We were briefed to travel to Haden’s Hall: a waystation on the border of the Ikarthian Triangle, close to the Labyrinth of Xenos Tower and the preferred site for the Ritual of Ashes. Upon our arrival we were greeted by Halibut of the Dai-fah-Dyne, who run the waystation (the wards are operated by Abdul).

Preparations for the Labyrinth of Xenos

I asked for to meet our contact, Wizard Kandor Illythian of the Blue College of the Wizards Concillium, who we found to be already within as a guest; he spoke about our task over the coming few days.

There are areas within the Labyrinth of Xenos where the magical creations are pieced together, where it is possible to enter the Tower. Within, permanently ensorcelled and empowered weapons function as they would outside of the tower; and scrolls and other items also act in the regular fashion. Spells and invocations that are cast down to battle/lay level will also operate upon entry.

Additionally, he supplied us with two grounding agents which would act as a fixed point for the spheres (“nullity talisman”) and elements (“nullity focus”) so that we could draw upon them in the normal way, save that effects could not be cast down and would be effective at the level of the spell or invocation, and then only at lay/battle magic level. These would also only work within this area of the tower. These took the form of candles – to use: one would place it upon the ground, light the wick, and then cast as normal within a ten foot radius of the candle. Only one person could operate the device at one time – to finish, the caster would manually extinguish the candle and lift the base from above the floor.

Kandor Illythian had himself created a third agent of which he declared himself proud. Bound to a shadow disk, another candle through which both magical and spiritual effects could be cast, as well as psionic access. We were informed that the area of the tower to which we would be entering was under the control of High Enchanter Eucleidas, a yellow specialist.

Other Intervening Events

We were also met at the waystation by Montague deCapulet, a Red Wizard researcher of our Alliance, and a Seeker named Ferret.

During the evening we were assailed in sequence by Shadow People, Ikarthian Ghosts, and a Shadowlord who brought with him a number of shades. While the shades were occupying our time, the latter shadowshifted Verrick out of the building and took from him the Shadow Disk that he was carrying. When Verrick was found, he required a greater elixir which the Dai-fah-Dyne were able to apply.

The next morning got off to a good start whereby I rendered unconscious 2 assassins and 1 mage from House Dranath who had stumbled their way into our building and consequently their deaths. We also learnt that “being concerned” for the lives of the Dai-fah-Dyne is different from “saving” them and hence does not amount to any form of Gests.

We cast preparatory spells and invocations and then departed with both Ferret and Montague to the Labyrinth of Xenos. Outside the entrance were a handful of drones. After dispatching these, I examined the entranceway in more detail – an identification spell revealed that it required a key to activate, which we possessed and thus we made our entrance. Montague and Ferret then left us with Cabal business to attend to.

Recreating the Elemental Tribes

We killed three Xenos scavengers – timid, squeaky creatures of a greyish pallor. My identification revealed that they provided the necessary material for a base construct.

We then examined 4 nodes marked with the Xenos emblem. Further identification spells showed these to be: a granting node, an isolating node, an energising node and an incising node. Taking the base material to the node triggered other constructs to appear and act according to the type of node.

At the granting node, 4 constructs surrounded the base material and began casting into the construct such as follows:

“By ancient law of power obey, I grant thee access to the sphere of evil and the ability to cause fatal disease.”

“By ancient law of power obey, I grant thee access to the element of earth to give the ability to entomb.”

A subsequent identification upon the base construct revealed no change in its function – we later learnt that there was an order to be applied. The isolating node summoned forth constructs who caused most of us to fall asleep; the energising node called forth only one creature but that delivered a number of vicious shocking grasps. The incising node brought with it constructs who opened the body of the scavenger material.

It was then that a small group of aspirant and somewhat naïve Xenosian enchanters appeared, quite talkative and willing to discuss such as the merits of where the power source should be located. From their words, the order in which to proceed was:

1. isolation
2. incision
3. energising
4. granting

After the incision process, the power source should be located within the cavity; the construct would activate upon the correct granting. There should not be too great a delay between any of these steps. We also determined that you could either use the scavengers, or you could craft your own construct for the procedure. We also heard that Xenosians do not welcome surprises, due to the nature of the hive mind; and that none of their first efforts to create these manner of constructs had been successful (“everyone makes mistakes the first time”). They left us innocently promising to inform High Enchanter Eucleidas of the use of his construct chamber.

We then recommenced the procedure according to their instructions; Rasc and Zephyr casting the necessary fire, air and water magic required at the granting stage. As we possessed extra construct material, Rasc also cast various spells into the third body which then emitted darkdarts seemingly at random. It was at this point that the Queen of the Daughters of Air & Water, and Prince of the People of Air & Fire appeared. They seemed somewhat disorientated and distressed to learn of the fate of their respective peoples. We accompanied them out of the tower, meeting Ferret and Wizard Montague close to the exit.

Shortly after we arrived back at the waystation, we were visited by Pascal, Enchanter in service to Eucleidas, High Enchanter of the Labyrinth of Xenos. His message was approximately that the High Enchanter recognised that high spirits among youth did occur (I believe he was referring to the aspirant Enchanters that we did meet), but that our presence in his construct chamber was unsanctioned and that we should return the key which had granted us entrance, which would then be secreted away so not to be used in future.

