Re: Con 2012 elements
The Solemn Sprite is a bit slow this evening--the rusty, dust-tinged sunlight has long-since departed the walls and windows of the Rimsedge tavern. Lathridios tends bar, quietly serving the tankards of ale and smaller shots of Phanarian whiskeys and Rhendonish vodkas. Occasional glasses of Palonish red, Grangian sake, and Kazistani uzo appear in front of various patrons, as well.
Addressing no one and seemingly at random, the mongrelman clears his voice and begins to declaim--in a surprisingly rich and mellifluous baritone:
"It is said..."
Several of the more quiet, oddly misshapen clientele of the Sprite murmur, in unison "It is so..."
"It is said that the Merchant Mages founded this City...this Rimsedge. Their own scholars claim to have founded the City some three centuries ago." A pause.
"I remember," whispered from a dimly lit corner.
"The Mages founded an older Academy, it it said."
"It is so..."
Lathridios resumes. "This Academy is an older complex, which the Mages left after all magics became ineffective within the grounds. The Mages removed to another complex within the subterranean matrix of the City, as you know."
"It is so.."
"The old Academy has fallen into decay—the work to originally build the Academy was initiated in Paldorian Year 650 and completed sixteen years later--but that was some 200 years ago."
"It is so.."
"They say that this...complex...remained as the Mage’s academy for about 100 years, and then the complex became unusable by the Mages. They say...that these grounds are time-locked, and no further manipulation of Time by the Mages was possible, and even simple advancement of time as perceived by mortals was not occurring. Spell rememorization became impossible."
"It is so.."
"Dead magic zones began to appear,it is said--spreading throughout the academy. Long-standing spells were disrupted, existing wards that bound certain extraplanar creatures were obviated, and the general stochastic dynamic—that the Mages attempted to channel and guide—overtook the Academy."
"It is so.."
"The Old Academy was abandoned and shut down, and all activities for the Mages were removed to a new complex around PY 775. A series of keys was implemented to grant access into the physical structure of the Old Academy, to allow Mages to occasionally enter and investigate the complex. It is said..."
"It is so.."
"...that no possibility of use or occupancy in the remaining structures was possible: Stories are told of an itinerant Rhendonish family that had sought to use the complex as a permanent camp and settlement, as you know."
"It is so.."
"They say that the family was essentially spinning through a cycle of sameness of activity—due to the time-locked nature of the complex—until the various members began to butcher one another. This, too, became locked into the time-loop that is rumored to be a part of the place."
The mongrelman resumes his cleaning and polishing of the various glasses at the Solemn Sprite. "Since PY 800, there have been semi-public “openings” of the academy complex to allow independent investigators into the area. Apparently, many of the original wards and traps are in place—maybe. And no one to date has emerged from the complex once fully engaged."
"The Acadamy used to be opened for investigation every 10 years for a couple of decades, and once more at 25 years following that...I believe the last Opening to have been at PY 845. There is no schedule, but an expectation exists that the field is opened again at PY 870. This is a few years earlier...we are not entirely certain as to why."
"It is so.."
This message was last edited by the user at 16:20, Thu 28 June 2012.