Behind the Shady Corners, Thalenir stands motionless, sword in hand, eyes closed in concentration. Before him, spaced several feet apart, stand three crude wooden dummies, really little more than logs with branches for arms.
The air hangs silent for a moment as Thalenir raises his sword. He utters an incantation, and the blade glows blue. He utters another, and his free hand does the same. With a swift motion, he point his glowing hand toward the leftmost training dummy. A bolt of brilliant azure energy springs forth, striking the dummy in the chest with a resounding crack. Splinters of wood go flying in every direction.
With another word of magic, Thalenir vanishes from sight, only to appear a moment later behind the centermost dummy. He slashes downward with his sword, and the dummy falls forward with a deep gash down the center of its back.
Finally, Thalenir turns toward the last dummy. His eyes flash with blue light once, and the dummy's right arm shakes and flies to the ground. His eyes flash again, and the dummy's other arm cracks and shatters instantly.
Sweat is visible on Thalenir's brow. His breathing appears labored from the effort. Without turning from the disarmed dummy, he sheathes his sword and utters a final incantation, all the while forming complex symbols with his hands. Massive arcs of aetheric energy flows through his form, glowing in his eyes and peeling off of his shoulder in slow waves. The air in the clearing begins to ring with a high-pitched hum, rising to a deafening pitch. Thalenir grits his teeth as he attempts to channel it all.
But, just as his spell seems close to completion, Thalenir winces in pain and drops to his knees. The energy flowing through him dissipates, and he falls forward, catching himself on shaky arms and gasping for air. "Not good enough...," he mutters under his breath.
Thalenir smirks at the fairy's question. "Yes, Ripper. I am still in possession of my 'alrightiness.' Just a bit winded is all." He rises from the ground uneasily and dusts himself off. "I thought I'd try my hand at a spell I saw my father use once."
He looks at the third dummy, disarmed but otherwise intact. He smiles and nods at Ripper, taking the candy, but then his gaze returns to the dummy as he unwraps the candy and plops it in his mouth. "There must be some trick to it...," he says absently.
She watches the (in her experience) newcomer closely, eyes shifting between him and the disarmed dummy. It's worth note that the pixie's eyes seem to be in flux. Their dark brown hue splattered with flecks of blue and green alternately, as if someone had thrown paint across her irises.
Finally, with an audible slurping of the last of the rat-like tail and a visible swallow, she wraps her hands around her ankles and begins to rock.
"That's what I thought'd about how mommy threw prey so far back when she'd rush in. I kept tryin' to hit Uncle Wryenn's target as hard as I could but I'd bounce off or go through it. So he said that my problem was visu-al-eye-zay-shun. So I was a'posed to close my eyes -real- tight."
As if in example, the pixie scrunches her face into a caricature of itsself, eyes closed and lips pursed.
"And when I did I was a'posed to picture the target an' me hittin' it an' then it goin' backward like it ought. An' it worked a whole lot better. ...But then I realized it was really really unkon-veiney-ant to go find the squirrel after I did that. Unless it hit a tree... You could tell where our camp was real easy."
Watching Ripper return to the tavern, Thalenir starts to reassemble his training dummies while addressing Stiers. "I assume you mean 'plane,' although the more appropriate term would be 'realm.' I must admit, I visited many realms during my time with the Berylline Syndicate. The Maelstrom, the Nether, even a brief expedition to the Pit... but none of them terrified me quite as much as the Astral."
He pauses to lift the torso of the slashed dummy back into place. "You lose all sense of time in there. If someone had told me that an Age had passed while I drifted through the sea of dreams, I would have believed them. I feel fortunate that it was only half a year, but it felt like an eternity."
He retrieves the third dummy's arms and begins to reaffix them. "Perhaps more terrifying, though, is that you start to lose yourself. Bit by bit, the dreams chip away at you. Had I stayed much longer, I might have ended up fractured like Dalgoon. Then again, my memories of the whole experience are so addled, I wonder if I didn't come back wrong somehow..." Thalenir's voice trails off as he lapses into a momentary expression of worry.
"No matter," he says at last, brushing off the concern. "That I came back at all, and ostensibly sane, is a miracle. I should be thankful for that and return to the task at hand."
He returns to his original spot several yards from the dummies and turns to face them. "You... may want to move out of the way," he says with a smirk as he draws his sword and closes his eyes again in concentration.
