Object 518

The Holder of Religion

In any city, in any country, go to any religious sanctuary you can get yourself to. Upon entering, find a disciple of the said religious sanctuary. When you do, ask him to speak with the man who calls himself "The Holder of Religion". After frustrating confusion and several pleas to see the Holder, the disciple will open his eyes wide with instant knowledge of what you seek and fall at your feet, weeping as if you were god sent. He will lead you to a door in the back of the sanctuary while muttering prayers in your favor to whichever god he may be pleading his case to. When you reach the door, he will open it for you and usher you in but will refuse to go further.

As you enter the room, you will see that it exists outside of the laws of physics and logic as the ceiling seems to rise forever but numerically has three floors. Directly across the rectangular floor will be a staircase. When you step on the marble floor, six syllables of chanting will ensue. It is important that you listen closely not to the music but to the foreign words of the chant, for your life's wellbeing may depend on it. After you reach the staircase, the chanting will stop. When you reach the top the disciple who led you there will appear and ask you to repeat the chant of the room. If you repeat the words correctly, he will allow you to pass. But if you chant a wrong syllable, beware, for if you do, the room will melt into an unholy darkness that causes loneliness and fear forever and you will be forever engulfed in this dark abyss always fearing for your life.

When you repeat it correctly, the disciple will dissipate and you will set foot into another chanting level of the sanctuary. As you listen and walk around the edges of the room to the other side of the room which contains another staircase, you will see paintings on the walls, paintings of every war that has broken out over religion and every misuse of their sanctity. Once again, you will have to reach the top of the stairs and repeat the six-syllable chant to the disciple and once more on the next level.

When you reach the third level of the sanctuary, you will see that the marble floor is covered in blasphemous writings and a six-syllable chanting will once again ensue as you take your first step. When you do see these writings, bow your head and repeat the chant of the room with full faith in its protection and holiness, for if you don't you will sink through the marble floor like quicksand and be enveloped in the paranoid-ridden, lonely darkness. If you make it across the marble floor of poisonous thoughts, the disciple will ask you to repeat the three six-syllable chants in a row without hesitation. If you do, he will dissipate and allow you through the door. But if you fail, you will be sucked into a dark oblivion of paranoia. However, that fate may be much better than the foul demons that the blasphemous papers will give birth to.

Upon opening the door, a light will shine. You will feel your heart race and with your heavy breathing will start the chant of the three six-syllable chants in foreign languages. No matter how loud the chant may be, do not cover your ears for if you do, the muffled chants will trigger suicidal tendencies. When you reach the center of the room, the Holder of Religion will hold out his hand in demand of silence. In this brief moment, you have the opportunity to ask him the one question to which he will respond: "Which god allowed them to be made?" He will answer you in glorious detail of a fallen god who was loved by his people that was violently cast out of his own glory. Wait for the Holder of Religion to finish and when he does, he will give you one of two things. If he gives you a leather-bound book, you will be blessed with wisdom. If he gives you a rosary, you will be blessed with protection.

The Objects he so chooses to give you will be Object 518 of 2538. It will aid you on your quest of other Objects.