<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">Day 119, Ram's Head Inn</span></span></div><br/>Retario opted for a meal at the Ram's Head Inn. It was a place they had eaten at before, and the changeling seemed quite enamored of the cuisine. They opted for a private booth in back, with a<em>silent table</em>spell.<br/><br/>"Hi again, Kleris," he said. "Honestly, I'm worried about a lot of things. Honestly, I don't know if it's skill or luck that you keep getting out of these jams. If it's luck, at some point..."<br/><br/>An uncomfortable pause lingered. "Look, I've seen it with my own eyes. How you fended off Spring-Heeled Jack. How you persevered through the Horizon Opener's trials. I know that as a student you are doing everything you can to better your own life, and I know that from all you learned and your friends that you are safer here than alone or back in Sharn. But I'm...I'm scared to leave you. I...I cannot help but think of what happened if I let you go and something were to happen, what your mother...your father even, would think."<br/><br/>He sighed as he shed tears. Wiping them away, he continued. "As much as I'd love to join you at Redhurst, I am not a wizard, and...it's not easy to move. I have quite a bit of people who need me here, too."<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">Day 120, Introduction of Ceremonies</span></span><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/oB6uoOo.jpeg)</div><br/>Redhurst’s various Deans led groups of students into the forest. The very trees, roots, and grass parted ways, leaving but a clean path of bare soil before eventually resuming their original placement. But instead of going to Wayreth proper, the trail took a side route down a path into what looked like an outdoor garden party. There was nobody there, although the food and drink were half-eaten, a tablecloth caught mid-flutter as though whoever left last was only there mere seconds ago.<br/><br/>The assembled students were curious, quick to cast various divinations to ascertain the disappearing party-goers, coming up with theories of their own when said spells discerned nothing. Only Carson seemed to know what was going on, but all he did was give out an audible groan. Soon the ruse was over, and an elderly white-robed human manifested at the head of a table with a staff, glowing post-spell to the tune of loudly dangling keys.<br/><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/sBmNSGe.jpg)<br/><br/>“Surprise!” he exclaimed, soon joined by the chorus of hundreds of applauding figures manifesting in short order.<br/><br/>People clad in spotless white, ebony black, and crimson red robes appeared sitting in chairs, tree branches, or simply standing. Most of them were young students as well, although there was less diversity than that of Redhurst’s student body: elves and humans predominated, and while a rare dwarf could be spotted here and there, few Wayreth students and staff were notably different size-wise from the human norm.<br/><br/>“My name is Par-Salian, Master of the Tower of Wayreth,” the key-bearing wizard proclaimed. “And head of the Conclave, Ansalon’s governing body of wizards. We are grateful to host the Redhurst community in our fair forest.”<br/><br/>A pair of fellow wizards, a black-robed woman and red-robed man (both humans) strode forth with Par-Salian to shake hands with Headmaster Andarlin.<br/><br/>“Forgive us for the unconventional meeting place,” Par-Salian explained. “Access to Wayreth proper is a slow, tedious affair, but we still wanted to meet you all.”<br/><br/>“Not a problem!” Andarlin replied jovially. “Always nice to go outdoors for a change of pace!”<br/><br/>Apprentices from both schools were more than eager to socialize with each other and learn about their respective academies and home worlds. Being ever so silver-tongued, Kleris learned a bit more about Ansalon (and by extension Krynn) through various small talk.<br/><br/><em>Kleris has such a high Diplomacy modifier that she doesn’t need to roll to learn things.</em><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Small Talk Cliff Notes</div><div class="spoiler_body"><br/><strong>On Wayreth:</strong> “Our Tower’s the last of our kind,” answered a red-robed human with a tanned complexion and shaved head. “There were four others spread around the continent, but they were destroyed by Istar centuries ago. The priests didn’t like the competition, but now their gods have abandoned Krynn. So if you ask me, we had the last laugh. Anyway, we’re in a forest on the continent’s southwest, and our neighbors are the humans of Karolis and elves of Qualinesti who respect our art. A bit far from the major centers of civilization, but we have friendly company. As for distance, well, we have ways of helping farflung apprentices attend, heh.”<br/><br/><strong>The Gods of Krynn:</strong> “We used to have gods and clerics,” explained a black-robed dwarf with very pale skin. “Ones that weren’t the three moons, that is. Istar was their last great civilization, but they fell when the gods smote the world with fire from the sky after the Kingpriest sought to command them. They’ve been silent to any prayers since. It’s...a sore subject. Countless people died, even the enemies of Istar. But our gods, those of Magic, never left, nor condemned this world in such a way. The only blood on our hands was shed by our oppressors! It was Magus who helped the Knights push back the Queen of Darkness, it was wizards who ended the Second Dragonwar, it was not a wizard who fired the first shot during the siege of Palanthas-oh sorry, I get worked up a lot about politics.”