Approved Location [Netherworld] The Labyrinth Library

[The Confessor]

• Intent: To create a place from a roleplay long ago, give it more context and give it a more purpose, good and bad.
• Image Credit: The Library by Schmoedraws
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: Netherworld

• City Name: The Labyrinth Library
• Classification: Infinite Library
• Location: Netherworld of the Force
• Affiliation: None, though Force Ghosts frequently populate it, Light and Dark.
• Population: Sparse: Generally it is only those who decide to live into it and are lost inside the Labyrinth itself.
• Demographics: Mostly Force Ghosts though the occasional droid can be found, left behind from other expeditions. Anyone still found in the living, may be possessed or gone crazy, very rarely sane.
• Wealth: Wealthy; The books and relic contained in the Labyrinth Library are beyond most value. Some date to the start of time itself while others, can come from certain instances in time. Objects that are unique, one of a kind. Books that have knowledge predating things like the Infinite Empire and books on the life of others, thousands of pages long. Relics on the other hand, can come from some of the most dangerous times in history, some believed to be destroyed can be found in a place such as this.
• Stability: Medium; While there is more or less, some form of control from the Council, there is almost no rule of law. Beings have generally a restraint of violence though certain sections of the ever expanding library are at times, extremely dangerous. Generally these are crazed individuals or force ghosts, still attempting to find knowledge they still seek but unable to find.
• Freedom & Oppression: There are only a handful of laws in the Labyrinth Library, conducted in full by the Council itself. The main rule however, is to not remove a book, relic or any piece of property from the library unless it describes the person in question somewhere in the book or relic, having a history with said object, or making a legal argument with the Council on why the person should have it. The latter is generally unsuccessful due to the hording nature of the city. Otherwise, the individual may do as they wish in the area, murder included long as they do not destroy anything on the premises.
• Accessibility: Generally it is quite easy to enter, sitting in a large circular basin with four entrances on the North, South, East and West sides. There is only a large door that needs to be pushed open to enter, which then shuts. The only challenging part is getting back out, having to trace back to where one came from.
• Description: The Library Labyrinth on the outside seems nothing to exciting, being a large dome shaped building with four entrances from the North, South, East and West Side of a gray color. Upon entering, one can see almost an infinite amount of books stacked high and tall from wall to wall. The color of the books are generally mismatched with some areas though there are small to large antechambers, generally detailing certain major events in history or certain relics held in high regard.

• Lucidity: Generally the place follows the same status of laws of physics save for two things. The first is that sometimes the Labyrinth Library, shifts bookcases around to either make room or trap people, expanding and contracting in certain areas. Second is that time is not generally relative. An hour inside may only be a few seconds outside. A few years may only seem to be a few days on the outside. It generally is imperative to keep an eye on the timers explorers have as one can easily lose many months in the library.
• Hostility: Generally most Force Ghosts are welcoming to those that enter the Labyrinth Library, sometimes giving directions. Some Force Ghosts however, will attack on sight due to going insane, along with certain sentient beings. Certain droids can also be found in the area though most been converted to maintaining the library with very few gone rogue.
• IC Rules: The Labyrinth Library is generally a massive city that has numerous books detailing things from every portion of someones life or events elsewhere. There is no labels and can be considered a massive pain to find anything, however it is rewarding when found. Some relics, maybe thought to be lost from time, could be found here. Force Ghosts generally have the ability of Padawan to Knight status, ranging from Dark to Light. The Council however is of Master rank, some pertaining the rank of Darth with possibly a former Emperor. They are not to be underestimated at any cost and can easily overpower a group of users on their own, having thousands of years generally to learn and read through multiple texts and sometimes in the possession of dangerous relics.

