Findings

Since the first public execution by the use of frobidden magic, many more simmilar cases followed in the next years.

The whole empire was in shock, all of the individuals on the trials, every single one of them, used to be a respected colleague, a rival or even a mentor and a friend to many among the magic comunity, who grew up to admire them at some point. But now that the ugly side of their life was out for everyone to see, only dissapointment remained

The trials continued for years without end in the event that was later called as the "records of sin" by future elven schoolars. The council seeing the rising trend of continuous cases of illegal research, was put under great pressure, as they needed to do something soon or things would end up getting out of control, putting the stability of Lefheim at risk. This sense or urgency surrounding the council came about from the belive among their members that, eventually some of these illegal experiments would end up bearing fruit, giving the researchers the opportunity to make a breakthrough. And only the Gods would know what kind of catastrophe the wicked mages in charge of these cruel experiments could bring to the world.

The feeling of insecurity of the population from all across the empire grew increasingly more pronounced as rumors where the disappearance of people and inexplicable murders, were in fact directly tied to the numerous cases of the use of frobidden magic by the hands of some crazed mages in the search for immortality. This created a rift betweend the empire citizens and the magic comunity, where now the common man looked at the mages with fear and wariness.

The great prestige built around the image of magi and magic thorough millenia was being dragged to the mud, smearing the reputarion of the magic comunity by the acts of insane individuals dazzled by the vague promises longevity, who driven by their ultimate goal, have let wicked machinations push them to even make use of their own bretheren in order to advance their research.

Unexpectedly, actual progress in the search for a way to acheve immortality was made, but not by the use of frobidden magic, instead, a young archmage by the name of Theodore Navor, a main member of the Navor family, one of the 12 original noble families of the empire; made the discovery in what he determined as the key to achieve godhood, the spirit vessel.

The discovery came about when Theodore, who was looking through some old historical records in his family library, found and old journal of one of his ancestors who claimed to have a direct relation with Goddess Lessalia herself during his lifetime. In one of the entries of the journal it mentioned how he was told by the Goddess that the powers of the gods originate from something called "the godspark" that resided within their bodies. In later entries of the journal, he used his own words to say:

"Birthed from the spirit vessel, the godspark is formed, and with it, the divine flames the gave all Gods their might...".

"... " Theodore was shocked, what he just found that day was a lead that could potentialy be the key to achieving godhood. Berating himself and all the other members of his family for leaving such piece of information colecting dust, he then made his way to the magic council. He velived this was the Solution to the cases of frobidden magic now that he possesed a clear lead pointing in the right direction now in his hands.

Once he made it to the council and reported his findings, he found that the news didn't brought relief to the expressions of his peers. His confusion didn't last long though, for the council unanimously voted to seal the news and frobid the leak of any piece of information related to the spirit vessel.

They didn't frobid their members to make use of this information and research own, for the council belived they should make use of this knowledge. But any new discovery related to the spirit vessel must remain hidden, only to be shared among members, as the council knew just how dangerous it'll be for the empire and the elves as a race should any of the other "lesser races" obtained access to it.

Theodore was furious and disappointed, he couldn't belive how selfish and arrogant the council have become, by hiding news of the spirit vessel in exchange for keeping it hidden from the other races, the council will play blind, allowing the cases of frobidden magic to keep happening only to use them as a cover. By abandoning their own people for the sake of immortality, the council and the 12 families were no different from the monsters who used frobidden magic in the eyes of Theodore.

Even though he voiced his opinions, nothing of what he said entered the ears of the council. But he was not alone, sharing the same views as him, many other young mages from the 12 families expressed simmilar thoughts. But still their voice was only a minority.

The magic council had existed since even before the empire did, originally called as the council of elders, it was a powerful coalition of mages from the oldest and most prestigious families among their race, overall, the strenght and influence that the council possess is something none in elven society dares to defy, not even the emperor himself. A group of young, idealits elves is in no position to sway the opinion of the council as a whole, much less opose it.

The elders of the council new of their advantage, and were clearly aware that not everyone would agree with their decision, but as the oldest figures within its ranks, they possesed inmense power. Even if some people opposed them, they'll find themselves fighting against the whole council and the families behind it. Their decision of course didn't steem from their selfish desires only, it was also motivated by the sense of threat that the other races brought to them.

Since the creation of the empire, the council have been fighting a silent war in the shadow in order to supress the growth of the lesser races, this was made so the empire could mantain it's stability. If somehow the secret of the spirit vessel were to reach the hands of the vassal races it would spell the destruction of Lefheim.

In the 12 millenia of the empire history, many wrongs had been done, and even though in an superficial level isn't obvious, a lot of hostility ang hatred had built in the hearts of the other races under the empire rule.