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<blockquote data-quote="Naathez" data-source="post: 2015751" data-attributes="member: 17791"><p><strong>Introduction - Andoric Von Dreele</strong></p><p></p><p>When his eyelids threaten to close for the fifteenth time, the young man slowly shakes his head. "Time to call it a day" he thinks, carefully closing the three books he's working on and setting aside the parchment where he's been scribbling notes. Von Rummer's Third Fundamental of Transformation can definitely wait until tomorrow morning. He's just about to head over to his bed and snuff his lamp when he hears a soft knocking on the door.</p><p></p><p>Andoric quickly glances out of the window. It's the middle of the night; he has difficulties believing any of his fellow students could be up at this time just to pull a prank on him. "Who's there?" He cautiously asks.</p><p></p><p>Silence is the only reply. Andoric watches the door for a few seconds, then resolves to take a look. He slowly opens it, looks out in the dimly-lit corridor, and seeing nobody, puzzledly closes it again. He hasn't taken three steps towads his bed when the knocking sound is heard again.</p><p></p><p>This time he asks "Who's there, just as he opens the door... </p><p></p><p>...only to be pushed back as the door itself is slammed in his face and then hastily closed. Slowly an outline takes shape and fills itself before his amazed eyes, taking the features of his Instructor in Transformations and Magical Alterations of Substance, Meister Rudolf.</p><p></p><p>"Meister?" he asks. His teacher's voice is uncharacteristically tense as he says "Take your things and come with me." But one of the first lessons Andoric has learnt at the Academy of Elsinor is never to question an Instructor without good reason. Finding none, he hastily stuffs his personal Grimoire, a couple other reference books, and his most valued notes in a leather bag, adding in a supply of ink and quills as he paces towards Meister Rudolf. The Instructor weaves a complicated pattern in the air, muttering arcane words which Andoric promptly recognizes as a powerful Illusion of Cloaking. A little envious - he never did manage to master Illusion Magic - he watches as his Meister's form seemingly melts into thin air, knowing the same must be happening to his own. Then he feels a hand grab his arm and pull him across the dark corridor of the Dormitory.</p><p></p><p>After finding certain proof that the tales of secret passages built into the very walls of the Academy are not just tales, Andoric emerges into a large circular room, at the center of which sits a large oaken table. Sitting at the table, in a large red leather armchair, is the perennially cloaked form of the Seer.</p><p></p><p>The Seer is the Academy's instructor in Divinatory Arts and Incantations. No-one can claim to ever has seen the Seer's true form, which is always covered in an ample hooded cloak, or heard the sound of the Seer's true voice, which is always evidently altered by some minor Magic. It is said that the final exam for the students the Seer deems worthy of being initiated to the deeper Mistery of Divination is discovering the very identity of the Seer. Andoric feels the magic drop off him as his Meister leads him closer to the desk.</p><p></p><p>The Seer doesn't even lift his (her? Andoric wonders for the umpteenth time) head. He seems to be intent on watching a weird device sitting on the desk. It is evidently magical: a large metallic C, tilted upright on a round steady basement, covered in intricate, minute carvings. In the space suggested by the metal arc, thirteen spheres of some strange polished metal spin around each other in triads, four triads orbiting a central, seemingly immobile, sphere. Andoric has time to notice some spheres have a small symbol carved into their surface before the Seer takes the whole object and sets it carefully inside a hidden drawer in the desk, where Andoric spies a large tome of some sort before it closes.</p><p></p><p>"Andoric Von Dreele" says the Seer's monotone, eery voice. "A brilliant student, Meister Rudolf; this I know for myself. But are you sure he is ... enough?" Andoric cannot say he appreciates the feelings awoken by this short analysis - not to mention he has no idea what the two mages are up to.</p><p>"He is my best student, Seer. I have recently initiated him to the second Valence of Incantations, which he is quickly mastering. And we have discussed this at length - you already know the motives which guide me."</p><p>"I don't need my arts" the Seer says, with what might pass for a chuckle if it were emitted in a human voice "to tell your young disciple is quite puzzled as to his reason for being here, Meister Rudolf. Would you perhaps enlighten him?"