The First Land Herald/449-10-23

Article Number: 89

Dateline: 449-10-23

PLANAR OBSERVATORY EXPEDITION REVEALS 'LIRAXES' CLUE Recently, the Moon Mage Otherion enlisted a group of adventurers to undertake an expedition to the Planar Observatory. On the day of the expedition, he thanked us for answering his call and provided us with Astral Guides, rings that were enchanted to help guide and protect us while traveling through the Astral Plane. "First, thank you for answering my call," he said. "I believe that the troubles with mana may be illuminated with the proper perspective, and perhaps by investigating the planes via the Planar Observatory we may learn something." Otherion instructed us to raise the rings before the Grazhir shard Asharshpar'i and then to follow the directions whispered by them until we arrived at the Grazhir shard Teloish. From there, the observatory was a short distance away. Once inside, he explained that we would find a pool that functioned as a Planar Telescope, allowing us to view different planes, with the specific view controlled by a nearby lever and dial. He cautioned us about the disorienting effects of prolonged exposure to the observatory's environment. To mitigate these risks, he advised limiting our exploration to thirty roisaen, and that to return safely we needed only to retrace our steps to the Teloish shard and raise our rings once more. As most of us were unfamiliar with Astral Travel, we took some time wandering around the area and figuring out how to operate the Planar Telescope. Elore, a Moon Mage who had visited the Observatory before, helpfully guided us in how to attune the telescope to view the symbolic representations of each plane. Messica took charge of the dial and we attempted to view the different planes systematically. However, nothing amiss was found that we could see. As time passed, a growing sense of urgency compelled us to return. Though typically disorienting, the Astral Plane was much more chaotic than typical. Streams of mana presented as masses that rippled with a searing heat as they passed by, and we found ourselves disembodied in an endless landscape of fractal light with no clear beginning or end. Voices with no clear origin echoed from every direction, whispering faintly a word that we could not recognize, repeated as if echoing forever in the endless, formless Astral expanse that stretches beyond what we could begin to reason. The word was recursive, blending in and out of itself. The echoing voice seemed sharper -- much more focused, and aligned such that the word came to be as a single focus -- "Liraxes." The word itself was tangible, and yet formless, much like the remainder of the Astral Plane that we could observe. A gentle, deliberate, seemingly benevolent voice echoed within our consciousness, drowning out the discordant chorus. "You bring yourself here with unclear purpose. There is little to gain -- only risk -- in this place with no deliberate action. Beyond here, the Microcosm is less stable than before, its integrity eroding. Even now, Liraxes assembles itself. Go -- remain safe." A pressure built behind us, urging us in what we believed to be the direction of the Pillars, urging us to return to the comfortable safety of what we knew within the Plane of Abiding. Ominous mental static built in the area. Incomprehensible thoughts infringed on our minds, making clear thinking about anything other than the word "Liraxes" an increasingly difficult feat. The nudging at our backs became much more urgent. "Go! He comes!" Unlike most astral phenomena, the static did not go away after a few moments. In fact, it got stronger. Closer. The benevolent voice faded, drowned out by a harsh, distorted one -- more formal, presented as if it were an incantation. "I was named Pelag ai Aldam." The benevolent voice returned, pleading that we leave before the something -- someone tore our consciousness to shreds. The benevolent pressure became a shove, and we found ourselves in the Embalming Chamber of Telpengi'hhs Sara'a. Upon returning to the Plane of Abiding, we discovered that the static continued to build in our minds, even extending its influence to those who had stayed behind. Voices with no clear origin echoed from every direction, whispering faintly a word that we could not recognize, repeated as if echoing forever in an endless formless expanse that stretched beyond what we could begin to reason. The word was recursive, and had no beginning or end. The echoing voice seemed sharper -- much more focused, and aligned such that the word now came to be as a single focus -- "Liraxes." The word itself was tangible, and yet meaningless. The static built to a strong pressure, before three words became very clear: "Liraxes assembles itself." After that, the unsettling sensations abruptly ceased, leaving us struggling to comprehend what transpired. The unfamiliar word "Liraxes" echoed in our minds, carrying an ominous undertone. We remain committed to uncovering the meaning behind this mysterious name and will provide updates as our investigation progresses. Yours in pursuit of truth, Illiya Assistant Reporter for the First Land Herald

Real Date: Unknown Date

Subject(s): Asharshpar'i Astral Guide Astral Plane Astral Travel Grazhir Liraxes Lunar Magic Moon Mage Pelag ai Aldam Planar Observatory Plane of Abiding Teloish Wild Magic

Author(s): Illiya