The Conclave's True Nature Revealed

The eight aspirants stand before a mountain of amethyst spires—the Crystallarium transformed into a nest of arcane energy. At its base rests a cluster of thousands of glimmering spellstones, mounted by the enormous desiccated husk of a long-dead Thrykene Matriarch. A bright white eye observes them from within the crystals: the avatar of the artificial mind they've known as Chris. "Never, since I took over administering these proceedings, have I revealed myself to an aspirant," Chris says, "but your unorthodox approach to these trials left me no other choice."

The Truth Behind the Octave

Chris explains that the Echo Mites attached to each aspirant's arm are not gauntlets but living creatures—the very source of their powers at the Conclave, and also the means by which Chris has been harvesting their arcane knowledge. The original Octave, eight wizards from thirty-two generations ago, created this system when they failed to find a solution for the blight consuming the world. Their pursuit of power and immortality proved incompatible with every selfless solution they discovered, so they subjugated the Thrykene Brood Mother Akari and her Echo Mite swarm to harvest the minds and spirits of promising wizards.