Mirror of the Moon's Gaze
"I'm not quite sure what this place is. Don't touch anything until I've had a chance to look around thoroughly."Situated somewhere in Helenic is a temple to some ancient deity, a being associated with the moon. Reaching the temple grounds requires a rather long climb along a path which has not been maintained except by a few people over the centuries. The buildings of the temple complex have fallen apart, but the central feature remains intact: a large circular pool about thirteen feet across, and six feet deep in the middle. Despite the water appearing clear, it is impossible to look past the surface of the pool. The only things it seems to reflect is the sky overhead, and those who surface after submerging themselves into the water. No matter the time of year or weather, or whatever submerges in it, the pool itself never seems to overflow its sides.
This is the "Mirror of the Moon's Gaze".
Purpose / Function
Once upon a time, the temple was dedicated to a goddess of the moon. Her name is lost to the mists of time now, but a few signs pointing to the association with the moon remain in the ruins. Ancient runic forms of the current Imperial Common speak of the moon's course through the sky every night, only to rise again different on the next day. Most of the surviving carvings are in the one remaining building, suggesting the "Mirror" has a purpose beyond mere aesthetics. Its location suggests it as the focal point of the temple instead of the (missing) altar, but the purpose of the water has only been gleaned through experimentation.
Once discovered, this function of the pool has brought context to some of the inscribed phrases in the areas around the edge of the Mirror. It is a means of allowing a person to choose a new appearance within a moderate range of possibilities. This has included minor changes such as either losing or gaining weight, alteration of hair or eye colors, and further alterations to the body. There are several recorded instances in which someone would enter as a male and emerge a female. In all cases, a person would not react with shock or dismay - rather they seemed to believe these new appearances were "what they were meant to be".
Investigations which have proceeded suggest this is partly a property of the Mirror, and mostly in the hands of whichever deity it is linked to. However, more interestingly than the Mirror and temple itself would be the exact location: it seems to defy being mapped, as finding the location again has proven impossible for anyone who has visited it once. When leaving, there is a slight disorientation which falls over those departing and a few subtle magical transpositions which compound the inability to remember which direction the individuals had come from. It is believed this is some sort of protection afforded by the goddess to keep the Mirror from being located too easily by those who might seek it for unapproved reasons.
"Hey! What did I just say?!"Those who submerge into the pool disappear entirely until the next time the sun has passed below the horizon. Many report there was seemingly no time spent beyond going under the surface and then emerging, as though they had simply been under until they needed to breathe. However, others who emerge again have shown changes to their bodies which are profound and extensive. In these cases, the individuals speak of standing in a starry expanse and speaking to a woman about who they wished to be. The clarity of the memory fades quickly, and even magical assistance seems unable to bring it to recollection.
Once discovered, this function of the pool has brought context to some of the inscribed phrases in the areas around the edge of the Mirror. It is a means of allowing a person to choose a new appearance within a moderate range of possibilities. This has included minor changes such as either losing or gaining weight, alteration of hair or eye colors, and further alterations to the body. There are several recorded instances in which someone would enter as a male and emerge a female. In all cases, a person would not react with shock or dismay - rather they seemed to believe these new appearances were "what they were meant to be".
Investigations which have proceeded suggest this is partly a property of the Mirror, and mostly in the hands of whichever deity it is linked to. However, more interestingly than the Mirror and temple itself would be the exact location: it seems to defy being mapped, as finding the location again has proven impossible for anyone who has visited it once. When leaving, there is a slight disorientation which falls over those departing and a few subtle magical transpositions which compound the inability to remember which direction the individuals had come from. It is believed this is some sort of protection afforded by the goddess to keep the Mirror from being located too easily by those who might seek it for unapproved reasons.
"Look, I'm really glad you're happy with the results. But now I have to explain this to the council who funded the trip, and explain how I can't seem to find it again.
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