Dantia/Storylines/Mana Surges & Wild Magic/Phase 7: Heralds vs Immortals

Player Story: By Nawain

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-12 Aug 31, 2024	Nawain is exhausted and despondent, as the crushing weight of divine displeasure overwhelms her. Tormented by her failure and the destruction it caused, she struggles to reconcile her devotion to the Gods with their abandonment. As despair consumes her, she quietly laments the loss of a thousand souls and her own powerlessness.	Full story on Discord

Player Stories: Vignettes from Null Prison

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-12 Aug 31, 2024	Dantia waits for something uncertain, though she believes she'll recognize it when it happens. Although time blurs together, her senses are sharp, and she spends her time thinking over old battles, hoping to find a pattern to guide her. Despite the uncertainty, she clings to her identity as a survivor, determined to endure.	Full story
450-03-24 Sep 3, 2024	Miskton presents a cyclical narrative where the world ends repeatedly. He sees various scenarios, from cosmic events to personal encounters, many based on visions seen in the past.	Original story on Discord
450-03-24 Sep 3, 2024	Ayrell depicts being trapped in a hazy, nightmarish reality. She struggles to determine if she is alive or dead, and desperately tries to save her family from unseen threats. She experiences brief moments of clarity followed by intense battles, only to fail and return to the initial state of confusion.	Original story on Discord
450-03-24 Sep 3, 2024	Navesi struggles to capture the right words and ideas. She cycles through various fragments of stories, descriptions, and dialogues, constantly rejecting them as unsuitable. She grapples with different genres and themes, in a persistent attempt to find the perfect words.	Original story on Discord

Liraxes Reveals the Crystalline Machine

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-12 Aug 31, 2024	Liraxes reveals the beginning structure of his crystalline machine meant to help determine the correct path for Balance. It estimates the device will be complete within "one andu" (4 IC days, or 24 hours real life time). Visit the Sorcery Messengers page for more info about this messenger and their interactions during this event. Expand for details. [Grassland Road, Meadow] Before you lies the remains of a building, long reduced to jagged foundations of porous, moss-stained tufa. Dark blades of weevil grass poke out of the rocky ground. You hear a clattering sound somewhere within the ruined structure and a muffled oath. You also see an incomplete structure of uneven blue crystal. > look structure Crystal spires and facets are in various stages of formation. Some are fully developed and sharp-edged, while others are stubby and irregular with jagged edges and rough surfaces. Veins in shades of blue pulse lightly, crystallizing and solidifying. Thin strands extend from the main body, branching out like tendrils seeking connection points in the soil. The base is uneven, with parts of the crystal still fusing to the ground, giving it an unsteady look. The structure emits a faint, pulsating hum.	Log courtesy of Ayrell

Liraxes Opens the Crystalline Machine

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-16 Sep 1, 2024	Liraxes opens the way into the crystalline machine, although it notes that the machine is still not complete. Visit the Sorcery Messengers page for more info about this messenger and their interactions during this event. Expand for details. [Grassland Road, Meadow] Before you lies the remains of a building, long reduced to jagged foundations of porous, moss-stained tufa. Dark blades of weevil grass poke out of the rocky ground. You hear a clattering sound somewhere within the ruined structure and a muffled oath. You also see a complex crystalline machine. Obvious paths: north. > look machine The machine is a disdyakis triacontahedron of smooth, opaque blue crystal, angular and geometric, with sharp-edged spires rising from a central dome. Along various surfaces, floating symbols glow with esoteric displays, shifting and changing as you watch. Embedded within the central structure, you make out crystalline and flowing metallic components moving with precise rhythm, dynamically branching and withdrawing from one another in a fluidly complex dance. There is an opening on one side. > go machine [Inside the Machine] The room is vast and angular, its deep blue crystal walls scattering light into a spectrum of hues. The smooth surfaces reflect and refract, casting intricate patterns across the floor. Embedded in the walls are complex metallic patterns wrought in nickel, icesteel, niniam, and zinc, occasionally glowing with heat in rhythmic pulses. Thin crystalline rods connect the mechanisms, shifting and changing smoothly. The air hums with a subtle vibration, punctuated by the occasional metallic click. Thin, translucent tubes filled with glowing blue liquid pulse gently, in sync with the mechanisms. You also see a nodule of crystal extending from the center of the room and an opening in the wall. Obvious paths: none. > look nodule The uneven crystal nodule bears veins of blue pulsing along its structure. It is slowly expanding and solidifying, and emits a faint hum.	Log courtesy of Ayrell

