Ostshiel Crystal

The Ostshiel Crystal, sometimes called the "Exploding Crystal" or "The Great Purple," is a floating, gently rotating magical crystal, with a purplish-pink hue, located directly above a massive pit in the center of Velarim.
Previously, the city of Ostshiel stood at its site, a Holt-Dwarven stronghold at the base of a hill. Under the leadership of the Dralvarin Lath, the Quin Prophet, Brok Erino, imbued with dark energy, used immense magic to lift the land into the air, crystallizing all its inhabitants and structures, creating the current pit and the floating crystal. The Ostshiel tribe was the last to be broken by the power of the Dralvarin Lath.
The Ostshiel Crystal is, in fact, a colossal weapon of mass destruction.
== Background ==
When the Dralvarin Lath invaded the western part of the Visót region (today Velarim), they first overpowered the Ulgarad Hob tribe by surprise, and then their armies conquered the Ackó Triton tribe. Only the Ostshiel tribe, named after the only Dwarven city, resisted. They isolated themselves from the outside world, retreating into their hundreds of blocks deep tunnels and halls. The notorious evil necromancer known as the Quin Prophet opened a portal to another plane, through which their god, Brok Erino, amplified the Prophet’s magical powers. With the aid of other witches and wizards, the Prophet froze the earth, hollowing it out, raising the stronghold, and crystallizing it. The dwarves present, along with their vast halls and treasures, were entirely crystallized by the released energy. The Ostshiel tribe eventually surrendered once this display of power by the Prophet leading the Dralvarin Lath, broke their spirit.
Later, the crystal was reshaped to solidify the Dralvarin Lath’s dominance. Tritonite priests strengthened the floating crystal by stabilizing it with relics from the deep sea of Kudasa. On the upper floors of the building, later called the Capitolium, a mechanism was built for their leader, the Quin Prophet. This mysterious device was used to drain the souls of rebellious Hob, Triton, and Dwarven peoples, purify them, and then store them in the crystal.
The Quin Prophet, seeing the crystal's growing power, realized that by consolidating the energy, he could release it in a single pulse, like a soul-cannon laser, to annihilate his enemies. Although this was never carried out, the rest of the world, fearful of this potential, hesitated to liberate the Visót region.
After Velarim defeated the Dralvarin Lath and cleverly killed the Quin Prophet, sealing Brok Erino's path to Abexillas, they sealed and locked the room controlling the crystal. Now, nothing fuels the crystal, but the trapped souls still disturb the locals. This horrific past is one of the main reasons why the Velarimen reject any technology beyond medieval level, and thus, they have little understanding of how the system works.
== Parts and Mechanism of the Ostshiel Crystal ==
Current system charge: 1
Meaning: It can be used once before requiring nearly ten to a hundred thousand purified souls to recharge.
The Ostshiel Crystal is composed of six elements:
=== Ostshiel’s Crystal ===
The most striking and central part of the crystal, a constantly rotating purplish-pink crystal, spinning around its own axis. The magical energy mixed with the wind around it paints the space yellow. Its pulsating energy can be seen from miles away. The primary components of the crystal are the immaterialized crystallized matter of the ruined-pit below, along with the sacrificed souls of Velarimen and other humanoids. Even without the souls, it would remain magically suspended. It is held up by a constructed hand-shaped statue representing the Quin Prophet’s magical hand. Today Velarim maintains this hand-statue as a historical remembrance sight.
=== Stabilizing Crystals ===
Six stabilizing crystals can maintain the structure for nearly four centuries. These crystals were brought from the ancient Ackó triton homeland, deep within the Kudasa Sea. They are crucial to the entire system, as they magnetically stabilize the main crystal and keep it in balance. The stabilizing crystals are attached to towers or viewpoints via pivots, and their precise engineering maintains the crystal's levitation. These crystals draw energy from underground geothermal layers, channeling concentrated magical thread to prevent the collapse of the main crystal and ensure a steady flow of energy. At least three must function simultaneously to maintain the Ostshiel Crystal. Four of the six were replaced 60 years ago, while the remaining two are nearly 120 years old.
=== Sacrificial Pods ===
These pods feed the main energy line with purified soul particles. They consist of metallic pipes, stone inlays, and transparent glass chambers adorned with complex magical runes, located on either side of the control room's southern wall. At the center is a purification altar connected to the pods. Through a complex mechanical system, the altar dehydrates the bodies sealed in the pods with the aid of a yellowish soul-wandering crystal, extracting and purifying their souls. The sacrificial individuals are lifted into the pods by a metallic copper arm, and their lives are ended by a mechanical blade. The magical liquid in the pods releases their souls.
The soul is not feeded immediately; a rune carved into the base of the central altar purifies the grayish "dirty" soul, transforming it into a pure white, almost quartz-like form. This energy flows through copper pipes and wires, connecting to the crystal-energy line as part of the transfer system. A combination of old machinery, magic, and devices ensures this process, where the soul energy is collected in an inner tank (around the altar) and then transferred into the system.
=== Targetory System ===
A complex device featuring a map that reveals the entirety of Abexilas. It can be controlled from the sides with levers and an old magical codex. When selecting a target, the map liquefies and replicates on the codex's display. The system uses a small amount of energy from the crystal energy-line to accurately identify and select a target. The targeting machines are connected through the energy network, capable of identifying a city or region. They also indicate the charge level of the Ostshiel Crystal and the power/age of the stabilizing crystals. The system is made up of finely-tuned mechanical stations, controlled by copper rods, gears, and magnetic switches. The selected target data is transmitted directly to the Controlling Throne.
=== Controlling Throne ===
The throne is the center of power, formerly belonging to the Quin Prophet. From this seat, the controller can activate all mechanisms, including the Sacrificial Pods, the Targetory System, and manage the replacement of the Stabilizing Crystals. The throne's complex magical control panel, connected via delicate wires, governs the system's main command, which includes firing the Ostshiel Crystal in case of an energy overload. Tritonite crystals embedded in the throne assist with control.
=== Crystal Energy-Line ===
The entire mechanism harnesses the mysterious power of an otherworldly portal, which has been channeling the magical ethereal energy of Brok Erino, patron of the Dralvarin Lath, for centuries. The flow of energy passes through stabilization circles from the portal, spreading across the entire control chamber and eventually being absorbed into the Ostshiel Crystal.
The energy flowing through the mechanism is extremely unstable, but Quin Prophet's magic, combined with the stabilizing circles and crystals built over the centuries, ensures a safe flow of energy.
== Songs of Ostshiel ==
Two songs were found within the chambers, that tell a small amount of information about the mechanism.
=== Ballad of the Quin Prophet ===
He who commanded the darkened sky,
The lord of the dead, whom every soul feared to defy.
He gained his power from Ostshiel's ruins,
Fed by the blood of sacrifices, until his own garden turned to sins.
An empire he held in his iron grip,
And the secrets of Brok Erino he alone could equip.
Rebellion rose while he rested on his dark throne,
He fell, but his memory leaves many chilled to the bone.
=== Ostshiel's Crystal ===
Crystal shines where the souls now sleep,
Portal hums as the sacrifices it reaps.
Energy flows from souls to its crystalline-line,
Striking cities, tearing the world’s design.
Mighty weapon powered by Brok Erino's might,
Target locked, in a flash, all vanishes from sight.
One on the throne commands as the world turns to flame,
Once and for all, the mechanism has sealed a fate in its name.
Category:Velarim
Category:History
Category:Lore
Category:Wars