• The Council Hall: This is where the Council resides and studies. It is a large hallway with twenty chairs, ten on each side with a flag draped in front of each chair as they are generally twenty feet above the main floor. Each flag represents a time period along with rank and name of their life before death. Around the halls are also more valuable books that are either being currently studied or on higher protection due to constant attempts of theft.
  • The Council: A collection of twenty Masters in the Force. Generally they range from Jedi, Sith and even more obscure Force Cults. Each one has been fanatical at one point or another, of acquiring complete knowledge at any cost. The price, was being placed here in the Labyrinth Library, given unlimited knowledge but must be given up to move on. Each one is generally very powerful and most Masters of the current age, may have issues fighting them. In addition, a single one is generally only dispatched at a time. If one passes on or is slain, the person in question is replaced by a fellow Force Ghost in the current Labyrinth Library that is wandering by vote. Their lightsabers are their chair, almost embedded. If a sudden crash of wood is heard, that means they have taken it out and are hunting.
• The Hall of Holocrons: A generally obscure section of the Labyrinth Library, it is a large domed that has shelves upon shelves of holocrons and datacrons. Most found in this room were considered to been destroyed with very few considered lost through time. Each one in the room is considered functional and works as intended. There is generally only one Force Ghost in the room at all times, an older Ithorian Female who resides and controls the rooms shelves, shifting it around if the person is rude or hostile. If polite, the object seeked can be pointed out to, though the room can be a few miles long which can take a bit of a jog...and possibly a ladder.
  • The Small Cube: In the middle of the room in particular in a glass case that cannot be removed other than destroying it with an extreme amount of Force Power, impervious to conventual weaponry, is a much smaller version of a datacron. Underneath it is a historical book explaining its origins and history as it originally was the holder of such a large library in Realspace. Being that it was destroyed, it was placed back into here, almost creating a small paradox but resides instead in the case. It warns of never using the datacron and if attempted to break into, five Council members would be dispatched to handle the matter personally.
  • The Broken Wall: There is a small section that is almost nothing but shards and strands sticking out of the wall, things that resembled parts of a datacron or holocron. Upon touching one of the pieces, ones mind would fill with how its construction had failed and what they attempted to impart before violently throwing the individual back. The Broken Wall is a collection of datacrons and holocrons that were of failed creations, each part representing an attempt. The wall is a quarter mile wide and high, always being added to with information that is valuable, but very dangerous as it can corrupt the mind or destroy it on each attempt.
• The Blast Crater: Generally just called the Crater, this was the final battle before the formation of the Council. The Crater is a destroyed room of over ten miles in diameter with very little inside it. Relics and books can be found scattered in the area, residue amounts of Force Energy and trap runes can be discovered in the area. The prizes in the area are considered extremely powerful and without claim, though certain Force Ghosts and creatures linger in the area, generally considered very powerful and very jealous, hording what they can.
  • The Den of Abatross: Near the center of the crater is a large cavern which protrudes teeth and a large mouth. This is a Sarlaac creature, morphed by the Dark Side of the Force, known as Abatross. The Crater is considered its home, after having been killed and placed in the Labyrinth Library by its owner whom also died near the same time. It is considered a Sith Spawn but unlike others, is extremely intelligent and can project illusions in the Force and can communicate with others. It has over time, swallowed many relics and books pertaining a wide array of subjects and guards them though it is also considered at times, a trader. If one has valuable goods such as large quantities of food, valuable relics of its own, it will trade with things found in the contents of its stomach by reaching in with a tentacle to hand off an item. If one was to be eaten...the pit goes down over a hundred miles and is extremely expansive. It is possible to get out but is extremely hard. Personality wise, Abatross is generally kind and projects the illusion of a Twi'Lek male though when angered, turns into a large krayt dragon in anger.
  • The Cries of Thousands: Within the Blast Crater, certain areas could only be described as misty white and with screams that pierce ones ear drums. Even attempting to block it out with the Force is all but in vain and walking towards it still will reveal a small silver like tear drop. In the battle that had been performed, several Thought Bombs were used around the Library and they had all collected here, cursed with extremely small signatures. While most have been broken, several remain and breaking the curse is time consuming and extremely stressful on ones mind. If successful, perhaps the spirits if not driven mad, will reward the individual for freeing them.
