Spellpool

The Spellpool was our crowning achievement. Arcane magic made material, concentrated spell energy so pure you could run your fingers through it. It was also the most powerful scrying device ever wrought, and by using it our seers could look far into the future... further than anyone ever had, and perhaps, further than was wise.
--Amber Dragon, in An Alternate History - The Scarlet War

At the top of the Jade Tower lies the Spellpool. This artifact, possibly the most powerful ever constructed, and certainly the most versatile, serves several purposes. Its primary purpose is as a repository of arcane energy, for use by the College of Mages. An advanced Mage of the Arcane Order can tap into the stored energy to power his own spells, eventually even using it to cast spells he doesn't know.

Alternately, the stored energy can fuel ritual magic without the need for multiple spellcasters or elaborate preparations. It has done this on a massive scale on at least three occasions, once during the Scarlet War and twice recently during the Glory Exultation Mass and Cometfall.

A secondary purpose, unintentional to its original construction, is the scrying ability. Any user who has bonded with the Spellpool seems to be able to use it to see nearly anywhere in the world in real time. Under the direction of one who has the Sight, it also apparently has the ability to see the past and the multi-threaded future, even in some cases exploring hypothetical situations. It also seems as well to have the capability of tapping into a mortal's memories, in some cases even better than that mortal could do so on their own.

Bonding to the Pool

Creating a connection with the pool requires the permanent forfeiture of a known spell, removing it ever after from that character's spell list. This bond allows characters to make use of the scrying ability, and also channel energy from the pool into themselves or others. Bonding is also the primary requirement for acceptance as a Mage of the Arcane Order, and they eventually develop the ability to tap the Spellpool from great distances.

Non-spellcasters may not make use of the Spellpool's powers in any fashion.

Curious Resident

When the Mages of the Jade Tower performed the ritual to take the Holy Temple at Mt. Daneasus out of time, Segilus the Blind, their Master Seer, offered his own life to guide the spell, and bonded with the ritual magic itself.

What no one - not even he - could have predicted was that he would retain his power and his sentience, as a living spell. Though, with the return of the Temple, his purpose in that effort was fulfilled, the spell yet lingers in the Spellpool, acting as a guide and assistant to the leader of the Jade Imperium, Aurora the Insightful.

Appearance

• About 8 feet across, 3 feet high, with 18" walls made of solid jade, and inscribed with silver and gold runes.
• The silver lines running up the sides of the Tower culminate here, connecting to the pool and acting as conduits for the ley line energy. This energy slowly refills the Pool even if no one donates spell power to the pool.