Year Gate

First Appearance and Context

Within the Mynster, the Year Gate is part of the clock‑governed gate system. During Apert, crowds gather beyond the threshold; on the first day of the opening, people in the plaza outside cheer as those ending a year of seclusion emerge at sunrise. Guided groups cross the stone bridge and pass through the gate into the Unarian Math for tours.

Description and Location

The gate stands in a crenellated bastion across a stone bridge over the river. Gate and bridge are akin in design to those serving the Decenarian precinct, but on a grander, more ornate scale. Looking through the gate affords a view across the plaza beyond the wall.

Structures and Features

• Mechanical actuation: At the opening, a water wheel and driveshaft carry power across the bridge into the far bastion, where gearing on the hinge pins swings the doors. In the tower, a cube‑shaped auxiliary weight linked to the yearly cycle descends to cue the opening.
• Commemorative interior: Inside the gate stands a wedge‑shaped memorial (the “Flying Wedge”) bearing a plaque that recounts the Third Sack and names the three “Inviolates”: Saunt Edhar, Saunt Rambalf, and Saunt Tredegarh.

Relationships and Affiliations

• Annual portal tied to the Unarian community’s movement during the opening season; it is the one‑year counterpart within the family of timed portals (alongside the Day Gate and the Decade Gate).
• Mechanically coupled to the great clock in the Praesidium.

Current Status

Active and intact. It has been observed operating during a decennial opening alongside the Decade Gate; outside such observances it remains closed, advancing toward its next cycle as the clock is wound.