Inactive
The Grotto in Realspace...
... the Grotto in the Netherworld.
- Intent: To codify a major location for future RP.
- Image Credit: Olga Antonenko | Farid Sandoval
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links:
- Rift Name: The Grotto
- Rift Alignment: Dark
- Location: Zaathru
- Destination: The other side of the portal looks vaguely similar to the Grotto, in that there is a cenote with a tree growing at the center. But it is extremely surreal and dreamlike, with the branches of the tree looking like its own galaxy and the water so dense you can walk across its surface.
- Direction: Both directions
- Size: Small
- Accessibility: The portal can only be accessed by Arcturus Dinn, Rhiannon Dinn, and a select few they may grant these privileges to. A person may be brought through either side of the portal by them, but the person usually won't gain the ability to pass through it on their own.
- Description: The Grotto is a a cenote, a natural sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock, exposing groundwater. The location is considered a sacred ground by the Shaal, who believe it is a portal to the underworld and a transitional space where the sky and the earth meet. Over the centuries, the site has been used for rituals and sacrifices. More recently it has become a Netherworld Rift, thanks to the efforts of Arcturus Dinn.
- Lucidity: This particular Netherworld rift is extremely disorienting for first time travelers and can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting upon entry. Otherwise there are no immediate effects from passing through the rift.
- Hostility: The rift leads to a similar cenote located in the Netherworld, not far from the River of the Dead. Necrobats have roosted there, and will attack living travelers who approach, infecting them with a virus that will turn them into vampiric zombies.
- IC Rules: The wandering dead and other spirits within the Nether may find themselves drawn to the Tree of Life, where they will join the other souls entangled in its cosmic branches. This is especially true if they are a native of Zaathru who believes in their religion. Otherwise, it may be viewed as a mere curiosity. Those attempting to meddle with the Tree will find themselves facing the wrath of the God of the Underworld, aka Arcturus Dinn, who monitors and safeguards these souls via a Force connection to the Grotto.
Zaathru:
The Cenote - The underground pool is vast and its clear blue waters are deceptively deep. Beneath the surface is a complex series of caves winding through the earth. These caves are filled with strange treasures and the remains of sacrificial offerings thrown into the cenote over the centuries by the natives. Should one dive in these waters to investigate their secrets, beware of the darkness, intense heat from underground vents connected to a nearby volcano, and the blurring effect of haloclines.
The Island - At the center of the water is a small island harboring a single tree, fed by sunlight through the opening above. This is the entry point of the rift.
The Netherworld:
The Cenote - Much deeper than its Realspace counterpart, scaling to the top of the Netherworld cenote will lead to the River of the Dead. The waters of the cenote are not connected to the River, and thus do not share its deadly qualities (although it is still not recommended that you drink from it, no matter how clear it looks). The cenote is filled with infectious Necrobats who may attack living travelers who get too close.
The Tree of Life - Located at the center of the cenote, the Tree is said to house the souls of the dead of Zaathru in its cosmic branches. The tiny island upon which it grows is the entry point of the rift.
The Grotto was long believed by the Shaal to be a portal to the underworld. Upon the arrival of Arcturus Dinn, whom they now believe to be Desdinova, the God of the Underworld incarnate, their beliefs have become a reality. Arc used Sith sorcery to create a genuine Netherworld rift here as part of his realm.
The Grotto rift is directly tied to the beliefs of the natives of Zaathru. The more people who believe in the gods, the more the rift will grow and develop. As of right now, there is only the Grotto and its Netherworld counterpart, though Arc may continue to develop the space over time.
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