Returning home

[blonde]

*From the diary of Savin Amandil*

...

Today I returned to my childhood home for the first time in 60 years. I was looking forward to seeing my father and brothers, as i have heard little from them in the years. My mother had passed only a few years before i left home, so I was fairly surprised to see my father with a new woman. Though, of course that was only natural. She is a lovely and good hearted woman. But that was not the only surprise in store for me. She and my father had a child...a girl...a sister. Her name was Celes, Celes Amandil, my fathers name. Even though she was only my half sister, she and I was more alike than me and my brothers have ever been. Her interest into the arcane was strong and i took it upon myself to guide her.

Tomorrow we will have our first lesson. I am looking forward to this, i think she shows real promise...

...

[blonde]

Savin sits in the secret library in the cellar of his his house. Hidden behind strong illusions and powerful wards, the libraryis more of a workshop than a common library. The spacey room, seeming much larger on the inside than should be able to fit in the small dark cellar of the unseemly house on Dregar. Savin gets up from his comfortable chair at the huge mahogany desk and walks over to one of the bookcases on the western wall. Without looking at the cover, he grabs a dusty old tome and carries it back to the desk.
  As he is about to sit down again, a small alarm goes off in the library. He looks over at the shimmering field of force that is the only portal to his sanctum, and as he walks toward it, he utters a quiet word that abruptly ends the sound of the alarm. As Savin walks through the portal, the energy of the portal encloses him with the familiar feeling of walking through hot water.A fewseconds later Savin appears on the cellar stairs to greet the source of the alarm.
  Thefrail human servant is obviously nervous. He knows better than to disturb his master when he is in the library unless it is urgent. A small bead of sweat rolls down the mans forehead, and Savin takes obvious pleasure in the fear he inspires in his servant, though he makes sure not to show it.
  -Yes?
  -Master, my appologies. But..but a messenger arrived a little while ago, said he bears news from your father's house.
  -My father? I have not heard from him since the war began. Well out with it, what did he say?
  The servant presents a sealed letter, keeping his eyes on the floor, afraid to meet his master's gaze.
  -This is all he gave me. This letter.
  As Savin takes the letter from the man's shaking hands, he sends a quick surge into his mind compelling him to raise his eyes.
  -This will be all. Leave me now.
  The servant scurries away heading for the kitchen, and Savin returns to the library with the letter. He calmly breaks the seal, unfolds the letter, and leans back reading.
  The letter is not from his father. It is written by his stepmother, the mother of his apprentice and half-sister Celes. The letter tells what happened at his old home during the war. And as Savin finishes the letter, his usual calm expression turns into a rare anguished one. He stands up with the letter still in his hand. With a word the letter lights on flame and it quickly burns to ashes.
  -I should have known they couldn't stand by idly. So noble and now see what it got them! My brothers slain, and for what? Marching to protect a settlement of humans and dwarves and whatnot. A futile effort and i bet a dragon's hoard they all knew it to be. Curse them for their nobleness and good intentions...
  -And my father. Too old and withered to wield his sword in battle. Now he lies in his bed griefstruck over the death of hisdearest sons.I will never allow myself to share my father's fate, nor my brothers. I would rather turn my back on the foolish humans should that be the alternative.
  As his anger gives way for reason once more, Savin goes back to the desk and sits down. He stares blankly into the gloomy dark of the room for a few moments. Then he waves his hand calmly over a spherical crystal on the desk and it baths the room in a pleasent light. He turns his attention backon the book he found earlier and continues his studies with new determination.
  The book is an ancient tome of elven origin, bound in black leather. It has no title and the only symbols still readable on the cover are elven warnings. It is clear that the symbols have been added much later.

[blonde]

*From the diary of Savin Amandil*

...

The ruins i discovered on my last trip to Xantril have still not yielded any rewards. In my blind determination i decided to explore them on my own. I sorely regret that decision now. Though i made sure to leave no witnesses to my presence, save the mindless beetles that fill those ancient corridors, a group of illithids manages to discover me and somehow appeared right behind me out of nowhere. They must have used some sort of teleportation magic. Or maybe i missed a trap door. I will make a mental note to be mindfull of that the next time...

