TheHoverpope/GemBoundCaverns
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The Gem-Bound Caverns
Rating: ●●●○○ Aspect: Earth
The gem-bound caverns are a sophisticated manse of the first age, located underneath downtown Gem, accessible through a winding and convoluted series of tunnels. Modelled as they are organically out of the surrounding stone and earth, it is certain that they were forged by means of the spell Crafting the Puissant Sanctum by some great sorceror. A huge grand circular room is surrounded by spokes, one leading to the hearthstone and audience chamber, the hearthstone pedastal a grand throne of alabaster and emerald at the head of the room. There are six paths to well-appointed bedrooms, one to a kitchen and grand dining room, one to a small workshop, and one to the exit. The walls are all of transparent, glistening gems and crystals, predominantly ruby; gazing through them, one can see endless reflections and refractions, light glancing in all directions through the masses of gem surrounding the manse. Outside of the walls is not ordinary crystal, however; the caverns are surrounded by the body of one of the mighty gem-lords beneath the city, Nrbaqwi, although the walls are not of him. He was invited to dwell there and grew around the manse to soak up the uncapped ambient essence; as a level 5 demesne capped by a level 3 manse, there is a great deal of energy for him to consume, and it is one of the largest sources of his power.
He is one of the greatest defenses that the site has, as he and his many kri and other servants will actively defend the site; whether out of self-interest in keeping their source of essence safe, in their earthen interest in maintaining the stasis of the site, or fulfilling some age-long oath, none know. Any prospective invader will have to force their way through huge numbers Kri and all the defenses that a spirit court can muster. However, Nrbaqwi does not willingly allow exalts to attune or access the manse unless he considers them friendly. Nrbaqwi does have an eye placed in the central room of the manse, and can summon Kri to that point.
The manse's defenses themselves are potent, diverting a significant amount of power away from the hearthstone. Firstly, while the manse is normally accessible through an open gate, when the manse is attuned, there is no doorway into it. Beings who are attuned and any being that they wish to allow entry may simply walk through the walls to the manse. Others must attempt to smash their way through, a very difficult prospect. Secondly, the manse may be sealed off from the outside world indefinitely; there is a larder in the kitchen that provides crystalline food and water that produce real nourishment at a cost of three motes for a day's sustenance, although one must be attuned to produce the food. The air is always fresh and sweet, although any who get inside while the manse is attuned without the permission of the attuned characters find that it is choking and acrid, an environmental hazard with damage 1L/action, and a trauma rating of 4; holding one's breath protects from the hazard temporarily, but taking a deep breath of the air inside and holding it only makes the situation worse. Finally, bulkhead doors slam shut in front and behind of unwelcome characters when they are not in a room with attuned people; these doors are as thick and difficult to pierce as the outer walls of the manse. Finally, the manse heals damage that it takes at a rate of 1L per hour, unless an attuned controller wishes otherwise. This makes ninja redecorating a difficult prospect, and it seems likely that this was designed to bar against any sort of destruction that might befall the city above; there are rumours in the corners of history books that the manse was designed as a sort of first age bomb shelter by a paranoid Eclipse, convinced that Gem would be destroyed.
