The Summer Solstice is the annual celebration of the Tower renewal, where the Shrines and Nodes around the Tower are re-consecrated and re-dedicated.

One group out of the Towers at this time was kept busy by a number of activities, and not least the receiving of the Tower Leader of Halmadons Heights.  Below is a brief account of things that occurred or that we learned of note, although this is not in chronological order.

Shadowsfall / Valdemar

The Shadowsfall have declared the Valdemar an ‘anathema’.  Rather than being treated like the usual Towerless, ‘anathema’ means that they are to be killed on sight by all and any Towers.  The line of reasoning for this declaration was that the Valdemar had not followed the proper protocols for attempting to restore their Tower, and were essentially living in there illegally.

When challenged that not all Shadowsfall agreed with this edict - including some senior members of their Tower -, the Shadowsfall we met (who were hunting Valdemar reportedly in the area) did not contradict us, but asked for the name of the dissenting Judge.

Wizards Concillium / Dreaming Spire

We met senior representatives from the Wizards Concillium, College of Spatial Correspondence, who are seeking to ‘punch’ a hole through the shields that contain Orin Rakatha.  To help achieve this, they are collecting mana in receptacles for ritual purposes.  They seek knowledge on how to do a similar thing with spiritual power, but presently lack this knowledge.  The sorcerer who made this request had long before transcended the abilities of a purple sorcerer.

Harlequin agreed to carry a mana trap to capture the essence of his yellow sorcery.  Later, an individual from the Wizards Concillium who had collected mana from many different colours of magic asked us to protect him in a ritual whereby he would channel said mana to a different place upon Orin Rakatha.  He was conscious of the threat of Dreaming Spire against him - and indeed they eventually managed to slay him during the ritual – although he had managed to transfer some (perhaps half) of the mana collected.

We also met a strange creature, with a multi-coloured face and hysterical nature, who had completely dominated the minds of many varied individuals – including Halmadonians and Kern Valley.  Slaying this creature released these unfortunates from their bonds.  I have met a creature such as this before close to Barad Tirgul, and I now believe it to be associated with the Melniboneans (of the Dreaming Spire or Vanishing Tower) in some way.

Halmadons Heights

The Adamancer

We met an Adamancer from the Heights on the night of the Summer Solstice, who was there at the request of his Tower Leader, Sir Danus, but declined to offer his name.

The Adamancer was holding hostage the spirit of a member of Fortunes Keep, so we bargained with him for her safe return.  The outcome was that Halmadons Heights were given a ‘goodly’ Aldonar artefact for which we had been earlier attacked (Kudos suspected knifemen of the Knights of Our Dark Lady, which would fit with the abilities demonstrated by these assassins including considerable black mana and evil power).  They also took custody of a dangerous individual, not of the Alliance, who had been accidentally freed from the spiritual prison that the Halmadonians had been holding him in. 

The Crusade

Sir Danus visited at the invitation of Sir Clavados, who was also present.  Sir Danus declared that Halmadons Heights seek at all costs to prevent the Cataclysm which they believe is still possible to prevent, and a consequence of the ascension of the evil sphere.  They had identified three individuals who were potential anchors to the evil sphere on Orin Rakatha.  One: Lord Carfleen, formerly Tower Leader of Barad Tirgul, we had already slain.  The second: Lord Cardinaris, Tower Leader of the Dymwan.  The third: Dreadlord Araikas, Leader of Darkhome.

At present they Crusade against Lord Cardinaris, and believe that all is going to plan (despite the insider information we received from Dymwan on the same).

Once he is dispatched, they intend to turn their attention to Dreadlord Araikas.  Various strategies were discussed on how to prevent this, even having the Dreadlord reside in Halmadons Heights during the Conjunction, which was rightly rejected by the Sector Leaders within the Fortunes Keep.  Sir Danus said he was less concerned with the lesser users of the Evil Sphere within Fortunes Keep.

We passed on information that we had received from ‘The Green’ (more later) about the nature of the Cataclysm, but Sir Danus’s dismissive response leads me to believe that they will not in any seriousness investigate this source.

Moragar’s Inheritance

Halmadons Heights had brought with them the famous Moragar’s Inheritance, down to Fortune’s Keep, as a temporary gift.  One of the properties of this artefact is that it can only be carried by two High Priests of the Good Sphere.

After it had been handed over, we learned that the Inheritance had fallen into the wrong hands.  It later transpired that the Dymwan had possessed/mind-controlled High Priest Anthony (who had earlier left the Alliance to attempt to join with the Crusade, but been captured).  Second-hand sources report that he in turn, had persuaded his sister back in the Citadel to turn over the control of a device which controlled an angel.

With this device, the Dymwan were able to control the angel, and used it to ferry Moragar’s Inheritance away.

Outraged by this attack and theft, Sir Clavados declared that the Citadel would be joining the Halmadonians in their Crusade against Cardinaris.  It was later confirmed that Fortunes Keep, as a whole, will join in this Crusade.

Aldonar & The Lich

On a previous mission, a lich named Marcus Armitrage had requested his phylactery returned so that he may be ‘whole again’ and join with the rightful Aldonar heir, Erelan Black, in the Wizards Concillium.

After some discussions, the Humacti representative was persuaded to part with the phylactery on the grounds that it would only be given to the lich if we were convinced of his commitment to his earlier promises.

Marcus Armitrage arrived, but only wished to deal with someone who had been present on that earlier mission.  Finding the Micheliner Aspirant Tarndeth had no wish to take part in such discussions, High Priest Bill of the Hospital revealed that he too had been on this mission.

