The "happy ending" of Gathering Storm sees the waystone destroyed and does not speak of further negative consequences for the region from this outcome.

Isn't the destruction of a waystone over something like the Nexus actually a bad, bad thing? Didn't the elves create waystones to prevent chaos running amok etc.?

Rob

I guess you could look at it as an overflow pipe from a your next door neighbour's bath that is pouring out of a wall and onto your head...

If you block the over flow pipe, then your head ends up dry, which is great for you while you are outside, but now the bath is filling up and overflowing in your neightbours bathroom...not so great for him.

That's actually a terrible anology, but once I started it I couldn't stop!

Anyway you get the picture, just because all that chaos energy isn't venting into the region anymore, it's still going somewhere...

The Elves created the waystones to allow the venting to be done in a controlled manner

Still doesn't sound quite right, though. I thought magic was already leaking there, and the waystone plugged the leak, or something like that. And with damage to the waystone, it started leaking again.

I admit I haven't read the end of the adventure yet, but if it gets destroyed, I'd expect bad repercussions.

That's what I'm saying though, I'm not sure if the Waystone plugged the leak in so much as allowed the chaos energy to disipate away harmlessly and safely..

If i change the analogy slightly to say that the water was only dripping on my head because the over flow pipe was bent, and if it was a pristine new over flow pipe the water would be going down the drain where it belongs!

Admittedly, i haven't read the info on the waystone in too much detail, but thinking of it as above would allow the OP to resolve his issue with the descriptions in the book, maybe?

Realms of Sorcery (published 2005 by BI) indicates that the waystones are part of network whereby "chaos energy" is channeled safely towards Ulthuan and its vortex (the big planet saver the elves pulled off ages ago that is still going strong, its noble creators trapped in it for all time). Damage to this network could ultimately cause the entire "channeling to safety" system to collapse.

It's not really clear in Realms but it seems that modern humans at least do not understand waystones and what they're about at all. You can see why the High Elves don't advertise it - for every person who says "oh, leave them alone then", some cultist etc. says "powerrrrrr, meddlle"

In the plumbing analogy, there are leaks all over in the house and while we can't really "seal" the holes - especially that huge effing one at the top (north/chaos wastes), we've build a system where what comes through smaller holes is collected and channeled to a big pump that flushes it back out again - the big pump also sucking in the "winds" from the "big hole" (all winds of magic utlimately blow to Ulthuan and are siphoned off there, save for what has been absorbed into things, people etc. on the way). Of course, meddling wizards etc. like to come along and tap into the system sometimes because in the process of collecting we concentrate the power, and if the power stops flowing and starts "pooling" its chaos nature becomes more and more manifest and it can get "bad" all on its own without external meddlers (your Azyr wind for example not being bad in itself but if pooled somewhere starting to then turn nasty).

The "damaged waystone" is letting some energy escape rather than catching it and sending it on for disposal. A 'destroyed waystone' event could see a big spill of whatever energy was still being collected there (like a dam reservoir bursing intead of being let out in controlled fashion). Like the dam burst, afterwards situation may seem okay - but now nothing will stop natural floods from coming along (metaphor getting a bit iffy again).

It seems to me the outcome of the waystone being destroyed is that in short run situation seems okay much as described. Then within a few years, mutations start cropping up more and more, more beastmen, and it's just all very nasty indeed.

In one way, this "the good outcome turns out to still be bad" is very "warhammer".

If wanting to offer a chance to undo harm, perhaps the mapstone is more than just a mapstone. Perhaps its power and connection with waystone is that it's also "a spare" and was put into the tower all those years ago as a 'backup". If reassembled properly can "reseal" the nexus properly. Another event changing river course would be handy before trying that - the chaos effects in area could well cause that.

Rob

Winds of Magic confirms part of above - waystones capping/controlling menace etc. Doesn't contradict rest of more detailed Realms of Sorcerry.

Rob