Halls of Artifice

The mysterious  can be entered by passing through a golden doorway in Artifice, once you have been given permission to do so. However, from within it seems to exist (at least partially) in another world. Only those who win the lottery in Xenos are permitted to enter, where they experience pleasures beyond measure. However, not all is as it seems.

Map
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Lore
Having passed through the golden door of The Halls Artifice’s grand entrance, one immediately finds oneself standing in a beautiful atrium, greeted by warm shafts of light which fall from a large oculus set in the domed ceiling above a gurgling fountain. Those who may have entered at dusk or in the midst of night will suddenly realize that if these warm rays are sunlight, then you may have left your world behind entirely…

As your gaze sweeps across the chamber, you’ll notice over a dozen benches tucked against walls between pillars and potted plants, all empty. In fact, regardless of the number who may have entered with you, this chamber echoes with your footsteps alone. Ahead and to the side, beyond the sunken floor below the dome, are three separate vestibules with three smaller golden doors, much like the one you just passed through…

When you turn around, however, you see not the shining portal through which you just stepped,…but two great bronze-bound doors that, when tested, are locked and stuck fast against you. It sees you have choices to make, and the only way through is forward. Could the promised rewards lay beyond this new set of magical gateways?

Each of the three primary halls that are accessed from the main Entry Chamber are themed upon the ideals of pleasure and bounty as personal paradises shared with only those lucky few who have already found their way here, and remain to enjoy their chosen state of bliss. An indication of what awaits within can be seen spilling out into the entry vestibule as one approaches the first of these enticing halls.

Hall of Youth and Vigor
Behold a chamber of sensual opulence, where exotic, overstuffed furnishings upon which one may sit and lay can be found on every side. Rich, warm light spills into the hall from velvet-curtained stained glass windows on every wall, and luxurious veils of red muslin hang from the ceiling, giving the chamber the feeling of grand comfort and intimacy that even a sultan’s harem would envy! This is the Hall of Youth and Vigor, and one can only imagine the pleasures to be shared with those deemed worthy of its offerings. Here and there, mirrors, vanities, shelves, and dressers tucked away in the shadowy recesses, offer the perfect gentle glow where an adherent to such joys might admire the perfection of one’s own visage, or discreetly gaze back on the activities of others.

At the far end of the hall, below a dim lanthorn, a small circular table has been placed, upon which rests a strange object, like a hexagonal chest. What mysteries does it contain, and by what secret methods might it open? Is it, perhaps, a reliquary? The shadows around it are deep, and it will not be even nearly as enticing as the sights and sounds that will surround you once this chamber is adorned with the beautiful denizens that will welcome you to join them in their endless ecstasies.

Turning back, one can see the golden doorway through which this hall was achieved. Could it be possible that each of the other doors leads to equally opulent and enchanting luxuries? If so, there can be little doubt that leaving this place of miracles might be the last thing you’d ever want to do! Ah well, as tempting as the glowing portal may be, the youthful beauties splayed conveniently upon nearby beds and couches,…or even the ones admiring themselves in the grand mirrors,…are far more tempting still. Perhaps they would enjoy some company?

Hall of the Feast of Plenty
Finally you’ve pulled yourself away from the pleasures of youthful vigor, and returned to the Entry Hall to explore more of this enchanting place… Upon approach to the next vestibule, you are greeted with enticing aromas and plates of various delicacies. Casks of ale and wine are piled here, with goblets and steins waiting to be filled. The glowing doorway to the next Hall of Artifice beckons.

Beyond the golden portal you are transported to the Hall of the Feast of Plenty! On either side, tall columns of rough-hewn marble support the vaulted ceiling in this marvelous great-hall that even Dionysus would envy. In the chamber’s center an elaborate table stretches nearly the length of the room, piled high with masterfully prepared viands of every kind, each one more delicious-looking than the next. In the swirling steam rising from platters of tender roasted meats, lanterns gently sway, bathing the heaping delicacies in warm, welcoming light.

