Ecba

First Appearance and Context

Ecba is first referenced during a Provener service within the concent, when the source materials of the great clock are described. The Cliffs of Ecba are cited as the quarry for black volcanic stone used to fashion the large geometric counterweights that help operate the timekeeping works housed on the Praesidium at the heart of the Mynster. In historical recollection, the Halls of Orithena once stood upon the black rock of Ecba. A ceiling fresco within the Hylaean Way depicts the eruption of Ecba and the destruction of the temple, leading into exhibits about the subsequent Peregrin period.

Structure and Features

Details are sparse in the current narrative, but Ecba is associated with dramatic cliffs and a foundation of black volcanic rock. The phrase “Cliffs of Ecba” suggests a prominent escarpment or coastal face from which substantial blocks could be quarried. The stone is described as suitable for large, precisely shaped weights (cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron), implying toughness and uniformity.

Relationships and Functions

• Source of material for the Mynster’s mechanisms: black stone from Ecba was quarried and transported—reportedly by sledge trains over the North Pole—to create the four great geometric counterweights that engage with the concent’s great Clock.
• Historical association: Ecba’s “black rock” is linked to the setting of the Halls of Orithena in earlier eras; it is invoked when recounting very old practices that predate current liturgies.
• Historical eruption: The Dictionary notes an eruption of Ecba in antiquity; a fid named Kefedokhles is said to have survived it, underscoring Ecba’s volcanic character.

Current Status

Within the timeline described so far, Ecba is known by reputation and reference rather than direct visitation. Its exact location relative to the concent is not given, beyond the note that its quarried stone reached the Mynster by long-range transport. No current habitation or governance is described.