Soul Crystals

Six crystals that once formed the trap used to contain Ilservian Palacost in the other realm. The trap was created by the Council of Five, five Yalaini mages assembled by Emperor Caerlin.

The council included Lady Maila Realaidain, Viceroy Uweden Kormar, Lady Rajael Fellarien, Lord Kerenth Portenaer and Lady Adja. Asheron Realaidain also served as an assistant to the Council.

The Fourth Sending of Darkness
During the Second Shadow War, Asmolum the Worm, once Spymaster to Lord Inekkere, uncovered the nature of the Yalaini crystal array that became Bael'zharon's prison. He discovered that one crystal, recovered by the Yalaini on Aerlinthe after Bael'zharon's imprisonment was taken to the Nexus Facility for safe keeping. He learned there were six crystals total of which five were recovered by the Yalaini. The sixth was The Great Work at Frore. Through later investigations, he located the three Vestibule Crystals though he was unable to enter the Vestibules themselves. After these three were destroyed by the Isparans, Asmolum discovered that the final crystal, the "Shard of the Herald" was within the Ithaenic catacombs down Kelderam's Path. This knowledge was influential in the Dericost defense plans. Asmolum was intrusted to keep one part of the key to Kelderam's Path. But he was slain by Isparians and the key piece was taken from him.


 * The Great Work was discovered by a young Gelidite mage named Frisirth. He found a beautiful, sparkling crystal. Over the years, he studied it intently. He found it had an unusual magical connection to the deep earth, a potential to draw up and store vast amounts of energy. By enchanting the crystal, the Gelidites could extract the heat energy from the ground. They bent their own energies to this task. The world cooled. Far above, where now new kingdoms lay, snow began to fall. Yet at the last moment, disaster struck. A human expedition bumbled into their lost city, and the Gelidites were forced to slay them. Other humans came in search of the lost party. They slaughtered the Gelidites, and destroyed their “Great Work.” As the malignant crystal shattered, darkness swallowed the center of the room, and a faint, eager chuckle was heard.


 * The Nexus Crystal was destroyed during the Thorns of the Hopeslayer event. The Spires conquered by the Isparians held keys to the Nexus Crystal, which was defended by an army of Undead and Shadows.


 * Ler Rhan's forces invested Anadil's garrison at the Fenmalain Vestibule. The fighting was fierce and lethal, but ultimately indecisive. Reinforcements promised by Isin Dule failed to arrive. Ler Rhan, livid, accused Dule of treason. Before any action could be taken by the divided Shadows, the Isparians came into the fray again. During the Taste of Twilight patch, portals opened to three large, previously undiscovered dungeons. The first, Fenmalain Vestibule, was littered with the corpses of Shadows and undead. Exploratory parties moved cautiously throughout the halls, encountering isolated groups of weak Shadows and undead, apparently the survivors of a massive battle a few hours before. Large companies of Shadows infested the second dungeon, Caulnalain Vestibule. They appeared to be working at the behest of Isin Dule, for they staunchly defended the facility. The last, Shendolain Vestibule, was thick with powerful undead from the Direlands castle of Chalicmere and Aerlinthe island. Casualties at this dungeon were horrific. The children of Ispar attacked each of the Crystals in turn, and, in turn, each fell. Each crystal shattered and toppled, and massive waves of energy flowed across the face of Dereth. Some claimed to hear black laughter. The Isparians swept through all three vaults, battering through both Anadil and Dule's defenders, and destroyed all three crystals. Again, the immigrant races had served as an unpredictable force of change.


 * One last time, the humans acted unexpectedly. Finding new paths to Ithaenc Cathedral, a tide of human warriors and mages flooded Anadil and his army. The old general was slain, but not before asking his attackers to take up his burden. “Don't let it end like this, young ones. If you must send me to the wind, my task is yours to complete. Protect the stone.” And so they did. An unprecedented coalition of Isparian barons recovered the pieces of the key, and set a watch on the catacombs and the terrible, hallucination-inducing black stone that hummed and spun at its heart. Other Isparians drove the defenders back and shattered the Shard of the Herald. With a shriek that could be heard across worlds, Ilservian Palacost was freed.
 * Note: on all worlds the Shard of the Herald was destroyed, and Bael'Zharon released, as planned to further the storyline. Only on the world of Thistledown, the defenders of the Shard managed to its destruction. To overcome this, a Live Event was organized on this world. . For a recording of this event, see Video on Youtube: Shard of the Herald / Liberation of Bael'Zharon on Thistledown