Great Orrery

First Appearance and Context

The Great Orrery is described as a substantial mechanical model of the heavens just inside the Day Gate of the Mynster. It is listed among the mechanisms driven by the great clock within the Praesidium, together with lesser orreries and rooftop instruments on the Starhenge.

Structure and Features

• Clock-coupled mechanism: powered through linkages from the great clock, implying an integrated drive shared with other timekeeping and observational devices.
• Placement: large and prominent above the narthex inside the Day Gate, serving as a visible landmark for assemblies and processions.

Roles and Usage

• Astronomical display: presented in text as part of the constellation of clock-driven devices associated with observation and instruction.
• Assembly point during Evocation: in a later gathering, those who had been Evoked assembled beneath the orrery in the narthex to receive instructions and supplies before dispersing, underscoring its location at the community’s threshold during Voco.

Current Status and Location

Active and intact. The orrery remains mounted inside the Day Gate and continues to be driven by the clockworks housed in the Praesidium.