Wolf Clan and Tiger Clan are Encased

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-20 Sep 2, 2024	Asildu claims the Heralds are angry with adventurers for continuing to cast sorcery. As Asildu is grilled over the events at Knife Clan, the Heralds seem to react and cast meteors down on Wolf Clan and Tiger Clan, encasing them in a similar nature as Knife Clan. Visit the Sorcery Messengers page for more info about this messenger and their interactions during this event. Expand for details. Before the encasing of Wolf Clan: A voice calmly states "We concur," and you are momentarily overwhelmed with a foreign feeling of disgust. You cannot recall what the voice sounded like, though it echoes all around you. The sky splits, and several writhing meteors fall from the sky, tearing towards Wolf Clan! As the meteors tear across the sky, they leave billowing lines of ash and they curve downward, impacting over Wolf Clan! A deafening explosion to the west washes over you! Before the encasing of Tiger Clan: A voice roars "The audacity!" and you are momentarily overwhelmed with a foreign feeling of revulsion. You cannot recall what the voice sounded like, though it echoes all around you. The sky splits, and several writhing meteors fall from the sky, tearing towards Tiger Clan! As the meteors tear across the sky, they leave billowing lines of ash and they curve downward, impacting over Tiger Clan! A deafening explosion to the west washes over you! A visual representation by GM Koror:	Log courtesy of Ayrell

Player Letter: Briaen to the Faithful Servants of the Thirteen

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-24 Sep 3, 2024	Briaen decrees that Asildu is committing acts of terror. The faithful are being called upon to deliver justice and hold Asildu accountable for his actions against the Immortals. An order is being issued for Asildu to be sought out and immediately killed without mercy or hesitation.	Full letter on Discord

Player Event: Investigating Hrendh Skogar

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-24 Sep 3, 2024	Some suspect that an unknown malevolent entity is at work amidst the ongoing Wild Magic crisis, either as the underlying cause or simply taking advantage of the situation. Perhaps striking at the plague wraiths that ushered in the worst effects may offer some clue as to the nature or point of entry of this entity, or force it to prematurely show its hand. Bioexorcist Karthor invites interested adventurers to join an expedition to that end. If nothing else, the destruction of these undead menaces may help to shift the balance in a direction favorable to Life. Participants are encouraged to abstain from using sorcery in this endeavor. Expand for details. Everything is silent. Strangely silent. An angry whisper echoes all around you, damning you. A raven circles far above, cawwing in agitation. The raven is joined by a welkin, who swoops down before disappearing in a golden haze. The raven flutters awkwardly a moment, and also vanishes in a golden haze. The malevolent whispering returns, louder! The whispering intensifies, echoing all around you! Louder and louder, the furious whispers continue! Suddenly, silence.	Log courtesy of Karthor

Player Letter: Elurora to Zemmunhu

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-28 Sep 4, 2024	Elurora requests a meeting with Zemmunhu to discuss insights into current world problems. She says that Adventurers are divided and confused about how to prevent the world's dissolution, and that visions involving Zemmunhu's kind have led her to believe they may possess knowledge that could help.	Full letter on Discord

Player Letter: Saragos to Liraxes

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-28 Sep 4, 2024	Saragos asks Liraxes to consider developing a method to invert a Celestial Beacon, allowing travel to the casting mage's location by exploiting the brief connection during casting, and about using the Beacon to at least locate the mage's plane.	Full letter on Discord

Player Story: By Allye

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-28 Sep 4, 2024	Allye sits at her vanity, brushing her hair and contemplating two flowers: a blue iris and a white gladiolus, which evoke memories of lost villages and people. She reflects on the mysterious spires that have appeared, replacing the familiar bustling communities with an eerie silence, and wonders about the fate of those she knew. After pinning the flowers to her gown, she stands with grim determination and leaves the room.	Full story on Discord

Player Story: By Tirost

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-28 Sep 4, 2024	Tirost confronts an encasement of writhing vines and stone, which appears to have trapped someone named Lymira. Overcome with rage and driven by memories of his past, he unleashes a barrage of magical attacks against the encasement, including fire, lightning, and elemental blasts. Despite his relentless efforts he fails to breach the encasement and ultimately collapses from exhaustion and injury.	Full story on Discord

Miraena at Encased Knife Clan

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-32 Sep 5, 2025	Miraena speaks with adventurers at the base of the now-encased Knife Clan. She defends the Heralds' actions as a necessary measure to make adventurers heed warnings about the dangers of sorcery. She argues that the temporary relief felt after sorcerous casting proves that ceasing sorcery restores balance. She expresses growing frustration at the hubris of adventurers, and a doubt that her mission is worthwhile at this point. Visit the Sorcery Messengers page for more info about this messenger and their interactions during this event.	Log courtesy of Ayrell

