Hall of Ways

The only entrance to the building is a security checkpoint. Any magic items one wishes not to lose must be declared and passed through a separate object-only conduit. Then, one must step through a powerful dispelling screen, which will dispel any active spells upon the person, and suppress and permanent spells for a variable amount of time (depending on the strength of the original caster).

Due to the concerns of certain Red Wizards, a private screening and entry can be demanded by those of sufficient rank and influence. This usually involves the personal attention of the Guardian of the Gate, a powerful wizard with the use of several strong magic items, who will dispel only those spells deemed a security risk. Most commonly, this is done to protect vanity illusions.

Once inside, one must speak to the Keymaster. This official will grant a temporary clearance to the visitor, based on his or her authorization, in the form of a token. The token will allow them through the security checkpoint at their particular portal. He will then direct them to the appropriate portal.

At the entrance to each portal chamber is an office. Within the office is a Gatekeeper. Always a wizard, usually a Red Wizard, the Gatekeepers are entrusted with the operation of the portal, and the communication with the Gatekeeper on the other side. If a Gatekeeper should be slain, there are few who can immediately replace him or her. Generally, an alternate is assigned for each Gatekeeper, with part of the knowledge necessary to perform their function, and a one-use key to a safe containing the written passwords.

The Gatekeeper accepts the token, and contacts the other side using a magic item or any other desired means. He or she ensures the other side is ready to accept transport, and is in a secure condition. If so, the Gatekeeper, combining his key with the token granted to the traveler, opens the door to the portal chamber.

The hallway to the portal chamber is 40 feet long, and 20 feet in width and height. It is lit by a bluish light from permanent magical light sources. The ceiling is divided into "slices" of 5 feet by 20 feet; there are 8 in all. In the event of an unauthorized entry, all of the ceiling "slices" will descend at approximately 1 foot per second. The 2 foot thick iron doors on either end of the hallway will slam shut immediately. The Gatekeeper can open these doors, and can communicate through them. If trapped inside, one must present a convincing story to the Gatekeeper to be released.

If all of the ceiling slices reach the floor, they stay there for one minute, then ascend into their original position. If they encounter any resistance, the mechanism purposefully jams, and must be manually reset. This usually requires the intervention of several engineers, and often The Tharchioness herself. Each slice jams independently, and the threshold for resistance is sufficiently high that no ordinary creature would survive before being crushed to death.

The portal chamber itself is a 30 foot cubical room containing a 20 foot diameter disk of adamantium engraved with complex arcane runes. The runes glow an eldritch blue, and illuminate the entire room. The Gatekeeper steps into a side chamber, a 5 foot square room obscured by an opaque wall of force. From there, he speaks the command words necessary to activate the portal.

The teleportation takes approximately 6 seconds, whereupon the traveler(s) appear in the portal on the other side.

The Gatekeeper (in question), the Keymaster, the Autharch of the Trade Bureau, and The Tharchioness all know command words to seal any individual portal. In this instance, the portal's magic is suppressed, and the stone slabs that comprise the ceiling of the hallway to the chamber are lowered and locked.

All of these individuals (except the Gatekeepers) also know the command words to open a safe box near the building's entrance, and activate a magic orb therein. This will dimensionally lock the entire building. The orb keeps the dimension lock of the outer compound at bay, and this use suppresses that magic, allowing the dimension lock to suffuse the area.