The Shell that is Cracked at the Center of the World

The chamber of the Shell is found at the end of a weeks journey shifting Shadow through caverns. The chamber itself is over a mile long and half a mile high. The Shell Itself, broken nearly in two, covers an area greater than a football field. It is iridescent black and covered by a hundred web works of cracks; the edges and cracks glow bloody red, the only natural source of light.

Would-be initiates climb into the Shell and wait: there are thousands of cracks and no discernible starting or ending points. Those who achieve the proper state of readiness perceive a place that seems right, and follow an intuitive path to an ending that is known only when arrived at. Along the way one undergoes an ordeal of Psyche and Endurance; failures burn to ash, silently striving, displaying no pain.

There is a fair amount of ash in the chamber.

Those who succeed (perhaps one in ten of those who try, and most of these capable mages) receive a vision of a vast, inhuman intelligence which accepts them as kin. Initiates usually describe it as draconic. Opinion varies as to the physical reality of the Dragon; none have returned from searching for the creature that hatched out of the Shell, none who are talking in any event.

When the vision fades, the initiate finds herself at the mouth of the cave where she began the underground journey. Most guides (fellow initiates) walk back rather than risk the ordeal again.


THE SHELL THAT IS CRACKED AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD
[10] Shell Initiation, shadow movement 
     [5] Summon the Power Within 
         [5] Summon the Power Without 
             [5] Adept of the Power Within 
                      [5] Adept of the Power Without

INITIATE/SHADOWWALKING
Initiates can perceive the natural flaws or cracks in Shadow and follow them. Large cracks are Shadow Paths and easy to use. Smaller cracks require more effort and close attention. Taking small groups in tight formation is not difficult. People get lost when they lose sight of the initiate and he of them. Initiates are mildly fire resistant.

SUMMON THE POWER WITHIN
This is usable as a personal shield or to enhance the shadow walking ability. Normally this discipline takes several minutes to accomplish. A charge will last for hours unless used up. The power is shaped before summoning, for defense, healing herself or for shadow walking, and cannot be switched. The power can be summoned quickly at a high Endurance cost. Certain rituals using token amounts of the Initiate's blood make Summoning much easier.

SUMMON THE POWER WITHOUT
Like Summoning Within, this takes time and the power is shaped beforehand. The user can:

Blood rituals help with Summoning Without.

EXAMPLE: Zedediah wants to charge some bullets with power. He draws a circle of signs around the makings of a fire, then ignites (easily: it's tinder after all) it with a power summoning. It burns cool and blood red. He inscribes a simple sign on each bullet (he uses an X, his teacher used the Chinese ideogram for 'death'), wipes one drop of his blood on each one and passes it through the magical fire to seal it. The charge might last for weeks or months. Each bullet takes a minute or two to charge.

ADEPT OF THE POWER WITHIN/ POWER WITHOUT
The adept can do everything above much more easily and has advanced tricks as well. Further developments to the power might include:

The power of the Shell mixes very well with Sorcery, Conjuration and Power words.


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