Crystalmere

The shimmering city of Crystalmere sits along the Lunaris Reach River, a waterway that, under the full moon’s glow, gleams like liquid silver. The river flows through the heart of the city, dividing its districts while binding them together in a web of bridges and walkways.

A bastion of knowledge and healing, Crystalmere is home to the esteemed Luminaris Academy of Healing and the Archivium Medicus, where centuries of medical wisdom have been meticulously recorded and preserved. The academy’s glistening spires rise high above the city, visible from nearly every quarter, a beacon for scholars and healers alike. Beneath the Archivium Medicus is a hidden vault beneath called Argent Achrives, containing forbidden or dangerous texts on lost healing arts, experimental magic, and forgotten Fey remedies. Only the highest-ranking scholars and healers are granted access, and whispers suggest that some knowledge here should remain buried.

Beyond its scholarly pursuits, Crystalmere is also known for its Obscura Alley, a bustling enchantment district where curious trinkets, rare ingredients, and Fey-crafted artifacts can be found. However, buyers beware—every item here carries the unpredictable touch of wild magic. The Obscura, lined with winding stalls and ancient storefronts, is one of the city's main arteries, pulsing with both commerce and mystery.

Spread throughout Crystalmere are the Whispering Lanterns, beautifully crafted from colored glass, drifting weightlessly across the city like scattered stars. These enchanted lanterns are said to carry the voices of spirits and the echoes of the dead—if one listens closely, faint whispers can be heard weaving through the air. Some believe they are remnants of the ancient battle between Starlight and Wildfire, imbued with lingering magic from that celestial clash.

On one night each year, the Night of Twilight, the lanterns burn with an ethereal glow, their light intensifying as the barrier between the living and the dead grows thin. On this night, spirits gather beneath their glow, their translucent forms drifting like mist through the streets of Crystalmere, whispering forgotten truths and lost memories to those who dare to listen.

There are other parts of Crystalmere, like the Twilight Market. It only appears on the full moon, and all sorts of Vendors from across Mothalsia—including Fey, spirits, and rogue alchemists—sell rare herbs, lost relics, and enchanted artifacts. Prices are not always measured in coin but sometimes in secrets, memories, or favors.

The Silverweave Canals are a network of enchanted waterways that shimmer like woven moonlight. These canals are infused with old magic and are used to transport goods, travelers, and scholars throughout the city. Some believe that if you drift along them under the right lunar alignment, they can lead to hidden realms.

Crystalmere is an enchanting city with magic and mystery all its own.

The Lunar Council

A ruling body composed of scholars, healers, and magical practitioners, the Lunar Council oversees Crystalmere’s laws, education, and magical ethics. Each seat is held by an elder representing different facets of the city—medicine, magic, history, commerce, and spirit-watching (those who study the dead). The council convenes in The Argent Hall, a domed chamber where moonlight is said to guide their decisions.

Luminaris Academy of Healing

The Luminaris Academy of Healing stands as the heart of medical and magical healing in Crystalmere. Nestled atop a marble terrace overlooking the Lunaris Reach River, its glistening spires seem to catch the moon’s light, giving the academy an ethereal glow at night. Scholars, healers, and alchemists from all across Mothalsia and beyond travel to Luminaris to study under the finest minds in medicine, magic, and holistic healing.

Architecture & Atmosphere

The academy is an awe-inspiring structure, built from moonstone and enchanted crystal, designed to resonate with both natural and arcane energies. Its halls are illuminated by softly glowing glyphs, which shift in color based on the time of day and the magic flowing through them. The vast libraries of Luminaris hold countless tomes detailing centuries of healing practices, from ancient herbal remedies to advanced magical procedures.

Within its sprawling courtyards, floating luminescent gardens bloom with medicinal plants cultivated for their rare properties. Here, students practice under the guidance of seasoned instructors, learning how to combine traditional healing with magic-infused treatments.

Divisions of Study

The academy is divided into several specialized disciplines, ensuring a well-rounded education for all who study within its halls:

• The School of Physica – Dedicated to the science of the body, surgery, and herbal medicine.
• The School of Etheric Restoration – Focused on magical healing, purification spells, and counteracting curses.
• The School of Alchemical Remedies – Specializing in potion-making, elixirs, and transmutational healing.
• The School of Spiritmending – A rare and secretive discipline, dedicated to healing wounds of the soul and communicating with spirits. Some believe this school is tied to the Whispering Lanterns that float across Crystalmere.
• The Order of Celestial Veins – A sect that studies the alignment of magic within the body, using celestial energy and moonlight to accelerate healing.

