A Prospective Mage

I created this thread to try and get my PC involved in joining the Mages Guild, or otherwise dictate public involvement of his magic related feats. The italics reference rumors, while the plain text dictates current event (as of the posting). The feelings and observations of Sedira are provided the readers a more in depth feel for the environment, as well as to supply the DM's and those players with special/trained abilities to detect feelings or gauge motives. The more personal views of my PC are to be used responsibly, with a large part of trust on behalf of the server; I do not think Meta will be a problem here, least of all on the forums, and I'd like to extend full trust until I am given reason to revoke it.

Thanks for your time and patience in reading, hopefully we can kick up a fun story (for any of those who might want to be involved), I certainly do not mind interacting with anyonr and I'm excited to begin the low-level struggles that are involved in Mage-craft, political dealings, and other such aspects that we all may share interest in from time to time. Cheers.

The village of Shadow Dale, if it could even be called that, extended for perhaps a hundred miles from north to south, and thirty from the east and west was more than enough size to command an important trade route throughout the Dalelands, even if it was mostly farmland. The people themselves were mostly farmers, or else merchants or adventurers, but there was no shortage of mercenaries or Dale Militiamen patrolling the area at any given time, and no one escaped their polite scrutiny.

The militia's colors seem to be made of silvers, greys, and blue hues; they wore any variety of chain or scale, depending on if they carried bow or sword, and the fashion of their armor displayed that they knew how to carry themselves. He himself wore little more than a brown jacket and a bronzed belt, since he had since sold his golden circlet to favor a merchants cap, even still he kept his brown wolf cloak.

At times it was difficult to recall that he no longer held land or titles, and it was far better to appear as some well to do merchant than as a noble in such troubled lands. Nobles were caught and sold as ransom, and if it were discovered that you had no one to pay for your release, your clothes were stripped, your belongings pilfered, and your corpse was left bloody in a bush. By contrast, merchants often stayed alive, because they would have to make return trips. A wise bandit hid his face, robbed a man and his caravan, and then left him uninjured and able to return for another visit; if he was to be robbed, at least he would be alive, but such thoughts did not trouble him in the heart of The Shadow Dale.

The man whom had called himself Sedira since arriving, had heard rumors that the Zhentarum had occupied this place, yet they had been driven off at some point not so long ago; seeing the place now, he could believe it, these were a hard people even if the quality of adventurer’s seemed to vary from time to time.

From what he’d gathered so far, Shadow Dale was indeed not foreign to the concept of magic, and it was rare he did not see a battlemage patrolling the street; though engrossed as they were in their duties, he thought it wise to not chance engaging in conversation. Even still, curiosity got the best of him, and his conversations with the locals, mage or no, all referred him to the tower lurking near the center of the hamlet, and not far from the Old Skull Inn.

Truth be told, the fellow who bore the name Sedira was nervous of approaching that gated tower, standing at least a hundred and twenty feet high, it might be taller, such estimations were not his specialty, with an intricately warded wall that stood perhaps a mere ten or twelve. The estabilishment was indeed well protected, and he had even heard rumor that there was a golem protecting the area, though believing such a tale might have been his own skepticism or ignorance, yet he had not seen such a construct in the few times he’d visited.

Magic was foreign to him, save for his sorcerous late-wife who’s surname he now wore, he had barely experienced it’s touch while nestled within the Bloodstone mountains of Damara. Thinking of her brought a pain to his stomach, and his desire to draw arcane energy quivered his palms, but clenching his fist quelled that notion almost immediately.

Determined, he strode forward and pushed through the gates, he was surprised to notice how easily they swung open, as if inviting him forward. There were no petitioners present, though he expected some must come, even on a resting day. He found the doors to the tower admitted his entrance just as easily as the gate, not a single creak as a brief draft of spring wind swept inside the tower as if pulling him in as well.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust from the noon-day sun to the dim crystalline lit rooms. With what should have been a brazier immediately to his left, was a large crystal that glowed with a blue eminence, casting radiant sparkles that almost seemed to glitter in the corner of his vision. When he turned to inspect the sparkles, they would seem to merely vanish, invisible to the focus of his vision. The floor was patterned in smooth stone plates, edged in lilac. He was not sure the quality or nature of these stones, it was difficult to draw focus to them for long as he continued to sweep his gaze around the tower. There were more of those crystal braziers, which also seemed to emit a gentle temperature, keeping the room relegated to whatever must be comfortable for stuffy mages in their robes.

His eyes were drawn to a tall human, a local by the look of her, wearing turquoise robes. With the magical radiance still dancing in the corner of his eyes, and his still adjusting vision she almost appeared a blur but she herself did not appear to be warded.

“I come seeking tutelage, is there a process for application or testing that I might begin?” He was briefly surprised that his voice broadcasted none of the nervousness that he felt, and his face felt made of stone. He was calm professionalism, and his steadfast determination to learn more about his own sorcerous capabilities was of paramount priority.

His eyes flickered past her a moment to the gong sitting just to her left, it had a human skull with a snake emerging from it’s mouth and wrapping around the bronzed skull cap. He did not recognize the insignia, though it seemed from some far away land or significance. He did not allow his concentration long to shift, as he awaited a response from the lady who’s features were now becoming more visible in the dim light of the Mages Guild of Shadow Dale.