The Orb.

[Tentoa 3161]

The Shades had gathered that  with a rather sinister purpose that evening. Among them A child, An alchemist, An alterationist, A necromancer, A wraith, An illusionist, an evocationist, And the Shade Father himself.

A smooth orb laid before them, quartz blackened by a shade’s alteration. The jet-black sphere was set on an altar of ornately carved stone in the center of the gathering. Crumena stood at the heading of the group and flicked out two palm-sized gems from his pocket setting them on either side of the orb and lifted his head again to address the shades before him. “As we practiced.”

The pale mage extended his hands over the altar, his blackened aura became visible and a colorless void consumed his eyes. The other shades each did the same their auras drifting to Crumena’s own and funneling into the orb. The gems by Crumena each gave off their own auras, one a pale blue. The other a sickly black and they followed suite with the other auras, draining into the orb in front of them.

When all was over the shades withdrew their auras from the enchanter, each observing the final touches on the orb as the final bits of the aura seeped into it. Within the black orb the faint image of opaque, black, swirling smoke could be seen momentarily before the glossy orb resumed it’s original look. Crumena with a gloved hand plucked the orb from it’s place on the altar and carefully passed it to Malineer.

Nodding to each of those present the lime-eyed elf would carry the orb from the room, intending to store it away.

[Birdwhisperer 1174]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.