Completed The Triennial Syzygy

[Dingo]

​

In the Age of Chronicles
Fall, 13th of Garda, 373
Within the halls of Elbion College
The School of Cosmic and Astral Study

---

Scholar Linolet Perinhome prepared for the gathered. Her heart aflutter as she paced back and forth in the narrow hall behind the stage.

Maesters, fellow students, influential and curious minds had all come to the Planetarium to hear of her latest finding.

She muttered to herself, quick little words beneath her breath as she paced in the back room, going over the key points of her speech again and again.

The Triennial Syzygy.

The natural fluctuations in the ley lines that occur during the Day of Darkness.

The anomalies that had been detected by their researchers in the weave and mysts of magic, afield, and close to Elbion itself. Things that matched no record that was kept in the annals of their College.

"It's time, Lin, are you ready?"

Linolet startled. "Maester Wei," she said. Cleared her throat. Face crinkled and twist, bore a smile bundled by nerves as she shrunk. "And if I'm not?"

Maester Wei gave a sharp smile, her eyes knowing and sure. "Then I'll steal your spotlight, and claim your findings as my own, simple as that,"

Linolet laughed. "Well, least the thief would be prettier this time,"

"Come on," she motioned her toward the door. "You are ready,"

Linolet took one more breath. Long and measured. Huffed it out. Nod. "I'm ready,"

 

[Kaisa]

The buzz in the air was intoxicating, anticipation made tangible as a multitude of hushed voices resonated and bore into every fiber. Sat down in her relaxed manner, legs straight under the seat before her, Kaisa reached into the little cloth bag at her lap.

A roasted chestnut was produced and promptly placed in her mouth, whole. Jaw working, she glanced about the Planetarium for possibly the hundredth time, taking in the new faces that’d arrived since last she’d checked.

The place was about to be packed. And for good reason, in her mind.

Despite the woes of travel, there was no passing this up. Come next week, the things spoken of here would’ve reached most of whose company she frequented, so being not on the intimate know wasn’t really an option. While her Allirian friends couldn’t, she would be able to say she’d heard it all from the researches themselves, present on the spot.

Ah, the prestige. While it wasn’t her reason for coming, she’d come to take pleasure in the thought once she’d arrived. To speak of it with conviction, not hindered or brought to doubt by any which abridged version.

To one up a random jerk at a party. Impress a date. Connect with someone completely new.

Snickering, she dug out another chestnut. At her side was a disturbance then, a touch on the shoulder and a question calling her attention.

“ Oh, no — “ She smiled, fangs flashing. “ Is a free seat. Do sit down. “ Suddenly aware of her rather unbecoming slouch on the seat, she made an effort at adjusting herself to a more upright position.

“ Am sure we are about to start in a moment. “ She continued, hoisting the bag of chestnuts on her palm and offering it towards the stranger.

“ Chestnut? “

 

[Zeraphine Batahlia]

Zera daintily plucked the chestnut into her palm, softly smiling at the roasted tree nut before eating it with a quiet crunch. What an interesting snack, she thought. Primly, she turned a well-formed and gracious smile onto the woman. "My stomach and I thank you. I myself didn't have the foresight to realize how long we'd be here for this lecture." The woman tucked the dark charcoal grey and red layers of her robes around her as she sat next to Kaisa. The cloth appeared expensive and starched, the high red collar brushing closely around her pale neck, and her mannerisms stately and unhurried while settling in.

Keeping a close eye on the going-ons of the lecture hall, she turned to Kaisa, her shoulders back and squared with the innate countenance of one who grew up with both discipline and privilege. Extending a regal hand, she introduced herself, "I take it you are a fellow mage? Please, call me Zeraphine. Of House Batahlia."

Kaisa

 

[Ferenc]

Sometimes Kaul took advantage of his status as a distinguished alumnus of the College. The intellectual sphere within the city regarded the seminar with such excitement that even Kaul caught wind of the news, far removed as he was from the goings-on of his former peers. And that was days before he found a formal invitation awaiting him in the post.

It was once commonplace for up-and-coming scholars, trailblazers of their fields, prodigies and geniuses, to share their findings with crowds just as eager as the one gathered presently. Then the shattering ravaged the city to its core.

