Ruins log: The Rings
Entry number 463
Date and time: 15/7/276 SD, 2:13 PM
Writer: Dr. Alex Snow Progress on the excavation has been going well.
Today we found a strange sword, practically burning the air around it with magic. We had one of the volunteers take a closer look (they had been researching magic lately) and they said that it was Chaos Magic.
Chaos magic isn’t exactly bad per se, but it is volatile. Any wrong strike from a shovel could set it off. We started to chip away at the rock around the sword’s blade, but considering how careful we have to be to avoid sending the camp up in flames freeing the thing is going to take a while. Maybe a week? We are also expecting guests tomorrow, as someone from Valyria needed to have a curse checked out. His letter suggested it was fine, but Eliza seemed worried when I read the symptoms to her. I think it's fine, but she’s way more familiar with curses than I am.
Entry number 464
Date and time: 16/7/276 SD, 3:56 PM
Writer: Dr. Alex Snow Not much has happened.
We are continuing work on the sword, but I doubt we will get it free anytime soon so I can’t update on that.
What I can update on is that our guests are late. Eliza is trying to get in contact with them, but something is putting our messaging spells on the fritz. Probably that sword’s massive magical signature. I do hope that they are alright.
Entry number 465
Date: 17/7/276 SD, I don’t even know what time it is- 11 PM? Maybe?
Writer: Dr. Eliza Nightshade
Ok. Things got… complicated to say the least. Let me explain. We were mining out the sword, being very careful not to accidentally chip or damage it, when things started to go wrong. There seemed to be a large storm blowing in from the west, so we began to move our equipment back towards the camp when it first hit.
Suddenly, all of the magical tools that we had been using, the ambient magic in the air, even some of the particles of mana in our blood started to get drained. Connor, the volunteer from earlier, tried to sense what was causing this, and almost passed out as her magic was nearly ripped from her body straight into that storm.
Right after, we heard the storm bells start going off all around us, every hamlet, town, and city on the coast all churning out an ominous harmony of warning.
Needless to say, we fled. Alex tried to stay behind and continue chipping out the sword, but we dragged him with us. He was determined, but staying behind would likely have him killed.
We managed to make it to a nearby town before the storm got worse, and we were loading our equipment onto the train when we were alerted that tsunami warnings were appearing all over the continent and that everyone who wanted to survive had to get out of this town and farther inland. We are currently waiting for the train to leave, but I’m not sure it will get us far enough away.
I’ll likely update this if I am awake and/or alive later.
Entry number 466
Date:19/7/276 SD, Time unknown
Writer: Connor Evergreen
The storm has gotten worse. I can barely see out the window of the train, and there has been lightning strikes every few seconds. Whenever they flash, I can see some kind of silhouette in the storm, some kind of huge, glowing line. I can’t tell how close it is, but it mustn’t be too far away because I can see it through the rain.
I also saw some smoky apparitions through the window earlier, but for all I know they may have been the fog or something similar.
I’ve tried sensing the magic outside, but there is almost nothing there. A magical void. That isn’t normal. Even the ambient magic, the kind that just sits in the air, is nearly gone. All of it drawn towards that massive storm. I’m really worried about all of this.
Log entry number: 467
Date: 21/7/267 SD, 5:12 AM
Writer: Dr. Alex Snow Things have calmed down a bit. The storms have stopped ravaging the whole world, and some people who live closer to the center of Kathrir have been able to use magic again, but the tsunamis at the coast are still going on, as well as that strange storm way out at sea. I can’t see it from where I am anymore, but I can see what took its place. Rings. Massive, cracked rings made of pure magic. Somehow moving with the planet’s rotation, raining mana down on the seas below, and causing natural disasters everywhere you look. Every now and then you can see them shift, pulling together, ripping themselves apart.
They severely impacted everything affected by magic, they block all attempt at magical communication through them and try to rip the magic out of whoever was trying the spell. We have lost all communication with Valyria, as the rings and storms have likely swallowed it whole. To think that magic possibly do that, likely causing millions of deaths and the destruction of a landmass larger than the one I’m currently standing on…
Log entry 468
Date: 28/7/267 SD, 3:02 AM
Writer: Connor Evergreen The rings stabilized. Overnight. They were tearing at the seams one day, then the next sealed shut. The disasters also stopped. The waves are still choppier than normal everywhere, but I’ll take that over tsunamis and constant thunderstorms.
Since the waters were safe, some people tried to get to the other side. They barely made it back.
Apparently the rings are still raining down magic like it’s nothing. Their boat came back full of holes and emanating more magic than that sword from two weeks ago and with their crew badly injured. I guess we aren’t seeing the other side anytime soon.
Log entry 469
Date: 30/7/267 SD, 8:00 AM
Writer: Dr. Eliza Nightshade This is probably the last entry in this logbook.
Nothing bad has happened, just that these last few entries are going to be put into a museum to make sure no one forgets what happened. This was a crucial part of Kathrir’s history, and I hope it doesn’t get forgotten. To slightly change the topic, I know that there are hopes that those on Valyria are still alive, but with how badly the rings hit here the chances of them surviving are close to none.
I also was trying to look into Avlar’s file (The guy who was coming over for a curse treatment) and… With the time he set out across the ocean he was right under where the rings first started to form. I thought it was mere coincidence, but considering what his curse seemed to be I’m starting to doubt it. I truly hope that I am wrong.
All art in this article was made by me
Overview:
Event Type:Magical
Danger Rating:
10/10 Affected Location:
Kathrir, Valyria Casualties:
Exact number unknown
Documented By:
by Autumn
An experienced researcher with a passion for magical history. He tends to get ahead of himself sometimes, and is very easily excitable despite his formal demeanor.
by Autumn
An expert in curses and a well known scholar from Valyria. Fiercely loyal to her allies and always means well, but is a bit of a jokester.
by Autumn
A trusted volunteer who had stuck with the group for around a year. Seems cold at first, but really is friendly and calm.
Others Involved:
Avlar TraceA man hiding a terrible curse. He was right under the rings when they first appeared, which might be pure coincidence, but some disagree.
Dang. That's crazy. Magical destruction, chaos, and curses? And I love that it was in a logbook style! Plus, I love the little profiles that were drawn on the side to go with the descriptions of the characters! Very nice article :)
Thank you so much!! I think this is one of my favorite articles that I've made so far during summercamp, mostly because the logbook style was really fun to write. The little profiles were also really fun to do, and the drawings came out a lot better than I thought they would. I'm so glad you liked it! :D