Though many wondered at the meaning of the demonstration at the top of
the tower and the whereabouts of Tavarius, and a few journeyed to the
Southern Vashnars to scout for any disturbances there, the party at the
planetarium continued largely unabated through the morning hours.

Then came noon.

High in the heavens in proximity to the ascendant sun, the radiance of
three pale globes became visible: the planets known as Noxtra, Lunastra,
and Somnustra. The three celestial orbs glided with measured dignity
across the firmament.

Though each planet's orbit was unique, they progressed inexorably
towards a single point of convergence in the sky. Shadows lengthened
across the land as slowly but surely, the planets aligned over the
incandescent disc of the sun, gradually casting a triune veil over its
life-nourishing light.

A grave, sonorous female voice was heard all about the land then.
"Behold!" the voice shouted. "The glorious culmination of our Great Work
approaches! For untold centuries have we prepared for this moment!
People of Sapience, rejoice! Salvation is at hand!"

The cosmic convergence culminated with the the triad of planets meeting
in an overlapping triangular arrangement, each completely eclipsing a
third of the larger sun. A velvet mantle of darkness fell across the
realms, accompanied by a preternatural hush. Stars winked into sudden
existence across a sky as black as if it were deepest night.

From the very centre of the convergence of the planets, a thin,
concentrated ray of sunlight streaked down towards a high mountain peak
in the Southern Vashnars. A blindingly bright pulse of light travelled
not down, but UP the beam of sunlight with dazzling speed, towards the
eclipsed planets and the sun. As the pulse reached its apex, the
eclipsing planets darkened... and became still, ceasing the orbits that
would have drawn them apart and unveiled the sun once more.

A panicked male voice was then heard to shout: "Wh-what is this?
Tavarius, what have you done? This is not how it was supposed to be!"

Undeterred by the darkness, adventurers from all across the realm now
roved over the Southern Vashnars towards the place where the single ray
of sunlight pierced the sudden night. Their search led them to an icy
ledge high upon Mount Nicator, where they were greeted by the sight of a
dome-shaped ward of power, rippling with energy around Tavarius, who
stood immobile with arms outstretched, absorbing the power from the ray
of sunlight into himself.

Near the ward was Isillinde, the young High Priestess of Ourania, being
berated by an incensed group composed of Alariel, the Keeper of the
Menagerie of Hashan; Hycanthus, the wizard of the western Vashnars; and
Ikant, the philosopher of Ashtan. The three men bitterly accused
Isillinde and Tavarius of some treachery. "How could you do this to us?"
Hycanthus raged. "Our Great Work, ruinedWe waited countless years for
this moment, only to be betrayed."

Smiling calmly, Isillinde spread her hands wide before her, palms facing
upwards. "Please, please listen to me, and I shall explain everything,"
she entreated. "Don't you see? We were the ones to be betrayed, not you.
It was only when Tavarius came to us that the treachery of those ranked
highest within our society was revealed. And not a moment too soon."

"They had planned to take it all for themselves," she continued. "Lying
to the rest of us in order to gain our trust and help, the highest
eschelon of the society attempted to use us to ensure their success -
and gain immortality for themselves only."

Isillinde ground her teeth together angrily before looking upon
Tavarius, her face suddenly softening. "When Tavarius had achieved a
high enough rank to realize what was happening, he knew it was wrong.
Together we came up with a way to lock the eclipsing planets orbit to
enable him to focus even more of the energy." Isillinde gestured to
Tavarius standing frozen nearby.

"Look upon him now," she said, her voice rapt with adoration. "Can't you
see, he is linked directly to the almighty sun itself, using the great
energy to create that ward of protection. It will keep him safe from any
who might wish him harm and from those who might wish more power for
themselves."

Isillinde cast a scathing look at Alariel and Hycanthus, tossing her
hair haughtily. "Once Tavarius has transferred enough power from the
solar orb," she announced, "he will use to to bestow the gift of
immortality and great power to everyone upon Sapience, not just a few as
these men so desire."

Hycanthus and Alariel sputtered with outrage. "You are insane!" Alariel
shouted at Isillinde. "That man has poisoned your mind against us!"
Ikant however became bewildered, asking the other two men if there was
truth to Isillinde's claim that the upper escheleon of their "society"
had been lying to and manipulating the lower.

As the crowd upon the icy ledge grew, the three men made themselves
scarce, while Isillinde continued to speak of Tavarius's beneficent
intentions. She hinted at an ancient astronomical society that had
planned to use the energy of the eclipse to gain immortality and power,
to which she and Tavarius had belonged and whose ritual they had
subverted, causing the unnatural lengthening of the eclipse to allow
Tavarius to absorb even more of the sun's power, focused through the
triune planets.

"A short time of darkness is a small price to pay for eternity,"
Isillinde reassured the crowd sweetly. "There is nothing in the night to
be afraid of."

Penned by my hand on the 11th of Miraman, in the year 428 AF.