The speech bore more meaning than to merely circulate newfound knowledge. It would also shine a light upon dark times of the citizens of Elbion. Or perhaps it wouldn't.

Kaul patiently awaited what was to come.

 

[Dingo]

"Ahem," Maester Withers, of the Second Order, began, standing at a podium before the crowd. Upon the domed walls behind him sailed gently the brightly burning constellations of Arethil's night sky, like curtains of light, adrift in a simulacral night, that rippled and pulsed in amidst a darkness near invisible to most.

"Welcome, honored guests, it is my pleasure, and privilege to stand before you today-"

"Stars, did they really have to get Larry?" Scholar Perinhome whispered from offstage. She watched from the shadows of tall curtains as her colleague went on, with his formalities.

Maester Wei smirked. "Did you want to say all that ado?"

"Our city, Elbion, pinnacle of magical insight, progress, and innovation, has suffered greatly in recent years, Templars raiding our school, a mad man bringing atrocity to our honored College, and, the calamity of the Dragons, not three years ago-"

Perinhome shook her head, lips quirked and brow cocked as she flinched. "No, I suppose not."

Wei nod. "Of course not," a lazy stir of her curled fingers. "As long winded as Maester Withers is, he... has a way with easing the crowd,"

"But time marches forward, and as does our endless pursuit of knowledge, and striving to understand the mysteries of magic, and the world around us-"

Perinhome could feel the moment growing closer. Her mind abuzz with the details of what she had to say.

"Scholar Linolet Perinhom!" Maester Withers gave a bow, and presented stage right toward Perinhome, who stood stunned for a moment while the crowd gave their welcome.

So, out she stepped, into the false night of the Planetarium, and took her place at the podium. Bowed, graciously to Larry, who smiled warmly to her, gave nod of encouragement, and stepped away.

Linolet felt her head spin some, staring at the crowd, but she wore a smile well, and her bright eyes were full of an electric excitement. "Honored guests," she began, near breathless. "Thank you for being here today,"

 

[Eden Sinclayr]

Slouched miserably low in her chair, Eden was a betrayal to her dignified upbringing. Indistinguishable from one of the brat mages just beginning their schooling, she scribbled lazily in her notebook, not giving one glance to the man who stood at the podium and droned on. One of her feet hooked over the other leg, as she kicked at the back of the seat in front of her.

Oh, was that dear Zeraphine seated directly in front of her, Councillor Vexion's new betrothed? She should really be more mindful of her surroundings. Eden shifted in her seat, and in doing so booted the back of the other woman's chair one last time, harder than the other absent taps.

The star of the evening had finally taken her place at the podium. Eden's eyes lifted off her page to look through the crowd at the scholar, eager for what would surely be an interesting speech.

Zeraphine Batahlia Kaisa

 

[Scarlet Fanny]

Violet Redniss slunk into the hall, minutes late as she often struggled in being on time. Having failed one too many Advanced Alchemy quizzes (she wasn’t even at the midterm yet!) Professor Ina had found Violet so pitiful that she offered her extra credit. All she had to do was go to this meeting and write a essay about what she learned. There was something else she had to do in that essay but Violet hadn’t written it down so she had already forgot what it was.

If she could have, she would have much preferred to hide inside her dark dorm underneath a blanket or two (and maybe a few clothes tossed in there as she had the bad habit of never folding her clean laundry and just left them in a pile on her bed. Putting them on her bed was supposed to incentivize her to actually fold her laundry but she always ended up just sleeping with her clothes.) and use her crystal ball to spy on the meeting. She was itching to people watch, letting the crystal ball choose an unsuspecting victim on Arethil to be the main character of her next story.

She found an unclaimed seat in the back and began the embarrassing tiptoe through the aisle, hunching over and apologizing profusely. Violet tripped over someone’s ginormous feet and then immediately got her foot stuck in the strap of someone’s backpack before she made it to the seat. She plopped down, cheeks red from embarrassment and the looks people gave her as they turned around to see what the commotion behind them had been.

As if they had never had to deal with the struggle of moving down a skinny aisle when everyone was already sitting!

The bad Elbion student opened her messenger bag and pulled out a notebook. It was filled with fanfiction ideas (she was excited to write another boys love fanfic soon) and sloppy notes that she herself couldn’t even read. She went to a blank page and then began the search for a pencil. She felt all along her bag, triple-checked every pocket and even began to pull out the books, crumpled up tests and study guides to make it easier to find a pencil.

