The First Temple of the World

Show spoiler

In the beginning, a pair of sphinxes - one male and one female - guarded a desert temple in relative peace. They watched over a vault that held a magical ring that could change the world. The androsphinx, Bazymoros - succumbed to corruption; he denounced the trickster god who created him. Bazymoros forged a pact with the demon god, Baphomet, becoming violent and sought to claim the item in the name of his patron.
In an effort to save the world, the gynosphinx Asmuzi defeated him. She locked Bazymoros away, never again to see the light of day. The androsphinx remained an example of what not to become. It has been so long since this battle that much of the knowledge of Bazymoros has disappeared from the collective memory of the ancestries that inhabit the world.
All that remains is the knowledge of the dangerous gynosphinx made from the flesh of human and creature. . . and the treasure she keeps.

Purpose / Function

Show spoiler

A gynosphinx and an androsphinx were created by a trickster deity to guard the Ring of the Sphinx. The god had a benevolent streak and wanted mortals to have a way of keeping balance within the realm - to keep them safe from the rules of other gods.
The sphinxes were tasked with testing the worthiness of would-be wielders of the ring. While the ring has no good or evil properties, it is capable of shaping the world to the whims of its wielder.

Design

The number of rooms in this temple are unknown to the ancestries of the world. Few have ventured there; fewer have returned.

Entries

There is only one entry - through the massive granite slab that can be seen if one approaches the building from the south.
There are no windows to be found on the building.

Denizens

Asmuzi, the gynosphinx
Bazymoros, the androsphinx

Valuables

The Ring of the Sphinx, an item purported to grant three wishes.

Hazards & Traps

The entire temple is ruled by the vicious gynosphinx, Asmuzi. As such, it is filled with puzzles and traps.

Alterations

To the knowledge of the ancestries, no alterations have ever been made to this temple.

Architecture

Show spoiler

A large, rather square sandstone temple that shows no signs of aging. It appears brand-new.
There are no windows located on the temple; only one massive granite slab can be seen as one approaches the front of the structure. The granite slab is located on the south of the building. It has writing engraved on it - a warning to those who may enter the temple to seek the ring.

History

Show spoiler

The First Temple of the World, or the Temple of the Sphinx, was created by a trickster god while his many, many siblings fought over how to govern the land that would be passed to the ancestries. The benevolent trickster made two creatures of neutral persuasion called sphinxes. In some texts, a sphinx is referred to as the trickster's children.
These noble beings would serve as impartial judges to determine the worthiness of those who would seek the Ring of the Sphinx. Asmuzi, the black gynosphinx, was beautiful. Her dark coat sleek; mesmerizing amber colored eyes stared patiently out of a kind human face. Her lion body, which lacked wings, is muscular. Bazymoros, the white androsphinx, was handsome. His snow-white coat was home to a pair of powerful eagle wings and had a serpent-headed tail. Bazymoros is said to have green eyes.
The pair guarded the temple in shifts in relative peace for a long period of time. It is uncertain how long into their reign over the temple that Bazymoros became corrupted by Baphomet. After forging his pact, he began to gaslight Asmuzi and change puzzles on her as she would return back from her breaks from guarding the ring.
One day, she came in to find that Bazymoros was attempting to break into the vault which contained the ring. A great battle ensued; a scarred Asmuzi emerged victorious and locked the shamful Bazymoros away. The trickster god visited his child and reconfigured the temple to only be opened by Asmuzi.
The great battle was forgotten by the sands of time; only knowledge of Asmuzi remains with the ancestries of the world. The ancestries prescribe Bazymoros' hateful existence with Asmuzi's benevolence to the sole remaining sphinx standing guard over the temple.

Alternative Names

Temple of the Sphinx

Type

Temple / Religious complex

Parent Location

The Scorched Sands

Owner

Asmuzi