Thalenir waits patiently for Stiers to stand clear, then closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. The air hangs still and quiet about him.
"The stars cry out..."
The same aura springs up around Thalenir. Airy tendrils of glowing azure mist begin to rise off of him.
"Your fate ends now..."
Thalenir opens his eyes, which glow with a brilliant blue radiance. He raises his hand toward the final dummy. The air in the clearing fills with the same high-pitched ring as before. The strain of spell is visible on his face.
"Feel the wrath of the heavens!"
With the final words of the spell, Thalenir lets out a cry of pain but does not collapse as before. A wave of aetheric energy emanates from his outstretched hand, filling the clearing with light and striking the dummy.
Despite the apparent force of the spell, however, the dummy does not fly backward, and indeed barely rocks on its pedestal. A moment passes in silence. Then, just as it seems like Thalenir's spell may have failed, the same high-pitched ringing emits from the dummy. Light bursts out from its every crack and crevice, and the dummy explodes into thousands of pieces.
Thalenir drops to one knee, heaving great breaths. For a moment, he appears to fade from sight. He looks at his hand as this happens and the expression on his face is one of surprise and horror. As the strange side effect subsides, he clutches at his chest and shakes uncontrollably.
Kirell rounds the corner as Thalenir drops to one knee, he grabs Astrum by the shirt and points at the staggering mage.
"Did you see that boy?"
The Angori rushes to his friend?s side.
"Are you alright? I thought you would have learned your lesson about fiddling with the powers of the Maelstrom."
Kirell helps Thalenir to his feet.
"One trip to the Astral not enough to satisfy your curiosity?"
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. That which does kill us makes us stronger still.
For several long moments, it seems like Thalenir might be in need of immediate healing. He seems unable to rise, respond, or do anything other than shudder and breath heavily. His gaze is cast downward at the ground. Large droplets of sweat rain from his face.
At last, he inhales in a deep, controlled fashion and rises shakily to his feet. He looks at his hand and clenches it several times, as if to ascertain that it still exists. "We wizards learn many things, Kirell, but rarely our lessons," he says with the slightest of grins. "And that wasn't the Maelstrom I was channeling. It was the full wrath of the Aether. They have some similarities, but the difference between them is the gulf between a sorcerer and a wizard. Night and day, really."
Thalenir turns to Astrum. "That? That was my first successful attempt at the fabled Death Spell. Well, mostly successful, at any rate," he says, glancing again at his fully visible hand, then looking toward the scattered remnanets of the dummy. "Quite as spectacular as I remember, although my father never suffered such an ill side effect. I wonder what it is I did wrong..."
Astrum raises his eyebrows in appreciation of the spell. "Well that's quite impressive. You just might have to show me that trick one day. I'm sure not any day soon of course; I've got quite a bit to learn before I go around raining death on people," Astrum states with a chuckle. He then proceeds to help Thalenir to his feet and supports him along. "Come Kirell, let's get this man some food and drink. You've got to be drained after something like that." Astrum then attempts to lead Thalenir to the tavern.
Thalenir appears poised to politely reject Astrum's help, then takes a step and stumbles. "Perhaps I could use a rest," he admits, and proceeds with Astrum into the Shady Corners. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name. I am Thalenir...," he says to Astrum, pausing momentarily, "...Lestral. No point in keeping up pretenses now that the cat is out of the bag. What may I call you?"
"You may call me Astrum. I am part of the mage's guild of this town..." He gives Thalenir a glance, "In fact, we'd would be quite lucky to have a chap like you to join. Consider this a formal invitation. Our goals consist of gaining knowledge and creating balance here in Jastrey. Your skills and wisdom could be vital in our never-ending battle to make this place safe. What do you say?"
Thalenir blinks. "Jastrey has a mage's guild? My, how things change in such a short time. Not so long ago, it seemed like I was the only wizard in town."
The two wizards emerge into the tavern. Thalenir takes a seat on a nearby bench. "I may indeed be interested. Give me a chance to meet with your guild, particularly your guildmaster, and I'll be happy to give it due consideration."
Astrum sits across from Thalenir. "Of course, it is no rush. Our guild is a bit small as of right now. The guild leaders consist of myself and Garith. Garith is an alchemist, perhaps you've met him?" Astrum, lets his hood fall to his shoulders as he rests his elbows on the table. "Apart from us, there is Savik and Rojo, protectors of the guild, and then several new apprentices who tend to spend their time holed up in the library (Out of game, they never make it to the larp).
