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| By 'fallstrider'. I had a perfect Beksinski for this week, but I felt like something different. |
15: Shrine of the Dark: Hall of Echoes
(!) Lair of the Darkwights. When awoken: mimic speech; move like leaves in the wind; hunger for tender eyes.
Sound travels far and strangely here, like in a cathedral.
(?) The great statue of the Dark is a fractal chimera, ice cold, rippling with impossible shapes. Reproductions of its surface (charcoal rubbings, sketches from memory) reveal things that cannot be seen and risk madness or blindness. They may also fetch an incredible price, with the right buyer.
16: Vault of Little Gods
Thousands of statuettes of every size and material, jumbled everywhere. Smells of old incense and dried flowers.
(!) Difficult terrain. Don’t tread on a little god, or you might get a little curse.
(??) If you’re looking for a minor deity, it’s in here somewhere.
17: Well of Stars: Empyrean Vault
A courtyard under a night sky. Crickets and jasmine. Paper offerings and a golden dagger (100 coins) on a huge stone slab at the end.
(?) The slab is loose and can be moved, with difficulty. Beneath: the Well of Stars, water shining with the night sky, even when in shadow.
(?) The water feels normal, until you reach an arm’s length through…
18: Well of Stars: Fountain
(!) Gravity reverses on the path through the deep water.
A fountain with marble steps, starts shining in the water. Surrounded by a portico of marble nymphs; water trickles through their hands. Unfamiliar trees with sweet-smelling fruit.
(!?) The water is clean and refreshing; the fruit are nourishing and delicious. Consuming them makes you more susceptible to the Prince’s suggestions.
19: Well of Stars: Cell
(!) Lair of the Star Prince. Eternally beautiful inhuman youth under a dread skeleton that burns with starfire.
Mien: oh, won’t you stay?
Wants: stories and company from beyond
Needs: to stay here – it cannot leave the cell.
Fears: being alone
Knows: all about the other temples
The cell is a comfortable room with lounges and a chest against the wall. Smells of jasmine and incense.
(?) Chest contains great fistfuls of Sapphires worth 10,000 coins, but you have to dig them out of the powdery incense a few at a time. The Prince may offer some in trade.
20: Caterpillar Shrine: Lost Souls
Walls like fingers, limbs. Become more fleshy as you advance. Faint groans.
(!) Lair of the Lost Souls, warped faces peeking from behind their long fingers in the walls, begging for a little water, or blood. When roused, some pull themselves out of the wall to attack. When killed, their waxy flesh melts from their bones and their skeletons burn black and keep fighting.
21: Caterpillar Shrine: Sanctum
High granite walls covered with spiral patterns. A vast sacrificial altar stained black with blood. A ragged wound in the wall, about 20’ up and 10’ wide.
(?) The hole leads to the sump in the Spa.
(!?) Placing blood on the altar summons the Caterpillar Demon from the Spa; she just crawls out of the hole in the wall.
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