Because I likely won't get a chance to post this, here we gooo.
~~~
Magwe's Spire, Corvus' Dominion, Three Weeks Ago…
The capital city was abuzz with no small amount of excitement that spring evening, the first clear and warm evening after a long and particularly harsh winter. The streets were mercifully free of snow and slush, much to the current labour rotation's relish, and many of the Corvus citizens of Magwe's Spire were out and about in their finest attire, adorned with well-polished pins and medallions and other baubles of interest. In short, it was an informal greeting of spring, and the people eagerly looked forward to the mountain trade routes to open up once more. The fact that the smell of smoked meat encased the air as people began to use the last of their winter stores was a sign that another productive year was in full swing, and many of the Corvus of Magwei's Spire were anticipating journeys abroad. Sparven Magwei-Spire was one such individual, and as he combed his pockets of his blue-grey overcoat for a handful of coins for a vendor selling venison and fish kabobs, his mind wandered to the scorched sands of Andvalt to the West and the curious elves that called it home. It was a pilgrimage of sorts of the Corvus Firemagus class healer and potions master, and word had traveled to the Dominion of a potential Far Side relic being discovered and kept there. Andvalt was not a land very accepting of the Corvus, and Sparven knew full well that his magic would not be tolerated by their society. Indeed, their rigid caste system ensured that only a very few of the oldest and most powerful families were allowed to openly practice magic, and an outsider who relied on his talent with the arcane could easily be taken as a ghastly affront to decency amongst the upper class. It didn't concern Sparven overly much; he intended to use his gifts for those in need, which in Andvalt's case meant the lower caste who weren't afforded much wealth or luxury. He suspected he'd be in Andvalt for some time until news of the relic came to fruition, which was the real prize. He handed over a few copper pieces to the vendor, a rather plump and jovial fellow in a chef's apron, and was handed a woven straw plate with a row of kabobs in exchange.
Sparven looked to the sky, knowing that it was almost time for the experiment that famed alchemist Gasmagus Jacwan Magwe-Spire was scheduled at the University of Attainment's amphitheatre within the hour to demonstrate some concoction she'd developed that she claimed was immediately and catastrophically fatal for Far Side creatures. While that alone was worthy of murmur, it was her claim that had her formula existed 600 years ago, Harven's Peak would still been the thriving cultural hub and standard of academic excellence it was famed as today instead of the glowing iridescent purple ruins that glowed beautifully, if hauntingly, with Far Side energy from the events that had destroyed the entire city and a massive chunk of the mountain itself. Sparven could see Harven's Peak from where he stood, an entirely unnatural looking mountain further down the range that had from all accounts looked exactly as it did before him for the past 600 years. The site was a treasure, and despite the calamity, the residual energy and contaminated rock and soil that corrupted the mountain had led to several incredible discoveries, including the glowing crystal lamps that lined the streets and the concoction Gasmagus Jacwan was to demonstrate this evening.
The amphitheater was packed, and the lighting fixtures were made redundant by the countless tablets with small Light Gems affixed to the top that many of the Corvus in attendance held clutched in their talons, inkwells and quills at the ready. It took some searching, but Sparven found himself a spot on one of the ornately carved granite benches next to a pair of Ling students, the simian people who were famed for their own academics and historians, who wore the grey trimmed robes of the student body of those who had yet to attain a proficiency in a field of interest. Sparven himself had attended the university, and he still wore his red sash that had indicated his medical mastery on his travels, and his honourific of Firemagus was given after he had demonstrated his first mastery in fire magic along with orange-trimmed robes. Jacwan herself was given the honourific of Gasmagus after demonstrating a mastery over the elements that were categorized as gases on the chemical table, able to manipulate, contain, and change their properties with little more than the power of her mind and the ability to tap into and manipulate the magical sphere. It was an impressive feat, and only 206 Corvus from Magwe's Spire had earned that honourific in the University's history. Fire magic, like any of the other basic elemental magics, were much simpler to obtain in comparison and were by far the most common honourifcs.
