The Spiral

In Cobalt, down in the mountain’s depths is the Spiral: an ancient, anti-entropically powered magical working place. It is walked from the center outward and it reads those who walk it so as to establish conditions for whatever work is to be performed at the Doors of Manifestation (counterparts to the Veils). At the end of the walk, one steps inside or outside the Spiral, again depending on the work being done, and the Spiral seals itself into the Circled Spiral.

It protects itself through a great degree of control over its locale. Most often, it will recognize those who come to use it unlawfully (including most anyone outside the family, and some in it), and simply shunt them to an illusionary reality where they will accomplish whatever it was they wanted to do and depart believing they have succeeded. It’s quite good at fooling people this way. Other defenses, however, run the gamut of what magic can provide, though it usually resorts to teleporting offenders away, or beating them senseless with stone elementals that rise up from the floor of the chamber itself.

The Spiral is usable by others, and is occasionally sought out by cross-Shadow mages with a lot of time to spare.

Then there was the Spiral Explosion

For a time after this, the spiral was possessed by the spirit of Toram who used it to infect and exert control anyone who walked it. This presence was purged by a Variable Pattern net cast over the Spiral. The net was removed, but can be replaced at any time.