The Halls of Decay

The Halls of Decay are a vast, labyrinthine series of corridors that wind beneath the heart of Necropolis, an unsettling testament to the relentless passage of time. In this subterranean maze, the air is thick with the scent of aged wood, musty stone, and the ever-present remnants of rot. The walls, once fine and meticulously crafted, now show the wear of centuries, covered in creeping vines, patches of mold, and damp stains that seem to pulse with life. The Halls are lit by flickering sconces whose flames struggle against the oppressive gloom, casting long, distorted shadows. These chambers serve as a sacred space for those who honor the balance of life and death, a place where the dead are studied, revered, and used in the pursuit of necromantic knowledge. In the Halls of Decay, the past lingers, and the future rots, forever entwined in the cyclical dance of destruction and rebirth.

Purpose / Function

The space is dedicated to studying the transformation of the living into the dead, exploring the cycles of decay, and harnessing the energy that emanates from such processes. It is also a place where ancient necromantic rituals are performed, often involving the remains of the dead or the use of decay-based magic. The halls hold artifacts and remains from the Time Before, some preserved as part of necromantic practices and others as relics of the past that tie the present to the history of the city. While the space may appear grim, it is a vital component of Necropolis's ecosystem, blending the cycles of nature—decay and rebirth—into the very foundation of the city’s darker magic. The Halls of Decay are not just a place for study but also for the worship and reverence of death as a force, a tool, and a natural part of existence.

History

The Halls of Decay are believed to have once been part of the ancient sewer system that ran beneath the city during the Time Before. If one looks closely enough, traces of their original function still remain, hidden beneath layers of time and neglect. The stone walls, though weathered and cracked, still bear faint markings and grooves where pipes once ran, carrying the refuse and waste of a long-lost civilization. In some places, rusted metal grates and broken drains are half-obscured by the creeping moss and mold that have overtaken them. The air, thick with the scent of rot and decay, occasionally carries the faintest hint of something once foul, as if the past itself is unwilling to let go of its history. Old sewage channels, now dry and cracked, line parts of the floors, while in other areas, the remnants of long-forgotten tunnels twist into the darkness, leading to unknown depths. The Halls of Decay are a living paradox, a space where the past refuses to be erased, its memories preserved in the very bones of the structure. Here, the remnants of the Time Before linger, a silent reminder of the city's forgotten history, forever intertwined with the rituals of death and decay that now dominate the space.

You step into the Halls of Decay, and the air immediately shifts—heavier, colder, thick with the scent of earth and rot. The faint light from the city above fades into nothingness as you enter the labyrinthine corridors, the walls surrounding you dark and damp, covered in patches of mold and creeping vines. The ground beneath your feet is uneven, with cracks and grooves where remnants of old sewage channels still run, their surfaces slick and worn by time. You catch sight of rusted metal grates half-hidden in the stone, a forgotten reminder of the halls' former use. The deeper you move into the space, the more you notice the remnants of the past—broken drains, faintly carved symbols, and old pipes now filled with decay. The flickering torchlight casts long, twisting shadows that seem to stretch and shift with every step, as if the halls themselves are alive, whispering of their long-forgotten purpose. It feels as though you are walking through the veins of the city itself, where death and decay have taken root, and the very air hums with the quiet energy of what has been left behind.

Type

Room, Corridor, Section