Finding Armitrage to be sufficiently passionate about the cause, and obtaining his word as an Aldonar to assist us as he had promised, Bill returned the phylactery.

One comment Armitrage made of interest was that he was surprised to find we were ‘honourable people, unlike what the Shadowsfall had said’ about us.

Dymwan

One guest we received was Lord Mian, formerly of the Alliance, who has assisted us on a number of occasions over the years from his place within the Dymwan Tower.  He told us that the Crusade against the Dymwan was proving harder for the Halmadonians than perhaps the Heights had realised.  

Although it is not possible to leave Orin Rakatha – it is possible to travel between Orin Rakatha and the Plane of the Sleepless Dead, and there are plenty of undead troops at the ready on the Dymwan’s behalf.

He also mentioned that on the Plane of the Sleepless Dead, it is possible to meet those who are not bound upon Orin Rakatha.  So it seems there may be one way of passing information out of the plane, should we wish to do so.  I would also speculate that a similar situation would exist with the Plane of Shadows.  So should it be desired, we could perhaps converse with counterparts upon Murandir.

Accompanying Lord Mian was a Dymwan Herald.  If you do not want the Dymwan to know who you are, then you should not introduce yourself nor shake the hand of a Dymwan Herald.

Those that do introduce themselves to the Dymwan Herald are left with a ‘mark’.  My investigations revealed that this mark is not harmful, nor can the Dymwan use it to track you nor scry upon you.  However, they will know your name when they meet you, which is of course convenient and spares lengthy introductions.

Other than Lord Mian, we met several groups of hostile Dymwan close to our Tower.  Initially, they accused us of assisting the Halmadonians, and were not interested in having rational discussions.  After that, we simply killed all Dymwan parties we met in the area.

Sector Movements

Temple of the Four Winds

Within the Temple sector of Fortunes Keep, four have been designated as Oracles to represent the four Winds (blood wind, icy north wind, fire wind, and dark wind).

These four are:

• Master Delta
• High Priest Shard Farsight
• White Seer Dreams of Shadows
• Baroness Kiara

For three moons each year, one of these will rule as Sector Lord (appropriate to the season and hence Wind).

The Winds are a tool of the Mystics and they may speak to us through the Oracles.  Should this happen, it would be wise to heed their words.

Darkhome

As Kiara also has duties within Darkhome as a Baron of the Dark Council, she has appointed High Priest Mothac Storm as her Adjutant to act in her place as Baron of the Evil Sphere for the moons during which she must reside within the Temple.

Dreadlord Araikas later announced he is temporarily leaving Darkhome prior to the ascension of the Evil Sphere (the time of the Grand Conjunction in approximately 14 moons time).  The Halmadonians have declared a personal crusade against him, after they have dealt with Cardinaris, and so his absence is to spare Fortunes Keep any hostilities posed by Halmadons Heights.  He was escorted away by the Knights of Our Dark Lady.

The Dreadlord declared he actively seeks to ensure the ascension of the Evil Sphere, and welcomes the Cataclysm, which will allow us to start afresh thereafter.

In his absence, the Dark Council (myself, Baron Lancorrin, Baron Irwin, Baroness Kiara and the Darkbringer) will rule Darkhome.

Dreadlord Araikas also made Harlequin Voidstalker his Seneschal, who will make himself available to take oaths on the Dreadlord's behalf, for those who wish to pledge to the King. 

The Green And the Dark Druids

Arbor and Trixie Greenwillow requested that we assist the latter in summoning ‘The Green’, this being an entity that could manifest itself in all sorts of unpredictable ways.  Trixie Greenwillow is a fae who has come from the lands of the 4+1, and this was the price required for a member of the 6 Boroughs, named Cerridwen, for rejoining the Tower.

As Arbor sanctioned this mission, we duly cast a ritual within a wooded area to summon the Green.  The Green approached us with a humanoid presence, although he seemed displeased by Trixie’s actions and indeed, the meddling of the fae.  He instead spoke with us, namely Bill Jingle and myself, about the Cataclysm.

Shortly after his arrival, a group of Dark Druids of Amon-Thep also came to talk, and spoke with Kudos.  Trixie was apparently alarmed by their presence.  Despite Jack’s attack with a blowpipe, one of the Druids tree-shifted their group and the Green away.  I have concerns about their motives, given that these Druids made themselves known when Asyss Sorbonne sought to invoke a Cataclysm over a decade ago.

Concerning the words of The Green: he is one of the three who will collect evidence upon Orin Rakatha.  The three are:

• The Green – collecting evidence from the land
• The Wanderer – looks to the people
• He Who Is/Was Trapped – from the hearts of the people

These three will present this evidence to the judges, who are already present upon Orin Rakatha, but their identities unknown to us.   The nature of the Cataclysm will be in response to the evidence collected.  However, the land for example has been grossly mistreated over the years, as certain individuals have sought to alter its nature for their own purposes.

One point that Bill and I felt of significance was the disgust with which the Green described the ‘bickering’ amongst the peoples (towers) here.  I believe the judgement may therefore be affected by the conflict amongst Towers.  So, ironically, Sir Danus’s Crusade may very well bring the damnation he apparently seeks to avoid.

The timescales on when the judgement may occur are not clear, but by summoning the Green, we have hastened the process.

Other Matters

The rituals cast upon the elemental nodes increased elemental activity in the area.  We were obliged to visit the node of earth and dispatch a crystal golem which had manifested in response to our magical activities.

By my hand,

Kevralyn Soulfire
Baron of Darkhome