Did she really come here without a pencil? Violet sighed deeply and some of the books that had been resting on her lap slid off and clattered against the ground.

“SHH!” The person in front of her shushed, turning around to giving her a icy glare.

“S-sorry.” Violet whispered, shrinking back into her chair. Well, she’d just have to listen extra hard now and try not to forget anything.

 

[Kaisa]

Of House Batahlia. What were the odds.

“ Matilda Laakso. “ She introduced herself and took the offered hand, examining the woman’s face like trying to place it. Her smile an ignorant mask, it appeared not.

“ And no. Not a mage. “ Continuing, she sunk back to her seat and picked out one chestnut for herself. “ Just a rich girl who enjoys the academia. They’ll let just about anyone in here, you know. “

Snickering, she shrugged in feigned indignation, look sweeping the theater. It happened upon a man, walking to the podium like he meant to speak. Mouth falling open, she leaned forward on her seat like a noblewoman scorned, squinting at the distance.

“ Oh, no. It is him. “ Indisputably so. Falling silent, like stunned to it, she listened as the droning begun. All the way from the ancient — However had she gotten so lucky that the few other times she’d been here recently, they’d had someone else announce the upcoming speakers. In interest of time and everyone’s sanity, but also that Larry must’ve simply been doing one of the actually valuable things he contributed to the College.

“ The man is brilliant, Gods love him, but— “ Voice a little lower, she tossed a hand and shoved the rest of the chestnut in her mouth. Her jaw clicked loudly as she made short work of it.

“ We’ll be here tomorrow yet, unless someone— “ Stopping, she wheeled around suddenly to meet eyes with whomever had been kicking her damn seat the past minutes, grey skin shimmering in a pearlescent wave that revealed the veins.

That she should’ve recognized the girl did nothing for her anger. What was this now — Some Allirian council faire?

“ Might you stop? I’m trying to eat here. “ She shook the bag of chestnuts for effect.

Eden Sinclayr Zeraphine Batahlia

 

[Aldrae]

Aldrae hadn't been in the lecture hall since that terrible day when her research died. Coming back to it now felt like an unpleasant jaunt into the past. Her feet weighed her down like bricks as she stood just a few paces from the carved mahogany door, reminding herself that this was a lecture about something altogether different. She wouldn't be the one on the stage today facing the judgment of peers and rivals.

No, this was just going to be a nice, interesting lecture on a topic fully within the accepted realm of scientific theory. There probably wouldn't be any scoffing from the audience or questions made only to erode the speaker's credibility.

The obsidian mantis on her shoulder buzzed impatiently at her hesitation.

"Yes, sorry, was just remembering something," she mumbled and forced herself to open the door. The creature was Maester Garrenoth's familiar, often sent out in the wizard's stead when he was busy with his obscure research. Aldrae wasn't entirely sure what his body of research was about - he'd never given a lecture nor written a public thesis on the topic - only that he was more often invested in it than in the outside world. Occasionally this meant Aldrae was hired on for specific tasks; in this case, note-taking.

Her coinpurse was quite fortunate that mantis claws were ill-suited to handling tools, even if she felt uncomfortable around the creature. Garrenoth had off-handedly mentioned that he could see through the creature's eyes when he wished. Though she wasn't sure if it had been a serious statement, it still made having the thing riding on her shoulder that much creepier as company.

The room was quite full when she came in. Maester Withers was already at the podium giving his introduction, so she silently took a place leaning on the back wall as if to blend in with the room's architecture. She didn't want to tackle the awkward seating procedure, especially not with Garrenoth's insect minion in tow, and she certainly did not want to be recognized by anyone who might have remembered her own lecture in this hall.

Her hand shook slightly as she took out her notebook and placed the charcoal stick against it. Here she was. In the same old lecture hall that always smelled vaguely strange, as if some spell component had burned its way permanently into the heavy rugs. The murmur of a few audience members speaking softly lingered beneath the stage, a white noise against the confident timbre of Larry's voice. Aldrae breathed deeply to steady herself.

