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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1710528" data-attributes="member: 6783">The LibraryThe Corlean Library sits quietly three streets south-east of The Square; separated from the surrounding buildings by several well groomed lawns.The Corlean Library consists of three large buildings.  The central building is three stories and made of brick and wood; formerly a mansion for a well-to-do merchant family it stands with a stately, quiet elegance.  Only full members of the Library are allowed past the well appointed waiting rooms without an escort.The central building is flanked by two long, narrow brick buildings that stand two stories high.  The North Building serves as a sort of dormitory for students and visiting teachers.  While the South Building contains classrooms, a lab, and two smaller libraries devoted to history, philosophy, and nature.  The Corelean Library enjoys the distinction of providing the finiest non-magical education a person can receive outside of actually joining the Library as a wizard*.  The masters of the Library provide this service for the dual purpose of generating income and allowing apprentices and journey-folk to integrate with the scions of the wealthiest families in the Empire.Master Wymeah is an older, disciplined woman; much closer to the year of her first century than the year of actual birth; though her magic makes the reverse appear to be true.  Long a member of the Library, Master Wymeah enjoys both teaching and the northern clime of Corlean.  One of the three permanent on-site master’s assigned to the Corlean Library, she is second only to Master Asuras in seniority and had appointed herself the de-facto headmistress of the students; a situation Master Asuras appreciated as it allowed him the opportunity to deal with the nobles and the wealthy of the city and gave him time to devote himself to his specialty of divination.Dressed in the traditional white teach robes of the Library and her silver hair swept back into a tight bun,  Master Wymeah looked primly austere.  She bore her (visible) age lines with an uncaring grace as if to say they were unimportant.Today, Master Wymeah was in the Corlean Library Spell Room #1, a set of rooms actually which lay beaneath a mountain range far to the southeast of Corlean.  She and the Corlean Library’s newest apprentice were seated comfortably in the back of the well-kept main chamber, refreshments laid out between them.  The lace tablecloth and fine crystal glasses made for an interesting contrast to the blackened and melted rock wall some one hundred feet away.The prim master looked over her apprentice with a gaze that gave away very little, though Jallarzi could tell that Master Wymeah’s eyesight was currently magically enhanced; but that was all she could from the master’s gray eyes.  The frustration in Master Wymeah’s voice was all too evident, though Jallarzi could not tell the source of it.“Please correct me if I am wrong.”  Spoke the woman after Jallarzi had finished her tale.  The master had interrupted Jallarzi’s tale of the past months with only a few interruptions.  “In the past two months since you were last here, you and your companions engaged a tribe of orcs, escorted their women and children to safety, and befriended these rock-folk who have indicated that they have information on the creatures directing the orcs and bandits in kidnapping those with mage-talent?”  The elder wizard piercing eyes demanded an answer from the apprentice.Clearly uncomfortable, the apprentice nodded.  “Yes ma’am, that is correct.”  Jallarzi allowed herself a brief moment to wonder when the interview was going to be over so she could ask for access to the advance spell research libraries.Master Wymeah didn’t sniff at the answer; quite.  “I see.  That was a good job if I may say so.  Allies are always important so long as you think you can trust them.”Jallarzi nodded automatically.  “I believe we can, Master Wymeah.”“Good.  These same rock-folk believe that creatures called illithid are responsible, but before they would tell you more, they wanted you and your friends to prove that you were capable of safely using this information.  To this end they assigned you the task of cleaning out not one, but two large nests of trolls.”Again Jallarzi nodded, not understanding where this was going.  Master Wymeah’s tone was nearly accusatory.“If I recall correctly, the last time you left her, your most advanced spells consisted of turning ivisible and conjuring acid; small amounts of acid.  Perfectly acceptable for a senior apprentice though I admit it was surprising for such a new apprentice to the Library.  Tauster taught you well.”Jallarzi shifted uncomfortably, wishing Master Wymeah would get to the point.  Briefly she considered starting a conversation with Sarah, but she sensed that wasn’t exactly a good idea.Sadly, the point of the conversation seemd long in coming.  “If I counted correctly, the nest total was approximately fifty trolls?  My.  I dare say that as far as tests go, The Library has never administered one that seemed so immediately final, though a few apprentices would disagree.  Yet still you succeeded.  You and your friends should be congratulated.”Master Wymeah’s eyes glittered in the enchanted light of the Spell Chamber and they caught Jallarzi’s violet colored eyes squarely.  “Not only did you defeat these trolls, you also increased your studies in the meantime, extrapolating how to evoke fireballs and a hastening spell.  Further you created your own wand of fireballs.The questioning was going somewhere, Jallarzi just couldn’t see where.  Kestral was much better at this stuff.  “May I see the wand?”Jallarzi shrugged and pulled out the slim rod of black rock from the holster at her belt, handing it over respectfully.  The elder wizard examined the wand carefully, noting both the workmanship and composition.“These rock-folk do exquisite work.”  Noted Master Wymeah.  “And your work exceptional.  For an apprentice.”  She looked up and handed the wand back to Jallarzi.“Tell me, at what point were you going to apply for journeyhood?  You do realize that it is technically against all rules for an apprentice to use battle-magic unsupervised, much less journey-level battle-magics?Jallarzi froze, though only for a moment, finally seeing where this was going.  She recovered quickly if not eloquently.  “I was intending to apply, I was.”  Explained the half-elf.  “But we’ve been really busy.  We only came back to town to restock and prepare for exploring the passages the svirfneblin have promised to show us.”Master Wymeah raised a perfect eyebrow.  She had heard all the excuses before, though to be perfectly fair Jallarzi at least had a real reason.“Very well; but let’s assign you a goal to work towards.  The journey test isn’t that difficult, merely a new spell or a magical device such as a wand or a protective cloak – donated to The Library.  You’ve already shown the ability so I doubt that this is a particularly onerous task.”“Well…”  Started Jallarzi doubtfully, wondering how she was going to turn this down.“Master Wymeah suppressed a sigh.  “You do realize that journey-hood brings several advantages, do you not?  Including access to some of the restricted libraries as well as escorted access through the mage-gates.”The last caught Jallarzi’s attention.  “I am doing an important job for the Library.”  She pointed out.  “I would think I should have access to the restricted librarires if it would help the mission.”Master Wymeah could infallibly tell when a student was trying to avoid the well thought out rules of the Library.  There was only one proper response to the attempts, so the master raised her eyebrow again and gave Jallarzi her best withering look.  “You are doing an important job.”  Acknowledged the master.  “However we are bending the rules already allowing an apprentice to use battle-magics unsupervised.  I think it is allowable in this instance because to-date those same magics have not been performed on Imperial lands – technically that I am aware of.  I am further bending the rules by allowing you do put this test off for a period of time at your own request and despite your bvious capabilities.Access to the restricted libraries is based upon not only magical ability, but also the presumed learned wisdom on when to use that same magic – or not.”  The wizard paused long enough to see Jallarzi gather herself for a renewed verbal offensive.  Just before Jallarzi could speak, Master Wymeah continued her lecture.  “That said, If you don’t have the time to test now, I hardly believe you have the time for serious research that these same libraries require.”Jallarzi’s shoulders slumpled, recognizing the impending ‘no’.Seeing that Jallarzi had recognized her authority, Wymeah continued.  “However, and I do this on my own authority, I believe I can offer supervised access to the libraries, provided you agree to the following.  First, you refrain from using battle-magic while in Imperial lands excepting clear self-defense.  Second, you provide an explanation and plan of what you intend to research within those libraries.  Thirdly, you promise to complete your journey-test within the next year.”Jallarzi wrinkled her nose.  She didn’t like the restrictions, though she didn’t have any particular objection to the conditions themselves.  “Very well.”  She agreed.Master Wymeah gave a smart, satisfied nod.  “Good.  Now tell me what these rock-folk told you of these illithid.  They sound similar to something that happened elsewhere this summer…”---------*The bardic colleges of Keria would dispute that the Library’s non-magical education is the finest, but will readily admit that it is certainly the most expensive.edit: minor spelling errors.</blockquote>

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