Throughout the middle of Celes, the landmarks imbued with celestial power continued to prove themselves as enduringly fascinating.

After the dire happenings in the Starlight Cavern, the Theocracy of Spinesreach swiftly redirected their resources towards examining the landmarks yet to adopt new aspects. Beginning first with the Fist of Dameron, the conclavists in attendance managed to contact the magics within the five dark pillars - or at least the first whispers of such burgeoning energy. Though the Fist refused to adopt a new aspect or offer even a taste of its power in a way that previous landmarks had in prior weeks, those gathered did glean enough of its state to realise that it would awaken in two weeks.

Later that week, as Prideleader Sekeres stood guard over the Living Totem and conversed with Meleah, Strolgrum, and Lin about its state, the landmark made its nigh-sentient will known at the mention of 'healing'. Though it took time and understanding, those lingering by the totem managed to delve into its depths and commune with the wild forces within. Receiving visions of a coming autumn and the harvest it promised, the four reasoned that the Living Totem would soon awaken within a day. Unwilling to be caught by surprise, Lin sought to forge alliances early to ensure the landmark's safety and that its aspect would align with Duiran's agenda. She warned those gathered that Bloodloch and Spinesreach would seek to capture the Totem much as they had the Bloodflower Falls, putting Duiran and Enorian alike on edge.

As the hours dwindled and adventurers examined other sites of power, Strolgrum, Meleah, Serara, Benedicto, and Jhura noticed a new addition to the glittering brilliance miles off Mournhold's coast: a tremendous pillar of light reaching up from the depths. Reasoning that the light was too distant to examine from the shore, the Hammer's faithful theorised that a ship's voyage would be necessary to explore whatever lay hidden beneath the waves thoroughly. The Grand Crusader spoke in low tones regarding once-Shastaan's history and the hourglass the village once housed. However, these details initially seemed lost on the younger ascendants in his company, stirring them only when the mention of controlling day's length or the forces of time came into the picture. As one, the cadre concluded that they would need to watch for any further disturbances, and Herald Jhura expressed worries that whatever lurked in the Shastaan Warrens had now taken the lost landmark in its eldritch clutches.

The Living Totem awoke in truth as the sun reached its apex the next day.

Adventurers rushed to desecrated Ulangi in hopes of examining the commotion, and those who set hands upon the landmark's writhing runes soon felt a primal visitation upon their souls. This visitation tested their bravery in the face of ethereal, predatory spirits, sending some feeble hearts screaming away from the Totem's presence. Some ascendants even found themselves destroyed where they stood upon contact with the totem, whereas others felt a yearning to journey the world like a vagrant or nomad. The speculation soon ceased, however, for the arrival of Sanguine Fist's nobility prompted one of Duiran's warriors to act with extreme prejudice. Soon, the island obliterated by the Effulgent Shout bore witness to yet more terrible violence, soaking the soil with the blood of light and dark alike as war raged to secure the Living Totem's immediate vicinity.

In a hurry to secure answers, Esrytesh Sibatti, Watcher of the Old World and chosen witch of Memory Immortal, left the bloody business to his fellow councilors and their temporary allies and instead rushed to confer with Titania, Queen of the Dryads. As the Heir of the an-Kiar fanned the regal Dryad, Titania outlined her hazy understanding of the Living Totem and the complex magics that governed its aspect. The Dryad claimed that the Totem had once been in the care of a primeval Dendaric fae known as the King Stag or the Stag King, a trickster and warrior spirit sworn to Kaarn, the now-corrupted Stag Guardian imprisoned within Dia'ruis. As the guardian spirit's health waned, so too did the King Stag's - as well as his power. Known for his battles with an ancient lich known as Melkhiour, the King Stag - a satyr in truth who oft adopted the guise of a stag in honour of his patron guardian - kept the Living Totem in its sunny, natural aspect with stag horn, or else used the material to ritually reverse the Totem's state when forced into its Stygian aspect.

