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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ruined" data-source="post: 1418003" data-attributes="member: 113">16th of Chardot, yr. 150 A.V. Sleep had not come easily for Gerad. His room was much more comfortable than the barracks he used to share, and the tower, while unfamiliar and mysterious by nature, was as comfortable and pleasantly appointed as the home of any lord. The visions he had seen in the scrying pool atop it were what had him rattled. Calastia marching to war bothered him on a base level. He had been trained for just such a purpose, but other than skirmishes and patrols, they had not seen action on a scale that large. The army they saw in the vision was meant for siege on another country, perhaps Durrover or Vesh. Gerad had studied enough history of Ledean times to know the consequences war brought, and like it or not, he still had people he cared about in the Calastian military machine. He had haunted the stairs of Kelkarrin’s tower, careful not to disturb anyone in his passing. Gerad had not been the only one up for the night, for he’d found Kelkarrin’s bedroom open and lit. They had spoken of the army and possible consequences of them having the globe, none of which were reassuring. During the conversation, Gerad had spotted an oddity in Kelkarrin’s room, a double-bladed sword. Normally Gerad would have scoffed at such an impractical weapon, yet he sensed that the old mage could do considerable damage with it. Kelkarrin wasn’t built like a warrior, but he had seen great battles – Gerad was sure of it. The night passed more easily after that, and Gerad found himself late for the meeting Kelkarrin had called them to. As he climbed the spiral stairs that encircled the tower, he stopped to look out of an exterior window at the wonderful view. The fields surrounding the tower were clear, bereft of the vineyards that sustained Oakdale, so the villagers rarely strayed near the hidden tower. A shambling form moving within the fields drew his gaze. He focused his gaze and realized it was Nieman, the taller of Kelkarrin’s apprentices. Nieman struggled with a large rucksack on his back as he walked away from the tower. Was he leaving? Gerad resumed his pace up the steps, taking two at a time, until he arrived at a wide room that supported by marble pillars. Kelkarrin and Liam stood in the center of the room, while Tréan, Surielle, and Snowmelt watched from the side. A ceremony involving the two wizards was in progress. Gerad moved to stand beside Tréan and watched in silence. “Liam Brightmeadow, I release you from service. Let us end the bondage of master and servant.” With that, both Kelkarrin and Liam pulled their left sleeves back, revealing intricate tattoos. Gerad stared at the designs, absently rubbing the armguard on his left arm. From this distance their tattoos did not appear identical to the one he kept hidden, the one given to him by that slitheren witch, but the similarities were frightening. As Gerad watched, the pair spoke in harmony, using words that meant nothing to his ears. There was a brief sensation of power, and the tattoos began to melt from their arms. After the ritual concluded, Kelkarrin smiled and clasped hands with Liam. "Where is Nieman?" Kelkarrin asked the group. Gerad decided to speak when no one else responded. "I saw him leaving the tower by himself. He carried a large bundle on his back." It was a long moment before Kelkarrin responded."That is disturbing. We have not severed the ties between us," Kelkarrin said, moving to open a shuttered window. He means the tattoos, Gerad thought. "Beg your pardon, Kelkarrin, but I must ask: What is the significance of the tattoos you shared?" “Ah yes, I explained it to the others before you arrived.” Kelkarrin pulled back the right sleeve of his robe, revealing another tattoo composed of red and yellow swirls and black lines. It too was different from the one Gerad wore. “It is an Apprenticeship Bond. It protects master and apprentice from harm from one another’s magicks. You see, as youths are learning their skills, they have a propensity for accidents,” he shot a coy look back at Liam, “such as setting laboratories on fire.” “I warned you I was unable to control that evocation.” Liam retorted, his cheeks reddening. Kelkarrin smiled. “Alas, it seems that Nieman has left without ending our agreement.” Kelkarrin seemed to catch something in Gerad’s eyes as he spoke. “Why do you ask, Gerad?” Gerad hesitated for a moment, and then pulled the bracer from his wrist. Beneath was the serpentine form of the tattoo. There were differences in design and coloration, but the placement and overall form of the two were the same. “Chardun’s torment…” Kelkarrin cursed under his breath and stepped back. He brought his hand up and wove a spell. Gerad flinched, hoping the mage would not blast him from his tower. Gerad was untouched and he felt nothing odd from his tattoo. Kelkarrin paced the room, looking for unseen assailants. Satisfied, he returned to stand before Gerad. “How long have you had that, and where did you get it?” Gerad told the tale of how the white slitheren had marked him with the spell. He had tried to remove it with no success, so he had hidden it for years. It occasionally made him uncomfortable, but he noticed no ill effects. Surielle and Tréan each took turns examining it, as neither had seen the marking before. It was a reminder to all that there were still secrets among their tight knit group. “It is a perversion of the Binding, but similar enough in nature. Such spells can be used to look in upon the ‘apprentice’, if one is capable of scrying. The spell I work is consensual. It cannot be cast upon one without their blessing.” “I did not want this – you may be sure of that,” Gerad protested. The mage nodded. “Is there something you can do that can remove it?” Kelkarrin ran his fingers through his silvering beard. “I can try a few spells, but I have my doubts. The Binding I use can only be removed in the presence of both involved. Until I see Nieman again, I fear this will mark me. It is of little concern for me, but your marking may prove difficult to undo.” Conversation shifted to other topics, affording Gerad time to speak with Liam. He would not be traveling with their group. He was freed from Kelkarrin’s service, but he still had a task that Kelkarrin wanted done. The halfling would not speak of details, saying that the matter was ‘very hush-hush’. Gerad allowed the subject to pass, and both of them agreed that they would see each other again. They had discussed the matter and determined that the Last Watchtower was the best place to begin searching for any clues as to the Globe’s whereabouts, even though the trail was over a century cold. Once more recalling the strange, baleful lights he had seen atop the accursed tower, Gerad found himself oddly heartened to know that Kelkarrin would be joining them.</blockquote>

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