Wild Zones of Negaria, Volume 2

Wild Zones of Negaria - a Survey - Vol. 2

As with the other volume in this series, I have endeavored to detail my ongoing surveys of Wild zones. This particular tome focuses on those found outside of M'chek and will conclude my findings.

The Mines south of Port Nireth. Wild Zone - magic, psionic unknown.

Very little is to be found on this location. Perhaps it is merely an accident of nature, a geological formation that the mines unearthed. This small round cavern contains a wild zone, in which earth elementals and extremely large umber hulks lurk, no doubt drawn out by the intense energies that cascade in this place. A beholder mage, (for those unfamiliar with such eyebeasts, is a beholder who has gouged out its own central eye and learnt magery, instead of psionics) inhabits the center of this place. I initially suspected that this beholder could be the cause for this zone, but all communication with it has so far failed. My observations have so far shown that it's spells like any other mage, are warped by the energies within this place. Is it using this area to hide from its kin after mutilating itself, or perhaps researching it? Whatever the answer once was, it will never be known, for the beast has succumbed to madness. Yet another warning to those who would study wild magery.

The Scar. The site of a fallen star within Delgos. Ex-wild and ex-null zone - particulars unknown, now apparently restored to normal.

Once a star fell upon the land of Delgos. This star sundered the very earth and magic itself in a great cataclysm caused by its impact. It left behind The Scar, a site which still simmers away in boiling heat and flowing lava to this day. Under the Earth is a different story, where the broken shards of the star's core still lie, buried and nearly impossible to reach. However upon investigation it appears that this area has faded: magic operates normally both above and below the Scar, and even at its very heart, it has healed. The dwarven Cleric of Clangeddin who was our guide claims it once was a wild zone which faded to a null zone, which has in turn returned to normal. The once prosperous towns that lie within the scar however lie barren and empty, a sad shell that few seek to return to. These tomb towns will forever remain testament to a disaster which still blights the land to this day.

A wild zone that once existed near Lake Crescetoria in Visimontium.

During the conflict between the Angadarians and the Trust, an investigation into a recent wild zone was instigated by the council members Magus Damar Ogdem and Magus Aerill Ailpera. A mercenary band rather grandly called the Solar Brigade, were conscripted by the Sentinels to investigate an area of Wild Magic close to Vismontium, a few leagues east of Lake Crescetoria's north shore. Their investigations revealed the disruption in magic was due to the misuse of a magical device that formed unstable portals, perhaps even originating from the old Fold period, by Angadarians as part of a wider move against the Trust. They were successful in their efforts and the area was returned to normal, we can assume through the removal or disposal of this device. Though the question of what happened to the device is rather vexing. Another prime example of Wild zones being powered by unstable portals.

The Wastelands. Wild - Both magic and Psionic?

The ruined and twisted centre of what was once the Orcish land of Dobrekkon, before the events of the Great Evocation shattered the world as it was once known. What lives here amongst the endless storms and poisoned land, is fierce, ever changing and deadly. The land itself is howling, disorienting, oppressive, violent,and mostly dead. It is said to be a true challenge for those who seek to hunt the deadliest of beasts and many treasure seekers search fruitlessly for the many lost facets of history buried in it's poisoned earth. Small communities of Changelings live here, Forian's blessing leaving them unaffected by the land about them, whilst all others wither away.

I would one day love to mount an expedition to this blasted land, to survey its untamed magics, it's snarled deadlands. Would this place provide clues as to how the Great Evocation was interrupted? Would this place reveal yet unknown secrets of how wild magic may be tamed? Or is this place simply a warning? Is this wild zone sustained by the original spell as in other areas, or is it slowly fading? One day soon I shall seek it out and with good luck, survive to publish my findings.

In Conclusion

A worrying trend has emerged in the 'lifespan' of these chaotic areas of magic. Wild zones are formed by extreme magical cataclysms, which unless continually powered by some arcane or planar source, eventually slowly dissipate. It would appear that magic does not always return in these areas, instead forming a 'scar' know as a dead or null zone. I do not know if over time, these scars would heal. As possibly evidenced by the mysterious work done by the Solar Brigade in Cresatoria, wild zones can be safely dealt with, if the power source is cut off. At worst we face several areas in the Mikonian surrounds that could be dead to magic unless properly dealt with, at best, these zones will 'naturally' come into equilibrium with the normalized areas around them. Unsurprisingly enough, investigation into wild zones has raised only more questions, upon which more research and even more surveys must be undertaken.

With the risk of falling into the habits of a Vortex centered mysticism that the blooded mages proceeded me practiced, it seems ever more to me that the Vortex, and magic itself seeks it's own patterns. When a mage calls upon magic, we impose our will upon it. Magic is what it is, except when it isn't. It becomes as we shape it. Modern spell casting has long learned the means of shaping this magic into ever more concrete, precise forms. But yet, as my studies have shown, so much of what we practice is mere paddling in the shallows of the Vortex. We must plumb these depths to realize our true potential as mages. It is my hope that the study of wild magic and development of whole casting allows us to greater understand the underlying nature of these energies and our art for the betterment of all.

To finish, it is to those that may seek to walk in my footsteps, as I have those before me, that I dedicate this book. May you find meaning, in the most interesting of places.

G.E. Great Magus of the Red Order.