Sparven looked at the two Ling students with curiosity as he guided a kabob to his beak. Both were legally adults, and they had likely achieved some academic success back in the Grand States. If he were to surmise a guess, both came to The Dominion looking to either to study the arcane or engineering. It also wasn't uncommon for foreigners to arrive "Far Side Pilgrims", since the Corvus were the only people who routinely studied and interacted with that realm. It was a chance to witness something that did not, and could not, exist in the universe as any mortal understood it. Sparven reflected that his first few times being able to glimpse into the Far Side and see what manner of strange matter and creatures resided there was beyond exciting, and very mentally taxing. It took a lot of training and study for one to properly prepare themselves for the maddening shock of it all, since the overwhelming feeling of what you're witnessing being utterly wrong and unnerving was hard to shake. But like anything, one could grow accustomed to glimpses of the Far Side without going mad. It still made Sparven's skin crawl from time to time, and he had a hard time believing what he was seeing in more extreme circumstances. It was fortuitous that many Corvus specialized in mental health. They were a professional class that was unfortunately very necessary.
Minutes passed before Jacwan appeared, grabbed in the black and purple robes of the Far Side masters. The hall grew silent as the audience took notice of the magus and the sound of shifting tablets and quills being dunked into inkwells quietly resounded through the dome-shaped auditorium. She wasted no time speaking as four assistants with scepters, adorned with crystalized irradiated stones from Harven's Peak, stood nearby at the ready. "Thank you all for coming. After years of research and testing, I am confident I have devised a formula that can prove immediately and catastrophically lethal to any creature or being of Far Side biology while being safe and harmless to any life on Viystea." She said as a way of introduction, uncovering a table with what appeared to be a liquid chemical spray pump and a vat of pale blue fluid. She began to pump the apparatus and one of the assistants took the nozzle and began to spray her down with a fine mist that seemed to thicken as it struck the fabrics of her robe. The auditorium was silent in rapt attention.
"I have done several tests and concluded that it is entirely safe for myself and anyone in this room to come in contact with my formula and be free of any ill effect. However, for material of Far Side origin," she removed another cloth, revealing a tank with a trunk-like weed that seemed to be crawling and changing its very form in front of one's eyes, looking almost like thick hide to tree bark and stone as the seconds passed, and sometimes even appearing to be a contained liquid. It was horrible, but mesmerizing. Sparven recalled it as Choke Weed, one of the more common lifeforms seen in glimpses to the Far Side that was impossible to classify as plant, animal, or fungus and indeed seemed to not be sure of what it wanted to be at any given moment. It was nauseating to look at. Sparven glanced over at the Ling students, their ape-like faces aghast. He sat quietly amused as he turned his attention back to the experiment at hand. He took perverse delight at the reactions of first-timers.
Jacwan opened the container of the abhorrent thing and her assistant pressed the nozzle into the container. The mist sprayed out over the Choke Weed and it immediately began to violently spasm as it began to crumple into fine ash. Within the blink of an eye, most of the creature was simply gone. Astonished gasps and furious sounds of writing filled the auditorium. The Gasmagus looked incredibly pleased with herself and very self-assured. She knew the result before she even lifted the lid off the container. "Now, Choke Weed is one thing, but the more voracious and dangerous of life from the Far Side is what we really want to protect ourselves against. As you recall from the histories, what had happened at Harven's Peak was a creature of unimaginable size and indescribable horror escaped the breach and went on a rampage, consuming all matter in its wake before it was destroyed by a coalition of the most powerful magus of the time working in concert to defeat the horrible thing. However, conventional magic did little to harm it until a spell or formula lost to time managed to slay the creature, destroying the summit of the mountain and killing all who were upon it. I have worked tirelessly to come up with a replacement for whatever had stopped the invasion at Harven's Peak, and I believe that this formula may be it. You will be witness to its first trial." She said, nodding to her assistants, who handed her the spray nozzle and joined their scepters together.
