Gemstone of Summer
The Gemstone of Summer is a shining performance hall located in the heart of Halitara. The hall is covered in stained glass windows that are constantly cleaned inside and out by the staff of the building. During the day, it glints in the sunlight. And at night, hundreds of lanterns light it up from within. The Gemstone plays host to the most notable acts that pass through the city, from theatrical performances to musical spectaculars. Any artist dreams of featuring there and any art-lover dreams of getting good seats there.
Architecture
The Gemstone is built predominantly out of light Summerian sandstone. It is considered an architectural marvel not only for its colorful exterior, but also for intricate structure. The building is roughly egg shaped, widening around the middle before tapering to a dome at the top. Inside, a smaller egg encloses the theater. The interior egg is covered in staircases and interlocking blocks of dark and light sandstone. The space between the exterior and interior structures is where things such as the ticket booth and vendors are located. However, the higher levels are dominated by stone pillars that jut out from the inner egg in order to support the outer egg. The pillars themselves are rather plain in comparison to the delicately crafted eggs, but during certain occasions, lanterns or fabrics may be hung from the pillars to contribute to the atmosphere. In general, the pillars are left undecorated so that there is nothing in the way of the lamplighters that scurry up and down them every dawn and dusk to light and later snuff the hundreds of lanterns nestled behind the glass windows of the exterior. Speaking of which, we cannot discuss the Gemstone of Summer without talking about the basis for its name. The Gemstone is so called because of the distinctive stained glass windows that cover its exterior from tip to top. Hundreds of windows of varying sizes and complexities are set into a framework of pale sandstone. The windows are predominantly dark blues and purples at the base of the structure, fading into brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows at the top.History
The Gemstone was built in 611 AD by Alyn the Lush, against the advice of her many advisors. The Quintessency was well-established at this point, but still young, having been formed a few decades before. However, the administration was low on funds at the time, having spent those decades helping a kingdom recover from war. Advisors at the time would have far preferred to invest any spare funds into more practical projects, like speeding up the fledgling postal system. Alyn, however, had her own ideas about priorities and how to drum up coin. Her reasons for commissioning the Gemstone were twofold: to accomodate the growing demand for a large gathering space in Halitara outside of the Quinseat and to establish an artistic center in the capital city. She ammeliorated her advisors by explaining that ticket sales would generate revenue, but that was secondary to creating a cultural cornerstone that would encourage travel and enhance standing. The design and construction of the performance hall would take a decade in total. The significant stretch of time was due in part to various delays, but mostly to the high standards that the Quintessence set for the project. Several architects were hired and fired before the Gemstone's base concept was brought forward, and then revisions began. Materials all had to be top-notch, artisans the highest quality. And of course, it takes a while to create and install hundreds of windows, even when they're not stained. When the Gemstone of Summer was finally completed, people came from all over to attend its very first performance. The rendition of Wake of the Fire that was performed that night was spoken of for years to come and is still used as the basis for performances of the opera today.
Founding Date
611 AD
Type
Theatre / Concert hall
Parent Location
Owning Organization
Comments