My search of the upper levels revealed no secrets, and I have come no further in my search for one of the tomes. Though i never got to see much of the lower levels, I doubt any of them would be in that place. Still, I can not afford to take the chance, so I will return to search the rest.

...

[blonde]

As the morning sun rises over Lorindar, an aging man makes his way back to his master's house. In his hands he carries the groceries he has just bought at the marketplace. As he walks up the steep hill to the house, his eyes linger for a few seconds at the basement window nearly hidden in the high grass. There is still light down there, and the servant lets out a sigh. The master is rarely in a good mood after spending the entire night in his study. And lately it has gotten worse...
  -I hope he finds what it is he searches for or it will surely consume him.
  The servant continues into the house. He better have breakfast ready on time today.
 
  As Savin closes the book on the table in front of him, his bloodshot eyes dart to the single window visible in the study. He leans back in his chair with a dissapointed look towards the book. Another dissapointment, another dead end. He folds his arms and closes his eyes.
  When his eyes open several minutes later, they rest on the letter lying on the edge of the table. He wrote the letter days ago, but still he has his doubts about sending it. He knew the dangers of that path. But it might be the only way...the potential reward would be incredible. But at what price? Once the letter has reached its receiver, it will be near impossible to turn from this path.
  -This letter could spell the doom for my very soul, though I'm beginning to think it is the only way.
  Savin closes his eyes again, blocking the letter from his sight. Then he gets up from the chair he has been sitting in for the last 10 hours and walks towards the portal that leads to the main floor of his house.
  -I'm not going to make this decision on an empty stomach.
  He chuckles to himself as he leaves the study and the smell of baking bread meets his nostrils.

[blonde]

*From the diary of Savin Amandil*

...

For decades my search has been futile, and I feel the frustration beginning to surface. I see my self taking greater and greater risks now, as the clues i do find, lead me into ancient ruins scattered all over Layonara. If only the greater risks would start revealing greater rewards as well.

A few days ago I decided it was time to seek out someone who I know will have some answers for me. Whether he will share them with me is whole nother matter. So I went to the hidden ruins outside Velensk, seeking an audience with the lich that resides there. It has been so many years since my last, and first, visit there. Young and foolish I were, we charged into his realm, swords swinging. Not knowing what we were to find there, the lich was more than powerful enough to chase us out. A humbling experience for certain.

This time I went in alone and silently, hidden behind my invisibility I hoped to find the lich without the disturbance of his guards. But alas, the path down to his inner chambers has been sealed off so my quest ended once again in failure.

But I have not given up on this approach. I will try to find another way of contacting the lich. Or perhaps further studies will reveal the location of another. We will see...

...

[blonde]

*From the diary of Savin Amandil*

...

Too often my explorations have ended in me having to turn back. Too often because of heavily trapped hallways, or locked and warded doors. I have for decades tried to learn how to handle these situations, but there is only so much i can learn from books and practicing on my own. I refuse to let this stop my search, and so I have contacted someone to help me. Tobias, the little rascal, has promised that he will be able to teach me in his "craft". For a heavy fee i'm sure... But it will be worth it.

...

[blonde]

*From the diary of Savin Amandil*

...

So far Tobias has kept his word. The lessons are proving more valuable than i had thought, and I am progressing fast. I should simply have gone this route from the beginning instead of trying to teach myself. Would have saved me a lot of time and, not least, burn wounds from traps i failed to disarm or even spot.

Tobias insisted on giving me some lessons with my blade as well. I don't know how much I will have need of it, but still, I find this part quite interesting. It doesn't hurt to know the weak spots of the various races. I am sure I will find uses for that information...

The last session we had covered the basics of picking a lock. Not much new there as I already had acquired the skills to handle the locks Tobias presented for me. Still, I must admit I was able to pick them a little faster and smother at the end of the lesson.

...

[blonde]

*From the diary of Savin Amandil*

...

I feel my skills in handling traps, and picking locks have reached a level where i feel comfortable trusting them. Even when crawling through unexplored ruins. Tobias insisted on combat training as well. Probably mostly for his own enjoyment, but still it has given me something as well. It is certainly a very different way of wielding the rapier than I was taught by my father in my youth. I prefer this way...

Maybe i will tell Tobias that our business is concluded at our next meeting. Im not sure though. It takes a lot of time away from my studies. I will have to think this over.

...