The Blessed Ones by Hals

This ancient garden scene is famous for its evil, but also for the power it holds. Said to grant its owner eternal life, it has been the subject of many searches and dark plots. As with all works of Chaos, the gifts this one offers are never the ones expected.

Not much is known of Hals, except that he created several works that explored mythological scenes with strange, evocative imagery. Few of his paintings have survived to the modern era, largely because they straddled the line between imagination and religious interpretation, and many of the works were burned even during Hals’ life. And of course, Hals himself joined his paintings on the pyre after The Blessed Ones, though it, somehow, escaped destruction.

The Blessed Ones surfaced several times during the last three centuries, but each time, its owner mysteriously disappeared. This, of course, does nothing to deter the curious and, in fact, heightens its mystique. Moreover, the work has been cited in dissertations and lectures at the University of Nuln, including it in the survey of mythological pieces, and so the piece is well known in art circles.

The last time The Blessed Ones appeared was several years ago in Nuln, and was believed to be in the possession of a merchant known as Otto Grubach of Tin Street. When word got out, Count Romanov, a well-placed noble who was famed for his interest in exotic substances and strange relics, hired a local thief to steal the work. Exactly what happened isn’t clear, for all parties involved in the theft, including Herr Grubach, the thief, and Romanov vanished. The only thing known for certain is that on the very night of the theft, Romanov’s estate burned to the ground. Whether the painting was destroyed or not isn’t known.

As there are no surviving people who have ever laid eyes on the painting, everything known about it is through the writings of those who’ve studied it in the past. In such cases, there are contradictions about what the painting shows, sometimes leaving figures out or adding others in. Generally, though, it is described as depicting a forest glade with a shallow pool in the centre. In and around the pool, several figures are arranged, each in various states of undress. Attending the revellers are several red skinned Daemons, oddly disproportional. Those who’ve seen it claim the people, though appearing pleased and comfortable, have frightened eyes. True or not, most believe it is just a gaudy painting of low calibre when compared to others of its kind.

Source

 * Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Tome of Corruption
 * pg. 81
 * pg. 82

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