The four Corvus arcanists began a terrible, ghastly chant that did not sound like it came from Corvus vocal chords as energy began to form at the tip of the scepters, the purple stones growing ever brighter in intensity. Moving in concert, the four assistants pulled their scepters away from one another, a bright field growing between points as if they were tearing a hole in reality itself. Where Sparven had been able to see the audience across from him, now a red, black, and purple vortex of indescribable sound and ferocity dwelt in the place of the audience, growing larger until the gate was large enough and stabilized, revealing an unearthly plane of haze, shifting earth, and a sickly hue that was never consistent. Jacwan stood ready, waiting for whatever would reveal itself.
An indiscernible but seemingly long time had passed before a vague, dark shape appeared to block the gate and a smoking, ghoulish tentacle shot out and attempted to ensnare the Corvus master. Immediately, the tentacle lost consistency and fell to the ground in deathly grey liquid. The lack of scream or cry was eerie, but Sparven knew that the portal acted as such a barrier that the sounds and smells were isolated from one world to the next. Jacwan began to spray the remaining arm, and it too began to lose shape and immediately disassociate into the greywater form. The mist was lethal beyond where it could touch, and soon the tentacle in its entirety was gone.
Jacwan gave the order for the gate to be closed and while she did not take her eyes off of it, she lowered the nozzle. Suddenly, a pair of tentacles shot through the closing gate, the smoke now aflame, and in the blink of an eye, encompassed the Corvus woman about the shoulders and head and around the hips. A muffled scream was heard briefly before what remained of her untouched body fell to the floor in parts, the ensnared pieces seemingly absorbed and devoured by the tentacles, some of which were beginning to dissolve from contact with Jacwan's formula that still lingered on her body. It had come to a race to see which agent could overpower the other, and both had lost. The gate was closed then, severing what was left of the limbs and the assistants kept the tentacles' remains at bay with the points of their sceptres, as the forth dosed the remaining limbs with the spray. Soon, only indiscernible liquid and what remained of Gasmagus Jacwan Magwe-Spire remained. The scribbling of writing did not cease.
The two Ling students looked absolutely aghast, and were being consoled and comforted by the Corvus around them. Sparven took note of his remaining kabob and resumed his meal. While Far Side studies were outside his field of expertise, he wished he'd had some method of recording what had occurred. Excited chatter filled the air and some of the audience began to file out in an orderly fashion. Sparven decided to file out, himself, and see what else the night had in store. It was a shame about Jacwan's death, but she at least had a moment's triumph and the knowledge that her thesis was proven. It was fortunate that her formula had remained intact, and doubtless many of the Corvus in attendance would begin to bid on it within the hour while Jacwan's relatives would go to reclaim her estate, a highly-coveted bungalow with a commanding view of the entire valley and Harven's Peak. Within the week, her remains would be burned and a carved stone plaque would be added to the epitaph of Corvus who died researching the Far Side. Corvus didn't mourn, not like other races. Instead of a tragedy, what had unfolded that night would be remembered as grand accomplishment and would likely find Jacwan posthumously added to the Great Hall of Attainment as one of the greats. She would live on as a paragon and a woman who set the bar high for aspiring arcanists. There were certainly worse fates.
Sparven began to hum a tuneless song as he walked through the bustling streets of Magwe's Spire and away from the excitable crowd discussing what had happened and some boldly declaring they would figure out a better formula, and speculating as to the shortcomings of Jacwan's concoction. It was not that he was not interested, far from it. He simply had to prepare for the long trip to Andvalt in the coming days to seek his own fame and fortune. He had a relic to find and he did not have enough confidence in the elves that they wouldn't do something obscenely stupid with it. Besides, if someone were stupid enough to open a gate in the middle of a busy city without realizing what they did, Sparven wanted to be there to witness it. After all, it would be fascinating to see what steps the Andvalt elves took to deal with a Far Side outbreak. Perhaps they'd even ask Sparven for advice.