The Prince did speak with me briefly concerning his memory of events prior to his destruction. It seems that he, and the Queen of the Daughters, received a message inviting them to join with Ikarus so to banish non-elemental colours of magic from the Plane. Accompanied by their retinue, they did proceed to the Court that they anticipated, although they entered together by themselves, wherefrom they found themselves betrayed.

The Kalid Herald

While that we had been within the Labyrinth Tower, a Kalid Valdemar Herald strolled leisurely past all other thirteen members of the group. He then threatened to kill me, and declared that he would tell the High Enchanter that we were “nosing around” in his construct chamber. Following some exhortations, Jihad, Beren and Lupus assisted me in laying him to rest. However, Cirith later informed me that his death was “morally unjustifiable” and Verrick decided that we should leave the letters found upon his person within the Labyrinth itself (after a construct appeared, claiming both these and our shadow disk nullity device, although both were recovered). Copies of the letters are included at the end of this report.

The Morgothian

We were visited by a Black Wizard of the Morgothian Tower, who came to offer us information that we might require.

Ikarus’s Shadow is often to be found in the Pass of Jade (North-East Orin Rakatha), and has never ventured West past Rainbow Lake except perhaps initially. The Shadowlords have some influence to repel the creature over to the East of the Plane, via the use of the Shadowmancy upon the Shadow Disks.

Scrying upon the disks leads one to the greatest concentration of disks, or if you are in possession of the largest pool of disks, then to the next in the chain. There is a shielding that a Shadowmancer can cast upon the disks to prevent it from being scried upon. The Alliance has the greatest collection of disks, through which we are drawing the attention of those who also seek the disks – the Shadowlords.

On the Plane of Shadows the disks act differently from normal, hence the current situation and enhanced inherent capability due to the juxtaposition of the Plane of Shadows with Orin Rakatha.

He also mentioned that removing the “Heart of Darkness” from the Plane of Fire earlier this year caused black magic to be weakened slightly, and that the Ritual to place it there would have taken a great deal of planning and preparation and would not thus be easily repeated.

He said that he would make himself available to us at the time of the Ritual of Ashes.

Red School Business

Lightfoot Flame arrived at the waystation, where she publicly promoted Rasc to Sorcerer.

She said that the Labyrinth of Xenos had been extremely helpful with regards to the Ritual of Ashes, and have provided us with the means of completing the Ritual once and for all. They have modified the dagger components accordingly: these will be consumed by the Ritual.

Previously, the auxilliary components have been generally single-use items of fire magic that provide the magic for the Ritual. These have been replaced by permanent items that will also be consumed in the final Ritual: an Amulet of Flame-Friend, a Book of Fire, and Robes of Eternal Flame.

She related that the constructs, although disorientated, are grateful for our assistance and willing to help in the Ritual. They need to rebuild the numbers required for their tribe and will travel away to do so. We will come to a final arrangement before Burning Night between all the types of constructs.

Finally, the Labyrinth have provided some information on the Shadow essence-draining Disease that they would make available via the use of a minotaur, which we were to slay on the morrow to extract the necessary information.

Evening Activities

While putting on the Robes of Eternal Flame, I suddenly found myself entombed in ice. This heralded the arrival of more Ikarthian Ghosts, which slew the Humacti Priest Cirith.

We were also visited by Jerag FlameTongue, of the Children of Fire & Stone, who wished to thank Rasc for his help in years’ past.

The waystation ward was activated with the archer Thulelantir still remaining outside the building. The Dai-fah-Dyne reluctantly brought him through a defunct and dangerous entrance for a sum of Gests.

Morning Events

We extracted a magical pot from the stomach of the minotaur, as instructed.

We then departed the waystation, to be met by two groups of Kalid – the second group when our healers were depleted of their power. This group were also of the 4th Kalid Legion and markedly stronger than the first – starting the fight with a mass curse. Unfortunately Verrick was killed with a Touch of Death; Zephyr, Thulelantir and Tancred also perished during the combat. Verrick was then resurrected, and he brought back those others who had fallen.

We then made our way back to the Towers.

By my hand,

Eymeric’Dir Kevralyn Soulfire
11th Wizard of House Tumdurgul
4th in line to the Throne of Annach Morannonil

Letter 1

High Enchanter

I would be happy to attend your meeting next year. Please forward details of accommodation and agenda as soon as you are able.

Adil Zamani
7th Born Nehem’sen of the 4th Kalid Legion
Interlocutor Office of Civil Administration

Letter 2

Eucleidas

Hallo old friend how are you. It was with some surprise that I received your letter, I had thought that you had possibly forgotten your old student. I would be delighted to meet with you next year and look forward to it immensely. We have recently come to an arrangement with the Reader over the Garden of Elements but I shall endeavour to make it available for you when you require accommodation. If I can do anything else to facilitate your meeting then please let me know.

Thales
Professor of Numerology
Collegium Magica

Letter 3

(In runes)

High Enchanter Eucleidas

Greetings, I hope to speak with you at great length when we meet next year but will set down my position on your proposal by reply here. I am not disinclined to consider your proposal unfavourably. Of course, although individual alumni of the Colleges may follow any course of strictest neutrality, I myself am very interested in the proposal but must assure myself of the implications with regard to pledging any faculty resources.

Until we meet

Zeno
Dean of the College of Spatial Correspondence
Collegium Magica