• The Forever Tombs: Rooms such as these are scattered in very obscure places around the Labyrinth Library, known only as the Forever Tombs. For whatever strange reason, the Library had replicated entire final resting places that have been destroyed either on purpose, accidental or through time. They are replicated perfectly, each having inscriptions put in just right. The tombs range from Jedi, to Sith, to Royal Tombs to those from lost civilizations. Relics can also be found in these rooms, along with several large books explaining the life the of the individual(s) in great detail. This is generally the closest anyone ever gets, to exploring the tomb of the original in great detail.
  • The Twelve Tombs: These Tombs are rarer than those found elsewhere. There is almost no actual evidence of their existence. Each room generally consists of white marble and barely a few parchments of paper to explain who had died and why their tomb exists. Each tomb consists of three things that are consistent: A tome, a lightsaber, and a shoulder cape. The tome explains a particular Force Power in great detail, as if the entire history of the technique was all in one tome. The lightsaber in question is of beautiful craftsmanship, as if to exemplify the perfect look, weight and feel of the particular build, generally made of Electrum. The shoulder cape would strange as it is weightless to the touch and can be easily picked up and worn, ranging from various colors. However it cannot be destroyed, nor damaged in any means possible, even by the Force. Only one object can be removed from each tomb, attempting to take more than one results in the room closing and leaving no means to leave until one is placed back. The history of this area, is unknown even to the Council.
  • The Shapeless Tomb: Ever moving and ever shifting, entering into this room is extremely bizarre. The Tomb is never in one place, and the tomb will always be decorated in the version of ones self that had entered the room. The individual will also be unable to leave and anyone with the individual is thrown out forcibly or refused entry. The Tomb will be to what the individuals specification would be if one was to pass on, sometimes foretelling their own future before arising a sentient being very close to their own, a dark sided force ghost. It will fight exactly as the other individual, almost mirroring it and would always attack when given the opportunity. There are very few ways of defeating it, as the Shapeless Tomb only ceases when it either is defeated in combat or defeated with reason or with revelation. Once defeated, others can enter and explore the Tomb, possibly even holding items the individual had lost or destroyed so long ago.
• The Four Spires: If one can go through the maze correctly, one can enter one of four rooms on the diagonal corners of the dome like structure, seeing outside into the Netherworld. Each room consists of five chairs overlooking the outside with no books to be seen or relics. The room radiates much like a Meditation Sphere would be and is used generally as such. There are generally symbols on the wall of High Sith though their meaning is rather trivial as it only has letters though combining them may give meaning. The rooms also give a bit of a distinct vibe, much like those of the Jedi Temples long ago.
  • The Fifth Spire: If in High Sith it is decoded, one can reach into the Fifth Spire, located in the middle high above the domed structure. In the room will be a single individual of Sith Pureblood descent, an actual alive being. The person is solely responsible for the creation of the entire structure, looking extremely aged. His name cannot be accurately pronounced by any language as he had been cursed to never be known truly ever again. His punishment is also the inability to read any form of text ever again, only being able to produce it. The male in question had left clues for those who wished to find him and possibly give him a bit of comfort though he possibly has no real way to die, acting as if a Force Ghost. If given much kindness instead of hate, he will impart a gift onto the individual, enjoying what time he was given.
    • You Know My Name: If one responds with his name, the Sith would slowly perk up from his chair. Upon revelation, he would reveal his true species and turn to look at the individual who had spoken it. He would note how long it had been since someone had ever said his name, as he was cursed to never be said to anyone, written to anyone or be told. He will mention how his father had cursed him on his final meeting, how disgraced he of his son to have turned the First Council of Knowledge into nothing by merely tricking them. How he, had fallen to the Dark Side. He would reveal the history of how he had done it from the start and how he was entrapped in this room all alone for his sins, how a lady had seduced him with the Dark Side of the Force and how she had poisoned him years later for his position. Afterwards, he will merely sit down and think over his life, how he had wished to been a pureblood Sith like his father before slowly, turning back to the illusion he once was and imparting a bit of knowledge how he succeeded in creating such a dangerous artifact.
• The Auditorium: This room is a giant Auditorium of great sound quality. Around the room are various instruments throughout the ages and of all kinds. Each instrument is considered perfect in their own regard, ten a piece of each instrument that ever existed. Playing a note is amplified greatly and fills the room with musical notes. The walls are lined with black boxes which open opening, reveals rows upon rows of sheet music. The room is considered to be several hundred miles long, generally considering all the music that ever existed through it seems only to be relative to what music the individual likes.
