Abalos

Approximate size of Abalos beneath Landonia.

**Abalos** is the name of the massive, monster-infested Labyrinth that spans deep beneath the crust of Landonia. At the center of the Labyrinth lies an impossibly bright light, known as the Eye of the Maze. Abalos is known to be particularly dangerous, due to its ever-changing layout and tendency to be inhabited by powerful, chaotic evil creatures.

## Features

### Appearance

There are few known entrances to Abalos, but the ones that are known all reside in deep caverns. The walls of Abalos are completely impenetrable, and the maze cannot be accessed in any way other than these entrances. The entrances are said to look like massive gateways carved of the same dark stone that makes up the walls of the maze.

The halls of the maze range in size, from too narrow or too short to traverse, to over 100 feet wide and 100 feet tall. Hallway sizes are seemingly random. The walls, floors, and ceilings are often covered in various alien-like vines, roots, leaves, and sometimes flowers. The walls are made of impenetrable dark stone bricks, which have, in all historical accounts, always had cracks, indents, and other imperfections. The maze is filled with various sapient and non-sapient creatures, most of which are known to be violent and aggressive. There are second hand accounts of travelers finding permanent settlements inhabited by the native sapient creatures in Abalos, but none have been confirmed.

### The Eye of the Maze

In the center of the massive, ever-changing labyrinth lies the Eye of the Maze. In literature, The Eye of the Maze is depicted as a massive orb of blinding light. It is fabled that anything it touches is irreversibly warped in some way. The thresholds at which the light of the eye doesn't pass are known collectively as the Chimeridian. It is said that the Chimeridian is ever-receding, and it is believed by some that the light of the eye will someday consume all of Landonia. Some worshippers of the Eye believe that the form given to those shrouded in the light of the eye is the proper form of all.

### Dusk-amber

Dusk-amber is a smokey, glasslike resin formed near the Chimeridian. Though quite dangerous to mine, dusk-amber can be purified through ritual. Refined dusk-amber is a vital component of arcano-technology, being a quite potent source of self-sustaining magical energy. It is extremely valuable due to how dangerous it is to farm, and is most often farmed by specialized workers employed by massive corporations. Raw dusk-amber is potentially very dangerous, as it contains diluted light from the eye which can be released by rituals going wrong. Entire settlements have been lost to untrained mages attempting the purification ritual unprepared.

### The Telling

The Telling is a strange effect placed upon those who are mortally wounded in Abalos. Just before the lifeforce leaves their body, anyone who is mortally wounded enters a state in which, while not conscious, they begin to mumble prophecies. They are said to speak as other people from unknown times, either future or past, and tell of unknown and, usually, undecipherable things. Most victims speak of what lies in the center of the maze, and what awaits those who enter the light.

### Expulsion Disease

Expulsion disease's first stage manifests as a minor respiratory disease, which lasts roughly two weeks. While during this stage the disease is detectable, the type is not yet detectable. In stage 2, the coughing worsens, and the type of disease is detectable. Stage 3 is where the two types diverge.

Type I Expulsion Disease ends roughly a week after stage 2 manifests. Type II Expulsion Disease moves onto stage 3 after roughly a week. Stage 3 is characterized by the violent and sudden explosion of the hosts lungs, stomach, heart, kidneys, and intestines. The gore of the explosion has been known to have flown more than 50 feet from the host. The blood and guts of the expired host are extremely infectious, but only once they are outside of the body.

Statistically, exactly 50% of all who harbor the disease have Type I, while the other 50% harbor Type II. Those who have Type II of the disease are expected to march into the depths of Abalos, and die with a sword in their hand, their pride and valor intact. Those who refuse to do so are quarantined and executed.

## Notable Species

* Abalos Abominations
* Aboleths
* Cave Gryphons
* Gallowflies
* Hook Horrors
* Shadow Dragons

## History

### Discovery of Abalos

The first gateway to Abalos in recorded history was discovered in the year 1774 CE by an elven adventuring party that was investigating reports of local coal miners going missing near the elven mining outpost of Alme Alari. Led by the esteemed veteran, Sir Ealdred, the adventuring party consisted of diverse and skilled individuals, including warriors, mages, and seasoned explorers. Upon entering the deepest caverns of Alme Alari, the adventuring party stumbled upon a somewhat hidden, ominous gateway, into a seemingly endless darkness.

