Crypta (秘匿の聖室 Kuryuputa, "Sacred Room of Concealment") is a bubble-like, spherical and hollow world that covers Tendōkyū and Seireiden, forming an invisible barrier which conceals everything inside and prevents even their existences from being sensed by the outside world.[1] A dark starry sky will always be shown inside Seireiden, while in Tendōkyū's case, a brightly shining sun is always shown.
Background[]
Crypta has a powerful concealing ability which not only completely hides the Presence of the Crypta itself and the existences within and makes them invisible, it also makes it impossible to sense the concealment Crypta is conducting even with the use of any Presence-detecting or probing Unrestricted Spells. Equipped with defense and self-Restoration capabilities to a certain extent, Crypta is usually completely invisible, but can be faintly visible like glass when fragments have broken off after an attack or when its powers of concealment are weakened during the Restoration of damage.
Crypta has the power to control the "movement of objects", and it is this power which allowed the Flame Haze "Manipulator of Objects" Wilhelmina Carmel to conduct construction work to equip Tendōkyū with utilities such as water supply, sewerage, and electricity that were connected to the outside world,[2] and it also allows Tendōkyū and Seireiden to move. It can also send a refreshing breeze inside. Crypta is responsible for maintaining the atmosphere within the Treasure Tools while it is active.[citation needed]
As Crypta completely cuts off outside Presences, it obstructs Hecate's powers. Though she normally stayed inside Seireiden, she had to leave to receive oracles from Snake of the Festival. It was possible for Denizens to clad themselves in Crypta's powers of concealment using the Treasure Tool Trivia, and when this occurs, even the Presence of powerful Lords cannot be detected.
Vine, who had been searching for Tendōkyū, had been able to indirectly determine its whereabouts as the area in which Wilhelmina, who had been cutting off her Presence, became completely undetectable. Also, by using means of searching which cover exceedingly vast areas of effect such as Sabaeru Kaze and Pheles' wide-range wind Unrestricted Spells, the fact that Presences cannot be sensed at all at the space Crypta is deployed conversely allows Crypta's location to be assumed. At present, only Sorath's Olfactory Sense of Desire has been shown to penetrate Crypta and directly sense existences inside. Shana was able to find Tendōkyū using her searching Unrestricted Spell Shinpan when knowing where it will turn up,[3] with Shinpan having the power to accurately see through Crypta.[4] Certain events can reveal the locations of the fortresses, such as the large-scale Distortions formed when the Snake of the Festival created the Divine Gate.[citation needed]
During the Battle of Seireiden, Crypta was partially destroyed by "Mobilizer of Ceremonial Equipment" Khamsin Nbh'w and Wilhelmina, weakening its powers of concealment. As a result, after the crushing defeat of the Flame Haze Army, Bal Masqué prioritized the concealment of the figure and Presence of the returned divine body of Snake of the Festival, leaving the moving Seireiden exposed.
Trivia[]
- "Crypta" is a Latin architectural term for a chapel or cemetery built underground.
References[]
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Final Guidebook/Shana Glossary
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume 05 Chapter 01 page 44
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana Light Novel Volume SIII Side Story Hope page 359
- ↑ Shakugan no Shana no Subete Kan page 9