Watching Linolet come onto the stage to submit her research to the scrutiny of the college, Aldrae crossed her fingers for good luck.

 

[Dingo]

​

---

"As Scholars of Elbion, we pride ourselves in our understanding, and ability to wield the mysteries of magic. The product of centuries of learning, built upon foundations set long before these halls stood,"

The Planetarium seemed to shift. What was once a sea of illusory stars painted across the domed room's walls turned to a sea of inky black. A star burned to life behind Scholar Perinhome, then came to be the known celestial bodies that inhabited their system.

Students, Graduate Scholars, and one Maester Vankross, helped bend the illusory display to tell the narrative.

Perinhome continued as a sphere of blue and green sailed lazily across the bright burning star, an other such bodies danced about the cosmic lines that showed the audience their trajectory.

"We learned long ago, that our sky darkens, thrice across the year. An event the elves of the Falwood think of as the Sun's Rebirth,"

A few old cronies laughed at that, and while Perinhome meant it as no joke, she wore a gracious smile, and let the tittering die out before she went on.

"While peoples of the Steppes have claimed it to be the Dragon's Dance, for all the light that pours from about the rings of our beloved Lessat," there was a shimmer of light in the darkened room. The show of stars and planets changed then to the heavens, as would be seen upon the plane of their world. "Yet, there is another such event, where our world is plunged into a total darkness, what we in our College of Elbion have deemed the Triennial Syzygy,"

The sky played, day and night, night and ay, in a dizzying whirr that turned to rays of light scratched across the periphery. Days blurred, weeks bled, and months and years passed in seconds. Till the sister moons crossed the sky once more, slowly. First, the smallest moon crested across the brightness of the sun. Then, loomed the larger of the two, beginning to veil the day's light.

"Three days of total darkness, experienced time and time before, only now, we have reason to believe something... unprecedented will occur, come the darkening this winter,"

 

[Zeraphine Batahlia]

"Oh! Councilor Sinclair!" Batahlia turned a keen eye to the woman behind her, her smile saccharine. "I didn't recognize you without Xanatos by your side. Good to see you can still find your way outside of Alliria. I too find the pandering to greedy and apathetic noble men, to be exhausting. Especially when their pockets are deeper than their wit. So I don't blame you one bit for finding some time for yourself. Perhaps we can have a little chat after the lecture, hm? I would love to hear how your campaign is going."

Without missing a beat, Zeraphine turned back around as the presenter began and the planetarium lit up, a cautionary tale following close behind on the tails of falling stars and sister moons.

 

[Eden Sinclayr]

Whoever was sitting next to Batahlia - collateral damage, as far as Eden was concerned - got riled up and turned round in her seat.

The shake of the chestnuts was met with a cheeky grin from Eden. She leaned forward, so that her voice would not need to carry far. "There's no eating in the Planetarium," she replied cheerfully in lieu of an apology.

A cold gleam of hatred flashed in Eden's eyes as Batahlia chimed in with a wordy greeting. She wanted to scowl at the other woman (who so casually let Xanatos' name fall from her lips, as if she had any right to it) but managed to keep up the smile. Stretched too thin, eyes squinted up a little too much.

"Zeraphine, dear, I would love nothing more than to catch up, after this. I knew you would understand how trying it can be sometimes, to plan a decent outing. After all, I'm sure your husband is off on Council business all too often - it must be so difficult to find new things to occupy your time with while he's away. Good on you for keeping to your own schedule!"

If Eden kept up her pleasantries voice for any longer, her throat would start to get sore. Luckily, the cadence of the lecture spared her from further engagement. Unless the girls in front of her were petty enough to whisper over the main speaker.

Stars on the dome ceiling above shifted to a new display, the change in lighting signalling the audience to pay attention. Eden settled back into her seat, scribbling a note down, head cocked to the side to better listen.

Foot still tap-tapping absently against the base of the chairs in front of her.

 

[Dingo]

A deep breath in, and a long breath out. Scholar Perinhome prepared herself for what she was about to say. She let the shiftings and mutterings about the crowd settle more in the absence of her speech. Each moment that passed, the planetarium grew darker, the veil of the moons, more complete. Until the display turned to total darkness behind her.

The stars twinkled to life about the blackened sun. Bright and proud, despite the falseness that bore them.