  • The Great Horn: The only instrument there is one of is the Great Horn. It seems to have only one use, to climb all the way up and yell into it though no sound comes out of it. No amount of air seems to be able to play such a large instrument, ranging over a hundred feet tall and two hundred feet wide. The only way to play this instrument is to play another instrument into the piece itself which only then, does it produce a wonderous sound. The sounds are considered different in nature and unique, though certain sounds seem to do strange things in the room itself.
• The Museum: Rather unusual room of the Labyrinth Library itself, this is generally sectioned into its own room with many upon many pathways to exit. It is generally filled to the brim with artwork that has been considered destroyed or damaged, all on proper display in an near endless room. When one wishes to leave, one must simply look for an exit and leave, coming out the same way they came in. This room however, does not contain any powerful relics, just art pieces.
  • The Great Curator: If one stays for a long period in a certain areas, a person only known as the Curator or the Great Curator would show up. The form always differs from one person to the next, always appearing as a sentient being but of someone of great relation and life that had been given to the individual in question, of great respect. The Curator would give an explanation of the art piece in question and talk for a while to the one they have approached but all in the same, the Curator generally leaves wise advice before leaving. If looked into, there is not a single mention of the Curator in the entire Library, nor does the Council know of what it is, only knowing it has existed since the creation of the Labyrinth Library.
    • Secrets Revealed of Great and Terrible: This encounter can only be done if the Great Painting has been defeated completely and turned to white. Upon encountering the Great Painting for the second time, the Great Curator would come towards the individual or group in a different form than before, having now turned into who he truly was, a Miraluka Force Ghost. If allowed, he will explain his actions to those listening, telling how the Rakata had come towards the world of Tython to possibly enslave them, only to be defeated by those of the Je'daii Order. Of one of the survivors was heavily injured and dying, the Miraluka created a painting to entrap the Rakata to not only keep alive, but to study, hoping to stop the possible onslaught that would soon come. However the Force Wars brought that all to an end, having been killed in an explosion and thrust into what was believed to be the Netherworld. Having wandered for such a long time, he had encountered this place several centuries ago, the Labyrinth Library creating this space for him and the then destroyed Great Painting without ever letting the Council know. He had been tasked by the Labyrinth Library with only two duties, to overwatch all the art pieces of yesteryear and to keep an eye of his greatest failing, the Great Painting. He will answer any other questions posed but will then soon leave, going back to his duties but will impart a piece of valuable knowledge into ones year, only a simple phrase: "Tho Yor Lives In All Places, Even The Netherworld."
  • The Great Painting: It never stays the same, always shifting daily into another painting that depicts either a major battle or event in near constant. Those that approach would hear the echo of a voice in their minds with a personal question. What would you do, if you were to be there? If they believe they could have improved the situation or otherwise insult, they would be thrown through the painting, as if it was another gate through the Netherworld. Inside the painting would be the exact situation going on, a major battle in progress or perhaps a major event that could be stopped. The painting would then issue the challenge, prove it. Regardless of whatever is done, the end result is almost always the same and time could not be rewritten in the painting as it is impossible to do. Those that could possibly even found a way, would find time frozen, having beaten the challenge. Regardless, they would be ejected out and sent back into the Museum, possibly now added into the picture frame of their own image.
    • Scolded and Defeated: If the Great Painting had lost by an extreme amount, the painting would shift into a large black background like room with barely any lighting. Before the group or individual would be a Rakata, infuriated by how the group could have outsmarted an event so easily or carelessly. It would go onto revealing how long he had been trapped here, being given such a torture from those who fought back against the Infinite Empire, whom put him into this painting, a great user in the Force. The Rakata deems himself a collector, each person he possibly kills in the painting something he had "collected" for his image. Defeating the Rakata is a great challenge, actually having retained his powers through the Force unlike the others throughout history. If defeated, the Rakata would fade off and the Great Painting would slowly revert into a White Room before allowing the individual or group to peacefully leave. Leaving the Great Painting afterwards, it would slowly shift and warp until slowly dropping down a painting from the wall. It would reflect the event in question and would allow an access to shift through from the painting to that particular section of that world, imbued now in the Force. It is a one way door however and not something for time travel, only a faster way to get somewhere.

