The National (Wazheganon)
| The National De Nasionqeu (Wazhewen) Jïbayäbözh ᒋᐸᔭᐊᐳᐅᔥ | |
|---|---|
 View of the original hotel from a nearby ridge. | |
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Town or city | Iniċexi Borough, Mousinë |
| Country | Wazheganon |
| Opened | August 9, 1907 |
| Owner | FED-Defensy |
| Grounds | 23,000 acres (9,300 ha) |
The National (Wazhewen: De Nasionqeu), officially known by its military codename Jïbayäbözh, is a former hotel in Iniċexi Borough, Mousinë, Wazheganon, located in the central Hinukwasra Range of the Gerögera Mountains in the commonwealth's western half. It was built in 1907, on traditional Haziragra lands, by businessman Rembt Lang as a resort and meeting place for rural magnates, with the location being chosen for its remoteness, scenic views, and nearby hot springs. The original hotel included 150 rooms, two restaurants, a spa, and several retail stores. It was abandoned at the start of the Valzian Civil War in 1919 as Lang and his associates fled to Loyalist-controlled territory on the east coast.
In 1935, with the beginning of the Great Ottonian War, and with it conflict between Wazheganon and Ghant, the building was claimed by the federal government. Fearing the possibility of Ghantish bombers targetting the capital of Moynrout, or even a Ghantish invasion of mainland Wazheganon, defense planners refurbished The National as an office and bunker to be used by military and government officials during wartime. Its location in the central Gerögeras ensured that the building was far from any potential threats from land or air.
Over several decades, dozens of buildings were added on to the hotel grounds, growing into a complex spanning approximately 23,000 acres (93 square kilometers) sprawling across the countryside. As communications technology improved, defense employees and infrastructure in Moynrout were gradually relocated to The National, and by the time of the Second Osawanon War in 1993 it was the de facto headquarters of the Wazhenaby defense and intelligence communities. In 1994 it was given its current name, Jïbayäbözh, referring to the indigenous cultural hero who becomes ruler of the dead; both names are still used by the public, while "the National" was phased out of official use in the 1990s. However, both names remain prominent in colloquial use.
While the compound is closed to the general public and the specifics of its construction are mostly classified, it is known to encompass approximately 230 buildings connected by various roads and underground concourses, including housing, food courts, and offices. Roughly 900 military and government staff and 500 support personnel work and live in the compound at any time. As such, the complex functions as more of a small town than an enclosed military compound. It is self-sufficient on energy, utilizing the nearby Ċorenenk Dam and on-site wind and solar farms, but receives regular shipments of food and numerous goods. The grounds also contain an airfield with several hangers and supporting facilities. It is generally accepted that a substantial bunker complex is located beneath the compound grounds, although its existence has never been officially confirmed and there are no public details about its extent or entrances.
The location of The National is shrouded in rumors and mystery dating back to its construction; the original hotel, in particular, has many urban legends claiming that it is haunted, cursed by Hazira spirits, or even contains a portal to the underworld. These are exacerbated by the somewhat secretive nature of the compound, which fuels speculation. Over the course of the 20th century, various conspiracy theories have claimed that The National is the center of a top secret nuclear weapons program, that extraterrestrial spacecraft are being hidden there, and that Octavya Laberenz fled there after her failed 1976 putsch and is being sheltered by the federal government.