"Our field researchers have reported an acceleration in the changing currents of magic, something that far outpaces the gradual shift in the magical energies previously recorded in our archives-" she paused. Struck by the memory of all they had lost in the draconic cataclysm. "Gave proof, and what still remains of them, give proof to this."

Grumbles. Discord. Worry. She could not say for certain all that swirled about the room, only what her own nerves could read. Still.

"Given that magical anomalies, increase in wild magic, spell rebounds, enchantment malfunction, and arcane storms have been cited during syzygies past, it is our stance that should precautions not be taken, such disastrous events may occur upon a scale the likes of which we have yet seen,"

"We cannot say for certain what will occur, but-"

Grumblings, and mutterings. Her brow quirked as a few impatient voices called for the point to be arrived.

"Our greatest concern are the arcane storms. If severe enough, such events have been known to plummet entire regions into disrepair, leaving tens of thousands displaced, entire nations left to suffering and starvation,"

Perinhome provided what evidence she could. The illusory display lit across the planetarium shifting to match her reports as best it could. Scenes of the potential storms, and the fallout they would leave in their terrible wake. ​

 

[Kaisa]

Not only a councilor, but also a rules police. And already, at so young. Had she not abhorred both of the things the girl represented, she might’ve pitied her.

Saying nothing, only half for the fact Zeraphine had begun talking in turn, she merely gave her best smile and shoved another chestnut in her mouth. She was glad she had too, as chewing was the one thing keeping her from making a sound as the two women appeared to engage in the most thrilling of exchanges. How deliciously—

Pointless. Posturing and drama. But damn if she didn’t love it.

Having been shamelessly staring, brows high with interest and pleasant surprise, she didn’t turn to the lecture until the both had quite concluded. Now what was that about— arcane storms? And—

Suffering and starvation? The bag in her hands rustled softly as she dug in it, eyes cast at the less than magnificent display of a possible future.

 

[Zeraphine Batahlia]

Noting Kaisa's scattered focus, which Zeraphine felt responsible for, she conjured a bundle of parchments from soft black smoke, the script and diagrams already matching the lecture before them. She inclined her head to the woman next to her, even though Zera's eyes still lay consumed by the portrayed catastrophes before them, the gravity of it all an unsettling curiosity, for now.

"Here." She murmured. "I was listening the whole time, as nothing truly was worth my divided attention. You're welcome to take a look if you'd like." That silvery barb towards Sinclair was subtle, almost lost, one the Councilor probably couldn't even hear. But the slight curl at the edge of Zera's aristocratic mouth gave her away. Yet even that, was calculated for Kaisa's benefit only.

This was after all, her favorite game to play.

Kaisa Eden Sinclayr

 

[Eden Sinclayr]

As soon as the two women turned their backs on her, the pleasant look on Eden's face slipped into furrowed frustration.

Not for anything that Batahlia had said, no. The woman did not matter enough to Eden to capture her attention past the initial jab or two. Her mind was on what the Scholar Perinhome said, and what inquisitive hopefuls like the woman at the podium did not think to say.

Storms could be shuttered against, levies repaired, and famine rationed for. But there between the suffering and starvation, there would be lords and mages wanting to fatten themselves up.

Always, there would be those who thought that they could control the Syzygy, use the flux in magic to their benefit, or to other's demise. Her father had been one of those people. How many terrible experiments had he performed, in those days of darkness? The failed horrors that had been left behind, twisted and dying, to fend for themselves in the daylight.

Herself among them.

The charcoal in Eden's hand squeaked to a stop against her journal page. She looked down to see what she had been writing. Diagrams of storm patterns. Locus points of magic that had been recorded shifting during past events. A map of the coastlines surrounding Alliria spread across the pages. All that information layered haphazardly over itself, but still missing something...

A loud tearing sound could be heard in the relative quiet of the audience. Eden pulled the pages gracelessly from her journal, and held them up above her. A flash of spellwork had the paper turn transparent, leaving behind only the marks of charcoal. She closed one eye and lined her scratchings up with the celestial bodies displayed across the planetarium dome above.

"Ah, I see," she mused aloud. "How dubious..."

The picture painted a dark landscape. Good thing then, that the city had her now, instead of the late Councillor Sinclayr.

