The Realm in Unreality, Open

[Valterak]

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The Realm in Unreality and, by extension, the Twilight City, has been something of an open secret within the keep-city of Gloomlight, its population far larger than its size would suggest. Many were keenly aware of the odd happenings occurring there, but it was not something that was openly discussed upon the stone-brick plaza of Gloomlight. That is, to say, until a shift unto the dimensional divide between what was and what wasn't manifested itself there westward of the central plaza, a black and grey portal swirling steady and static overlooking the crystalline pits known to this region.

The Gateway to Unreality, a tunnel sinking through the quantum bedrock of this universe into a place that did not exist, public as any entryway if only infinitely more esoteric, the Mind thrown into a state of free-fall for some vague period between a single moment and infinity upon casting their physical form through that blackened portal.

The Realm was open, it seemed, yet the Exalted-in-Waiting, that revered Spirit acting as custodian to the Realm, was not present for the act itself. Instead, a work appears to be underway some distance from the various isles set in the empty expanse, a particular slice of the non-existent void suffused with the touch of the Mind Eater as something vague and indecipherable was being written into that fabricated Reality. The master of this dimension would be preoccupied for a year's time, this small bit of information manifesting itself as fact for any that would peer off towards that distant work.

Difficult to say what exactly is being woven into place, but it is no doubt related to that shrouded project it has been devoting itself towards for some time.

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[Valterak]

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Works continues at pace, a flat plane of ethereal structure and odd dimensions spotted half-formed in the infinite void, hanging static and steady in that equidistant space between the isles. One could perhaps draw some comparison between it and a more mundane arena, but its final shape is still yet to be determined.

Yet this is not what draws the public eye, the distant eldritch activity almost an accepted backdrop to the Twilight City, but instead the sudden cessation of all efforts towards the psi-construction of that looming artifice. Psychic power once suffusing the void grows still and stagnant, the Eye of the Mind Eater peering away from its works to gaze upon the ongoing events within the material plane.

Only shortly after the bounty upon Na'Ria is posted does its voice come cascading throughout the localized Reality of Meranthe, deep, sonorous resonations bubbling up from the recesses of thought for whoever is caught by that wave of projected Psychic power.

"[Cease your judgements, your calls for punishment.

Return my daughter to my care.

Those who have shown favour in her death, stay your hand 'til we next speak.]"

A short message echoed out yet no direct interaction beyond this. Perhaps this was not so important that it would suspend its work for long or perhaps this was merely to showcase how vital whatever this ongoing construction was. Regardless, soon after the first of the telepathic projection is experienced, work continues on this shrouded project the Exalted-in-Waiting has been devoting itself towards.

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[Valterak]

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A year has passed since the Mind Eater has sequestered itself away towards its work, devoted almost all of its attention upon the psionic alterations being written into that empty space. Perhaps some of the mundane inhabitants of Aphros watched on with interest or fright, but a majority merely accepted it as another feature in their background that was slowly coalescing into something new.

Within that blackened void, a flat plane has been made manifest, psi-shaped matter solid enough yet absent from one’s senses. One could feel the intent echoing out from conceptual space around it, violent, sharp promises roiling throughout the identify of this place.

An arena, yet not for spectacle, the acts performed here outside the perception of the masses beyond its psychically-contained borders.

A butchering field, yet nothing mundane and material would ever be carved and cut here.

Distant as it is, one can recognize well enough that whatever was to occur here would be a dangerous endeavor indeed, psi-defenses dense and durable, its position in the Realm set apart enough to prevent any unwanted interaction between the more vulnerable isles and this place of battle and conceptual bloodshed. One can only wonder what sort of esoteric prey was intended to be brought to battle here, what manner of entity was held within the Mind Eater's gaze.

Perhaps such will be revealed in the coming years now that the Exalted-in-Waiting has returned, this work complete.

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