Overview
The Council Hall is the main meeting chamber of the Xalmyrran Council inside the Imperial Institute in Irrathis. Council heads use it for briefings, mission assignments, arguments, emergency summons, and directing Xalmyrra's defenses.
Layout
The hall stands beyond the Institute gates and courtyard. It has massive doors, a cavernous stone chamber, wide windows or enchanted glass panels, essence lights, high arches, and a large stone council table with the council head's seat at the head. Nearby corridors connect it to Aldar's secluded chambers and other Institute rooms.
A discreet door in the hall leads to a spiraling staircase beneath the building. The lower chambers include an ancient gate and a sealed chamber the council head is expected to protect.
History
Under Aldred, the hall is already the council's working seat. Aldred meets there with Xalmyrran leaders including Belanor, Isandriel, and Jorhan. He later leads Belanor through the discreet door below the hall, where an ancient gate and a spiral-shaped object transform Aldred into a spiral shard wielder.
After Aldred's death and the destruction of ancient Irrathis, Jorhan uses the spiral shards to remake Xalmyrra into repeating cycles. In Aldar and Brynor's Xalmyrra, the Council Hall is Jorhan's recreated council seat, with the hidden descent and lower gate again present beneath the Institute.
When Aldar leads the council, it repeatedly uses the hall to plan missions and defend Xalmyrra. Aldar, Eira, Lirien, Kaelion, Brynor, Mirael, Maelis, and Lyssara gather around the table to discuss Eira's visions, respond to the darkness, and direct the region's defenses. Aldar also uses the hall as a late-night workspace.
The gate below the hall becomes active again. Aldar brings Aurion, Xarion, and Ilyra down to inspect it, Thalvian later opens it with Renneth and Brynor, and Zayren's rope test through the gate reveals a void route with a distant light and massive meteor.
By Brynor's council tenure, the hall remains active. Brynor signs the paperwork transferring authority to him there, uses the hall for defense planning against a possible Raphael or Gabriel attack on Xalmyrra, and brings Seralyth into the chamber.