The Tishtan excavation site is a location in the northeastern Hellcatch Valley of Marquet in which a Malleus Key was constructed in the ruins of an ancient civilization.
Description[]
The site is a pit in the desert landscape of the Hellcatch, surrounded by small encampments. Two sets of winding steps lead down into the pit proper.[3]
In Fessuran 843, it was a busy construction site with multiple workers building the primary Malleus Key for use in the Apogee Solstice. Otohan Thull was heavily involved in the construction and frequently present on-site, along with hulkingly large automaton guards. After its activation the machine became protected by Reiloran forces and, eventually, the Malleus Keep built around it.
History[]
Background[]
The Tishtan were a nomadic magic-obsessed society that traveled across Exandria during the time of The Schism building small monuments and ritual sites. They vanished mysteriously.[4] They were known for building strange devices to channel power.[5]
One of their ruins in the Hellcatch Valley was the projected location of the nexus of the Apogee solstice in 843 PD. It had also been the focus site for a solstice many centuries before, leading Planerider Ryn to believe the ley lines of Exandria shift in a recurring pattern. The site had been being excavated by the Aydinlan Seminary of Yios for the past five years, but a little over three years before the solstice's projected date, the Cerberus Assembly of the Dwendalian Empire appeared and took over the site through putting pressure on the Seminary and the Court of the Lambent Path, given the still-lingering tensions of the Apex War.[6]
The overall design of the fortifications and the Malleus Key there had similarities to Aeorian architecture and technology.[7]
"Red Moon Rising" (3x50)[]
As the location of the primary and (at that point) only undamaged Malleus Key, the site became the focus of attention of all those involved in the machinations of the Ruby Vanguard to destroy the magical chains around Ruidus binding Predathos. Bells Hells encountered Beauregard Lionett and Caleb Widogast there, on a similar mission to destroy the Malleus Key. Caleb shared that the entire site was illusion-proofed, that pulses of dispel magic radiated every minute, and that there was at least one mage hunter golem at the base of the Key. The construction was intricate, as Ludinus had been planning this for some time, reverse engineering Aeorian technology and bringing distilled dunamis for use within the central Key, which was surrounded by mesh-like power devices.
"The Apogee Solstice" (3x51)[]
On the verge of the Solstice, Bells Hells infiltrated the site concealed in the belly of a hulking Warder automaton. They were able to destroy one of the power grids for the Key before Caleb and Beau knocked out the antimagic generators and were captured. This prompted Ludinus Da'leth to accelerate time and activate the Key at less than full strength. When Keyleth arrived to help in the attack, she was immediately immobilized and brought to death's door before Vax'ildan interposed himself to protect her. Liliana Temult activated the mirrors installed within the excavation pit to focus arcane energy upon him, shrinking Vax into a small black sphere that was installed within the Key as its final lens, and Ludinus activated it, creating a powerful burst of arcane energy with a red beam of Exaltant power connecting the site to Ruidus.
"Phantasmal Parley" (3x72)[]
According to a desert warden druid working for Paragon's Call, the site is currently protected by Otohan Thull and an army of more than a hundred soldiers and reilora.[8]
"A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76)[]
In the war meeting in Whitestone Castle it was confirmed that most of the forces that surrounded the Red Center were from Vasselheim. It was also revealed that some form of innate power from the Reilora was diminishing divine magic in the area, lessening healing spells, for example.
"Rush for the Bloody Bridge" (3x82)[]
When Bells Hells returned to the excavation site there had been some changes and new structures were surrounding and protecting the area of the Malleus Key. Moreover, there were several traps, such as hidden glyphs that contained the Flesh to Stone spell.
"Broken Roads" (3x92) and "Bittersweet Reunions" (3x93)[]
When Bells Hells returned from Ruidus through the Bloody Bridge they noticed the presence of Ruidian beasts that had been brought to the excavation, and signs of new battles that had taken place there. As they were leaving, they also noticed pikes that had been adorned with trophies that displayed symbols of different temples, including those of Sehanine, the Duskmaven and Avandra.
They learned that now there were more encampments surrounding the Red Center, and when they arrived at theirs, it had been fortified, and had walls created with magic and proper gates.
"The Cradle's Convocation" (3x104) and "Collecting Legends" (3x105)[]
Bells Hells learned that the Ruidian forces, including Ozo Cruth, the Sunder King, were now protecting the Malleus Key, and that the Weave Mind themselves had terraformed the terrain to create a defensive fortress around it.[9]
References[]
- ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 0:18:42.
- ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) at 1:26:03.
- ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) at 0:15:51.
- ↑ See "Axiom Shaken" (3x43) at 3:30:49.
- ↑ See "An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48) at 1:37:13.
- ↑ See "Axiom Shaken" (3x43) at 3:29:41.
- ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 0:32:38.
- ↑ See "Phantasmal Parley" (3x72) at 0:43:49.
- ↑ See "The Cradle's Convocation" (3x104) at 4:01:15. Vex'ahlia called it the "Malleus Keep" at "Collecting Legends" (3x105) at 1:02:31.
Art:
- ↑ Official map of the Hellcatch Valley showing the excavation's location as a red triangle north-northeast of Bassuras, by Deven Rue from "Promise and Potential" (3x22). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.