</p><p></p><p>Meister Rudolf sighs deeply, before turning to Andoric. He is tense, and looks worried - both are emotions the younger mage has never seen on his Instructor's face. "As the Seer shall explain to you in a moment, Andoric, dark events seem to be happening. Events still too... too small to justify my public attention, yet quite distressing. They seem to be centered in my Family's lands," here Meister Rudolf takes out a small locket and opens it, showing Andoric the Von Wulfe crest and an exquisite small painting of the while family "the ancestral lands of the Von Wulfe. I have already sent word of this to my youngest brother, Lothar. You and him will meet in Dresd, in an inn called "The Bucking Foal". I need you to investigate... these happenings. Pay the utmost attention - we fear darker magics, and the forbidden arts" Andoric shivers at the mention of necromancy, as the word itself is almost taboo in the Academy "might be at work. Once the Seer has told you what else you need to know, you will find a coach waiting for you. It shall take you out of the Academy. Once you have arrived, and the coach is out of sight, you may begin your journey to Dresd. I shall do my best to keep in contact with you, and cover your absence. I shall spread word you are working at a special experiment on my behalf, in my personal quarters. Could I, in any way, I would investigate this myself. Let it suffice to know I cannot... not yet. This is what I need your help for: to find suitable proof that my attention is justified, not to mention needed. Godspeed, Andoric." And with this, Meister Rudolf hurries away, leaving a quite bedazzled Andoric standing in front of the Seer.</p><p></p><p>"You have questions." says the Seer. </p><p>"Yes I do, Meister," admits Andoric "What is happening? Why all this secrecy? And why ME? There are certainly students at the Academy far more expert, and better suited to this task..."</p><p>The Seer slowly stands up. "The last question is the one you most care about, young man.. and the first one I shall give an answer to. You were chosen - and against my opinion, I shall add - because of a simple fact: your absence, your part in this, your very knowledge of what i am about to reveal, can be kept secret. And this is safer, for all of us. Furthermore, choosing a more experienced student would have meant involving yet another party in the matter... something both Meister Rudolf and I have deemed better avoid. Which leads us to your second question, regarding secrecy; to which I shall answer that, if I could answer your question, then secrecy wouldn't be needed."</p><p></p><p>Andoric would love to object.</p><p></p><p>"As for your first question... I find myself wishing, for the first time in many years, that I could be more precise. What I HAVE discovered is a .. disturbance. There is evidence of Necromantic forces acting in the lands of the Von Wulfe, and further south. They seem to be... subtle, soft in tone, slow in rhythm, yet steady and constant. The first effects are beginning to show already. The spring thaw is not as advanced as it should be; the river and channels are thinning. And there have been ... messages of worry and distress even from further south - from Oiralassie." the Seer concludes.</p><p>"The Elf Woods?" Andoric thinks, eyes blinking, unbelieving. "I had... no idea" he says "that there had been any human settlements, or even travellers, in Oiralassie, for centuries now." he states.</p><p>"There haven't." the Seer answers. </p><p></p><p>Andoric softly clenches his fist. He could SWEAR the man, or WHATEVER, is smiling under that hood.</p><p></p><p>"Now, on to more practical matters, young man. You shall find travel clothes and food in the coach. And... I reckon you haven't been much out of the Academy in the last years. Take this ring... it bears a small protective enchantment. It will work but once... then again, I do trust you won't be diving at every chance to have your throat slit. You may exit through this door" the Seer concludes, pulling a book on a shelf, revealing yet another hidden passage.</p><p></p><p>Andoric awakens in the coach, after a night's fitful but much needed sleep, as the coachman tells him they've arrived. He steps off the coach in his new travel clothes, hoisting his bag over his shoulder, and waits for the coach to disappear in the distance.</p><p></p><p>Only then he realizes two things.</p><p></p><p>He's at the crossroads, Elsinor on one side and Dresd on the other, still quite close to the Academy.</p><p>The second, and quite more distressing realization, is that it's more than a month's walk from here to Dresd. And he has no horse.</p><p>Elsinor has a port, though. And Meister Rudolf did recommend secrecy, but... a month is a month. Especially on one's own two feet. </p><p>Andoric starts walking towards Elsinor.</p><p></p><p>That evening, at the docks, a short investigation reveals a ship is leaving for Dresd just an hour later. As he stands in line to talk to the captain and get a cabin, someone definitely reeking of cheap ale roughly bumps into him. Fingers clutching to brush against the ring in his pocket, he turns to see a man with pasty white hair, ragged clothes, and a white ill-healed scar on his left cheek, deforming his visage into a disturbing sneer.</p><p></p><p>"Yes?" he says, nerves standing on end.</p><p></p><p>The weird man smiles. "Meister Rudolf is glad he's chosen an intelligent man for this job. Only a fool would walk to Dresd when there's a ship nearby. You have a booked cabin on board, Herr. Have a safe journey."