The incredible bounty of food at its center seems overwhelming! Even the edges of the great hall are lined with tables heaping with food, each set of offerings showcased in the rays of mote-specked light that filter in from stained glass windows on all sides. So much exquisite fare,…but worry not! This food will never go to waste, since you won’t be the only one enjoying this amazing repast. Elegant guests wander and sit throughout the hall, enjoying delicacies of their own,…encouraging you to do the same. A fire crackles merrily in the great-hearth toward the back of the room, before which sits a single round table. And upon it, apparently, is the same mysterious box seen in the chamber before.

As you turn back to the entrance, the glow of the golden door reminds you that there is at least one more hall to explore before you must consider the comparatively small nuisance of the firmly locked bronze double-doors back in the Entrance Hall leading to who-knows-where… Those thoughts are mere tickling annoyances though, really. With so many like-minded comrades around you, enjoying the finer things in life, why bother worrying about such trivial affairs. The pleasures of the palate await!

Hall of Wealth Without Limit
Curiosity, it seems, gets the better of you even in paradise… It’s soon time to make your way across the Entrance Hall to the last vestibule, to see where its golden door leads. The sight that greets you is most promising. Glittering stacks of gold coins and decorative urns of precious metals are scattered here and there around the portal. There are coffers here that promise riches within, and ornate decanters that surely are filled with a wealth of only the finest perfumes and exotic oils. You crave to see what further wonders await.

Upon entering, you are overwhelmed by a mighty chamber of riches beyond the dreams of avarice! Behold the Hall of Wealth Without Limit!… Here, amidst arabesque arches of gold-leafed alabaster and carved chalcedony, glowing with opalescent light filtered through decorative panels of leaded glass and enormous gemstones, lay piles of seemingly endless treasures and priceless works of art.

Everywhere you set your hungry gaze, mounds of gold coins and sparkling statuary delight the eye with the glow and glimmer of warm light reflected off of a thousand polished surfaces. Gem-studded swords, shields of silver and gold, and precious idols from distant lands all call to you to claim them as your own. Perhaps there will be others here that will join you in collecting the choicest of treasures, or perhaps the contents of this fabulous chamber are yours and yours alone.

Beyond the center displays there is more still to discover, as every shelf before every window offers more and more lucre. Golden platters are stacked high with coins of all kinds, and at every turn chests wait to be opened so that they may divulge their precious secrets.

And of course, like the other halls, as you approach the back wall you find yet another of those intricately carved containers, identical to the rest, and just as mysterious. In this hall of splendor, however, such enigmas are far outshone by the incredible beauty and opulence that surrounds you on every side.

Meandering wistfully through the chamber as a whole, you find that the golden portal is once again a reminder of the last exit you have yet to explore; the triple-locked doors that appeared behind you as if by magic when you first entered the Halls of Artifice. But now, while enjoying visions of what such wealth can surely buy you, and the shining future it will bestow upon you and all your kin, why bother with troubling thoughts of unknown passages beyond this heaven when there is treasure to claim!… Here and now are all that really matter, after all…

Halls of Illusion and Royalty
Wait! What is this?!?!? Having delved even further into Artifice, and sampled several other (somewhat more heinous) paradises (and the denizens that seem to enjoy them), proceeding through yet another golden doorway has caused you to materialize within a cobweb-covered dungeon corridor filled with the strewn bones of seemingly hundreds of poor, lost souls. The architecture here is confusingly reminiscent of so many of the ancient stone passageways that litter the underworld of the realms of Novia, and as you begin to wander through them you realize that every turn and twist feels like the last, and yet seems to lead to more and more such paths, winding away in every direction like some labyrinthine hell. The only lights here, except perhaps your own, are torches emitting pale blue flames and the ever-present profusion of even more golden doorways that now seem to taunt you, taking you to places you may not wish to go… As if to add to the confusion, tarnished mirrors that provide little in the way of reflection hang forlornly on the walls at every turn, and soon you begin to realize how so many could have come to die here,…alone,…in the perpetual twilight of this haunted place…

Just as it seems this torture might never end, you suddenly find yourself back again in a place of relative comfort and refinement. What was that terrible maze,…someone’s twisted paradise? Surely not! Why would such a thing exist in the glorious Halls of Artifice? Perhaps it was just a fevered waking nightmare after all… Merely the result of too much euphoria in so little time. But what does time mean in a place such as Artifice?