• Security Rating: Low
• Internal Defenses: The Council along with numerous Force Ghosts and some droids, generally keep guard over the area. Breaking one of the core laws generally results in a Council member rushing through the Labyrinth to assault, maim and possibly kill the person or thing. What is worse is that at times, the Labyrinth Library may shift in direction from time to time, shifting from one hallway to the next by adjusting bookcases. Sometimes this results in trapping the person or thing in question, other times redirecting them into a larger trap. This goes double for those attempting to assault the place with a large group in an effort to find a particular object.
• External Defenses: None, it is just a giant labyrinth of books and relics with a roof over it.

The creation of the Labyrinth Library occurred on 3650 BBY, where four of the five Council of First Knowledge were given a smaller datacron that they were challenged to open by an apprentice of the fifth council member. When they had opened it through the Force, it was a sith artifact trap and absorbed them into the datacron. Realizing their fate, they had decided to create a rather large library like labyrinth, a building of sorts from the four Jedi Masters. Little did they know that the datacron also was a gateway into the Netherworld, only knowing much later in advance. As time had slowed down, so did most events as those that past one, became one with the Labyrinth Library as it would soon be called. A thousand years would pass for only ten years to pass in real time, accumulating and acquiring knowledge over large lengths of time.

Over time, many Force Ghosts would soon start to populate the region, mainly for being hospitable but also for the large amount of knowledge that started to accumulate. Soon the Labyrinth Library seemed to start bending the rules of nature and time moreso, acquiring and constantly adding on its own, knowledge from across Realspace and through other Force Ghosts that pass through. At an unknown time, a war broke out in the middle of the Labyrinth Library, resulting in the Blast Crater. The cause was never officially spoken about though records exists scattered all around. Afterwards, Force Ghosts from across all spectrums created the Council, a collection of twenty Force Masters that reside, enforce and vote on matters in the Library.

The original gateway, the small datacron, would ever couple of years, drop an individual into the Labyrinth Library to where one could not escape. This changed on 2 BBY of the arrival of an Inquistorious group of the Galactic Empire. With one finding the book of its creation, they were able to leave the datacron without incident and on 1 BBY, destroyed the datacron in Mount Lok, a volcano. Due to this event, the datacron itself is now in the Hall of Datacrons, not allowed to be opened due to the possibility of a paradox occurring. Due to this, the one entrance used to enter and leave the Library expanded into four, ballooning in size also by ten times its original amount.

Currently its place in the Netherworld after eight hundred years to present time has made little to no change. Locals in the Netherworld can point out its location by memory with others noting how brave explorers who have ventured through the Netherworld has found such a strange place. Only recent event is that a new riverbed had appeared near it, going towards the South entrance with large fish though of unknown origin or placement. With its place found once again after being lost through time over eight hundred years ago, explorers are still warned of its dangers and how difficult it is to leave.

 

[Ylla Caeli'runa]

The Confessor

UNDER REVIEW

 

[Ylla Caeli'runa]

Morning, The Confessor! I'd like to start by saying that I absolutely LOVE this concept and I really appreciate all of the beautiful lore and effort you've put in as someone that's a sucker for all things fluff. It gives writers so much to go off of and play around with However, there's a small issue and also a larger one that I'd like you to clarify on and help me with.

