Jehundik Vanyik
First Circle Apprentice of the Bronze Tower
Physical Traits:
Healthy
Well Fed
Well Rested
Fit
Uninjured
Skills:
Local Folklore: +5
Woodsmanship: +4
Herbalism: +4
Archery: +2
Spear Fighting: +2
First Aid: +2
Gardening: +2
Possessions:
Sturdy Hunting Bow
Thick Fur Cloak
Sharp Steel Knife
Sharp Aged Steel Short-Sword
Magical Copper Armband
Bronze Necklace
Worn Boots
Aged Iron Cap
Several sets of Woodsman's Clothes (including leather belt and cotton trousers and shirt.)
Belted waterskin (full, holding a litre and a half of water)
Hip Quiver (Full)
-Twenty-four ash-tipped arrows.
A Satchel (Full)
-Extra Bowstrings
-flint
-a whetstone
-one days worth of Jerky, dried apple and onions.
-Four days worth of Hard Biscuits and Oats
-Twenty five feet of straw rope.
-small empty pouch
-depleted supply of leaf wrapped tea herbs
-eleven silver coins (an eye on one side, a shattered spear on the other)
-one copper coin (a pointing hand on one side, a shattered spear on the other)
-Set of Herbalists Tools (Including mortar, pestle, and small blades capable of precisely hooking or cutting under good lighting.)
Rat Sack (empty)
You profess that you already had an opportunity for an easy, simple life and that you did not travel so far from everything you've known to be lazy. The Keeper seems satisfied by that answer, and you take the opportunity to ask about Keeper Aednat. He stiffens perceptibly on your mention of the sorceress, and he takes a careful sip of tea before answering. "
The Keeper Aednat is not one to concern herself with the mundane affairs of the Bronze Tower, even the fostering of the minds of the next generation of Magicians. Much more interested is she in the mythical "Pillar of Fire and Light", and the old dead places of the world. No, i advise you to forget about her until such a time as you are truly embroiled in the politics and realities of the Tower, and therefore of rule, when that day has come you will see what little use such children's stories are to us."
Much more receptive is he to your questions about what exactly it means to be a mage of the fourth circle, and therefore what it means to serve one. "
Mages of the third circle are full blown members of the order but still with few responsibilities, many learn at the tower until they are told their apprenticeship is over, and they leave to seek their own fortune beyond our walls. Members of the fourth circle however, are those who have proven themselves at least competent and dedicated enough to be afforded real responsibility, and an inkling of real authority. Being an apprentice to such a mage means that their goals are yours, and you are mostly expected to accept their authority over you. You should probably do what you can to have yourself apprenticed to a mage who suits your disposition, though if you find yourself totally incompatible you may go to that mages master to seek assignment under another mage, or if that fails, you may petition me to intervene in your affairs, though such a thing must not be done lightly. In any case, your master will be in charge of your instruction, that is whatever instruction you yourself do not seek. "
The Keeper Ellyre Maskyn, having decided you've taken up enough time, gently excuses himself from your company, leaving you in the care of an elderly servant. The aged, mischief-eyed woman brings you to your quarters -though the walk is a painfully slow thing-. introducing herself as the chief of the servants on this level of the tower, named Adabelle. When you are brought to your room you find it to be rather small, barely large enough to fit a bed, chest and wardrobe, though all articles within the room, including a table lamp, are of high quality. Adabelle has apparently taken the liberty of having a list written for you detailing all of the mages currently seeking first circle apprentices, and also explains that apprentices are advised to specify what sort of servant they might wish, which can run the gamut of professions, though you are free to request a servant by name. You are also advised that you are not allowed to carry weapons about the tower without explanation, which you suppose is a reasonable sort of rule.
...
After stowing your things you take a look around the tower's first floor, which is enormous. Several times you get turned around and confused, only to be set right by passing servants, many of which ask you if you lost your necklace once you admit you are lost. Whenever you reply to the negative the servant in question seems quite amused. With the exception of servants you come upon nary a soul, and there are parts even of this first floor that seem nearly deserted. You do eventually find the library though, and there run into other apprentices studying, as well as a few librarians who busy themselves sorting books and staring at the studying apprentices in suspicion. Once you do enter the library you are struck first by it's size and volume, with huge bookshelves, the books apparently colour-sorted by binding. The second thing you are struck by is the fine clothing and appearance of every other person in the room. These people are all thoroughly washed, perfumed, and dressed in robes, or other fine clothing. By contrast your clothes are dirtied by road-wear and trekking through the wilderness, and you have not bathed properly in some time. You have not decided whether to be embarrassed or not. You do however, spend some time looking through the books, many of which seem to be mundane literature, histories and studies of simple science. The books on magic however are there, though the few that you thumb through you find to be mostly incomprehensible.
After spending what little time remained of the day in the library you wander back to your room, again only through great difficulty and the directions of whatever servants you pass. This place will take getting used to.
Adabelle's List
The list includes several pieces of folded paper in an envelope. From the tone you feel that many of the notes are likely fragments from some sort of official record, though written in a shaky less practised hand.
Masik Darkbane
Estranged from Family... Competent Fire Mage... Training in Warfare... Cool-Headed but Ambitious... Little respect for Authority... Expected to seek military career, potentially against own family.
Kerrigesh
Exile from unnamed magical Order... Training in magic available almost exclusively to the Sea People's of the East... unpredictable but competent... confrontational.
Saufelta Grey-Tower
Member of prominent family... Light Mage specialist... excellent penmanship and penchant for scholarly excellence... unsuited for field assignments.
Baleckar Ravok-Son
Grandchild of Ravok... one sixteenth dragons blood, remainder human... talented but lazy and unambitious... popular with peers.
Viskesha Nyloth
Deep Elf... Banished from the Shadow Towers... extremely intelligent... diverse magical skills... shows great political competence... suspected of subterfuge against rivals... disliked by peers.
Also included are extremely incomplete itineraries for each mage, extending about a month into the future, alongside the names of each of the masters of these mages, not that that tells you anything about them.
GM Note
Here's where things get serious. You arn't expected to make decisions about who to apprentice under quite yet, but now is a good time to figure out a routine for your character and to start trying to figure what's going on with the politcal environment.
Author
Topic: Seeker of Spellcraft (SG) (Read 50280 times)