Post by Dusk on Sept 26, 2008 14:59:46 GMT -5
Description:
The House's physical appearance in the Secondary Realms is described as a vast, varied House with many different architectural styles.
Denizens
Denizens are the original inhabitants of the House. Denizens are ranked within the House in an order of Precedence.
Transportation & communication within the House
Wings
Wings are an everyday means of short distance travel within the demesnes of the House. They are often mentioned, and used most take on the classic angel-like appearance (i.e. white and feathered), wings can be different quality. The cheaper, paper-made wings are disposable, are often made for temporary use by high-level sorcerers. The user doesn't have much control over them, and they are usually one directional, and after their purpose is completed, they fall off and dissolve. The higher-quality wings can be taken on and off at will. These wings are controlled by a mental link with the wings. Some of the higher-quality wings have special properties, such as the ability to shed light, or invisibility in the Secondary Realms. Wings are banned in some areas of the House because of various air-borne hazards, such as The Pit in the Far Reaches, or Monday's Dayroom in the Lower House, or in The Great Maze.
Postage Service
The House does have a postage service but it appears to be notoriously poor. Letters take weeks, sometimes years, to reach their destination; most don't even get there at all. This is due mainly to the disorder in the Lower House and has apparently grew worse prior to Mister Monday's downfall, having all the letters and newspapers cut off completely in some of the House, according to Fred Gold. It is revealed in the fourth book, that if a Denizen does not accept the recruit posting form, he is then turned into a brown paper wrapped parcel, and transported through the postage system to the Great Maze.
Elevators
Elevators are currently the only way to travel between the demesnes of the House, save Friday’s Mirror, which lets the user go to any reflective surface in existence so long as Friday has been there in person before. As the elevators fall under the authority of Superior Saturday, they are banned from the realms controlled by Arthur as of Lady Friday. The size of an elevator can vary greatly, it can be the size of a telephone booth or a football field. When the elevator is in motion, its path is marked by a beam of light. In the Border Sea, elevators can only travel to Port Wednesday as the rest of the realm is submerged. The elevators can be controlled by either the elevator's operator, Superior Saturday or (probably) Lord Sunday.
Weirdways
Weirdways are pathways that exploit the veins of Nothing within the House. One is able to go through the Nothing via a dark corridor with soft and jellylike walls, floor and ceiling. Weirdway entries are often disguised as innocuous items within a room, such as a painting or coin on the floor, and they cannot be moved.
According to Suzy Turquoise Blue, only the blood of a Trustee can close a weirdway.
Transfer Plates
Large plates that work as a sort of teleporting device throughout existence. Transfer plates are usually electrum; they occasionally are made of other things, such as fine china. Touching a transfer plate, intentionally or not, will automatically transfer you to the prescribed destination of the transfer plate. The plates can be controlled by Superior Saturday.
The Improbable Stair
The Improbable Stair is a stairway that can traverse all of creation. It was the Architect's personal transport by which She visited all of Her work. To enter the Stair, one must first have an item of power, such as a Key, or the Piper’s Pipes. Then, they must find something that looks like a staircase, such as a blade of grass bent three times, or a scratch on a wall. Then, the rider must believe that it is there, and it will be. There are several landings to the Stair, and once you arrive on one, you must quickly find your way back on the Stair, or be stuck there forever. There is also the risk that a Nithling may make its way onto the Stair. The entire use of the Stair is described as risky and dangerous; and these risks increase when the destination is near Nothing. Some Denizens cannot travel on the Stair (the reason for this is unknown), but Pipers Children are always accepted.
As of Superior Saturday, the Improbable Stair has been used four times:
* Arthur Penhaligon and Suzy used the Stair in Mister Monday to get from the Coal Cellar ( the Old One’s lair) to Monday’s Dayroom,.
* Sir Thursday uses the Stair in Sir Thursday to reach square 500/500 to destroy the giant spike of Nothing which was built by the Piper to freeze the squares in the Great Maze. Thursday travels the Stair taking Arthur, Suzy, Fred and 9 other Piper's children with him.
* The Piper uses the Stair in Lady Friday to get himself to a safe place when a trap disguised as the Fifth Key opens into the Void of Nothing.
* Arthur, Suzy, Fred, and the Fifth Part of the Will use the Stair near the end of Lady Friday in order to quickly get back to Monday's Dayroom.
Telephones
Telephones are a means of communication within the House, and also to the Secondary Realms. The ring is inaudible to mortals, save Arthur and Leaf. House telephones are similar looking to an old fashioned earth telephone.
