Obsidian Labyrinth
The Obsidian Labyrinth is a subterranean maze of black stone that sprawls beneath the Bleeding Spire, extending deep beneath the city of Curdemire like a web of veins feeding a dark heart. Formed from the same impossibly smooth obsidian as the Spire itself, the Labyrinth predates even the earliest foundations of the city—its origin lost to myth, fear, and silence.
It is said that the Empress Malvera Noctara descended from it, not into it, and that the true throne of Noctavia lies somewhere in its depths. No map holds its full extent. No torchlight reaches far into its halls without trembling.
Purpose / Function
- Imperial Access Only: The Obsidian Labyrinth is sacred ground. The Empress herself is said to descend into it when in communion with dark forces or preparing divine edicts.
- Political Prison: Dissidents, traitors, and heretics are often cast into the Labyrinth. Most are never seen again; some return… changed.
- Seat of True Power: Some believe the Bleeding Spire is but a beacon, while the Empress’s true throne—forged in voidfire—lies at the Labyrinth’s heart.
Alterations
The Hall of Veiled Thrones
A crypt for the forgotten monarchs and warlords who pledged themselves to Malvera’s will and were granted eternal “service.” Their obsidian thrones stand empty, their essence trapped in glyph-bound statues, awaiting recall.
The Wells of Unmaking
Circular pits lined with runes and screaming faces. These are not wells for drawing water—they devour anything dropped into them, body and soul. Used in ancient rites and punishments. Some say they connect to the Pale Coil or the heart of the earth.
The Black Library
Not of ink and parchment, but of minds. Souls trapped in crystal shards whisper knowledge to those who hold them. Listening too long drives a mortal mad.
- Entrance is guarded by a shade known only as The Bound Scholar.
The Crimson Reservoir
A vast, still lake of blood-red fluid—its surface mirror-like, its depths bottomless. Drinking from it grants visions of the Empress or causes complete disintegration. Sacrifices are offered here during high rituals.
The Maw of Entry
The only known gate into the lower Labyrinth. Massive stone jaws sealed by an ever-burning brand of Malvera’s sigil. Only those sanctioned by the Hollow Council or bearing a shard of her divine essence may pass. Rumors speak of living doors that test the intent of every entrant.
Architecture
- Material: Seamless obsidian, cold and unyielding, with veins of pulsing red and violet light that snake across the walls. Touching them can cause visions, madness, or memories not your own.
- Layout: The Labyrinth defies logic. Passageways shift. Stairwells spiral infinitely downward. Some corridors lead back upon themselves—others open into vast chambers or yawning voids. Those without the Empress’s mark may vanish entirely or emerge years later, changed or broken.
- Gravity and Time: Unstable within the Labyrinth. In some chambers, gravity twists sideways; in others, time stutters or dilates. Whispers echo both ahead and behind, sometimes in voices long dead.
Tourism
The Obsidian Labyrinth is both feared and revered across Noctavia. To descend into it is seen as a test of loyalty, a punishment, or a pilgrimage. It is invoked in songs, prayers, and curses—“May the Labyrinth know your soul” being both a benediction and a threat.
Myths and Legends
- The Eternal Courtesan: A figure said to dwell in the Labyrinth's deepest level, offering secrets in exchange for memories, years of life, or your name.
- The Sleeper Below: Rumored to be an ancient, pre-Empire deity bound by Malvera herself—its heartbeat said to echo through the walls when the moons align.
- Ghost Processions: On certain nights, spectral processions wind their way up from the depths, reenacting rituals from a bygone age. Disturbing them is forbidden.
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