City Gates

OVERVIEW:

Lunathion has seven city gates—one in each district except the Istros—located along ley lines. Prior to modern technology, the Gates facilitated communication by operating similiarly to landline telephones. Each gate resembles an archway, is made of quartz, and has a dial pad and a gemstone system that allows an individual to "call" another Gate. When an individual "calls" another Gate, the gemstone belonging to the receiving Gate lights up. Upon each gate lies a plaque that says, "The power shall always belong to those who give their lives to the city" (Ch 2).

In the present, the Gates primarily function as tourist attractions since cell phones have eradicated the need to use them for communication. Tourists line up to place a hand on the disk and make a wish to Midgard's five gods. In doing so, they surrender a drop of magic that is never returned to the owner.

The Gates' names locations, and dial pad designations are:

• The Angels' Gate (Central Business District)

  • Opal and a pair of wings

• The Dead Gate (The Bone Quarter)

  • Onyx and a skull and crossbones

• The Heart Gate (The Old Square)

  • Ruby and a heart

• The Merchants' Gate (The Meat Market)

  • Tiger's-eye and a serpent

• The Mortal Gate (Asphodel Meadows)

  • Amethyst and a human hand

• The River Gate (Moonwood)

  • Sapphire and an oak tree

• The Rose Gate (Five Roses)

  • Emerald and a rose