 

[Seluria Estel'Narqua]

Even without the whispers, her head was alight with scent and sound. Feet tapping, papers shifting, quills scratching and ink dripping on paper. The Seer had been informed that it would be prudent for her to visit this Cycle's meeting about the Triennial Syzygy, and as she listened, a frown had begun to curve her lips downward.

Sitting quietly near the front- her pale covering reflecting the array of colors emitting from the illusion- the woman moved a slender fingered hand to her face and rested her cheek against tensely folded knuckles. It was... a vulnerable time. One that Seluria was loath to talk about. Both because of how overwhelming it was, but... also because it was hard to remember.

Listening quietly, she reflected on the sparse few images she could recall of past Syzygies. A sensation of something always watching her. A heaviness to her body that was unexpected. Hyper-awareness of her own heartbeat and breaths. After she had donned the Aasari, the Seer had experienced much of the same symptoms as other mages when the Loch seized up as it did during this time...but as time wore on, she felt it had become a harder burden to bear, and had not known why, until recently.

A small breath escaped her, and the Seer's gaze flit briefly to her right, observing a woman tearing pages out of her journal and murmuring to herself. It seemed someone was beginning to understand a few of the broader strokes of the world.

But, she was getting distracted. Gaze sliding back to the scholar at the epicenter of the vaulted room, Seluria took note of the disastrous shapes and colors whirling about behind her.

"And what have you found to work in the past, during these calamities?" her voice rose over the din, flitting past the jagged barbs and snipes of the nobility and students alike like silk slithering through a series of rings and hooks. "If I recall correctly, the arcane storms are as unpredictable in action as to where they will form. Some towns have experienced a complete loss of memory or been caught in a time shift. Others ravaged by the more expected wild magic surges, causing plants and animals to change, grow, shrink, die, and live alike. Still others go seemingly untouched, only to learn of the consequences in the coming year with the next generation, with children being born with deformities or magic yet unseen."

She knew well the consequences of her words. Watched some of the men across the room, who had been whispering to one another, suddenly glance her way nervously. Her gaze slid back to the Scholar, the question hanging in the air. For all that her peers in the crowd may accuse her of fear-mongering, the Seer's tone had been genuine.

What preparations had worked?

For, above even knowing about the calamity about to befall them, the knowledge of what to do to combat it was tantamount.

 

[Dingo]

Mismatched eyes widened by nigh-imperceivable margin. A breath held in the lungs as the ripple of dissent washed across the hall. Those well to do, those of means, already conspired as to what their next step would be.

The conversations ran back, and grew louder, as passions rose and agreements and disagreements caught heat.

All while the illusions of calamities to come played out across the walls behind the speaker. Scholar Perinhome. She balled her hand into a fist. It trembled. Thumb and third finger came to press and snap. A loud crack split the air. A second. A third. As good as a gavel. The voices simmered down from their roils.

"A great question," she said when silence had settled in the hall. "In such times, those of means and influence have hidden away in rare and costly shelters, lined with rare materials that render magical winds inert, or that drink in the wild magic, such as lead, or obsidian glass," more whispers, but Perinhome remained sharp eyed and tall. "There are places of natural refuge from such storms, deep enough into ancient woods, under cave systems, beneath grottos, or between canyon walls, that have sheltered many and more across millennia." She cast her gaze out to the crowd, scanned the room and found those she knew could make some meaningful difference, should they only try. "Supply the people, help them make the journey to such refuge, or give them better chance to recoup their damages if we are unable to provide them means and shelter-"

The crowd rumbled and muttered and grew irate.

We have no clue where the storms will hit. If even there will be storms! A load of nonsense. Just another Syzygy. No proof of any of it.

Perinhome had lost them.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Maester Withers signal her to leave the stage. To make her exit. The key information had been disseminated. But as the crowd grew louder, she could only stand at her podium, fingers clutched about her notes.

Maesters Withers and Wei made an orderly appearance on the stage as the illusions settled to maps of the stars behind the Scholar. Wei helped Linolet off the stage, as Maester Withers spoke for order. Promptly thanked the crowd, and assured them that the projected storms, the findings that lead their research team to their conclusions, were theories. Hoped they found them as invigorating and thought provoking as he did, and wished them all safe travel now that the lecture was concluded.