We are a newer guild but we are growing quickly. In fact, I'm sure that Garith is in here somewhere if you'd give me a moment." Astrum studies the room and spots Garith in the usual corner, pouring an odd coloured liquid into a phial. Astrum lifts an eyebrow. Then glances back at Thalenir, "You'll have to forgive any oddities. His memory is a bit shot ever since he drank some alchemy potion. But I assure you, he is still quite in his right mind, he just has a bit of... catching up to do."
"Hey Garith, come over here. There is someone you need to meet!"
"Yes, of course I know Garith, although him being an alchemist is new. Shame to hear that he's run afoul of some bad magic; I know what that can be like." Thalenir chuckles. "The price of persistence and curiosity, I suppose."
Thalenir waits for Astrum to return with Garith in tow. "At any rate, I do have some questions. For instance, being new and relatively small, does your guild have an official charter from the town council? Must anyone who wishes to practice a magical craft within Jastrey be a member of the guild, or is it not a regulatory body? What are the ranks of guild membership, and the requirements for attaining those ranks? What sort of oaths, dues, or duties are required of members, and what are the benefits of membership? Do you have rules of conduct?"
Thalenir appears as if he has more to ask but stops himself. "Apologies. As you can tell, I find the concept of a mage's guild intriguing and I'm curious to hear how this one is organized."
(Out of game, I don't know about the charter if that's something online) "We hold a spot on the town council. In fact I will be attending as representative and Garith will be the scribe of the meeting. We have a fair bit of influence as far as guilds go." Atrum sips some ale.
Setting his cup down, Astrum continues, "Now, It is not required that anyone practicing magic must be a part of this guild. However, the more who join, the larger the pool of knowledge. This will ultimately lead to better a larger knowledge base for all those who seek it. As far as the ranks are concerned, Garith and myself head the guild. There are apprentices who are simply young mages seeking to train and learn in the ways of magic. Then there are the protectors of the guild. These are not necessarily mages, but those who would share the benefits of the guild in exchange for their strength in arms and protection. If you were to join and be agreeable to it, you would be the first to qualify for a higher rank among the guild. As we are still laying the foundations of this guild, there are still holes in our system. I believe that if you were willing, you would make a fantastic teacher. But again, that is your decision."
"As for oaths, dues, and duties; they are quite simple as of now. You are expected to follow all of the laws of Jastrey, which Garith here has written out himself. If those laws should be broken, then in addition to being charged by the town, the mage guild will also inflict a punishment that falls within the parameters of the laws. If the offending member refuses to accept the punishment or if his crime is too great, then his membership will be stripped for an undetermined amount of time."
"Now, to become a part of the guild is quite simple. If you wish to receive the complete and total benefits of the guild, then you need to be learned in at least one lore, it doesn't matter which. Furthermore, you must contribute one piece of knowledge. It can be a book, a map, or even a valid tale if we determine it to be useful. And lastly, the purpose of this guild is to transform a large number of scattered facts and fancies into one vast pool of knowledge. This means that all information must be shared among the guild. This is not to say you must pour out your deepest secrets, but you are expected to add any books, scrolls, or the likes to the guild library for all to use. Any rumours or tales you hear are going to need to be recorded by one of our scribes. If you do all of these things, you will be an absolute member of the guild enjoying all of the benefits which include protection, representation at the town council, voting rights amongst the guild, and anything else that you might think of short from altering the guild." Astrum adjusts his position.
"Now, as a full member, it would NOT be REQUIRED but expected of you to make small contributions unasked for occasionally. We are in the process of constructing a tower, this is not free. Money, downtime, any of this will help. If you find an item that you do not need or can't use, find someone in the guild who can, etc. You are a smart man, after all you're a wizard. I think you get the drift. It's all about supporting our fellow guild-members."
"As far as rules, I think it's safe to say I covered them. Follow the laws of the town and treat the other members of the guild with respect. Fairly basic stuff."
Astrums seems to be finished with his drawn out speech, but then pauses and remembers, "Oh, and the most important thing. Most decisions in this guild will be held to a vote. Anyone within the guild may vote and voice their opinions respectively. However, after the vote has been held and a decision reached, all members of the guild must persue this decision as if it were their own, even if they voted against it. We can't have division amongst ourselves if we are ever to succeed."
