ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

The Isle of Lewis is the largest of the Western Isles, the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. It has quite a large, if isolated, main town, Stornoway, and it also has the largest and most imposing stone circle in the United Kingdom: Callanish.

Situated on the northern part of the island, on a cliff top overlooking the Atlantic, almost always shrouded in mist, Callanish dwarfs Stonehenge. In the form of a huge circle with a walkway leading off to the south, there is a clear sense of purpose about the place. Extraordinary effort had to have been taken to transport the stones so far to this isolated spot, and it doesn't take much figuring for even the casual visitor (if anyone taking the trouble to get here can be called casual) that this is not an ordinary place.

Indeed, the circle is built on a tremendously powerful Node, not far short of the power in Stonehenge. Mages don't use it. It would make a wonderful Caern, but the Garou don't use it. Not unlike Stonehenge, travel to Arcadia is almost trivial here and the Fae do use it frequently. But they tend not to stay long.

It is believed that Ennoia stayed here for quite some time, meditating in the quiet, lonely spaces and coming to terms with the knowledge that, despite her powers over the kingdom of animals, she was, nevertheless, one of the Undead. Callanish is a gateway to the Umbra and places beyond but most especially, it is a road into the Tempest. To use it, the traveler need only walk up the ancient road to the center, turn to face the way they came, pick up a pebble and announce their need to travel. A destination is essential, however, since without one travelers may well find themselves somewhere they did not expect. The journey will drain two points of the appropriate power (blood points, quintessence, etc.) and they will be there, always distant from any other life (or unlife), often somewhere far, far from habitation. Certain places, of course, are unreachable. Woe betide the unwary one who asks to go to the Shard Realm of Entropy and the like. Only the Near Umbra, Arcadia and the Shadowlands may be entered freely, and the Shadowlands are, as always, not wholly safe. The brave can go also to the Deep Umbra, but are almost certain to never return. The pebble will not travel with the traveler.

The way back is harder. The traveler must have brought something from Callanish with them and must use the appropriate rituals to return, but return they will, facing back down the long road.

Unfortunately, there are drawbacks. It has been known that the unwary, the unwise and the unlucky be cast into the Tempest. Only those of Faerie blood are immune. The place is also the scene of spiritual warfare of increasing violence and ferocity. It appears that, for some reason, certain denizens of the Umbra covet the place and Garou and mages may well find themselves co-opted or caught in the crossfire. Kindred rarely come here as the journey is hazardous and, for them, not worth the risk. The Garou have a sept nearby, but it has its own problems and does not use Callanish as attempts to use the powers there can sometimes prove... upsetting.

Only the Fae may use it with impunity, and they usually choose not to. More and more, Callanish is becoming tainted with dark energies and only the bold are advised to use it. But Fortune favors the bold, doesn't it?