Grateful for her aid, Sibatti finished his duty as a temporary attendant of the Dryad Queen and made haste back to Ulangi, where the wildlings and their Lightsworn allies held the line against a new, temporary Dark Empire. After one final, bloody charge, the crowd joined together to make offerings of stag horn and booze, as well as oaths to guide the Living Totem on a new spirit quest to the shores of mainland Sapience. Pleased with this development, the sentient landmark ceded its aspect to the Heartwood and blazed to life as the Verdant Totem, though not before adding new solar runes to its length and breadth in honour of the Hammer's sacrifice on behalf of Duiran.

The ambitious Theocracy of Spinesreach mobilised the following week, their sights set upon the newly reformed Fist of Dameron within Tarissa's dig site. Early and formidably prepared, Spirean forces secured the cavern ahead of time, establishing enchanted defenses and awaiting the appointed hour under the direction of the Dhasan of Magic, Csethiro. As dusk settled, eerie, lurid ripples of light dappled late Tarissa's archaeological dig site in a fivefold assembly of dread radiance that heralded the awakening of the Fist of Dameron. Initial contact with the Fist proved agonising for many, resulting in the demise of several ascendants untrained to delve Chaos or celestial magics.

Led by the Dhasan, the gathered Spireans lifted their voices in a haunting hymn dedicated to Labyrinthine Chaos, focusing their combined will upon claiming the ancient landmark through prayer in accordance with the old ways. As the Theocratic hymn swelled towards its climax, the recently appointed Prophet of Ascension, Legyn, alongside Regent Sheryni, executed a captured El'Jaziran ossomancer, offering the sacrifice in a manner befitting the landmark's dark origins. Further communion with the Fist revealed a crucial missing element: the landmark yearned for coordinates beyond the Prime, the input of a realm of Chaos, to complete its aspecting.

Director Pietre soon ventured into the nascent realm of Labyrinthine Chaos and sought an audience with Tor'geyah, the Threshold to request assistance. The skeletal Chaos Lord demanded sacrifice, a price Pietre willingly paid by consuming a fatal godstongue fruit, his demise paving the way for the Gatekeeper's aid and opening a portal through the planes directly to the landmark site.

As the chaotic aperture began to tear reality open within the center of the quintet pillars, a beam of prismatic light delivered the combined forces of Duiran and Enorian into the cavern. Determined to contest Spinesreach's claim to a site of considerable power, the wildlings and the Light's armies made a bold statement to their shared foes through blood and steel in a gesture equal parts heroic and futile. The dig site promptly became a slaughterhouse, blood slaking the already unholy ground as ancient rivalries flared anew for the third time since the Conjunction.

Eventually emerging victorious from the bloody fray through their decisive preparations, the Theocracy moved to complete their work. A sudden vision crackled through the mind of the Prophet of Ascension, Legyn: the Pillars had developed a sudden taste for the hearts of those who had contested Spinesreach's claim, a blood offering to seal the pact as is the way of Chaos. Following the Prophet's directive, Sepyhie and Llancarfan swiftly harvested the hearts of their fallen foes and distributed them to their fellow theocrats with all the haste they could muster. The Regent Sheryni led the gathered Spireans to take up the gruesome offerings, smashing the hearts against the dark pillars in a visceral, sanguine tribute.

Bound by blood, by sacrifice, by Chaotic frequency, the Fist of Dameron shuddered. Empyreal light shone from its dark pillars as they bent and twisted into a new, unprecedented shape. Akin to a furled manus, the monument's pillars now bore the appearance of a hand clawing for the Divinity shrined in the sky, aspected as the Labyrinth's Grasp.

Even as the Wars of Power tormented Sapience with echoes of their atrocities, something stirred beneath wet silt and darkened waves...

~~~~~

Summary: Following communion with the awakened Living Totem and learning ancient lore from the Dryad Queen Titania, Duiran repelled dark forces to claim the site with Enorian's help. Through offerings of stag horn and oaths, they secured the landmark and transformed it into the Verdant Totem. Meanwhile, Spinesreach enacted a dark ritual at the Fist of Dameron involving song, sacrifice and planar intervention to bind it to Labyrinthine Chaos. Victorious after a bloody clash with the forces of Life and Light, they sealed their pact with the landmark with harvested enemy hearts, transforming it into the Labyrinth's Grasp.

Penned by my hand on Quensday, the 22nd of Celes, in the year 10 AC.