Castle Mahlhevik

Castle Mahlhevik

Location: Mount Celestia / Lunia / Threshold

Castle Mahlhevik, also known as the Ethereal Keep, stands as a refuge for those who seek a different path amidst the rigid morality of Mount Celestia. Only a day’s march from Heart’s Faith, Castle Mahlhevik is a place of duality, where the past lingers like mist, and the history of a (formerly?) evil wizard mingle with the hope of redemption.

The castle lurks like a dark sentinel on its island, its towers and spires casting long shadows across the shimmering waters. The well-weathered battlements speak of secrets best left undisturbed, as the stones themselves seem to hold echoes of sinister magics.

The wizard Mahlhevik, once a master of necromancy, chose this secluded island to escape the judgmental gaze of the archons. Chant goes he was a student of the Temple of Second Chances in the all-forgiving burg of Redemption, where he tumbled to the error of his ways. Here, at a polite distance away from the Lunia’s heavenly rulers, the chant is that he seeks to reform his character.

Mahlhevik’s past cannot be erased so easily, however. Whispering shadows and echoes of his deeds still sometimes flicker in the dark corners, reminding visitors of the history that brought him here. Casual callers tread a fine line between the potential for redemption and the risk of being ensnared by lingering malevolence. The castle’s halls are a blend of arcane libraries and chambers of meditation, as the wizard struggles to shed the darkness that once consumed him, but fact remains, not all the books in the libraries would pass the censors of Heaven.

The Ethereal Keep offers solace to those who question the strict moral codes of Mount Celestia. Wanderers and seekers of a different path find respite here. As part of his vow of hospitality, Mahlhevik allows travellers of any morality to stay here. Some of his guests are more questionable than others; cutters like Sytris the (former) Soul Reaver is still wanted for questioning in Mechanus after that infamous incident in the Great Modron Cathedral. Nasty business.

Fortunately for the archons of Mount Celestia, and unfortunately for Mahlhevik’s less morally upstanding associates, the tendency for Astral and Gate travel to Lunia dumping visitors into the holy surf of the Silver Sea means that fiends visiting the Ethereal Keep are few and far between.

At night, when the silver light of the moons dances on the waves, the castle seems to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. It’s a reminder that this is a haven where redemption and change stand in stark contrast to the unwavering judgment of Mount Celestia, offering a unique and complicated path for those who dare to step beyond the boundaries of strict virtue.

Canonical Sources:

• Manual of the Planes (3e) p134 (description of the castle)
• Planewalker’s Handbook (2e) p24 (brief mention)