Along the periphery of the comfortable chamber before you, chairs are arrayed around small tables, a few books rest on small shelves, and here and there a few bowls of fruit tempt the observer to come, sit, and rest. At the room’s center, beneath a recessed ceiling lit by an ornate chandelier, is a desk littered with books, scrolls, and an inkwell. Beyond the desk another set of bronze doors lay closed before you, but no locks seem to bar your way. Here you will be greeted by a functionary of this mystic place, and an apparent servant of he who occupies the royal hall beyond those waiting doors.

As you enter the lavish throne room beyond, you immediately realize something is wrong. Debris from the ceiling above litters the floor, several of the great columns which support that ceiling have fallen to ruin, and cobwebs formed by years of neglect cover almost every surface, creating the look of aged veils that drape the stained glass windows like ghastly shrouds. At the far end of the hall, a figure sits on a regal throne, ancient rot having left nothing behind of him except his very bones. This grand hall was meant to house hundreds of members of this apparent monarch’s court, and yet he sits alone, contemplating the crown that lays on a footstool before him, his empty sockets gazing out at you as you approach.

Regardless of anything else that might transpire in this chamber, you could wonder if this is what becomes of someone’s personal paradise when life has passed you by. Here this once mighty ruler sits, ruminating on the culmination of his reign, and the meaning of such power, for all time,…while the remains of his grand accomplishment rots and crumbles around him. Behind him, at the top of a small flight of stairs, yet another set of doors await, and beyond them, yet another golden portal beckons,…always beckons,…as you travel deeper and deeper into this place of eternal desires fulfilled…

Ah yes,…glorious Artifice… Why would you EVER want to leave…

The Forge and the Lyceum
Passing beyond the golden doorway that leads from the crumbling throne room causes you to appear in a narrow and oppressively-hot natural passage that issues directly into a noisy chamber blazing with fiery light. The hammering of metal and the constant sound of steam accost you as your skin seems to slowly bake in the furnace-like heat.

As you peer out and down into the large chamber beyond, you are met with a sight both impressive and terrible. From all sides what appears to be molten stone or metal flows in deadly streams from the mouths of carved wyverns as it cascades down angled troughs toward pools of bubbling slag below. Suspended above, large bowls full of human bones wait to be tossed into repositories full of bones, ash, and shining nuggets of ore that lay between the channels of flowing magma. Movement can be seen below as some huge, brawny being can be glimpsed beyond the enormous pipes, toiling at some terrible task.

As you pick your way carefully down the narrow stone steps, you slowly begin to realize that this is where all the lost souls of Artifice eventually come to “rest”. You have descended from the apparent heavens that lured you above as they eventually transformed into the hell that greets you now… The cascading streams of lava seem to actually be composed of a nightmarish molten mixture of all the things you see before you; the ore, the grey ash, and the bones of the dead… What could this place possibly be? And why would it rest at the very heart of Artifice’s glory?

Though the mysterious blacksmith and all the terrible weapons he is forging will eventually be seen here, for now you must be content with moving forward into yet another chamber, found deeper still in this foreboding place. Choosing the larger central path, a staircase can be seen dipping down into the cooler shadows, and yet another golden door glimmers down the hall. Passing thankfully beyond this infernal place, you appear in a corridor that leads into what must be the largest library you have ever seen!

