Necromancer IC - JBarca

[Maquise]

In the kingdom of Ashcen, magic is feared and hated. The king, Zuhrin the Magebane, has outlawed and lead several campaigns against it.

At the end of the day, that doesn't matter to you. You are a farmer's child, and have no magic that you know of. You live in a small, dirty hut at the edge of a small village called Hackevir. Your mother died giving birth to you; your father cares little for you.


You wake up this morning, April 21 7th Year of the Hammer. The sky is grey and overcast, and you can smell rain in the air. You've worked hard the last month planting, and the rain will be a much desired respite. You struggle to get up off your dirty straw bed. The small, old wooden shack you've called home all your life is currently empty; the embers of a cooking fire smoulder in the fireplace, giving a dull orange glow and a token source of heat in the dank, cold morning.

[JBarca]

Yawning and stretching, Tendric rubs the sleep out of his eyes before noticing the empty hut. Sighing dramatically, he rubs his temples for a moment, lamenting his fortunes.

Great. Pop's already out working, and I'm just waking. I'll be hearing about this for a week.

Tendric quickly pulls on his shoes, grabs the rough leather strip he uses as a belt, and hurries out the door, doing his best to appear sorrowful as he keeps his eyes open for his father.

[Maquise]

You see your father outside. He is loading the donkey with some form of bundle.
"Wasting your dawdling in bed," he says, "I should've guessed. You're too lazy-boned for yer own good, much less mine. One of these days you're gonna be on yer own, then what will ya do?"

As his voice raises, rain starts to fall. He slowly shakes his head. "I don' care. I'm going to town, stay here. Not much can be done in the rain."

[JBarca]

"I... I'm sorry, father. I wasn't trying to upset you. Good luck, today..."
I know I'll be on my own one day. That's why I need you to take me to town! How else am I supposed to learn anything?
Hanging his head and turning slowly, Tendric trudges back to the hut. Once inside, he does his best to straighten out what meager possessions he and his father have. He leaves the door open, to keep an eye on the land, enjoy the sight of the rain, and have a space through which to toss debris from the floor of the hut.
When he finishes, he sits in the doorway and sets to mending the whole he'd worn in his breeches from kneeling in the dirt for hours each day.
He does his best to keep his wandering thoughts off of his father, not wanting resentment to build up until it'd be visible when the man returned.

[Maquise]

The rain continues for most of the morning, breaking in the afternoon. By late afternoon, the sun is peaking out from under the clouds in the west.

By the time the sun's starting to set, and you've seen nothing from your father, you start to become worried.

[JBarca]

The old man's probably gone and wasted his goods on drink... I'm sure that's it. He'll be back soon, I bet. Better make sure to have some food ready. Never a good idea to upset him when he's drunk.

Having convinced himself of the unlikely scenario, the boy sets about gathering some food. A slice of dry jerky, the cold squirrel from last week, and a beet or two from the store. Hopefully the food wouldn't upset him too much.

How far's Hackevir from the hut? If nothing changes until that long after sundown, I'll probably start walking into town.

[Maquise]

You eat your paltry meal in silence, save for the occasional call of a bird. You sit on your front stoop, watching the road.

As you eat, you notice something very peculiar. A blood-red raven sits perched in a tree, staring at you. It occasionally moves, adjusting its perch or turning its head, but does not leave the perch.

[JBarca]

Shrugging, and seeing a way to pass the time, Tendric hops up, grabs a few stones, and begins tossing them towards the bird. He tries scaring it off first, then switches to actually trying to hit it if that doesn't work.

At the very least, it distracts him from his increasingly-late father.

[Maquise]

The bird, you note as you toss the stones, reacts in a very odd way. It doesn't much more than flinch if it is obvious the stone isn't going to hit, and simply bobs out of the way if one does get closer. It isn't until you send one straight at it that the creature jumps out of the way, cawing as it does so.

"Good sir, I do implore you to stop this utterly unprovoked assault at once!" The sanguine raven calls out in a surprisingly cultured voice.

