psych ward

The House of Grace was a renowned and wealthy dynasty of ancients from the distant past. They were once noble and great, true benefactors who despite their outward appearance pursued the goal of bringing holy light and grace to whole society, which was their purpose in life. They were easily recognizable by their ornate horned masks with sharp beaks and invariable red robes. Masks of the dynasty's ruling council were hereditary for members of the House, passed down from generation to generation — each mask symbolized a specific role.

The Head of the House was Embodied Radiance, Tale Of Grace. He was a calm, kindhearted, and wise ancient who guided the dynasty for many cycles and helped those in need. As its greatest gift to the people, House built an iterator named Light of Hope — at the time, a technological breakthrough compared to other existing iterators. The magnificent, shining new city on the structure's roof attracted ancients from all over, and its rulers generously welcomed new residents and dear guests. Light of Hope was considered a full-fledged part of the House, and, as Radiance had bequeathed, he was destined to be their savior and the savior of the entire people. However, things turned out quite differently from the old Head's wishes. When Radiance decided he had fulfilled his life's purpose and went to ascension with peace of mind, his successor among the ancients proved to be not very far-sighted in their management of the House. Over the course of several cycles, for various reasons, House completely lost its reputation, collapsed, and effectively ceased to exist. Its legacy was the city's Supreme Council, which continued to wear the hereditary masks and red robes, but its current members bore no relation to the former dynasty.

Over time, the Council's ideals changed and became more severe, though its members continued to consider Grace their primary virtue. The city remained as beautiful and grandiose on the outside, but within, chaos and harsh laws grew. Light of Hope himself, as a full-fledged member of the current Council, became mired in his own pride, completely oblivious to any deviations from the original ideology, but that's his personal story... ***