Author: Unknown
Date Found: 07/07/04
Date Released: 02/11/08
Book location: Ahnonay Cathedral, Relto
Designation: D’ni Age
Who actually wrote Ahnonay is open for interpretation still. Many suspect it to be the work of Guild Master Kadish, but given Kadish’s flawed Writing style (see: Kadish Tolesa) but superior engineering style it is likely he purchased the Age and oversaw the construction work.
Ahnonay is a testament to Kadish’s fantastic engineering skill and his delusions. Using his skills he constructed a massive machine that was able to hold, and rotate, four stadium-sized spheres, each of which gave the illusion of being Ages on the inside. Built into a massive water vortex, Kadish used the vortex of water to power his gigantic sphere machine. He then used the spheres to imitate time travel and deceive his audiences into believing that he was a religious figure more powerful than any Writer…or even time itself.
Combining the “time travel” illusion of Ahnonay with Er'cana and the pellets that lit up the D’ni lake. Kadish sought to establish himself as the “Grower” that was spoken of in Words, the series of prophecies by The Watcher.
A vast mechanism of pressure plates were the back bone of the Age. Kadish would take visitors to the Age and show them the various stages in time. This was accomplished by using the pressure plates to trigger the rotation of the spheres after the last person would Link out. They would then be taken back to the Ahnonay Cathedral where they would use the Book to Link back to the same spot as before. Only it would look different due to the spheres rotating thus giving the impression of time traveling.
The weight on the plates could be seen on the “clocks” (often erroneously referred to as life form detectors) found in spheres one, two, and three.
At the end of the DRC's first restoration effort Ahnonay had been suspended in Phase 4 development. During the second restoration effort it was still in Phase 4 as of 28/06/07. However it was released to the public a week later.
Contents
Description
The actual Age of Ahnonay is a vast vortex waterfall that on first impressions seems to operate a lot like Catherine’s Torus Age, which has given rise to speculation that the Age is in fact an illicit one and thusly not Written by Kadish.
Sitting upon the sides of the immense vortex is the vast machanism that contains the 4 spheres and their ability to rotate. Within each sphere there is a different illusion that is supposed to be the Ronay home world Garternay as different points in time. It is unknown how Kadish managed to convince visitors that they were standing upon Garternay when the Age was called Ahnonay. It could be speculated that after 10,000 years some of the D'ni did not recall the name of their home world.
Sphere 1:
The Ronay home world before the disaster that befell it. That is the illusion Kadish presented with Sphere 1.
A rocky island surrounded by blue waters sits below a pinkish sky. Littering the island a number of trees with rose coloured foliage, small quadruped crustaceans known as Quabs, and grass. Off shore a small island can be found with a tower upon it, within are the controls for the waters current. In the distance, surrounding the island large looking structures carved from rock can be seen. This too is part of the illusion, as the structures are nothing but paintings on tall metal screens. Behind one such screen lies the access tunnel to the maintenance area.
Sphere 1 is how Ahnonay is most commonly depicted.
Sphere 2:
Sphere 2 represents Garternay as it was before the Ronay splinter group moved to the D’ni cavern. Gone are the pink clouds, now replaced with grey skies and frequent storms. The Quabs and water have also disappeared, instead a blanket of fog that covers the areas where the water once was. The Terrose too are no longer visible in Sphere 2. In their place sit “Ning”. Delicate trees of crystal, reminiscent of lightning (from which they may likely get their name) that easily shatter to the touch.
The rock is now riddled with cracks and the weight indicator in the center of the island mass is damaged yet still working. With the removal of the water, access to the Sphere 2 maintenance area can be difficult, use of the “cloths” are the only means to reach that destination.
Sphere 3:
Sphere 3 was said to be Garternay as it would be in the future.
The island is heavily fractured, seemingly floating in a starry expanse. At the center the familiar “clock” now completely useless and broken. Nothing lives in Sphere 3, no Quabs or Ning not even the scrub grass of the previous two spheres.
Surrounding the shattered island is a vast grey ring akin to that of Saturn. On closer inspection however, it appears to be constructed from D’ni imager technology. Like Sphere 2 access to the maintenance area of Sphere 3 is only possible through the use of the cloths.
