Many travellers consider Waterdeep of Toril the largest city in the known spheres. Many would contest this (Sigil of the Planes, Greyhawk of Oerth, New York of Terra), but in truth there is a city larger and more developed than Waterdeep. It is Glorin, the island city-state resting in the Great Western Sea of Paysage.
For millennia, none knew of Glorin because it was a fifty-mile wide island literally thousands of miles from nowhere. Rumors had it that, in the early years of the First Great Magical Age of Omni, sailors (travelling in archaic, seagoing vessels) tried to find an oceanic passage from one continent to another. (None knew back then that there was only one major continent on Omni.) These sailors, rumored to be ten score ships strong, set sail from Ancient Clifford looking for new land. Many hardships arose and met them on their journey; nearly half the crew was lost to various monsters and their kin. After months of travel, they happened upon the island.
Happy to finally find land, even though it was rather small, the settlers decided to build a settlement here. Unlike other worlds, where they harbor fears and trepidation about women on sailing ships, Omni considered women a good sign to have on a ship. The settlers named the island Glorin, an ancient word meaning "safe haven and home."
These settlers, all honorable warriors, mages and clerics of the old gods, decided to build a beautiful city. Although separated from the rest of the world, somehow they managed to develop a large fortification and city. When the rest of Omni was thrown into The Chaos Times, Glorin was spared. They remained a peaceful community, with a strong sense of commitment to one another.
When the Second Magical Age (and the coming of the Magi) came to Omni, the ruling council decided to set sail on their new and marvelous "Spelljammers" to map the world. Imagine their surprise when the found a city in the middle of the ocean! Contact was established, and friendly relations grew between the rulers of Glorin and the Magi Council. When Omni united a millennia past, Glorin gladly joined the world ruling body.
Glorin became a naval hub, as new ships (better at navigating the rough Paysage waters) began to sail the ocean and skies. Lord Monitor, when first assuming the head of the Council five centuries past, first travelled to Glorin for the Omniversal Peace Conference, the first step toward peace in Omnispace.
Today, however, it is the new Imperium Ars Magican of the Council who strolls the streets of Glorin. Tannenbam Colicor, a small, almost frail looking man stepped out of the Glorin Council Building into the fresh morning air. Located close to their docks, the salt sea breeze drifts in along with the catch of the day, fish from ships that left late night hunting for food. Next to Lord Colicor is his personal assistant, a towering bulk of a man named Rikard. Standing two full heads taller than Colicor, he wears a barbarian clothing and a huge two- headed axe hangs from his belt. His rough face is contorted into a grimacing look. Colicor takes a deep breath and starts walking toward the center of town.
There, in what was once the central courtyard and public park, people of all races are working on a large, alabaster-colored arch. Although only half completed, the arch was already five stories tall. Near the center of the arch stands are three Arcane, looking over plans and schematics. One looks over to the Magi and his 'assistant', getting the attention of a taller, more regal Arcane. Lord Colicor walks quickly to meet them.
"Te'Ess-Arr!" Colicor shouted, reaching out an hand to greet the leader of the GATH, "What a pleasant surprise! I didn't expect to see you here today. To what do we owe this honor?"
"Lord Colicor," Te'Ess-Arr replied, bowing as he shook the Necromancer's hand, "also an unexpected surprise. My technicians have delivered the final parts for assembly of this Gate. I wanted to be on hand for its supervision. With your permission, of course."
"By all means," Colicor replied, his voice cold and monotone, as usual. "Omni is always welcome to you. How fares construction of the other gates?"
Te'Ess-Arr directed Colicor to a large table several feet from where they were standing. The Arcane showed the Magi a map of Omnispace. One planet, close to the center, was labeled in black. Two others were in yellow, two in green and one in blue.
"As you can see," Te'Ess-Arr began, pointing to the individual planets," Karnak, the planet marked in blue is already finished. Gobul and Maclear, the green ones merely required to be linked to the system as their gates are in place. Omni and Duranus are in the final stages of construction."
"Your people certainly move quickly," Colicor commented as he looked over the plans.
"Thank you." Te'Ess-Arr started to move to show Colicor when a halfling approached, handing him a message. Te'Ess-Arr paused for a second to read it.
"Lord Colicor," Te'Ess-Arr said as he finished the message, "it appears that I have more good news for you. As you requested, I have been looking into that strange artifact. My artificers have completed their studies, and the findings are quite favorable. It appears to be a dimensional-linking device, something that can access outer planes quiet easily."
"Interesting," Colicor replied coolly.
"What is more, it appears to be compatible with our system we are putting in place at this moment. My artificers tell me that if we were to uplink it to the main arch here on Glorin, it would increase temporal displacement by half, thus doubling travel capability!"
"Amazing! Truly amazing." Lord Colicor reached out and shook Te'Ess-Arr's hand again. "You have our blessing to adapt the device to the system. Please forgive us, but we have other business to attend to. We must be leaving."
"Quite all right, Lord Colicor. I have other business to attend to myself." Te'Ess-Arr bowed again. If you will excuse me." The arcane walked back to his companions, while Colicor and Rikard started back to the docks where his ship waited.
"Rikard," Colicor said in a hushed tone. "Do you realize what this means?"
The big man just shook his head.
"If that artifact does what the fool Arcane said it does, then I will be able to obtain complete control of Omnispace in half the time!"
"Master, you already Magic...Maci...Camigan...master now?" Rikard's words were slow in forming, and showed a rather limited intellect. "Why bother?"
"Because I still have to deal with that damnable Council AND the Omniversal Defense Force. Honorable sots. Once the gates are all in place, I can use my own troops to seize control the Council and the chiefs of staff, and thanks to something I've been working on, I'll get them to see things my way."
The tall bulk of a man and his master continued toward the docks, while Te'Ess- Arr watched them go. An aide, shorter than Te'Ess-Arr (as he was the tallest Arcane, all were shorter than he) approached the head of GATH.
"Sir?" He spoke in the Arcane tongue
"Yes, DeNDee?" Te'Ess-Arr never looked away from the magi and barbarian.
"Wasn't it a risk to tell them that they had the Bri..." Te'Ess-Arr turned and slapped the man so hard, DeNDee fell to the ground, his jaw broken.
"I don't care if no one else here can speak our tongue, never speak the name of the artifact! I trust no one! Let Colicor think what he wants to think. Soon, all will be as I have planned. Get yourself to a healer, weakling, then get off this world!"
DeNDee stood and scrambled away from Te'Ess-Arr as quickly as possible. Te'Ess-Arr looked over at another Arcane, nodding. The other understood his master's silent message. None would see DeNDee alive again.