[JBarca]

Jumping in alarm, Tendric glances about quickly, sure of a ruse of some sort.

"Who said that? Who's there?" He cried, backing toward the hut again. "Just, leave me alone... It's just a bird, I won't throw anymore stones, I promise..."

[Maquise]

The blood-colored raven flies over to perch on the window sill nearby.

"My good fellow, there is no need to be taken with alarm," it says. "I am simply here to deliver a message. My name is Sanguineus, and I have come to inform you that you have received an inheritance, Tendric of Hackevir. Your late uncle Lucien von Nehlyvich has left you his estate. I am here to ensure you successfully receive it."

[JBarca]

"I have... Had an uncle? An estate?! How can you talk? But I'm not old enough to have an estate, am I? Who are you? Did you know my uncle? How big is it?"
Dad would never let me... Although this could be my chance to prove to him that I can do things on my own. I'll have an estate, I'll take care of it for a while, and he'll want me back.

"I can do this. How far is the trip? Should I bring some food?"

Without waiting for a reply, Tendric runs toward the hut and begins putting together a few days worth of scraps of meat and beets. He also grabs his "knife" (not much more than a pointed rock, really), before racing back out to

[Maquise]

"One thing at a time, good sir, one thing at a time. I would recommend preparing for a long journey. The Estate is some distance from here..." the raven pauses as he looks to the distance.

You follow his gaze, and see a company of soldiers coming up the road.

[JBarca]

"That's odd... Don't normally see soldiers around here. Sanguineus, what's going on?"
As he speaks, Tendric finishes loading up his pack with food, enough for five or six days of travel.
"I guess I'll go see what's going on?"

[Maquise]

"No," Sanguineous says. "Your uncle was no friend of the king; it would be best if you avoided his men all together."

[JBarca]

"What? A traitor? But... Why? I'm not so sure about this. What should I do?"

What have I gotten myself into now?

[Maquise]

"He was no traitor. Come with me; I will take you to the estate."

[JBarca]

"I..." Casting one last glance down the road, Tendric nods.
"Alright. Let's go, then."
Grabbing his pack, he closes the door and follows the Raven, doing his best to stay out of sight of the approaching men.

[Maquise]

As twilight approaches, you head into the plains, following the direction that Sanguineous states.

"Oh dear," the bird says, "These surroundings are remarkably flat. It will be difficult to reach safety without being seen."

[JBarca]

"Safety?" What have I gotten myself into?

"Who... Who might be seeing us? Sanguineous, you're worrying me."
Tendric begins walking a bit more quickly, though he strikes a comical figure with his over-large pack on his back and rough-hewn rock clenched tightly in his fist. His eyes dart around constantly, obviously on-edge now.

Should've stayed home. Too late now, though.

[Maquise]

(Disregard that last post)

You head out on the journey, trying to avoid the soldiers if possible, and when it can't be avoided, you try to be as casual as possible. You succeed, the soldiers ignoring you for now.

As twilight sets in, you try for an old clearing you know about to set up camp. You stop a moment, sitting down to rest on an old log near the road. You smell something very peculiar, a cloying sickly sweet stench nearby.

[JBarca]

"Do you smell that? I... I don't think I'm in the mood for food tonight..."

Tendric stands and wanders about a bit, looking for the source of the smell. He keeps one eye on the bird at all times, though.

What if this is just some dream? If that bird disappears and I'm still out here, father'll beat me for sure...

[Maquise]

You begin fumbling around in the dark, trying to find the source of the smell. You end up tripping and landing in the underbrush. You are uninjured, but find the source of the sickening stench.

You lift yourself up, and find yourself staring at a body lying in the ditch. You turn it over to find it was your father. Just barely recognized; his face has swollen and his skin is a deep purple.

[JBarca]

"ARGH! Father! He's... How... Bird! What? He's just... He..."

Oh gods oh gods...He's just dead. That's him.
Stumbling backwards again, Tendric trips on his own feet and lands in a heap. Holding himself tightly, he begins to cry.