Descending from the middle gallery level and down into the lower halls, hundreds of bookcases can be seen at every turn. If what you see can be believed, you are standing in the legendary Lyceum of Novia! This is the fabled repository of all the world’s knowledge, and it is said that every tome ever written by any hand can be found here… How can the treasures gathered above possibly compare to the apparently infinite wealth of lore arrayed here? One could spend a lifetime perusing the works shelved in this place, and still never read them all…or so it seems. In every direction the halls stretch on and on, and yet you appear to be alone. Should you seek an egress? No skeletons adorn this place, at least… And yet,…what is that distant sound? Is there another soul wandering these stacks? It seems to be footsteps you hear upon the wooden parquet…but then…they resolve into something you begin to recognize… Is that the echoing clip-clop of hooves upon the floor?

Halls of Sadistic Pleasure
Imagine that we have gazed upon the dream-like Halls of Artifice as would a mystic peering at visions through an enchanted sphere of crystal. As is the nature of such magic, and the often magical places and events such sorcery reveals, the tableau is anything but clear and absolute. Events of the past, and those that have yet to transpire, are sometimes elusive and dim; obscured by the mists of time… Scenes of the present, while clear and full of vibrant life, are fleeting and frenetic; seldom arrayed in ways that give an absolute understanding, even to the most discerning soothsayer’s eye…

So it is with the secrets I may reveal concerning the terrible and wonderful inner workings of Artifice… Let us, therefore, look at the final (somewhat lascivious, and vaguely terrifying) chambers of Artifice;…the Halls of Sadistic Pleasure… I say final, not because of any particular order in which you might encounter them while delving there, but final because…at long last…my seer’s crystal grows dark for this place… The visuals have mostly all been revealed, but the nature and tasks that await you are stilled mired in the secrecy that will allow you to enjoy their discovery… And so, due to the dubious nature of this last set of chambers I’ll reveal,…we shall take a peep…through a shadowed peephole….. ^_^

After sliding open the viewing panel upon these doors and sneaking a glimpse inside, the urge to enter will be overwhelming. In this chamber, the distant sighs and laughter of the Hall of Youth and Vigor have been replaced by similar but more sinister sounds. The smell and smoky haze of incense fills this chamber, as does the dim light that flows down from the round iron grating set into the ceiling above. Rich red veils of muslin cascade toward the floor from decorative stonework, lending a degree of privacy to upraised viewing areas adorned with overstuffed couches. But the eyes of any observers here will be rooted to the scene unfolding at the chamber’s center. Who is it that will lay stretched across the “breaking wheel”? And by who’s hand will they feel the delicious sting of the lash? All will eventually be revealed…

Is that pain, or is it truly pleasure, you hear in the rasping cries coming from the recipient upon the wheel? Perhaps you will be invited to join them in their forbidden ecstasies… Will you engage yourself here as you have in the other “paradises” offered freely in Artifice? Whatever your mind may be concerning such delights,…a door bound in dark iron waits on the far end of the chamber. Open it, and you will descend further into this mire of conflicting sensations…

Another chamber, and another delightful tableau… Chains now constrain the movement of cages, and enticing fires burn, crackle, and spark from braziers, containing tools and toys for the games ahead. Is it your imagination, or are the trappings of this place becoming more worn and threadbare? No matter…who cares for mere decoration, when such wickedly delicious sights as those seen here excite the imagination!

But wait! Have we gone too far?!?! Who is meant to sit in that cage? Was that a ball and a tiny stool at its center? Hooks, chains, and spears offer only mute answers to your concern… Descending deeper still, a terrible chamber opens before you, and the remains of many “participants” can be seen all around you… To the left, a prison cage bars your way, its floor laced in clotted gore. And beyond it, yet another door that leads deeper still. Huddled within that prison, tear-filled eyes gaze out from terror-filled, desperate faces. At the chamber’s center; someone greets you with a lever to pull, and a choice…

Surely you’ll make the right one…

Ah well,…it is here that the crystal’s visions are obscured by mists and become truly dark…

Any remaining mysteries of Artifice are yours, and yours alone, to discover…