"A mage's soul is forged in the crucible of the magic. You choose to go voluntarily into the fire. The blaze might well destroy you. But if you survive, every blow of the hammer will serve to shape your being. Every drop of water wrung from you will temper and strengthen your soul." |
 In the Imaji Realm, the arcane powers are not considered evil or good, dark or light. |
The Dark Spiral Tower, named for the ebony glass stone from which it was forged looms over the horizen like a twisted snarled claw ready to rip the celestial orbs that grace Night's Sable Brow. The Ebony Claw or Shards of Ebon, other names for the Tower, serves as the home for the House's Archmagus and the House's Mages.
The skies above are always turbulent and stormy. Some say that this is a side effect of the Tower's vast central foci of power. She is built upon a great nexus of power and vortex that slices into other dimensions. If all of Stonehaven were to be placed on a grid, one would find a criss-crossing of bright luminescent lines that expend from the Keep to envelop the entire planet of Imaji Espe'jismo with Stonehaven being the apex of this nexus.
No one recalls for certain how both the ilse and lake of fire on which the Shards stand came into being. All that is know is that at the heitght of the Last War fought on the grounds of Keep against the Daemon Lord, two maiden priestesses and one young male mage sacrificed themselves on the spot where the isle rose up. Their blood burning with the blaze of self-sacrifice and battle cry caused the ground to split spewing forth the bright artery red lava. It is believed that the maiden's forms became the lake of fire.
 A Tome of Magic. |
and the mage's body became the rocky black isle on which the Tower was born. No one knows why Stonehaven created this extension of His power. Some feel it was as tribute to all those slain in the final battle. The spilled blood of the Holy and Arcane Orders was what saved the Keep from falling into enemy hands.
A treacherous stone road connects the isle to the rest of the Keep. However, threading upon it is not an easy thing. Near the perimeter of the Isle are located modest size towers of ten stories that serve as labs for mage in training and those that have yet to be ordained into the Sacred Order of the Conclave.
 View of One of the Mage's Lab. |
Only those that have achieved full mage status are allowed to enter unescorted the Shards. The Shards maintains a vast library of forbidden and arcane tomes on all forms of magic. There are also labs and forges where magical items are crafted.
Entering the Tower is a feat in itself for it is forever shifting in form and composition. As one enters the Shards, the main hallway becomes illuminate by rows of eerie glowing bodiless eyes. These are the sentinels who judge all who dare thread upon its grounds. If one is judge worthy, they are allowed safe passage. For those unlucky souls who are judged unworthy, they meet a never ending nightmare. Some have become lost with in the Tower to have their mortal remains found years after their untimely deaths.
Where there was once a doorway, there now stands a solid stone wall. Where there was once a window, now stands a doorway. Sometimes the corridors seen to go on forever. Some of the illusions can be very frighting and real. It has the ability to tap into a creature's darkest fears and doubts bringing them to life. The Shards is an extension of Stonehanven; therefore, it is alive and sentient.
May the All Mother, the Goddess, keep you safe and bless your steps when threading upon the threshold of the Shards for the laws of time, space, and logic do not apply to this place.
Contents found throughout this web site of the Stonehaven Keep, the Ascension Conclave, the Imaji Realm (Realm of the Imaji), the Impa'wixay, the Shi'aarae, and all related material are the intellectual property of Grizell E. Blessing B. (GEBB) and are protected under international copyright law. This material may not be reproduce under any condition without permission from the author, © 1990 - 2002.