Be a man, Tendric. C'mon... It's not like you were particularly close... He's just your father. And he's... Oh gods, he's dead.

"What happened? Why would he be dead?"

[Maquise]

Sanguineous examines the body.
"Most unfortunate. It would appear to be the poison Blue Whinnis. Most peculiar..."

He snaps his he up, black eyes staring directly at you. "What has happened today? Do you know what your father went into town for?"

[JBarca]

"P-Poison? Why? I don't know... He didn't say. He just left..."

Why is he poisoned? That... He's just a farmer

Tendric glances back and forth between the body and the body, clearly distraught and confused

[Maquise]

"We don't know enough," Sanguineous says, "but I fear you may be in greater danger than we first realized. If only we knew more... but now is not the time for investigation. You must come with me now. The journey is for several leagues."

[JBarca]

"Can't I bury him? Leaving him out is.. It's not done..."

Shaking visibly now, Tendric is openly staring at the corpse, hoping it will move, hoping father will glare at him one more time.

[Maquise]

"That would be unwise," the bird says. "If you dig his grave, it may very well become your own."

[JBarca]

Eyes wide, Tendric nods slowly.

"O... Ok. Then shall we be off? I don't want to keep looking at... at him."

The boy stands, gathers his goods, and looks at the bird, clearly ready to leave. He pointedly avoids looking at the corpse at all.

[Maquise]

You can't take the road, but the fields are just tall enough for you to crawl in without being spotted. The crawl is slow and arduous. Sanguineous guides you north.

You move throughout the night, ever tense. Fortunately, the torches of the soldiers makes it easy for you to track them. You thank the stars none of them are rangers.

When morning comes, you find yourself in unfamiliar land surrounded by rolling hills. Hunger gnaws your belly, and you are sore and tired.

[JBarca]

As the bird shows no sign of stopping, Tendric pulls out a strip of meat and gnaws on at as he walks.

"How much farther, Sanguineous? I'm so tired..."

This bird must have wings of iron. He's been flying for far too long.
You idiot, he can talk. He's obviously special.

[Maquise]

"We will have to find you a place to rest. It took me 14 days to get to your home, and that was flying."

[JBarca]

Tendric says simply, "Oh."

Two weeks? I don't have nearly enough food... I'll have to hunt before too long, and I only have this knife. Maybe the bird can help?

Trudging along behind his red guide, the boy begins eyeing potential campsites, hoping to see someplace to rest before his legs give out.

[Maquise]

You locate a small glen near a freshwater stream, concealed by a grove of trees. You curl up there and rest for a few hours.

You're awaken at noon, and after eating a small meal of wild berries with fresh water, continue on your trek. You eventually find a well-worn road heading-east west. Sanguineous informs you that heading west for a while will get you there sooner.

You walk for some time, when you hear the sound of shod hooves approaching from behind you. About 200 yards back, a mounted soldier approaches. Sanguineous, not yet noticed, darts into the foliage near the road.

[JBarca]

As he hears the horse approaching, Tendric steps off the road and stands with his head down, showing the respect a soldier of the king deserves. He sneaks a glance at the man is he nears, but otherwise does his best to not draw attention to himself.

[Maquise]

The soldier comes to a stop as he rides by.

"This is a dangerous road to be traveling alone, especially for one so young as you. What brings you out this way?"

[JBarca]

"My pa is sending me to visit my uncle, m'lord. If it pleases m'lord, that is."
Never taking his eyes of the road, Tendric shuffles his feet nervously.

[Maquise]

The soldier snorts. "Then he should've hired a carriage. You see this forest?" he points to the treeline to your right. "It's full of all sorts of nasty creatures. Bears, wolves, even the occasional troll wandering down from the mountain." He shakes his head. "Where does your uncle live?"

[JBarca]

Hired a carriage? You can do that?

"M'lord, my father didn't, erm, didn't think to. M'lord. And west, m'lord."