</p><p></p><p>Andoric smiles a lot, while walking up the plank which leads to the ship.</p><p></p><p>He's always loved passing surprise tests...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Naathez, post: 2015751, member: 17791"] [b]Introduction - Andoric Von Dreele[/b] When his eyelids threaten to close for the fifteenth time, the young man slowly shakes his head. "Time to call it a day" he thinks, carefully closing the three books he's working on and setting aside the parchment where he's been scribbling notes. Von Rummer's Third Fundamental of Transformation can definitely wait until tomorrow morning. He's just about to head over to his bed and snuff his lamp when he hears a soft knocking on the door. Andoric quickly glances out of the window. It's the middle of the night; he has difficulties believing any of his fellow students could be up at this time just to pull a prank on him. "Who's there?" He cautiously asks. Silence is the only reply. Andoric watches the door for a few seconds, then resolves to take a look. He slowly opens it, looks out in the dimly-lit corridor, and seeing nobody, puzzledly closes it again. He hasn't taken three steps towads his bed when the knocking sound is heard again. This time he asks "Who's there, just as he opens the door... ...only to be pushed back as the door itself is slammed in his face and then hastily closed. Slowly an outline takes shape and fills itself before his amazed eyes, taking the features of his Instructor in Transformations and Magical Alterations of Substance, Meister Rudolf. "Meister?" he asks. His teacher's voice is uncharacteristically tense as he says "Take your things and come with me." But one of the first lessons Andoric has learnt at the Academy of Elsinor is never to question an Instructor without good reason. Finding none, he hastily stuffs his personal Grimoire, a couple other reference books, and his most valued notes in a leather bag, adding in a supply of ink and quills as he paces towards Meister Rudolf. The Instructor weaves a complicated pattern in the air, muttering arcane words which Andoric promptly recognizes as a powerful Illusion of Cloaking. A little envious - he never did manage to master Illusion Magic - he watches as his Meister's form seemingly melts into thin air, knowing the same must be happening to his own. Then he feels a hand grab his arm and pull him across the dark corridor of the Dormitory. After finding certain proof that the tales of secret passages built into the very walls of the Academy are not just tales, Andoric emerges into a large circular room, at the center of which sits a large oaken table. Sitting at the table, in a large red leather armchair, is the perennially cloaked form of the Seer. The Seer is the Academy's instructor in Divinatory Arts and Incantations. No-one can claim to ever has seen the Seer's true form, which is always covered in an ample hooded cloak, or heard the sound of the Seer's true voice, which is always evidently altered by some minor Magic. It is said that the final exam for the students the Seer deems worthy of being initiated to the deeper Mistery of Divination is discovering the very identity of the Seer. Andoric feels the magic drop off him as his Meister leads him closer to the desk. The Seer doesn't even lift his (her? Andoric wonders for the umpteenth time) head. He seems to be intent on watching a weird device sitting on the desk. It is evidently magical: a large metallic C, tilted upright on a round steady basement, covered in intricate, minute carvings. In the space suggested by the metal arc, thirteen spheres of some strange polished metal spin around each other in triads, four triads orbiting a central, seemingly immobile, sphere. Andoric has time to notice some spheres have a small symbol carved into their surface before the Seer takes the whole object and sets it carefully inside a hidden drawer in the desk, where Andoric spies a large tome of some sort before it closes. "Andoric Von Dreele" says the Seer's monotone, eery voice. "A brilliant student, Meister Rudolf; this I know for myself. But are you sure he is ... enough?" Andoric cannot say he appreciates the feelings awoken by this short analysis - not to mention he has no idea what the two mages are up to. "He is my best student, Seer. I have recently initiated him to the second Valence of Incantations, which he is quickly mastering. And we have discussed this at length - you already know the motives which guide me." "I don't need my arts" the Seer says, with what might pass for a chuckle if it were emitted in a human voice "to tell your young disciple is quite puzzled as to his reason for being here, Meister Rudolf. Would you perhaps enlighten him?" Meister Rudolf sighs deeply, before turning to Andoric. He is tense, and looks worried - both are emotions the younger mage has never seen on his Instructor's face. "As the Seer shall explain to you in a moment, Andoric, dark events seem to be happening. Events still too... too small to justify my public attention, yet quite distressing. They seem to be centered in my Family's lands," here Meister