The Grand Arcane Catastrophe

Discovery, Scientific

In 1325 DR, a coalition of arcane scholars, artificers, and planar researchers from across the Radiant Citadel embarked on an ambitious project to better understand the true capabilities of the Auroral Diamond. Led primarily by the Arcane Keystone Guild with support from Zinda’s enchanters and Yongjing’s scholars, the experiment sought to channel the raw magical essence of the Diamond to create a stable, city-wide enhancement field that would strengthen infrastructure, improve interplanar navigation, and provide a sustainable source of magic. The initial results were promising—early tests allowed spellcasters to extend the duration of enchantments, and some even theorized that the project could lead to an unprecedented age of magical advancement within the Citadel.

However, the experiment quickly spiraled out of control. As the researchers attempted to scale up their efforts, a resonance surge destabilized the Diamond’s energy field, causing an arcane backlash that rippled across the city. Buildings flickered between states of existence, sections of the Trade Discal and Passage of Respite were momentarily shifted into the Ethereal Plane, and wild magic storms raged through the districts. Some citizens temporarily lost their ability to cast spells, while others found their magic suddenly amplified beyond control. The crisis lasted nearly a full day before the researchers, with the assistance of the Speakers for the Ancestors, managed to stabilize the Diamond’s energies by shutting down the project entirely.   The catastrophe resulted in a lasting distrust of large-scale magical experimentation within the Citadel. The Arcane Keystone Guild suffered a severe blow to its reputation, with many of its leading members forced into early retirement. Yongjing and Dayawlongon scholars advocated for new regulations that would prevent such reckless endeavors in the future, leading to the establishment of the Grand Magical Ethics Accord of 1326 DR. While some saw the event as a tragedy, others whispered that the Dawn Incarnates themselves had intervened, ensuring that their power would never be fully harnessed for mortal ambition. To this day, all major magical projects within the Citadel require extensive review and approval, and any attempt to study the Auroral Diamond is met with extreme scrutiny.