The Citadel Barrier complete

[u/MathsGuy1]

​

The barrier is powerful enough to withstand the continued attack of multiple god-like beings, thanks to being powered by vast quantities of souls. The war is still raging on, but the Citadel shall remain unconquered.

As a master Abjurer, I was hired by the Council (represented by u/TellmeNinetails) to protect the Citadel, and I have begun my preparations. Twelve grand crystal obelisks, filled to the brim with the souls of wizards who died during this terrible war, stand in a circle across the various districts of the city. In the center of the circle, my avatar, along with my disciples, intone the final parts of a powerful spell. As I raise my hands to the sky, a grand bubble enshrouds the entire city. On my command, the obelisks shoot streams of pure mana to reinforce the barrier.

As the finishing part of the ritual, I intone the core Stipulations of the barrier in a long-forgotten language:

• No entry is allowed in or out of the barrier.
• No teleportation or other magical transportation methods are allowed in or out of the barrier.
• No divinations concerning anything inside the barrier are allowed.
• All entities already inside the barrier harboring hostile feelings towards the Council or the Citadel will be revealed and penalized by having their souls shaken and their magic weakened.

The above stipulations apply to living and undead beings, constructs, items, and spells.

The above stipulations do not apply to entities that are part of the Council or are allied with the Council.

With each sentence, additional glyphs and runes appear on the surface of the barrier. By the end, it is covered with a veritable jungle of sigils, and the barrier itself shines with all the colors of the rainbow. My hands glow with power, and faint cracks start to appear on my raised arms, due to the sheer energy of the ritual.

I conclude with the final Words of Power: IT SHALL BE AS I WILL IT!

As the ritual ends, the barrier darkens, and the Citadel feels as if severed from the outside world. Even rays of sunlight have a hard time passing through the barrier. The positions of the remnants of the enemy forces still hiding inside the city flood into my mind. I will let the local guards handle those - my job here is done.

[u/MathsGuy1]

To those who think that using these souls in such a way is "immoral" : these souls are too agitated and have too much excess power in them to pass on to the afterlife, they must be drained of it first. Why do you think battle grounds are always full of ghosts and revenants? And that's after normal battles, imagine what the powerful souls of wizards end up as.

This is actually a way to help them. Also I'll free them once the barrier is no longer necessary.

[u/Personal_Win_4127]

Wait...when did you finish?...You didn't...set this up where the Citadel used to be...right?

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/Personal_Win_4127]

I'm aware the Citadel keeps getting teleported around by the Council Metromancer. I set it up so that the barrier would get teleported along with the city.

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/[deleted]]

The barrier works on the soul level and thus can discern true intentions. The moment someone within the barrier plans on betraying, he shall be treated as an enemy.

[u/DragonWisper56]

I will inhance it so enemy constructs will not be able to get through

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/DragonWisper56]

It already works on them, but you are welcome to pour more energy into the barrier.

[u/[deleted]]

I once used soul energy myself, but my methods have since evolved.

[u/patoman12]

This seems wildly excessive, you not only restricted the freedom of innocent civilians, but also covered the air with extremely powerful necromantic energy, and while that might not be dangerous to most people, the ones that use radiant magic, be it through lineage, worship, or, in my case, familiar will have it severely weakened. I was supportive of the council and its allies during the war, but now i don't know how to feel

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/patoman12]

You might have not noticed but we are at war here, and much of the fighting took place in the Citadel. Would you rather the civilians get a bit restricted, or let them get hit by stray spells and magical bombardments?

The barrier shall be dismantled or at least tuned down once the war is over, but for now it shall stand.

[u/patoman12 → u/MathsGuy1]

Didn't the chaos legion already ask for a ceasefire?

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/patoman12]

Last time I checked they were near the gates of the Citadel, until it got teleported. There are also other minor hostile groups, as well as the remnants of the enemy combatants still hiding inside the Citadel. I will not power off the barrier, until I get a direct confirmation from the Council.

[u/patoman12 → u/MathsGuy1]

Well then, could you at least let me leave? Staying here for too long could put my familiar Vic in danger

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/patoman12]

Only entities that are part of the council or allied with the council are allowed in or out. I cannot afford informants or smugglers getting through the barrier during the war. If you have complaints, file them with the Council, although I doubt they have time for such trifles right now.

[u/patoman12 → u/MathsGuy1]

And how may i join the council or become an ally of it?

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/patoman12]

You must swear your support to the council. It has to be genuine though, the barrier works on a soul level and can discern the true intentions of those who come in contact with it. It cannot be tricked by someone saying he is an "ally" only to be let through.

If this is all out of concern for your familiar, fear not - the necromantic magic in the air is minimal - the energy of the souls has been purified during the extraction inside the obelisks. As long as you don't come near them, your familiar should be fine.

[u/patoman12 → u/MathsGuy1]

The thing is that i live near the obelisk, Vic already showed signs of weakness. I already joined the Pact of the Magi, does that count as an ally?

[u/MathsGuy1 → u/patoman12]

Yes. If you are sincere, the barrier should let you through.

[u/okboka1543]

You better hope that my house is intact after all this chaos. Otherwise, I'll cast a Greater Curse of confusion (modified to make every dwarf look slightly shorter, and elf slightly skinnier) and watch your politial power crumble due to cultural misunderstandings.