Player Story: By Valynn

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-36 Sep 6, 2024	In a cozy treehouse nestled in the branches of an ancient chestnut tree, Valynn pours over ancient texts and maps, studying the history and nature of the mysterious Heralds. Her sharp eyes scan over books and scrolls by candlelight, meticulously taking notes as she pieces together the enigmatic story of these powerful figures who once curtailed the use of magic in Elanthia. As night falls, she rises, gently squeezing her cat Jack before extinguishing the candles, resolving to return to her research the next day.	Full story on Discord

Player Letter: The Leviathan Correspondence Committee to Elurora

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-36 Sep 6, 2024	The Leviathan Correspondence Committee responds to Elurora. They state that the leviathans receive many requests, but reading and responding can be a slow process.	Full letter on Discord

Player Event: Mending the Wound

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-36 Sep 6, 2024	Rangers, Empaths, and Bards attempt to connect with Elanthia again. During the ritual, some adventurers experience vivid visions of the planet's ancient past, revealing the creation of "Gardeners" by a dragon-like entity and their subsequent fall from grace. The visions also depict a great battle against an outside force and the devastating consequences of powerful magic. Expand for details. Bard / Warrior Mage: You reach out to probe the mana streams, searching for the Aether that knits the Plane of Abiding together. Shifting, brilliant radiance overwhelms your senses, twisting and ensconcing your entire surroundings. The weave of Aether kinks and furls before you in familiar ways, ebbing and flowing like a knitted tide that covers as far as the eye can see, with no new gaps or bare threads that are glaringly obvious to your senses. A faint hiss builds, a steady static that builds with a pressure. Empath / Ranger: At the edges of your perception, you find your connection to Elanthia still lingering, as if it never truly left you. A sense of a pure, verdant, serene planet surrounds you, and your vision slowly adjusts. You see yourself at the foot of a tall lifesculpted spire that crosses two strong-moving rivers, in a glade encircled by a tall canopy of trees. The form of a large orange dragon settles at the base of the spire, towering over you, before hunching itself low, twisting and shifting until it resembles a feminine humanoid form. She walks toward where you stand, as if aware of your presence, and pauses thoughtfully. Your gaze looks down, and you see two small hands. She plants a hand on the crest of your forehead, and whispers words that are not audible -- and yet you know them. "You will be one of my Gardeners." At her touch, the world twists, and shapes before you. In moments, you experience flickers of memories and experiences. You find yourself shaping creation to your whim, gesturing and twisting nature into an elegant, harmonious design, but find yourself depleted each time -- a gnawing hunger filling your being, as you pull from each available mana stream and exhaust its limitations. Years -- decades -- centuries pass in moments, and yet you find that hunger welling deeper and deeper with each use -- insatiable and endless. You reach to broader areas for mana, and are more selective as time passes, but the hunger does not abate. Focusing on the hunger, you discover that the only fulfilment you can achieve is by consuming raw, pure mana in immense quantity. In time, you find the thread of new streams of mana just beyond your reach. You call to it, and it does not answer -- and yet the hunger grows, as does your desperation. It takes painful ages, but in that time, you discover a way to grasp that mana -- by pulling something new inside the paradise. Your senses are overwhelmed as you reach out, deliberately slicing into the knitted strands that protect the plane, and force the new threads of mana through, building a new weave. In this moment, you feel more powerful than ever -- and the hunger is sated. Boundless creation followed, and you found yourself pushing each of your limits. Time speeds up as you watch creation become even more intricate. And yet -- time slows until you can focus on a single feeling -- a single moment inside a single vision. The humanoid has returned. Again, you do not understand her words, but you instinctually are familiar with her meaning -- rejection. Failure. With another touch, you are unmade, and in that moment, you become acutely aware that you are accused of poisoning the purity of this world. In the unmaking, your consciousness becomes attached to a speck of dirt inside a beam of light beneath the canopy that surrounds a now-withering spire, helpless to watch as your creations slowly are undone as a consequence of your actions inside a null prison for what appears to be an eternity. You watch from the outside as the humanoid crafts a new being -- similar to the one you experienced, except fundamentally different in one fundamental purpose. Where you had experienced the memories of a Gardener, these new creations warded against the fear of rot. Again, you experience time pass in epochs as Elanthia would, watching the verdant glory tarnish, fade, and wilt, and with a feeling of dread, you cannot help but know that something has been beckoned through. You feel pain as war ravages the planet, and time slows to one horrible moment -- when hundreds of these new creations are locked in battle with an incomprehensible outside force. In a flash, one invokes words that have terrible meaning -- and at the expense of the verdant life, it rends everything you consider beautiful into a desiccated wasteland, leaving innumerable creators and their creations joining the soul of the planet. Your vision abruptly returns to normal, leaving you disoriented. Bard: The Othersight fades and the pressure abates, disappearing into a lingering memory, like a song you cannot quite remember the words to. You close your eyes, opening up your senses to what can be perceived in this area. You recall an ancient battle in a place that has a forgotten name -- hundreds of thousands dying against swarms of dead and demons. You recall a time of magic and wonder as humanity brings an age of heroism. You recall having heard songs of this before. Opening your eyes, you find yourself humming notes that you cannot place, from a tune you cannot quite remember. Warrior Mage: The Othersight fades and the pressure abates. Cleric / Paladin: Your feel a warmth of inspiration in your soul, as if comforted that the Immortals have shepherded you to this point. You are unclear of the purpose of this feeling but find it to be significant.	Log courtesy of the Grey Dragons

