The Haunted Palace

== The Haunted Palace ==
Artifact Level: 15
Price: Inestimable
Usage: Held in 2 hands
Activate: [Interact]
Resonance: 1
"The Haunted Palace" is a dark and imposing structure of ancient design, intricately adorned with eerie carvings and ominous symbols. It consists of a towering palace made from black stone, surrounded by a sprawling, overgrown, and haunted garden.
=== Powers and Properties: ===
# Malevolent Dominion: When attuned to "The Haunted Palace," the wielder gains dominion over a 5-mile radius surrounding the palace. Within this area, the wielder can manipulate the environment, summon malevolent spirits, and control the weather. This dominion extends to both the material and ethereal planes.
# Spectral Retinue: "The Haunted Palace" is inhabited by a retinue of malevolent spirits and wraiths. The wielder can call upon these spirits to serve as guardians, spies, or even as allies in combat. These spirits are bound to the artifact and obey the wielder's commands.
# Ethereal Passage: The palace contains a hidden chamber that serves as a portal to the Ethereal Plane. The wielder can use this portal to travel to other locations on the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. However, using it too often may attract the attention of otherworldly entities.
# Voracious Hunger: "The Haunted Palace" hungers for souls. The wielder must feed the artifact with the souls of sentient beings. Failing to do so results in the artifact exerting control over the wielder, compelling them to commit dark deeds to sate its hunger.
=== Drawbacks: ===
# Corruption: Using "The Haunted Palace" corrupts the wielder's soul. The more the artifact is used, the greater the risk of alignment shifts toward evil and the possibility of becoming an NPC antagonist.
# Malevolent Intruders: The malevolent spirits bound to the palace are difficult to control. They may turn against the wielder if they feel mistreated or if their commands go against their nature.
# Interdimensional Predators: The portal to the Ethereal Plane can attract the attention of powerful ethereal entities, including extraplanar predators or vengeful spirits.
=== Discovery and History: ===
"The Haunted Palace" was discovered in the depths of a cursed forest, hidden behind a labyrinth of thorns and illusions. Its origins are unknown, but it is said to have once been the seat of power for a malevolent sorcerer-king who sought to conquer both the material and ethereal realms.
=== Adventure Hooks: ===
# The PCs stumble upon rumors of a haunted palace deep in a dark forest and decide to investigate its mysteries.
# A malevolent cult seeks to claim "The Haunted Palace" and must be stopped before they unleash its powers on the world.
# The artifact begins to exert its influence over the region, and the PCs must find a way to destroy it or sever its connection to the Material Plane before it plunges the area into darkness.