Rudolf takes out a small locket and opens it, showing Andoric the Von Wulfe crest and an exquisite small painting of the while family "the ancestral lands of the Von Wulfe. I have already sent word of this to my youngest brother, Lothar. You and him will meet in Dresd, in an inn called "The Bucking Foal". I need you to investigate... these happenings. Pay the utmost attention - we fear darker magics, and the forbidden arts" Andoric shivers at the mention of necromancy, as the word itself is almost taboo in the Academy "might be at work. Once the Seer has told you what else you need to know, you will find a coach waiting for you. It shall take you out of the Academy. Once you have arrived, and the coach is out of sight, you may begin your journey to Dresd. I shall do my best to keep in contact with you, and cover your absence. I shall spread word you are working at a special experiment on my behalf, in my personal quarters. Could I, in any way, I would investigate this myself. Let it suffice to know I cannot... not yet. This is what I need your help for: to find suitable proof that my attention is justified, not to mention needed. Godspeed, Andoric." And with this, Meister Rudolf hurries away, leaving a quite bedazzled Andoric standing in front of the Seer. "You have questions." says the Seer. "Yes I do, Meister," admits Andoric "What is happening? Why all this secrecy? And why ME? There are certainly students at the Academy far more expert, and better suited to this task..." The Seer slowly stands up. "The last question is the one you most care about, young man.. and the first one I shall give an answer to. You were chosen - and against my opinion, I shall add - because of a simple fact: your absence, your part in this, your very knowledge of what i am about to reveal, can be kept secret. And this is safer, for all of us. Furthermore, choosing a more experienced student would have meant involving yet another party in the matter... something both Meister Rudolf and I have deemed better avoid. Which leads us to your second question, regarding secrecy; to which I shall answer that, if I could answer your question, then secrecy wouldn't be needed." Andoric would love to object. "As for your first question... I find myself wishing, for the first time in many years, that I could be more precise. What I HAVE discovered is a .. disturbance. There is evidence of Necromantic forces acting in the lands of the Von Wulfe, and further south. They seem to be... subtle, soft in tone, slow in rhythm, yet steady and constant. The first effects are beginning to show already. The spring thaw is not as advanced as it should be; the river and channels are thinning. And there have been ... messages of worry and distress even from further south - from Oiralassie." the Seer concludes. "The Elf Woods?" Andoric thinks, eyes blinking, unbelieving. "I had... no idea" he says "that there had been any human settlements, or even travellers, in Oiralassie, for centuries now." he states. "There haven't." the Seer answers. Andoric softly clenches his fist. He could SWEAR the man, or WHATEVER, is smiling under that hood. "Now, on to more practical matters, young man. You shall find travel clothes and food in the coach. And... I reckon you haven't been much out of the Academy in the last years. Take this ring... it bears a small protective enchantment. It will work but once... then again, I do trust you won't be diving at every chance to have your throat slit. You may exit through this door" the Seer concludes, pulling a book on a shelf, revealing yet another hidden passage. Andoric awakens in the coach, after a night's fitful but much needed sleep, as the coachman tells him they've arrived. He steps off the coach in his new travel clothes, hoisting his bag over his shoulder, and waits for the coach to disappear in the distance. Only then he realizes two things. He's at the crossroads, Elsinor on one side and Dresd on the other, still quite close to the Academy. The second, and quite more distressing realization, is that it's more than a month's walk from here to Dresd. And he has no horse. Elsinor has a port, though. And Meister Rudolf did recommend secrecy, but... a month is a month. Especially on one's own two feet. Andoric starts walking towards Elsinor. That evening, at the docks, a short investigation reveals a ship is leaving for Dresd just an hour later. As he stands in line to talk to the captain and get a cabin, someone definitely reeking of cheap ale roughly bumps into him. Fingers clutching to brush against the ring in his pocket, he turns to see a man with pasty white hair, ragged clothes, and a white ill-healed scar on his left cheek, deforming his visage into a disturbing sneer. "Yes?" he says, nerves standing on end. The weird man smiles. "Meister Rudolf is glad he's chosen an intelligent man for this job. Only a fool would walk to Dresd when there's a ship nearby. You have a booked cabin on board, Herr. Have a safe journey." Andoric smiles a lot, while walking up the plank which leads to the ship. He's always loved passing surprise tests... [/QUOTE]
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