Player Event: Gathering the Steadfast

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-36 Sep 6, 2024	Briaen and Nawain call those of faith to Tamsine's Shrine, where prayers for protection and guidance during uncertain times are performed. During the service, adventurers experience visions and sensations believed to be signs from Tamsine, including the appearance of a silvery cat. After the formal service, Unaka initiated a discussion about recent events, including a vision seen by Rangers and Empaths of a "First Gardener" entity that created things but became hungry for mana, leading to speculation about the true nature of the current threats. Expand for details. Suddenly, you smell the scents of cinnamon and cloves, and you feel a gentle get firm squeeze on your shoulder, though when you look no one is there. The air feels heavy and honeyed, and a sense of warmth pervades you, as if you were sitting in front of a cozy fire. You hear the tinkling sound of laughter around you. A shimmering, silvery cat materializes before you, padding softly across the ground. Looking aimless at first, it wanders its way toward Unaka and slips around her her ankles, luxuriously pulling itself between and around both feet in little circles. Unaka bends down to scratch the cat's ears, but it skips behind her legs and vanishes without a trace. Unaka looks surprised a moment as the cat appears again, its tail brushing against her calf. It casually extracts itself and walks through the area, wending its way around the gatherers. Looking down, you find yourself staring into the cat's eyes, and for a moment you see a glimmer of stars. You hear a voice, "You are seen, and welcome. Continue on the path you have chosen. Right this world. Trust in Us." The cat sits for a moment, purring, as if inviting you to pet it. However, before you can reach it, it slips off and fades away entirely into air.	Log courtesy of Briaen

Player Story: Gosen Sansebel by Lupidels

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-36 Sep 6, 2024	A woman hires a gardener to tend to her fruit tree. The gardener becomes consumed by his hunger, fertilizing, planting, and expanding the garden to produce more fruit. Despite his efforts, his hunger persists until he tears down the walls of the garden, expanding it further until he is finally satisfied. When the woman returns, she is saddened by the destruction of her garden and hires a new gardener to begin again.	Full letter on Discord

Player Story: By Saragos

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-36 Sep 6, 2024	Saragos, crushed by the failure of his mission and the disappearance of Navesi, initially expects his grief to break him, but instead, it leaves him hollow and empty. Over time, a festering hatred grows within him, fueled by the realization of his failure and the suffering of the kidnapped. This hatred drives him to methodically plan not only Navesi's rescue but also the murder of those responsible, and with a calm, purposeful resolve, he sets out to continue his grim work.	Full story on Pastebin

Story: By Unaka

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-40 Sep 7, 2024	Unaka surveys the aftermath of destruction at a crater before making her way to a refugee encampment, where she distributes food and comforts those in need. After helping build a central shelter for the camp, she returns to the city and heads to the temple, where she prays at the altar of Truffenyi, seeking guidance and permission to strike against those responsible for the devastation. In a moment of divine connection, she receives a message, telling her to wait, and despite her desire for action, she leaves the temple, resolved but patient.	Full story on Discord

Story: By Nawain

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-40 Sep 7, 2024	Nawain, exhausted and filled with self-doubt, sits at her desk writing a letter to her late father, Tev, confessing the weight of her failure and the relentless emotional toll it has taken. She expresses the overwhelming pressure of her responsibilities and the looming dread of the return of Sihmiauri, which she fears may destroy her if it cannot be contained. After finishing her letter, Nawain moves to the altar, lighting candles and incense, but the flames provide no solace as she remains haunted by her inability to cope with the consequences of her actions.	Full story on Discord