Astrum leans back, finally through. "Oh, and keep in mind this is a rough sketch. Feel free to contribute idea or the likes. None of this is on paper, everything is... for now, a plan. Any new ideas may be presented to Garith and me, and it will either be put to a vote or simply set into effect immediately if we deem it to be worthy."
Thalenir listens attentively and nods at several points. "Not to mince terms with you, Astrum, but the way you describe it makes your group sound less like a guild and more like a... well, a school of some sort. What I mean is, your focus seems to be more on the acquisition and sharing of knowledge than on the association and regulation of tradesmen. Hence my initial confusion. You're free to use whatever term you like, of course, but I think it would serve your purposes better to refer to your group as a college or academy. It would better convey your scholarly aspirations, I think, and give you a more respectable standing among the public. Cataloguing and sharing knowledge is a noble pursuit, after all, particularly when compared to the more commercial objectives of a traditional guild."
"As far as legality and lore being prerequisites, you can consider those non-issues with me. You probably aren't aware, but, prior to my disappearance, I was the appointed Magistrate of Jastrey. I'm not quite sure of my standing now, and I hadn't had much opportunity to put my judicial standing to practice, but I think it goes without saying that I'm a respecter of the law. As for lore, I'm well-schooled in the art of wizardry, as you've already seen, and beyond that, I know much of this world and the realms beyond. With my recent jaunt into the Astral, I've actually visited them all. I'm sure I can write up something that you'd find instructive. Do you have a topic that could use more coverage in your archives?"
Thalenir tilts his head back and rubs his chin thoughtfully, staring off into space. "A magical academy in Jastrey... The idea has a pleasant ring to it. And there is a library to manage..."
"We had full intentions of it being an academy of sorts. If it came off as a school then you must tell me what it was that made it that way so that I can correct it should anyone else inquire. Oh, and I have little doubt that you qualify, that is why I was so quick to offer you an invitation."
"As for certain things that we need more or less of, you must understand. The library of Jastrey, which will be moved to the bottom floor of the mage guild and still be available to the public, is all we have. Along with a map and odd scraps of lore and rumour. When I say we are starting from scratch, I mean it. As far as I can tell, noone has ever undertaken this task, or if they have, the knowledge has been lost. We seek to bring that knowledge together. One piece of knowledge is a requirement. If you share my longing for knowledge, then I will gladly accept any and all that you may offer."
With a loud BANG smoke rises from Garith's workplace in the back of the tavern. Stumbling out of the chokeing smoke the alchemist pops off his goggles and stands smiling at Astrum. "I got it just right this time, that goo will hold anyone in place for hours! So is this one of your friends Astrum?" he says with a puzzled look at the newcomer.
A smile tugs at the edge of Astrum's lips. "Yes, I can see quite clearly the nature of your success. This was actually one of your past friends, before the memory loss. He is a wizard who might be interested in joining the guild. I believe he would be a valuable addition. He is very knowledgeable and from the demonstration I saw, quite powerful as well."
Thalenir raises an eyebrow as the nature of Garith's condition dawns on him. "Amnesia, is it? A shame, that, although I suppose it could have been worse from what I've heard of alchemical concoctions. I'd ask you what possessed you to drink such a thing, but that would be foolish, since I doubt you remember the answer."
"No matter," he says, waving his hand dismissively. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Thalenir Lestral, former Berylline Syndicate operative, presently a scholar of the realms, adept wizard, magistrate (the last time I checked, at least), and proud defender of Jastrey. We quested together some mestruns back. As I recall, I was present when a death shade attempted to claim you." He extends a hand. "A pleasure to meet you again, Garith."
Ripper leaps off the porch, unbrushed pigtails bobbing as she totters over to the fallen figure. The pixie crouches down and twists her head to an awkward angle while she watches him. The tail of...something...dangles out of the corner of her mouth, rather rat-shaped but red and transparent.
"Hey Mister OvBeryl? Are you posessin' alrightiness? That was really cool up until the loud and the ouchies."
The pixie rocks backward slightly, dropping her arse to the ground and crossing her legs indian-style with a rather matter-of-fact finality. She digs into the bag at her side, dropping contents on the ground. A bug here, a flower there, some dice, some coin. The faery yips, dragging one hand out with a mouse attached, and shakes the mammal loose.
Another search attempt, and she locates a paper-wrapped stick candy, holding it out toward Thalenir.
"Wanna lolli? It's root-ale flavoured."