Coppermind:Welcome/Featured Article/Lasting Integrity
Featured Article: Lasting Integrity[edit]
“No human city would ever have been built this way; even Urithiru needed fields at its base and windows to keep the people from going mad. But Lasting Integrity didn’t follow normal laws of nature. ”
—Adolin describing the oddities of Lasting Integrity
Lasting Integrity is the honorspren capital in Shadesmar.
Geography[edit]
The fortress is located in the southern section of the Sea of Souls, nearby to the Nexus of Imagination, the Expanse of Vibrance, and Brilliance Eternal. There is a known caravan path that runs from Nameless, past Lasting Integrity, and onwards towards the Expanse of Vibrance.
Lasting Integrity sits on a cliff overlooking a northern bay that is part of the Astral Banks, the reflection of the country of Tukar. A large number of people live in the Physical Realm nearby to Lasting Integrity, with the soul flames being visible from the fortress. South of the fortress is a forest of glass that is filled with lifespren.
Appearance and Layout[edit]
Lasting Integrity is several hundreds of feet tall, rectangular and made of blue stone. The building is hollow in the middle, with no roof, and stands on its smaller side, pointing upwards into the sky. It is in a highly strategic position, and gives the impression that it has been deliberately fortified. Visitors must cross a bridge to reach the entrance and guards stand watch outside of the walls. The honorspren do not appreciate people sailing too close to Lasting Integrity.
The outside wall is sheer, with no windows or ornamentation. On top of the fortress are battlements, and a guardrail to prevent people from falling. The internal dimensions of the tower are large enough that someone can stand on the battlements and see the bottom of the fortress without the structures on the walls completely impeding their view.
Gravity works differently within Lasting Integrity, with each internal wall having its own gravitational 'field' that allows people to treat each internal surface as if they were the ground. When someone changes from one plane to another, their sense of gravity will switch to align with the new surface they are on. There is an upper limit to the gravitational bubbles on each wall, approximately fifteen feet, and passing the edge of this barrier will cause objects to plummet towards the bottom of the fortress. The gravitational anomalies of the fortress are thought to be caused by the longstanding presence of the honorspren in the area, and not by Surgebinding.
Buildings are constructed on the different internal walls of Lasting Integrity, with walkways of worked stone connecting these structures together. These walkways also extend to the edge of the plane and will end in a dead end when it hits the next wall. Most of the buildings inside Lasting Integrity are only a single story tall. It is uncommon for buildings in the fortress to have windows, with most houses appearing to be completely enclosed.
Bells toll exactly on the hour and shouting is uncommon in the fortress. Although the honorspren do not require sleep, nor does Shadesmar have a day and night cycle, Lasting Integrity does have a quiet 'night time' period where there is reduced activity. The spren of the keep will often use this time to catch up with friends and spend time in each other’s homes.