Player Event: Meeting of the Messengers

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-40 Sep 7, 2024	Adventurers gather to discuss recent developments regarding Wild Magic and the abduction of their friends. Unaka shares insights from a recent vision, while others debate theories about the nature of the threat they face. Questions arise about the role of sorcery, the history of Immortals and Heralds, and the possibility of time manipulation. As the meeting concludes, participants express a desire for more concrete information and plan various approaches to uncover the truth behind the ongoing magical crisis.	N/A

Upcoming Player Event: A Vigil for Meraud

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-40 Sep 7, 2024	After the recent meteors impacting the lands, Court Advisor Aaiyaah calls on all clerics and followers of the Thirteen to attend a vigil led by Maintain. Our goal is to seek guidance from Meraud in these troubled times as we work to find ways to fix the wild magic issues, rescue our friends, and identify who our true foes are!	N/A

Upcoming Player Event: Lunar Magic and Visions at Arhat's Tower

Date	Summary	Link
450-03-40 Sep 7, 2024	To honor the wisdom and insights of our dearly missed friend Miskton Ramahk, all Moon Mages interested in attempting to utilize Lunar Magic in an attempt to perceive new options regarding Wild Magic, the ongoing debate about Sorcery, and the possibility of returning the lost five are invited to begin with a meeting in Arhat’s Tower which will then travel to the remains of Knife Clan to investigate the new Spire. Hosted by Ruea Shai'lin, this event will focus on research, theory, and attempting to draw predictions. Any are welcome to join but we politely ask that the focus remain on allowing the Moon Mages space to utilize their abilities.	N/A

Upcoming Player Event: Revisiting a Wild Magic Theory

Date	Summary	Link
450-04-04 Sep 8, 2024	Join Ruea Shai'lin and Ezerak Evyntine-Vershir for a gathering and brief lecture in honor of the still-missing Ayrell Evyntine. The lecture will feature details previously presented by Ayrell on her theory regarding Wild Magic that she was working on prior to her abduction.	N/A

Upcoming Player Event: Beseeching Eluned About the Immortals and Wild Magic

Date	Summary	Link
450-04-08 Sep 9, 2024	In the legends about Eluned, it is said that she wept over the damage done to the oceans by the World Dragon and that the white and blue flowers known as Eluned's Tears were created out of her sorrow. It is also said that she raised the seas to extinguish Katamba after the World Dragon set it afire. Today, with the threat of Wild Magic and the Heralds' ire about adventurer actions pertaining to it, Elanthia's lands and seas alike are once again at risk. We know the Immortals are concerned about Wild Magic because we've seen responses that appear to be from Truffenyi, Meraud, and Firulf, and more recently, Kertigen and Divyaush. But what is the Immortals' history with the Heralds? And what involvement do the remaining Immortals have in trying to correct (or extend) Wild Magic? Could any of the dark aspects be aiding, even inadvertently, those behind Wild Magic? Join Kerennya as she leads a beseech to the mistress of arcane and ancient wisdom, Eluned, seeking answers to these questions. You may bring your own questions as well, but please keep them limited to the theme of the Immortals' involvement with Wild Magic.	N/A

Upcoming Event: Wild Magic Theory for 'Togs

Date	Summary	Link
450-04-08 Sep 9, 2024	Unaka has called upon magical researcher Valenal to explain to her in small words what is going on with Wild Magic. They invite anyone interested to join in learning about Valenal's theories.	N/A

Upcoming Player Event: Seeking the Word of Hav'roth

Date	Summary	Link
450-04-24 Sep 13, 2024	Chaos! Destruction! Magic tears at the very world! In these wild times, a group of S'Kra Mur seek the answer to the question: What does Hav'roth want from his people in these dark days? A call goes out to the S'Kra Mur and their allies: Come! Join the pilgrimage and hear His word.	N/A

Upcoming Player Event: The Siege of Knife Clan

Date	Summary	Link
450-04-28 Sep 14, 2024	Join the Northern Watch as it attempts to break into Encased Knife Clan using standard military methods. We will begin with either mundane catapults or other siege equipment and Warrior Mage ballista. We will follow with a frontal assault led by Barbarians, to see if Barbarian natural resistance to magic can overcome the encasement after loosening it up. In addition, Thieves and Rangers will attempt to use ropes to scale or find a way past the encasement with a Moon Mage to open a Moongate behind the encasement if they are successful. We will form up and then split into the different units. Everyone is welcome, but the key to this attempt is NO MAGIC (other than the ballista, if necessary). We want to lean into the non-magical resources of Barbarians and Thieves. No, you are not too small to help. (All circles are welcome.)	N/A