The Four-Way Pillar

The Four-Way Pillar is a portal stone located in the landscape known by humans as the Garden of Eden. It is the only portal stone to remain on the planet during all seven Ages and thus persists through every turning of the Wheel. It is indestructible throughout all that time.

The Pillar is a prominent feature in the World of Dreams, and is guarded by a special avatar of the Arboreals called Tuuru, also known as the World Tree. It is the Axis Mundi, or the Earth axis celestial pole.

Appearance

Philip gasped when he saw the Pillar. It was made of a golden metal he did not recognize, but for all purposes, seemed most like bronze. It stood slightly taller than he himself. Strikingly, at its top were positioned four heads, each pointing in the ordinal directions. The shapes were of a lion with its mouth reared open to snap, oxen with its horns angled sharply downward, eagle with its beak splayed open in frozen craw and a human man glaring with daring attitude. For each head, words pierced Philip’s mind, though he couldn’t be sure that Tuuru hadn’t uttered the four titles or if the words sprang from within: “speed, strength, wisdom and cunning.”

The body of the pillar was wrapped in the hug of four arms. Four feathered wings were coiled about the rest, two angled downward while two angled skyward. Markings covered the whole of the pillar from base to the neck of the heads. They seemed to plunge below the level of the grass, though Philip could not tell for certain how deep the base was set.

–Alluvion

Purpose

The ever-lasting nature of the Pillar is what holds the connection between our world and the world of the Arboreals. The Pillar is also connected to four specific dreamstakes, ter’angreal that operate and control conditions between the world of dreams and waking world. This pillar is also the origin by which all other portal stones are calibrated. A paired pillar also stands on the world of the Arboreals. When the Avatar, Tuuru activates the correct sequence, while all four dreamstakes are simultaneously activated, the key to the Book of Translation becomes operational. The Book will then translate locations that become the new stedding from their world to ours as well as translate newly planted portal stones around the world. During this time, channeling must be inhibited for the translation to be successful, which is why the dreamstakes must be activated.

The Keys to the Four-Way Pillar

The keys are four dreamstakes where each one represents one of the four heads of the pillar. Patricus I was destined to acquire the Key of Cunning. Upon its reunion with him in the dreamworld, he twisted the stake and it disappeared. It reappeared in the equivalent location in the real world for it to be found. The other three keys remain to be found and activated by their destined operators. Once this occurs, the Four-Way Pillar will be activated and the Book of Translation will be operational.

The keys represent the four faces of the pillar. Each key is tied to the soul of its operator. Only that specific person can find and recognize the key for what it is; however, the keys are manifested only in the World of Dreams as is Tuuru himself. A Dreamwalker must find the key and send it to the real world in order to be found by its operator.

Key 1 – The Key of Cunning

The Key of Cunning was located alongside the Four-Way Pillar in the dreamworld. Upon being found by Patricus I, it manifested in the waking world in remote Siberia, also the location of the Tunguska Event. It represents the Face of Man on the Four-Way Pillar.

Key 2 – The Key of Wisdom

The Key of Wisdom was located in (RAFO). It is destined to be operated by Armande Nicodemus, and it represents the Head of an Eagle on the Four-Way Pillar.

Key 3 – The Key of Speed

The Key of Speed was located in (RAFO). It is destined to be operated by Rowan Finnegan, and it represents the Head of the Lion.

Key 4 – The Key of Strength

The Key of Strength was located in (RAFO). It is destined to be operated by Valeriya, and it represents the Head of the Ox.

Real world symbolism

Pillars (inspired by trees) are seen as a Cosmic Axis to the peoples of northern Asia. The Buryats and Mongols called the Four-way Pillar the Golden Pillar, while the Siberian Tartars referred to it as the Iron Pillar and to some it was the Solar Pillar. All of them recognized how this Pillar represented the center of the universe and the place of penetration of the individual worlds. It is also seen as a conduit between the planes of the body and soul.

The appearance of the pillar as described by Patricus I is that of the shape of cherubim, terrifying guardians placed by God at the Garden of Eden.