Nemnosti map
Exterior map
1. The West Tower: The main entryway to the ulajeta, a stout four-level hexagonal tower with great heavy gates, and a wide carriageway through to the main compound almost 20 feet wide. The upper levels of the tower serve as a lookout and defensive vantage point.
2. The Guardians: A pair of statues each around 15 feet high stand just inside the walls on either side of the West Tower, representing the two hengge Ertozo and Sulaisum Nemni, both of whom died during the second Khutu-Taizian war in 414. They face inward to the ulajeta to symbolize their devotion to Nemnu Ula.
3. Stables: A set of nine archways, some closed in, others open, leading into separate chambers on the outer wall of the ulajeta. The nearest of these serve as the cloister's stables on the occasion that someone brings a horse upriver. Others house the cloister's bubun when they are not working. This is also where corpseborn visitors to the ulajeta are housed.
4. The Captain: An enormous marble statue, almost 25 feet in height, representing the great stoneguard Fezef Takovenga, who served Nemnu for sixty years as the head of the cloister's defenses. It is inscribed at the base with the saying, 'UNTIL FEET FAIL'. The Captain's eyes are made of polished alabaster and are reputed to see the ill intentions of any coming into the ulajeta.
5. Temple of the Voice: A large three-storey domed structure that is the ancient Voice temple, and also houses the various Voices and stoneguards who work there, as well as other attendants. It has places for quiet reflection and pilgrimage, great relics of the temple's history, and areas for consulting with the priests. The back of the temple's first floor leads into the mausoleum and beyond into the caves where various Ancestors are stored and consulted.
6. Mausoleum: A two-storey structure less than a century old. As the number of Ancestors at Nemnosti grew, it became necessary to build this structure to house those honoured of Nemnu Ula but for whom there was no room in the cave complexes behind Nemnosti. The mausoleum serves to hold these Ancestors. Access to the area from the outside is not possible and non-Voices may only enter in the company of a Voice for the purpose of a consultation.
7. Elujen's Plaza: A set of broad stone stairs on either side of the Mausoleum, leading up to a warm plaza and courtyard atop its flat second storey. Flowers and small trees grow in small gardens on the plaza. A life-sized statue of Elujen, Nemnu's wife, sits in the center of the area in a place of honour. The plaza serves as a place for meeting and for quiet reflection.
8: The Inner Caves: So named because their entrance lies within the walls of Nemnosti (as opposed to the various Outer Caves to the west), these serve as the repository for the most honoured ancestors of the ulajeta, mainly but not exclusively of the Nemni lineage. While not entirely closed to new Ancestors, one must be quite distinguished in service to Nemnosti to earn the privilege of interment here, if one is not of the Nemni. Some of the caves are carved in rectilinear fashion, while others, including the largest are in part or in whole left in a natural state, and zerge mushrooms grow here and are collected. Only Voices, or those with serious business with the Ancestors, are permitted in the Inner Caves.
9: Statue Garden: A small, shaded garden of trees, shrubs, and statuary situated between the Mausoleum, the Temple of the Voice, and the Carver's Hall. It is a pleasant place to sit on stone benches. Various small and fine sculptures are here, mainly of nonhuman figures, including pieces using Ravre styles as well as Omban ones.
10: The Viper's Cave: A narrow but passable cave that leads north from the complex into the hills. It is well-known for being dangerous beyond the first few turns. There are plans (now a century or more old) to expand the cave and link it to the Inner Caves just to the west, to house more Ancestors. For now, though, it is off-limits without special permission from Nemnu or the head of the temple.
11. The Teacher's Seat: A statue of an enormous empty chair, highly decorated, around which sit several life-sized statues of (anonymous) acolytes seated on the ground. It was built in honour of Boldogra Osper Nemni, the first female hengi of the lineage, and who took a special interest in expanding the role of teaching here at Nemnosti and would often teach classes herself from this spot. It is said that any acolyte sitting there will fail their next test, but that doesn't stop the unwitting or brave from doing so.
