Solhaven anti-magic (essay)

Posted by JADZIABLUE 19 March 2015

This is a creative work set in the world of Elanthia, attributed to its original author(s). It does not necessarily represent the official lore of GemStone IV.

Title: A Survey of Notable Magical and Anti-Magical Phenomena within Solhaven, Vornavis and Surrounding Lands

Author: Raelee Svala

The following survey was requested by Malvernus, to be delivered and prepared by Raelee:

Mandis Poisoning in the Outlands:

Following the Baron Lerep Hochstib's deployment of augmented Mandis Crystals in the Outlands spanning between Jantalar and Vornavis between the years 5092 and 5103, the land has become blighted by several pockets of lingering Mandis poisoning. (See Appendix A for a map of affected points.) As a result of the poisoning, there are measurable areas of complete mana-interference, where it cannot be channeled, manipulated, or summoned. Evidence suggests that this effect may fade naturally in time, but given that the Mandis crystals deployed were far stronger than the naturally occurring variety due to augmentation through blood ritual, it is suspected that a natural restoral of the region may take decades if not longer. (See Appendix B for suggested cleansing methods, including cultivation and planting of ayana plants surrounding affected pockets and formulas for alchemical reagents that may hasten the process.)

Anti-Magical Fields Generated by the Vesperti

Approximately a century ago, though we do not have a precise date, a High Priest of the Grandfather Fash'lo'nae, Augustin Vespertinae conducted a series of experiments in the now-ruined temple. Vespertinae created creatures, a hybrid between elves and a local variety of bats, designed to travel between valences. Though much of his work is missing, it is theorized that he felt the elven physiology was malleable enough for the extra-valential travel, and that the communication and anti-magical abilities of the bats would allow for the necessary perception of valential differences. With use of a variant of empathic magic he was able to successfully hybridize them. (See Appendix C for a physiomagical diagram of the Vesperti creatures' body and attributes.) However, the experiment was halted when Vespertinae was killed by his own creations. They still populate the ruins of the temple in the woods north of the Foggy Valley, running feral. (See Appendix D for a map of the temple ruins.) The entire region, due to the creatures' anti-magical properties, contains pockets of anti-magic fields. While they may seem similar to the Mandis poisoned fields in the outland, the cause and thus any resolution is far different. It is notable that these anti-magical fields have also generated significant growth of ayana'al plants - the mutated, anti-magical variant of the ayana plant.

Bonespear Tower

Bonespear Tower, located on a hillock outside of the Foggy Valley, was constructed on an unknown date to house a demon by the name of Maleskari. It is suspected the tower may date back to the days of the Wildwood Isle settlement, placing its construction some time between the years of 3950 and 4000. The tower was constructed by a cadre of sorcerers of mixed heritage, one by the name of Bonespear the chief among them. Legend holds that Bonespear lost control of his mental faculties and killed the others, allowing for Maleskari's escape. This sorcerous activity left very strong impressions in the ambient mana, allowing shades of Bonespear and his followers to be seen, even to this day. The tower is presently occupied by a number of undead creatures, including waerns, dybbuks and the most dangerous amongst them, eidolons. (See Appendix E for a map to the location and tower schematics.)

Plinite

Plinite is a substance created by compressing the raw elemental energies of an elemental into a single stone. It can be used as an amplifier and catalyst of great power for many elemental magics. It is of local significance because it was both first created here in the summer of 5109 and because at least one sample remains in the region. The process to create Plinite was developed by a burghal gnome by the name of Jegrato Plin. The papers containing the process were confiscated upon the gnome's daughter's death and taken by the former provost of Solhaven, Paidreg Venquinor. With these plans, a large sample was created and frequently employed by Venquinor in the following months to combat the incursions of water elementals. Most of Venquinor's stone was destroyed after the working of the magics to restore the town following its destruction. My recommendation is that the sample in the hands of Darbo Phoop be confiscated by the Hall, as this substance is far too volatile and powerful to be left in common hands. (See Appendix F for what is known of the formulas needed to create Plinite. It should be noted that the full process was lost with the original Venquinor's death.)

Weakness in the Valential Barrier on Lornon Avenue in Solhaven

The memory-based restoral of the town on Imaerasta the 6th, 5109 was imperfect. Many differences of note were detected between the original and the restored version. Of the greatest significance, perhaps, is a weakness in the valential barrier that has been detected in a garden dedicated to the Grandfather Fash'lo'nae on Lornon Avenue in Solhaven. It is theorized that this may be a pathway to the legendary library of the Grandfather himself. Ripples in the valential barrier, for lack of a better term, can be witnessed at regular intervals within this garden, giving credence to the aforementioned theory.