Hephaestus is a major structural landmark located within the Outer Dark region of BLACKSPACE, notable for its scale, composition, and primary function as the origin and repair facility for Steel Sharks.
Structure
Hephaestus takes the form of a colossal ziggurat-like structure, composed entirely of unknown alloys and metals. The external design features two prominent chutes, each continuously pouring molten metal into a moat-like system of channels, which recirculate the liquid into the facility. These systems appear essential to the site’s function, possibly involved in the forming, recycling, or refinement of matter.
Constant temperature near the primary exterior gate measures approximately 7000°C, rendering the structure inaccessible by conventional means. The only observable entry/exit point is a large, rectangular aperture at the base, situated between the two exterior chutes. Despite the inhospitable environment, architectural cues suggest humanoid-scale traversal paths within the structure.
Internal processes remain unconfirmed due to extreme heat and radiation, but remote and thermal imaging indicate autonomous, rhythmic factory activity, suggestive of highly organized internal systems. It is generally theorised that Hephaestus was created by the Red Queen.
Steel Shark Production
Hephaestus is theorized to be the sole manufacturing site for the Steel Shark species. The structure maintains continuous operation, consistently producing one Steel Shark every ~72 hours. These entities emerge from the central gate fully constructed and active.
Hephaestus also functions as a critical repair facility, specifically for Steel Sharks that have suffered irreparable damage, most notably to their engines. Repairs are assumed to be conducted autonomously, with re-entry into the facility observed in select cases.
Material Properties
The structure itself appears to be composed of a supercellular material nearly identical to that of Steel Sharks, displaying the same decay-on-separation effect common to Devil-based biological matter.
Notable properties include:
- Up to 40% structural regeneration within 24 hours following damage.
- Any damage sustained results in temporary reductions in Steel Shark production, indicating a prioritization of facility integrity over output.
- Detached or dead material decays almost instantly into red particulate matter, consistent with Devil physiology.
Molten Metal Composition
Samples of the molten metal circulating throughout Hephaestus have revealed multimetallic composition, containing trace elements of most known periodic table metals, along with biological traces consistent with known Devil genetic material. It should be noted that the molten metal retains the Devil disintegration effect even in liquid form.