The purplish glare is generated by a glassy opaque sphere which hangs suspended above the doors. It pours forth a blinding curtain of light which fills the entrance, but this quickly fades once you have passed through into the chamber beyond.
As your eyes adjust to the gloomy interior, you find yourself standing in a small temple. A plain stone altar dominates the chamber, around which are positioned a ring of twenty black candles. The candles are fixed into elaborately carved holders fashioned to resemble each of the twenty Darklords sent long ago by Naar, King of the Darkness, to conquer Magnamund. Their flames burn brightly scarlet and they give off a rancid, greasy smell that, despite your attempts to block it, makes you feel lightheaded and nauseous.
Hurriedly you move to leave this temple through an archway opposite, for there is an extraordinary saturation of evil contained within these walls and you feel it leeching your mental and physical strength.
(Unless you possess Kai-screen, deduct 3 ENDURANCE points due to its insidious effects.)
You are near the centre of the temple when you notice something strange resting in a hollow in the surface of the altar.
(Have I ever been to Mogaruith? Yup)
At once you recognize the glassy orb which rests upon the altar. It is identical to the sphere you saw in the chamber of Arch Druid Cadak in Mogaruith, the sphere by which he communicated with the master of all evil--the evil God Naar. With dread, you look upon the surface of the orb and your blood runs cold; it is as if the eye of the Dark God himself were gazing upon you.
(I choose to destroy it)
You take up one of the heavy black candlesticks and raise it above your head, steadying yourself as you get ready to hurl it at the sphere. Then a wave of dark energy comes coursing from the orb and you swoon as it washes over your body. You are in danger of dropping the candlestick upon your own head until, with a defiant cry, you draw on your psychic strength to counter the power of the orb.
As your mind clears and your strength returns, you launch the candlestick at the altar and smash the orb into hundreds of tiny shards. Instantly there is a tremendous implosion and a rush of air as the evil within this chamber is sucked back to its source. The stench that permeated the air has now gone and you feel a sense of well-being infuse your body: add 3 ENDURANCE points to your current score.
Anxious to make up for lost time, you turn away from the altar and hurry through the archway opposite. Beyond lies an icy-cold corridor where the walls and ceilings are carved with many strange spatial designs. As you follow this passage, you notice that the theme of planets and stars gradually changes to one of volcanoes and lava fissures. As if to mirror this the temperature also changes, becoming steadily hotter and drier until, by the time you finally near the corridor's end, the heat has become almost furnace-like in intensity. Breathless and bathed with sweat, you stare through the shimmering air and see a great iron door at the end of the passage.
Due to the excessive heat, unless you possess the Disciplines of Grand Huntmastery and Grand Nexus, you must now consume a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
You increase your speed as you approach the iron door and get ready to push against it, expecting great resistance but, to your complete surprise, the heavy portal swings open the instant you reach out to touch it. A gust of cooling air wafts in your face, encouraging you to step into the hall which lies beyond. Swiftly the iron door slams shut behind you but you pay it no heed. The refreshing coolness and the awesome spectacle of the hall itself commands your complete attention.
Tiers of glittering gold-veined marble descend to a circular hall where a ring of fluted copper pillars support a platform, shaped like the foredeck of some great ship. Multicoloured rays stream from a crystal sphere suspended above this platform, creating a cage of flickering light at its centre. Sitting in this radiant cage is a pale-skinned man with long blond hair. His knees are drawn up to his chin and his eyes are closed, as if asleep. You recognize him to be Banedon, but still mindful of your encounter with the Helghast, you reserve your judgement.
A narrow staircase, its hand-rails carved and fashioned from the tusks of Kalte mammoths, leads directly to the platform. Cautiously you descend the tiers, cross the floor, and advance towards these stairs, stopping only when you reach a granite throne positioned directly opposite the staircase. The back and arms of this crude seat have been chiselled to resemble a lion-like creature sitting on its haunches, and it is from here that you attempt to communicate telepathically with the sleeping man.
At first there is no response. Then, wearily, he raises his head and forces open his eyes. His face is haggard and lined with fatigue, but the look of extreme tiredness slowly changes to a smile of recognition when he sees you.
Lone Wolf . . . the words form slowly in your mind, thank Ishir you've found me . . .
Convinced now that he truly is your friend Banedon, you rush towards the steps, eager to free him from his prison. Then you sense something is wrong and you skid to a halt at the foot of the steps. Banedon's weary smile has changed to a wide-eyed look of fear.