Admissions & Traditions

Entry into Luminaris is highly selective. Every applicant must present a Letter of Reference from a recognized healer, guild, or governing body and undergo an examination of aptitude. It is said that the academy does not only look at one’s skill but also at the intent within their heart—a cruel soul will find themselves mysteriously turned away, no matter how talented they may be.

One of the most sacred traditions of Luminaris is the Moonwake Ritual—each year, the highest-ranked students participate in a night-long vigil, where they gather beneath the academy’s Silver Bough, an ancient tree said to have healing properties. Those who pass the ritual receive a mark of Lunaris' Blessing, signifying them as true healers of Crystalmere.

The High Healers & Leadership

The academy is led by a council of High Healers, each representing one of the major disciplines of healing. The Grand Luminary, the most revered healer of the age, presides over the academy and makes final decisions on difficult cases, ethical dilemmas, and magical advancements.

Among the most famous past Grand Luminaries was Elyndra the Moonward, an elven healer who, it is said, could mend the dying with a mere touch. Her name is still spoken with reverence in the halls of Luminaris.

Archivium Medicus

The Archivium Medicus is the foremost repository of medical knowledge in all of Mothalsia, a grand structure built within the heart of Crystalmere. It serves as both a vast library and a center for scholarly study, where healers, alchemists, and researchers devote their lives to the pursuit of medical and arcane healing. The archivists who maintain it are known as the Bookbound Guardians, a prestigious order responsible for safeguarding the wisdom of generations past.

Architecture & Design

The Archivium Medicus is a towering edifice of marble, moonstone, and silvered glass, its great domed ceiling embedded with glowing runes that softly pulse in sync with the energy of the texts stored within. The walls are lined with tomes bound in enchanted leathers, their pages inscribed with everything from mundane treatments for common ailments to the most intricate magical procedures ever conceived. Floating platforms and enchanted staircases allow scholars to navigate the vast space with ease, ensuring that even the most ancient scrolls are within reach.

At the center of the Archivium, beneath a grand vaulted ceiling, is the Sanctum of Healers' Oaths, where those who study within Luminaris come to take sacred vows to use their knowledge for the benefit of all. The Everflame, a silver-blue flame said to have been kindled by the first healers, burns in the heart of this hall, symbolizing the eternal pursuit of healing wisdom.

Knowledge Preserved Within

The Archivium holds thousands of volumes, scrolls, and enchanted codices covering a vast range of healing disciplines:

• The Codex Vitae – The oldest known medical text, detailing the principles of natural healing, herbal medicine, and the balance of body and soul.
• The Lunar Grimoire – A treatise on celestial healing magic, written by an elven healer who claimed to channel the moon’s energy to mend wounds.
• The Red Ledger – A controversial collection detailing healing through blood magic, considered too dangerous for common practice.
• The Concordium of Spirits – A text detailing how to mend the souls of the lost and guide spirits to peace.

The Argent Archives – The Hidden Vault Beneath

Beneath the Archivium Medicus, accessible only through an enchanted doorway sealed with the Silver Oath, lies the Argent Archives—a hidden vault where the most dangerous, controversial, and forbidden texts are kept. Only the highest-ranking scholars and healers of Luminaris are granted access, and even among them, few truly understand the full extent of the knowledge hidden here.

It is said that within the Argent Archives, one can find:

• The Black Remedy – A text detailing a long-forgotten method of resurrection, one that comes with a terrible price.
• The Cindermark Manuscripts – A collection of notes written by an unknown Fey scholar, describing potions that could alter the very fabric of reality.
• The Hollow Hymn – A spell said to erase pain entirely, but at the cost of one's emotions and memories.
• The Bonebinder’s Journal – A volume that details the merging of flesh and spirit, a practice outlawed by the council of High Healers.

Rumors persist that some knowledge within the Argent Archives should remain buried, for there are tomes said to whisper to those who read them, urging them to unlock magics that were sealed away for good reason. Some scholars believe that the Whispering Lanterns of Crystalmere are linked to the vault, carrying the echoes of past healers who sought knowledge too dangerous to wield.

Guardians of the Archives

The Bookbound Guardians oversee both the Archivium Medicus and its hidden vault, ensuring that forbidden knowledge does not fall into the wrong hands. The Argent Warden, the highest-ranking member among them, is the only one who holds the key to certain locked texts, deciding who is worthy of accessing the vault's secrets.