Keepsake Spheres

You never stopped to wonder how so much fae nonsense actually made it here? They didn't walk Chimeras, Gorgons, and Unicorns all the way here themselves

— Bleighel the Historian

  Moment Spheres represent just one example of the truly remarkable arcane artifacts the Fae were capable of at the height of their prosperity prior to Tairos. The High Kings and Queens of the fae commissioned many wonderous new spells or devices during their reign; and sadly most were lost in the disaster that claimed their home world. Yet; one of the most magnificent of their inventions not only survived the disaster but was instrumental in escaping it. Keepsake Spheres.   Fae magicians combined their mastery of Abjuration, Conjuration , and Transmutation to forge tiny spheres no larger than peach pits that were capable of holding entire parcels of land inside. And, with those chucks of land, also living things. Entire estates, even castles and surrounding farms, could be captured within Keepsakes. Once inside, all living things would be preserved within a suspended state, dreaming forever, beyond the flow of time. There, they could be held until such a time as to be safely expelled from the Keepsake and into a new world. With these devices, whole families, entire villages even, were spared the horror of having to walk The Black Road.   The Shadow Court knew that these spheres could be used by the rebellious fae to escape their rule entirely or even turn Keepsakes into prisons should they wish to rise up against the Court itself. Thus, each sphere can only opened by a ruling member of the Court or someone baring their seal. Additionally, the magic that made the Keepsakes is not indefinite. It took tremendous amounts of Manacite to forge each of them and the power they contain is constantly seething, threatening to burn the spheres out. Under the best of conditions, they may last hundreds of years, perhaps longer, but their lifespans are still finite. As they deteriorate, the frozen moment that everything within the sphere exists in will crumble and turn to ash. This includes the living as well.   Many Keepsakes were lost on the Black Road along with those bearing them. Many of the fae in Tairos would often embark on quests venturing back into the road to reclaim Keepsakes; others would barter with the masters of that damnable realm to retrieve them. During the Queen's War the Keepsakes were used for recruitment, opening thousands of them only to draft the newly released fae into her armies.   It is believed many Keepsakes may still exist in modern Tairos. Non-fae likely have no idea what they may possess, seeing them only as large precious stones with an aura of magic to them. Surviving fae may still possess Keepsakes that they cannot open without the help of the Shadow Court. Those dedicated and resourceful enough used all their talents to track down the elusive group while others may be willing to turn to darker powers such as demons or the dread gods of the Black Road.