The Noctis Labyrinth is a maze of deep canyons on Mars that the Adeptus Mechanicus mostly avoids. It matters because something enormous is imprisoned beneath it: the Dragon of Mars.
What the Noctis Labyrinth is
The Noctis Labyrinth (also called Noctis Labyrinthus, or ‘the Labyrinth of the Night’) is a region of Mars sitting between the Valles Marineris and the Tharsis upland. It’s a tangle of steep-walled valleys and canyons that drop down in maze-like patterns.
Those canyons formed through faulting, and many of them show classic graben features, where a block of crust has dropped between two faults. In places the valley floors are rougher from landslides, and there are sunken, pit-like spots. The leading theory is that volcanic activity in neighbouring Tharsis triggered the faulting.
Why it matters
Beneath the Labyrinth is the chamber where the Dragon of Mars is imprisoned. That single fact is why the place matters far beyond its geology.
The region is about as empty as Mars gets. Adeptus Mechanicus adepts who tried to found forges there ran into constant technical problems and angry machine-spirits. Most left. Some stayed and became the Cult of the Dragon.
- The Dragon of Mars is held in a chamber beneath the Labyrinth.
- Failed forge attempts there led some adepts to form the Cult of the Dragon.
- The Mechanicus discourages anyone from going inside.
The contamination story
Officially, the mines inside the Labyrinth were contaminated during the Great Purge, so anything that enters, metal or flesh, gets destroyed. That claim is false. It exists to keep Mechanicus adepts from going inside.
How it connects to other lore
The Labyrinth ties directly into the Cult of the Dragon and the Dragon of Mars, and through them into wider Mechanicum history and the secrets buried under the Red Planet.
Key facts
- Noctis Labyrinthus means ‘the Labyrinth of the Night’.
- It sits between the Valles Marineris and the Tharsis upland on Mars.
- Its valleys are fault-formed grabens, likely triggered by Tharsis volcanism.
- The Dragon of Mars is imprisoned in a chamber below it.
- Failed forge attempts there led to the Cult of the Dragon.
- The ‘contaminated mines’ story is false and meant to deter entry.
FAQ
What is the Noctis Labyrinth?
It’s a canyon region on Mars between the Valles Marineris and the Tharsis upland, known for its maze-like, steep-walled valleys. Beneath it lies the prison of the Dragon of Mars.
What’s hidden beneath the Noctis Labyrinth?
The chamber holding the Dragon of Mars is down there. The Cult of the Dragon formed around this secret.
Why won’t the Mechanicus go into the Labyrinth?
They’re told the mines are contaminated and that anything entering gets destroyed. That’s a lie meant to keep adepts out.