The House's physical appearance in the Secondary Realms is described as a vast, varied House with many different architectural styles.
Denizens
Denizens are the original inhabitants of the House. Denizens are ranked within the House in an order of Precedence.
Transportation & communication within the House
Wings
Wings are an everyday means of short distance travel within the demesnes of the House. They are often mentioned, and used most take on the classic angel-like appearance (i.e. white and feathered), wings can be different quality. The cheaper, paper-made wings are disposable, are often made for temporary use by high-level sorcerers. The user doesn't have much control over them, and they are usually one directional, and after their purpose is completed, they fall off and dissolve. The higher-quality wings can be taken on and off at will. These wings are controlled by a mental link with the wings. Some of the higher-quality wings have special properties, such as the ability to shed light, or invisibility in the Secondary Realms. Wings are banned in some areas of the House because of various air-borne hazards, such as The Pit in the Far Reaches, or Monday's Dayroom in the Lower House, or in The Great Maze.
Postage Service
The House does have a postage service but it appears to be notoriously poor. Letters take weeks, sometimes years, to reach their destination; most don't even get there at all. This is due mainly to the disorder in the Lower House and has apparently grew worse prior to Mister Monday's downfall, having all the letters and newspapers cut off completely in some of the House, according to Fred Gold. It is revealed in the fourth book, that if a Denizen does not accept the recruit posting form, he is then turned into a brown paper wrapped parcel, and transported through the postage system to the Great Maze.
Elevators
Elevators are currently the only way to travel between the demesnes of the House, save Friday’s Mirror, which lets the user go to any reflective surface in existence so long as Friday has been there in person before. As the elevators fall under the authority of Superior Saturday, they are banned from the realms controlled by Arthur as of Lady Friday. The size of an elevator can vary greatly, it can be the size of a telephone booth or a football field. When the elevator is in motion, its path is marked by a beam of light. In the Border Sea, elevators can only travel to Port Wednesday as the rest of the realm is submerged. The elevators can be controlled by either the elevator's operator, Superior Saturday or (probably) Lord Sunday.
Weirdways
Weirdways are pathways that exploit the veins of Nothing within the House. One is able to go through the Nothing via a dark corridor with soft and jellylike walls, floor and ceiling. Weirdway entries are often disguised as innocuous items within a room, such as a painting or coin on the floor, and they cannot be moved.
According to Suzy Turquoise Blue, only the blood of a Trustee can close a weirdway.
Transfer Plates
Large plates that work as a sort of teleporting device throughout existence. Transfer plates are usually electrum; they occasionally are made of other things, such as fine china. Touching a transfer plate, intentionally or not, will automatically transfer you to the prescribed destination of the transfer plate. The plates can be controlled by Superior Saturday.
The Improbable Stair
The Improbable Stair is a stairway that can traverse all of creation. It was the Architect's personal transport by which She visited all of Her work. To enter the Stair, one must first have an item of power, such as a Key, or the Piper’s Pipes. Then, they must find something that looks like a staircase, such as a blade of grass bent three times, or a scratch on a wall. Then, the rider must believe that it is there, and it will be. There are several landings to the Stair, and once you arrive on one, you must quickly find your way back on the Stair, or be stuck there forever. There is also the risk that a Nithling may make its way onto the Stair. The entire use of the Stair is described as risky and dangerous; and these risks increase when the destination is near Nothing. Some Denizens cannot travel on the Stair (the reason for this is unknown), but Pipers Children are always accepted.
As of Superior Saturday, the Improbable Stair has been used four times:
* Arthur Penhaligon and Suzy used the Stair in Mister Monday to get from the Coal Cellar ( the Old One’s lair) to Monday’s Dayroom,.
* Sir Thursday uses the Stair in Sir Thursday to reach square 500/500 to destroy the giant spike of Nothing which was built by the Piper to freeze the squares in the Great Maze. Thursday travels the Stair taking Arthur, Suzy, Fred and 9 other Piper's children with him.
* The Piper uses the Stair in Lady Friday to get himself to a safe place when a trap disguised as the Fifth Key opens into the Void of Nothing.
* Arthur, Suzy, Fred, and the Fifth Part of the Will use the Stair near the end of Lady Friday in order to quickly get back to Monday's Dayroom.
Telephones
Telephones are a means of communication within the House, and also to the Secondary Realms. The ring is inaudible to mortals, save Arthur and Leaf. House telephones are similar looking to an old fashioned earth telephone.