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The-house-of-the-maker

The House of the Maker is a massive structure in the middle of Adua, the former home of the long dead Kanedias, the Master Maker. According to Kanedias, his House was the very centre of the Circle of the World, its very axis, so to speak. The University, the Agriont and Adua itself were all built in the shadow of the House of the Maker.

Description[]

The House of the Maker is possibly the tallest building in the city. There is a brutal honesty in its grim immensity. There are no windows in those naked walls, no softness, no indulgence in that mountain of naked stone; a merciless precision in its sharp, black angles.

The only entrance to the House is through The University, with the gate guarded by the Wardens of the House. The door to the House is a square of dark metal etched with circles of letters; two circles: large letters and small letters, in a spidery script. Magical wards called the Maker’s breadth were put over the door that causes anyone who approaches to be crippled by a sense of dread. For as long as anyone can remember, the House has remained locked; Bayaz possesses the only known key. The Wardens of the House were set to guard the entrance to the House. Under King Casamir’s reign, the bravest fifty men of the King’s Own were appointed, although now there is only a single old man in the Wardens.

Within the House is a massive space with impossible geometry. On the ground of the first chamber is a map of the Circle of the World and above a series of rings reminiscent of a solar system that move in some coordinated motion. In a further bright round chamber, made from clean white stone, is a pool with a narrow bridge leading to a tall white plinth in the middle. Upon the plinth is placed The Divider, and a Dark Metal Box created to carry the Seed.

The House has the ability to bend space and time. When Bayaz, Logen, Glokta and Jezal first visit, they reach a high bridge without climbing any stairs. They also spend some hours in the House, but to the Warden outside, they were only gone thirty minutes; Bayaz claims that one can even come out before you went in.

History[]

After Euz vanquished the Demons and closed the gates to the Other Side, his second son Kanedias made his home in what would become Adua, and built the House of the Maker. At that time, Adua was barely more than a huddle of shacks, squeezed in round the House, and the people worshipped him like a God. Originally many people lived and served in his House, assisting him with his works, but as he grew more distrustful and jealous of his secrets he turned them out into the Agriont and the University. In the end, only his assistant Jaremias and his secret daughter Tolomei lived with him in his House.

When Juvens' apprentice Bayaz was exiled to the Great Northern Library, because of his feud with Khalul, Bayaz decided to go to the House of the Maker and become an apprentice of Kanedias. He lived for a time in the House to learn from him the art of Making. There he discovered the existence of Tolomei, and they became lovers. When Kanedias found out, the First of the Magi fled back to his former master, Juvens.

After the death of Juvens, allegedly at the hands of Kanedias, the Magi went to war with the Master Maker, and put siege to the House. After twelve days, Bayaz tried to persuade Tolomei to open the door, and the innocent girl agreed. The Magi fought Kanedias chamber by chamber. The Master Maker defeated several of the Magi and killed two of them. In the end, Bayaz alone confronted Kanedias on a bridge at the top of his tower. In the fight, according to Bayaz, Kanedias threw his own daughter off the bridge to her death, but then Bayaz cast him down in turn.

The House of the Maker was sealed, and Bayaz took the key. Magical wards were put over the door; eleven wards, and eleven wards reversed, and eleven times eleven. The House has remained sealed ever since. Over the years, men of the Union have occasionally attempted to break into the House, but all have failed.

The Blade Itself []

Arch Lector Sult and Sand dan Glokta plot to discredit Bayaz as a false Magus. At the banquet to celebrate Jezal dan Luthar’s victory in The Contest, Sult challenges Bayaz to prove his identity by magic or with a key to the House of the Maker. Bayaz promptly removes the key from his robe, a simple metal rod. Tomorrow he will open the ever closed House.

Bayaz takes Logen Ninefingers, Jezal and Glokta with him to the House of the Maker. As the four men approach, all but Bayaz are crippled by a sense of dread. Bayaz unlocks the House like so much clockwork. The door opens to reveals a massive creepy space inside. Before they leave, Logen is tasked with carrying out the disconcertingly heavy box.

Last Argument of Kings[]

Bayaz, Ferro Maljinn, Malacus Quai and Yulwei go to the House of the Maker again, this time to get weapons to fight the Gurkish Eaters advancing on Adua. While the others go get The Divider, Ferro explores the map and the series of moving rings above. In the centre of the rings she finds The Seed. While Bayaz orders her to take it to the palace, Quai reveals himself to be Tolomei, the Maker’s long dead daughter. She killed Quai and took on his appearance before the journey to the Edge of the World. While Yulwei fights Tolomei, Bayaz and Ferro flee. Despite promising to go back for Yulwei, Bayaz locks him and Tolomei inside the Maker’s House.

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