<br/><br/><strong>Orders &amp; Robes:</strong> “There’s not many wizards on Ansalon, so we have to band together,” answered a white-robed elf with blonde hair and an eyepatch. “Our organization as a whole is the Conclave, but we have three smaller Orders for each Moon. The White Robes, of which I am obviously a part of, focus on the cause of Good and the use of magic for expanding knowledge and preventing harm. The Red Robes strive for balance in all things and are loyal to magic beyond any strong ideological concerns...which is kind of an ideology if you ask me, no? Finally, the Black Robes...well, you didn’t hear this from me, but they believe that having magic gives you the right to rule over others and take what you want. They’re only part of the Conclave because they’d be hunted down by every king worth their salt if they tried going it on their own-Oh hi Maritza, we were just talking about this great pumpkin punch recipe from Redhurst!”<br/><br/><strong>Other Forms of Magic on Krynn:</strong> “I’ve heard that there is something called Primal Sorcery,” inquired a short brown-skinned gnome wearing goggles. “Dragons are said to be the best known wielders of it, where magic is part of their form and they need no material components of spellbooks to cast such spells. Our magic is that of High Sorcery, which doesn’t come naturally but is more precise and methodical. Nobody’s seen a true cleric, or druid, in centuries. There’s a lot of self-professed miracleworkers, but they are mere charlatan wizards or alchemists taking advantage of people. Most people hate the gods, so they’re more the exception. But enough about our traditions, how does magic work where <em>you</em> come from?”</div></div><br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/oBG83DQ.jpg)<br/><br/>Carson remained by himself, leaning against a tree and taking the occasional bite from a hand held fruit pie.<br/><br/>“Looks like you’re fitting in well,” he said to Kleris. “If you want to ask me about my home...not here, not now. In private, with the<em>silent table.”</em><br/><br/>He began to wolf down the last bits of his handheld concoction, but not before hurrying off at the sight of a passing white-robed hobgoblin student.<br/><br/>“Huh, was that…?” muttered the goblinoid girl. “No, it couldn’t have been…”<br/><br/><em>Up to you if Kleris talks to the hobgoblin lady or not.</em><br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">The Arcane Detective</span></span></div><br/>Today’s lesson was unusual for several reasons. One, it was held outdoors in the forests of Wayreth. Two, it was a joint session between Kleris’ usual class and some White Robe students. Assistant Dean Lavoh stood behind a giant tree stump, waist-high yet large enough to hold a variety of small handheld items, tools, stones, twigs, and other such trinkets. Accompanying her was a white-robed woman with a prosthetic arm. (https://i.imgur.com/ExoAWDQ.png)<br/><br/>“Greetings everyone,” Lavoh said. “For our Wayreth attendees, I am Assistant Dean Lavoh of Redhurst’s Jecture School of Divination. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”<br/><br/>“And I am Gailee Saflora of the White Robe Order, Divination Specialist!” the other teacher responded in a louder, proud tone. “Before us are a set of natural and manufactured objects. Now there are divination spells that can allow one to speak with the natural world, but artificial objects are precluded from this. Much like this tree stump, the wooden foundations of our halls are built from the corpses of plants.”<br/><br/>“So much like how one can use a spell to speak with the dead,” Lavoh continued, a bit shocked at her partner’s energetic exclamation, “one can use a spell to speak with the materials reforged into the tools of civilization. But where does the natural begin and artificial end? For this lesson you will use this spell to better bridge the gap.”<br/><br/>The task was harder than it seemed. Several smooth pebbles qualified as “artificial,” shaped just such yet appearing otherwise. But other pebbles seemingly identical did not respond to the spell, shaped instead by the passage of water. The objects in question were more than happy to elucidate on the circumstances of their creation once identified. “I was chiseled down by a stonemason!” “I’m a collage of leaves that was made to look natural by an artist!”<br/><br/>“Quite interesting,” Utari mused. “I wonder if that flower eyepatch of Saflora counts…care to try, I’m a bit too nervous to ask her myself?”<br/><br/>“I heard that,” boomed the Wayreth teacher.<br/><br/>Utari promptly apologized.<br/><br/>“No no, you’re curious, that’s fine. Actually it’s a living plant, and like my prosthetic it can sense things. I alternate between Speak with Plants and Objects to see if either noticed anything I may have missed, particularly while sleeping. Quite useful, it’s like having your own familiar, but quieter and without needing a litterbox.”<br/><br/><em>Thanks to high modifiers in Craft Alchemy and Metalworking, Kleris scores the highest marks in this class and is able to correctly ID most of the artificial material. She also learns Speak With Objects.</em><br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote from: Speak With Objects</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><strong>School</strong> Divination<br/><strong>Level:</strong> Sorcerer/Wizard 2<br/><strong>Casting Time:</strong> 1 standard action<br/><strong>Components:</strong> V, S<br/><strong>Range:</strong> Personal<br/><strong>Target:</strong> You<br/><strong>Duration:</strong> 1 min./level<br/><br/>You can comprehend and communicate telepathically with manufactured objects, including animated objects and constructs. You are able to ask questions and receive answers from objects. An inanimate object’s sense of its surroundings is limited, so it won’t be able to give or recognize detailed descriptions of creatures or answer questions about events outside its immediate vicinity. The spell doesn’t make animated objects or constructs any more friendly or cooperative than normal. Furthermore, they are likely to make inane comments. If an animated object or construct is friendly toward the caster, it may do some favor or service for the caster (as determined by the GM).</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>