Sphere 4:
Sphere 4 never reached completion as the Fall took place before it could be finished. Sphere 4 was to be Garternay after Kadish had rebuilt it. Only a select few devout followers were allowed to see Sphere 4.
Throughout the sphere visitors can see masses of scaffolding rising up all over the area. Vast cog shaped walkways span the area where the island would have been in the previous 3 spheres. Instead of the weight indicator clock at the center, there is instead a vast statue of Kadish, arm raised high holding a sphere.
Like Sphere 3, Sphere 4 has no wildlife that can be seen.
Maintenance Room:
Each of the four spheres contain access to the Maintenance Room. Sphere 1 is the only sphere that allows access to the Maintenance room from the Link in point, the other three spheres require the use of the cloths which leads one to wonder how Kadish accessed the other rooms.
The maintenance rooms have very little in them aside from pipes. However through the Maintenance rooms one can access the Observation Room.
Observation Room:
Inside the Observation Room, amongst the vast workings of Ahnonay sits a large imager which displays the four Spheres. It is unknown currently whether the view presented on the imager is real time or just images to indicate which sphere is currently aligned with the Observation Room. Below the walkway lies a seat that takes visitors down to the Vogondola. This will then skirt the edge of the water vortex along a track leading to Kadish’s quarters.
Kadish’s Quarters:
Kadish's quarters served as a sleeping area and workshop/office for Guild Master Kadish with the workshop being separated from the sleeping area via a locking door.
The chair mechansim brings visitors up from the Vogondala to a small rectangular room laced with pipes. To the right sits a sleeping cot, and to the left is a combination lock mechanism that grants access to Kadish's Workshop (the combination can be found in the Ahnonay Cathedral and Kadish Gallery).
Kadish's Workshop
The workshop itself is a spherical room that continues the familiar cog motif that is found pretty much everywhere in Ahnonay. A large window looks out onto the "vortex" a huge waterfall that dominates the Age and provides power to the sphere mechanism. A doorway on the far side opens out to a balcony area which, like the window, over looks the huge waterfall. At the center of the workshop sits a cog shaped work area with taps descending from the ceiling to provide drinkable water.
Notable Wildlife
Due to the nature of Ahnonay, wildlife within the Age is sparse to non-exisitent.
Ning Trees are lightning shaped crystals (and most likely where they derived their name from) that inhabit Sphere 2 of Ahnonay.
The Ning are extremely delicate and will shatter at the merest touch. It is currently unknown if they were replaced by Kadish himself or if they actually grew back under some kind of accelerated growth.
Quabs are a quadrupedal crustaceans that can be found in Sphere 1 upon the island. They are a small shy creature that flee from visitors within the Age often choosing to jump and hide in the water. Quabs will return to the land slowly when they feel the area is safe from intruders. It is unknown whether the Quabs are native to the vortex or if Kadish brought them in from another Age.
Scrub grass can be found upon the landmasses found within Spheres 1, 2, and 3. The grass grows sparsely and seems to cope with limited success within the hard rock of the island.
Terrose are named from the D'ni word 'ter' which means tree and rose after the color of the leaves found upon the tree. Sphere 1 of Ahnonay is populated by a fair few of these trees. The roots of the tree seem to have burrowed deep into the rock of the island. Like the Quabs it is unknown whether the trees were native to Ahnonay or brought in from another Age. However, given the nature of the vortex is is most likely they were brought in from another Age.
Documents
Yeesha Bahro Cave Sketch Desk, Kadish's Workshop (currently missing)
Maps
Artifacts
D’ni Great Tree Tunic
An item of D’ni clothing, suspected to have been worn by Kadish himself, the tunic bears the symbols of The Great Tree which can also be found on tapestries in the Watchers Sanctuary.
Clothing item was located on the bed in Kadish’s quarters.
“Relto Page” – Clock
A Relto Page that alters the Age to include a D’ni clock one one of the small cluster of islands.
Page was located in the maintenance area of Sphere 2(?)
“Relto Page” – Weather
A Relto Page that alters the Age to include a weather system of storms.
Page was located on the floor near the door to the maintenance room of Sphere (?)
Links
Ahnonay Cathedral Linking Book
Bahro CaveBahro Stone
Bahro CaveBahro Portal
DRC Restoration Notes
Phase Four: Work continues. 6.28.07 Phase Three: Suspended