12. Carver's Hall: Also known as the Lady's Hall or simply as 'the ulajeta', this massive square building, around 120 feet a side, is the main structure of the cloister. It is four stories, a massive domed structure in late Imperial Omban style, with stunning translucent alabaster windows and fine statuary around the outside. It serves as the main residence for Nemnu Ula and her close advisors and assistants, as well as acolytes living at the cloister. Its great central hall is a two-story round chamber lined with statues of former acolytes of esteem. It is home to one of the largest libraries in all of Khutu, serving both the Voices and mystics of the ulajeta, and to a reliquarium of priceless magical and luxury objects, many centuries old. While many parts of the hall are open to all, others, especially on the upper levels are highly restricted. The lower level, where the acolytes live, has rooms that are windowless and dim.
13. The North Wall: This high wall extends from the ground high into the cliff face to the north, and is upwards of 25 feet in height in places. It marks the northern boundary of the ulajeta and protects the area below from rockslides. Foolhardy acolytes will sometimes climb atop the wall and attempt to traverse its length - although it is over a metre thick, the height can still be daunting.
14: Iftibal: The iftibal, or lineage house, for the Nemni lineage and home to most of the lineage as well as those who have married into it; it is also known as Osper's Hall. The newest of the three main structures of the ulajeta, the iftibal was built to allow the Carver's Hall to serve Nemnu's official functions and for the training of acolytes. Acolytes not of the Nemni are free to use the iftibal but are required by custom to be barefoot here.
15: Outbuildings: As the Nemni lineage has grown, these houses have been built to house members of the lineage who can't be housed in the iftibal itself, as well as other senior staff not of the Nemni who choose to live in Nemnosti.
16: Great Well: The main external well for the ulajeta, a large covered stone structure open at all sides, that draws on the waters that flow into the Pasu River. It is an exceptionally deep well, surely of magical construction, and it is said that when the well fails, the ulajeta itself will fail.
17: The East Tower: A three-storey hexagonal tower in the same style but slightly smaller than the West Tower. It looks up towards The Ghengom and across the Pardopasu.
18: The Goat's Stairs: A narrow, straight staircase cut into the rock of the Pardopasu, about three feet in width at maximum, leading down to the river itself.
19: The Imp's Pool: A broad, still pond lined with natural stones, surrounded with small bushes and flowers, benches, and stools. It is said that a mischievous but benign water spirit lives within it, though most dismiss that as rumor.
20: Khukrai's Bridge: Khukrai Nemni was never hengi, but was one of the most important teachers and mystics here at the ulajeta for decades, around a hundred years ago, and would often lecture from this bridge. It is considered bad luck to cross the bridge from east to west (life to death) without leaving a coin on the east side.
21: The Lanky Stones: Here sits a group of seven thin carved stelae, in the traditional fashion of the sigillants of the Ravre, ranging from around five to eleven feet in height. It is known that there are magical protections on them that cover the entire ulajeta. This is a place of enormous power and is often visited even by Ravre who are not acolytes.
22: Hul Hai "Old Hai": An ancient and gnarled platanus tree, said to be ancient even at the founding of Nemnosti. Many classes are held in its shade, and its health is guarded carefully by the wardens of Nemnosti. Woe to the acolyte who would take even a branch or scrap of bark from Old Hai.
23: Ozo's Gate: A high vaulted arch spanning from the North Wall to the Limping Hall, leading from the ulajeta proper into the orchards and fields beyond. It takes its name from Ozo Nemni, who began food production here almost four hundred years ago.
24: Limping Hall: So named because, or so it is said, it is where exhausted acolytes would collapse after a day of labour, this serves as a guest hall and set of apartments for visitors who are not acolytes but who may be staying for a long period, including farmers and fishers from nearby villages.
25: Great Orchards: This walled area contains the beehives, walnut orchards, and loza berry trees of Nemnosti.
26: South Garden: This area is where root vegetables, herbs, and other crops are grown, principally ichuri, usoz, and rukhardi.
