would occur. They were poorly prepared for the cataclysm that was Rifts Earth at the time. Back on their homeworld, the Lyn-Srial society was ignorant of all except that their prized Arx Nolatha had passed into the mysterious rift. They managed to send in a large military force on another arx, the Arx Cosa, before the Rift dissipated, trapping them on Rifts Earth forever. This following force proved instumental to their survival, but it was not until their Patron Deity Horus made a personal appearance was their survival secured, and their new halcyon age begun.

Tourism

No one visits the arx without an invitation. Any uninvited who penetrate its obscuration wards will be killed if they can not be captured.

Alternative Names

Cloud Citadel, Arx Capitolina

Type

Castle