The Gleaming Spire
Realm of Avani
Location: Mechanus
The Gleaming Spire is a luminous realm of brilliant clarity and clockwork elegance—a warm beacon of reason surrounded by the cold logic of Mechanus. It is a grand palace of crystalline flame, glittering like a blazing jewel on the face of a colossal gear that spans miles across. An orb set into the top of the Spire shines like a sun against the dark metal expanse of Mechanus, casting a glow which is equal parts stark and beautiful. The shadow cast by the back of the Spire lays a pall of night on all neighbouring cogs, which is most unusual for Mechanus. The Spire’s entire gear turns with mechanical precision, enacting Avani’s calculated rhythm of day and night, which sweep through the sector in turn each day.
The realm is actually split across both sides of the gear. The top face hosts towering structures of crystal and glass that rise like spires of frozen flame, each building perfect and symmetrical. Delicate, transparent bridges connect the towers at all levels. Every angle catches and refracts the light, so that the entire realm scintillates in the daylight hours, casting prismatic reflections that dance like fiery aurora across the neighbouring cogs. The towers fit together like a puzzle, each piece tessellating perfectly with the next, all aligned to the cryptic patterns of logic decreed by Avani herself.
The Spire is governed by a group of mortals known as the Sunbound, who dress in shimmering golden robes, their skin tattooed with glowing sunlit patterns. They enforce Avani’s rules of logic and reason within the realm. The Sunbound offer guidance, but they also act as moral judges, deciding which actions reflect true thoughtfulness. They also serve as mentors for those seeking knowledge, although their standards are unyielding—cutters found to be acting impulsively are sternly reminded of the cost of disrespecting Avani’s principles.
On the underside of the gear, there is a labyrinthine network of tunnels. These crystalline halls are engraved with arcane glyphs, where glowing symbols float in the air, tracing equations of magical energy. Down in the tunnels, silence is the norm, broken only by the steady ticking of Mechanus’s machinery and the faint hum of magical resonance. Scholars and mystics dwell here, studying the mysteries of magic and the arcane, shielded from the relentless sun above. Those who come here to study examine the laws of magic and the principles that govern the multiverse itself. It’s a popular place for the more magically-inclined factioneers of the Fraternity of Order to come and research.
Other inhabitants of the Gleaming Spire are petitioners, primes and planars devoted to Avani’s ideals of order and logic. Khinasi scholars, mystics, and philosophers make up a large portion, though more unusual visitors can be found here too. Among them are beings known as the Reflections—abstract entities made of ever-shifting crystal, who wander the Gleaming Spire offering insights or posing riddles to visitors. Chant goes they are manifestations of Avani’s divine intellect, as they tend to appear wherever questions of reason and ethics are debated, often making their points with pointed, unconventional wisdom. Those with a curious mind and sharp wit can engage in debates with a Reflection, who may reveal unique truths and open pathways to hidden corners of the Spire. In some rare cases, visitors with a particular aptitude for reason may be invited into the Mirrored Chambers beneath the Spire, where Avani’s most faithful contemplate higher truths. Those who prove themselves worthy are sometimes granted visions or insights from Avani herself.
The Gleaming Spire offers boundless opportunity to those who seek knowledge, wisdom, and clarity. Scholars and sages can find libraries stocked with ancient tomes and scrolls, artefacts of deep magics of light and flame and philosophical texts of both the Inner and Outer Planes awaiting study. But even here, the texts resist interpretation by the unprepared—only those who approach with logical rigour and patience can decipher the secrets contained within. Pilgrims also find themselves drawn to the Crystal Plaza, where every sunrise brings an infusion of Avani’s radiant power, granting a surge of insight to those who meditate in its light.
The dangers here, however, are just as subtle. The realm punishes impulsiveness and discourages emotions that cloud reason. Any visitor who cannot control their temper, or who attempts to act without careful thought, may find themselves mysteriously lost within the tunnels, wandering a path that seems to lead in endless circles. Even attempts to cast spells without purpose are known to fail, for magic here aligns with reason and rejects careless incantations.
More fearsome still are the creatures known as Solar Anthemas—living embodiments of logic-bound flames—who are both guardians and conduits of magical knowledge. These fiery entities patrol the Spire and can answer questions with startling precision, but beware: they are quick to sear any visitor who attempts to disrupt the realm’s order with careless actions.
Avani’s most formidable defence is her realm’s ability to shut itself off from those who disrespect it. A visitor acting in violation of the realm’s principles might suddenly find themselves on the edge of the gear, its mechanism turning away from them as if rejecting their presence entirely. Those who truly disregard the realm’s rules may find the crystalline structures turning opaque, locking them out from all knowledge and effectively exiling them from the Spire itself.
For those who seek truth over comfort, who value wisdom over whimsy, the Gleaming Spire is a sanctuary. Yet for anyone unable to match Avani’s dedication to reason, it can become an unforgiving, unyielding prison of crystal and light.
Canonical Sources: On Hallowed Ground [2e] p162,179. Canonwatch: The descriptions of the realm are very brief so this entry is extrapolated from what’s been published.
Source: Jon Winter-Holt