Many decades in the past, the Master Crystal of the Magi guild, now the
House of the Crystalline Circle, suffered a devastating fracture. In
time, the crystal was healed by the presence of four elemental minions
who were able to absorb the leaking power and keep it stabilised.

Six years ago, the minions inexplicably disappeared, departing to a
place unknown and leaving widespread turmoil in their wake. With the
birth of the goddess Artemis, the cataclysms that ravaged the earth were
calmed, and all seemed to return to normal.

But not within the Crystalline Circle. Few knew of the house's trouble:
following the departure of its guardians, a hairline fracture once again
developed in their Master Crystal. A halt was put on refining crystals,
while their beloved tutor, Ariela, the Wise, set out in search of the
minions, determined to locate them and restore the crystal before
further harm could be done.

Wandering along a dusty road west of the savannah, Ariela found only
tragedy as she was brutally slain by Dyzanru de Soulis, Messiah of the
Blood Congregation, and robbed of a unique and mysterious star crystal
that had been in her care. The star crystal had been refined from the
Master Crystal by the elemental minions long ago, and none but perhaps
the elementals fully understood its use, though the crystal had become
important to the Crystalline Circle nevertheless in internal rituals of
passage.

Raising the city of Kasmarkin and placing the star crystal within the
glowing prism upon the throne of Taug, Mhaldorians were able to
transform it for their own nefarious purpose, creating a seed that would
eventually become a new Master Crystal for the magi who served the City
of Evil.

Meanwhile, the Crystalline Circle languished in their concern over
Ariela, who wandered unresponsively through the lands, refusing to
return home. Finally, she fell into a deep coma, and the Dragon magi
Veldrin and others were able to return Ariela to their House estate,
though she remained ill and unconscious.

Early this year, the house found hope as they successfully hit upon a
way to focus their mastery of the elements into a ritual of healing.
After performing this ritual on their tutor, they harboured reserved
optimism as Ariela moved from a distressing state of unconsciousness
into a deep and relaxed sleep. From time to time she stirred, murmuring
softly in response to her dreams, but still she did not wake.

The following month, members of the house began to see visions, first of
their tutor wandering within mists, then of a black-haired woman
beckoning to them, and finally whispers of finding Ariela within the
Dreamrealm. Contacting Alp, the evasive spirit within the Vashnars, then
speaking with Epicurus about his past experience with the nightmare
spirits, their search seemed fruitless until further visions led them
deep within the Temple of Sleep and Dreams. There they were awaited by
Erinyes, the nightmare spirit of guilt who had sent them the visions.
She had seen their tutor within the Dreamrealm, chasing an elusive
dream: a pursuit, she surmised, that Ariela would not easily abandon.

After agreeing to help the house ease their tutor from the Dreamrealm
and wake, Erinyes accompanied the delegation to the Crystalline Circle's
estate within Shallam, where Ariela lay dreaming. Grounded by Ariela's
material presence, Erinyes entered the Dreamrealm while remaining
partially on the material plane, and with the assistance of a steady
flow of power from the house members present, was able to project the
image of Ariela's dreaming self to those gathered: Solar, Lyndee, Eldar,
Elebar, Aneevah, Haldor, and Serhan. Wide-eyed they watched as the
dream-woman chased after an indistinct blur of light that eluded her
hands just when she seemed able to catch it.

Channelling their energy through crystals freshly refined from their own
cracked Master Crystal (though the Master Crystal's hairline fracture
widened into a large fissure from their dangerous refining) with much
effort the Crystalline members' focused thoughts began to manifest
within the Dreamrealm. As they did so, the freshly refined crystals
began to transform, one by one, into dazzling gems.

The light Ariela chased grew brighter and brighter, until finally it
took the shape of a shimmering, eight-pointed star. Grasping the star
with both hands, the dream image of Ariela entered a portal that
appeared before her and vanished, while at long last the tutor awoke
upon the material plane. She did not awaken unchanged, however, for she
was marked strangely by her ethereal tribulations.

Ariela now clutched an iridescent eight-pointed star crystal in her
hands, which was taken quickly to the Master Crystal and placed within
the growing fissure. In a flash of brilliant white light, the great
crystal began to levitate, spinning faster and faster until only a
vibrating blur could be seen in the air. With a clear peal of sound, all
vibrations ended, and the Master Crystal returned to its base, unmarred
and whole once more.

Penned by my hand on the 16th of Valnuary, in the year 443 AF.