Halls of Thoth (Salas de Thoth) is the third level (L03) of the Ardis Vala Mega-Dungeon, its largest and most accessible floor and a center of multi-faction activity beneath the Great Pyramid of Thoth. It holds 166 catalogued areas, the largest concentration in the labyrinth.
| Type | Place (mega-dungeon level) |
| Contained in | Ardis Vala Mega-Dungeon, Ardis Vala |
| Houses of the Cycle | ☷ House of the Descent |
| Spanish entry | Salones de Thoth |
Description
The main entrance is the Great Pyramid of Thoth. The level connects with The Basement, the Howling Caves, the Forum of Set, the Obsidian Gates, several sublevels, and the surface.
Regions
| Region | Dominant faction | Original function |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Precincts of Thoth (north) | Halflings of Plumthorn (recent intruders), plus transit | Thoth’s public rituals |
| 2. Hidden temples (west) | Cult of Set (resurgent, linked to the Forum of Set) | Thoth’s private temple, now Set’s |
| 3. Precincts of the Beastmen (center) | Beastmen of Deino (~115 disciplined soldiers) | Thoth’s administrative center, now the Great Hall |
| 4. Great Cavern (south) | None (fungal forest; claimed by Trocadero) | Natural cavern with the Seamly Run river |
Notable areas
- The Glory of Thoth: a great statue with hidden mechanisms; manipulated correctly, it reveals the treasure room.
- The Great Abyss: a colossal vertical shaft linking the Howling Caves above with the Obsidian Gates, the Elevators of the Trolls, the Court of the Thegn, the Lower Reaches and the Floor of the Great Abyss below.
- The Great Hall: central ceremonial hall, extending up to the Lesser Caves of the Baboons.
- Quarters of Deino, the witch “mother” of the Beastmen.
- Great Cavern: the fungal forest of Ptarmis, with colossal bioluminescent fungi, and the Tomb of Ptarmis, the priest of Thoth who founded it.
- Parvis with its great chair, occupied by Trocadero.
Key figures
- Deino — witch, “mother” of the Beastmen.
- Count Skleros — beastman commander, about 160 years old, disciplined.
- Count Trisko the Natty — commander of the Long Range Cavern Patrol.
- Phlebotomas Plumthorn — chief of the halfling thugs; makes poisons near the entrance.
- Roskelly Winterleaf — halfling thug.
- Sir Simonet — solitary, highly competent Sun-Scarred Knight of the Knights of the Scar of the Sun.
- Trocadero de Ritornello — mad wizard who believes himself the reincarnation of Ptarmis; “Lord Tarmis, Lord of the Fungi”.
Construction
A few of the oldest chambers are Heqeti; a single chamber is Rudishva; the rest is Archontean. The Archontean walls were painted with frescoes celebrating Thoth (ibises, baboon servants, mythric glyphs). The frescoes hold clues to the level’s riddles: certain statues, read in order, lead to a hidden treasure.
Exits
- Surface: the Pyramid and several stairways.
- The Basement: an illusory wall.
- Howling Caves: several passages and a teleport.
- Forum of Set: stairs, tunnels and an escape passage.
- Obsidian Gates: numerous descents.
- Elevators of the Trolls: a passage and a teleport.
- Sublevels: Lesser Caves of the Baboons, Flooded Canyon, Workshops of Kerbog Khan.
- Thothian Teleportation Rings in two twin chambers.
History
The Seekers of Ardis Vala passed through the level constantly, using the Pyramid as entrance and crossing to the Forum of Set and the fungal forest. Numa Pompilius died in the Temple of Thoth, before a celestial procession. The order of the Custodes Oculis Solis is historically linked to these halls.