The beginning of the dive into Abalos was reportedly quite calm, with very few encounters. As the party approached the Chimeridian, they were filled with wonder and excitement like no other. Several of the party members rushed in, only to be horribly warped and contorted into grotesque abominations before the eyes of the remainder of the party. Whilst attempting to retreat, the party realized that the way they had come from was sealed off. One by one, the members of the party were slowly picked off, in horrific manners beyond Sir Ealdred's comprehension. Despite seemingly impossible odds, Sir Ealdred rediscovered the gateway that he and his party had entered through, and a retrieval party arrived to return him to safety.

While he recovered physically, it was too late for his mind, which had been completely broken by the horrors he had encountered and the violent deaths his companions and close friends had experienced. Any attempts to magically probe into his mind were futile, and only returned complete gibberish. The only account of the first dive into Abalos was written in Sir Ealdred's personal journal.

### Discovery of Dusk-amber

Several more adventuring parties were sent into the depths of Abalos, this time more prepared for the perils ahead. While many survived, many also perished to the dark and evil depths of the massive labyrinth. As more specialized task forces were formed, the elves began scouring the halls of the maze for useful flora and minerals. In 1804 CE, 30 years after the discovery of Abalos, the first recorded extraction of Dusk-amber took place, in a deep dive which was almost botched. The party returned with three of its members, and just over 3 lbs. of Dusk-amber.

Extensive testing of Dusk-amber brought back extremely potent potential self-sustaining magic energy. The first refining attempt took place in 1806 in the nearby village of Kellburgh. While there were no first hand accounts of the event, all the buildings of the village were reported to have been erased from reality, and the former citizens of Kellburgh were found wandering the empty fields, having been warped into horrible monstrosities which attacked anything they saw. The former population of Kellburgh was then slaughtered by the Elven military.

### Refinery of Dusk-amber

Over the next 150 years, the refinery of Dusk-amber was attempted again and again, in various quarantined zones across the country. The first successful refinery of Dusk-amber took place in 1958. It was successfully pulled off by the halfling-owned company Michaelsoft. While Michaelsoft tried gatekeeping the details of the ritual at first, the details were soon leaked to governments across all of Landonia, sparking a new age of modern arcano-technology and industrialization, known as the arcano-tech age.

The newly discovered uses of refined Dusk-amber also sparked a newfound interest in the exploration of Abalos. The price of Dusk-amber skyrocketed. leading many adventuring parties to head into the depths of Abalos, in an event known as the Amber Rush. Over ten thousand unprepared adventurers were lost to the extreme dangers of the labyrinth in the first month of the rush, not knowing the true horrors that awaited them in the dark and twisted labyrinth. As news spread of the horrific deaths, the death toll slowed, but many poor adventurers still adventured into the depths, believing they had no other choice.

Safe routes into Dusk-amber mining regions were impossible to make, as the routes were ever-changing. However, techniques to deal with the common enemies that roamed the halls of outer Abalon were developed and refined over the following years.

## Theology

After the discovery of civilizations within Abalos, several notable gods who the inhabitants of Abalos worshipped were also discovered. On the surface, as news of these gods spread, cult followings formed around most of them.

### Morillion

God of the Eye. Symbolized by eyes, relics and followers most often found living within the Chimeridian. Followers believe that everything the light touches is sacred, and the true form of all things is the form taken after being warped by the light. Most often followed by the abominations that live within the light, there is also a quite prominent cult of non-abominations who "baptize" themselves within the light. Upon entering the light, they are often strengthened instead of warped. Characterized by light colors, in contrast to the dark walls of the labyrinth. Villainized by Shar followers.

### Shar

Goddess of darkness. Was known of before the discovery of Abalos, but only as a satan-like figure who was only followed by small Sharist cults. Shar is the goddess of the shades that live outside the Chimeridian, and is characterized by dark fantasy-like architecture and idols. Villainized by Morillion followers.

### Tiannon

God of foresight. Said to be the god who possesses those within the maze who experience the Telling. Characterized by eye-like relics and artifacts, but often dark colors.

### Vongal

Goddess of the warped. Most often worshipped by those touched by the light, who's minds weren't quite warped by the light, or who gained sentience through the light's power. Worshipped by primarily neutral forces, and villainized by both Morillion and Shar followers. The only somewhat good goddess worshipped in Abalos.