Small issue first,

Accessibility | Nothing wrong here content wise. It's just in the wrong spot. Would you mind moving it up from the Netherworld Information up to just above your Description?​

​

On to the larger issue.

So, you've used the city template here and as I was reading I couldn't really justify it being city. It reads more like a large shifting structure with a group of protectors watching over it (The Council). Before I suggest an alternate option, would you mind explaining your thought process behind the library being its own city?​

 

[The Confessor]

Moved it hopefully in the spot you requested.

I had a discussion with Srina on this subject as I was debating between City and Location. The large issues was what can be found in here, how large the structure is at all times and how it is assessed. In the end, there was just more information to being a City at large.

As a City, it can be used to keep growing the location and to keep people that wish to remain inside, around. Time flows differently in this area and I would not be surprised if at some point, some people wish to use it as their own operating center. There are multiple advantages I can see just in using it, such as a training area where a day or two outside, an entire regiment may be ready to go. Plus, if time is such a huge constraint, one may simply enter to slow down time itself from the outside world. A diplomacy engagement in only two days? That may be only two months in that city.

Plus there are rules in this area. You are not allowed to destroy certain objects, to steal them without permission. The place molds and forms around those that wish to enter it, it was a cursed area at first but slowly cleansed to where all can wander. Murder is given free reign while stealing be punishable by death. Those are honestly a set of laws, plus I never truly said how large the structure truly is.

If you wanted to even fathom a guess on how large a structure is...think of the largest library you know of. Now try to imagine it being stuffed to the brim with every text, every sheet of music paper, every instrument, artwork of lost and new...all at once. At that point, you have a town or a large city sized structure. Now here is the bad part...it is of every civilization that ever lived and every person that existed has a book written about them. The numbers would exceed trillions, the place be gigantic in stature. Well beyond any measurement you or I could even fathom.

Instead, the structure most likely will warp in place slightly, larger on the inside but smaller on the outside. The place itself is already then, no matter what, is the size of a city, possibly even larger than the largest city that exists. So the size is not the issue. Population is a different story, it is not inhabited by any really known sentient beings unless those went mad trying to go down the rabbit hole of knowledge. Droids of course sent in there, may be of some sentience or gone mad themselves through age.

No, the citizens at large are nothing but Force Ghosts, scholars from all forms of time. Some cursed to seek nothing but knowledge, an everlasting amount that can never be sated, others deciding to stay here as their permanent homes. Many people seek knowledge and treasure hunt throughout their lives, some being sensitive to the Force. I would not be surprised of those that could been felt through the Force, become trapped here. Some being of Wraiths, consumed with getting what it wants but never getting it, attacking those around it. But mostly, these Ghosts are gentle, most having experience compounded within itself of thousands of years of what we consider a few decades. If I had to guess a population count, it probably be between ten to twenty thousand people at any given time.

But there is two more factors that I mentioned earlier. If people do wish to set up inside this place, to become a larger section of the Oblivion Map, the whole area could become a massive population center, outskirts and on the inside. A faction could utilize this place to its full potential, possibly communicate with all in the structure or as I mentioned earlier, use it to train others. After a while...one could foresee something being built.

And that is the last factor. It being consistently grown. Over time, the place can change to become slowly a sprawling metropolis inside and out, things can change. I cannot say with the experience or love that I knew of this place, one I created, that a metropolis was ever created, only a curse with those that reside in it like a town. I know it is repeating but if a Faction grows around it, it would also mean the city would grow.

So, that is mainly why it was chosen. Maybe not the best way to put it, but the way I know to put it.
Ylla Caeli'runa

 

[Ylla Caeli'runa]

The Confessor Thank you for your edit and thank your for clarifying your intent. With your explanation and thought process behind the submission, I can happily approve it as is! Again, thank you for your patience and understanding.

APPROVED