[Maquise]

"Well, my patrol takes me west," the soldier says, "to the Old Grey Oak Inn. I can accompany you there, but then you will have to find other means of passage."

The two of you proceed well into the evening; it is night when you get to the inn. The soldier's eyes are not on you during this time; he spends most of the trip warily regarding the forest.

[JBarca]

Tendric keeps up with the horse as best he can while simultaneously trying to keep an eye out for his avian companion. When he reaches the inn, he mumbles some excuse about making water and steps out into the night. Approaching the forest carefully, he loud-whispers, "Sanguineous? Are you there?"

[Maquise]

The bird flutters down to a low-hanging branch.

"Ah, you are well, good sir. I hope you find the accommodations satisfactory?"

With the money you scavenged from your father, you managed to buy a small patch of floor in the inn's common room. Tonight there aren't a lot of guests, and the place seems well-enough cared for.

[JBarca]

"Yeah, they're fine. I just wanted to make sure I didn't lose you today. G'night, Sanguineous."

Tendric finds his spot on the floor, lies down with his pack clutched between his arms, and attempts to find sleep.

[Maquise]

Your dreams are troubled by images of your dead father. When you awaken the next morning, you are still sore from the journey, and are no more sure of how much farther you have to go.

The soldier from the day before has left, and you are on your own save for Sanguineous.

[JBarca]

Eating a quick meal, Tendric gathers his goods and joins the bird on the road again, content to trudge along in silen misery.

Dead father. Inheritance of a traitor. Sore. Tired. Two-week journey. Talking bird. Dead father. Inheritance of a traitor...

[Maquise]

Sanguineous takes you north, away from civilization and into the forest, up to the foothills of the mountains. As you close in on them, you first get a sense of how large and imposing they truly are.

The next few days are harrowing, with the path you are on seeming more like a game trail than a trade road. You are beset by strange noises and eerie phantoms, the oppressive nature of the forest looming down over you. But you know of no where else to go...

"Not much farther, we should arrive by the end of the day. Of course, when I left I was flying, so I may have misjudged the time walking."

"We'll head up this path until it enters a ravine. Then, we'll follow the ravine to a particular cave. Going through the cave, we'll come out on the shore of a lake. The estate border's that lake."

[JBarca]

"Is my uncle's... My estate big? It's on a lake? Wow... Is it near a city? Why is it so hidden?"

Tendric's questions have an air of nervousness, more than inquiry, but, after a moment of catching his breath, he looks expectantly at the Raven, waiting for answers.

[Maquise]

"Your uncle was a private man; his main residence is somewhat secluded, but he did own property in several of Ashchen's major cities and beyond. Do not worry; he made provisions for it to be well supplied."

[JBarca]

"If you don't mind my asking, Sanguineous; who are you? I mean, you seem to know a lot about my uncle and the king and stuff, and you're a bird. No offense! But you are. How can you talk?"

[Maquise]

Sanguineous ***** his head. "Your uncle Awakened me."

[JBarca]

"Were you sleeping somewhere dangerous?"

[Maquise]

"I apologize, I believe I have failed to make a rather important point clear," Sanguineous says. "Your uncle was a magister. And a very powerful one, at that."

[JBarca]

Tendric stops dead in his tracks.

"But... That's evil, isn't it? Consorting with fiends and eating children and stuff like that?"

The boy's eyes widen.

"Am I going to get in trouble for going there with you?"

[Maquise]

Sanguineous puffs out his chest, indignantly. "You know not what you say, boy. For one thing, it was likely the King's men that murdered your father, and would've done the same to you if they had known who you are."

[JBarca]

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just... I'm just scared is all. But why would they kill my father? He didn't use-" Tendric pauses for a moment, hesitating to even say the word, before whispering, "- magic."

That's evident... We could barely make it through a winter. A magic user could have made the ground more fertile or filled our bellies.

[Maquise]

"Likely due to your relationship to Lucien," he says. "It is unfortunate, but would not be the first time one's bloodline has brought misfortune."

[JBarca]

Tendric walks in silence for a bit, before a thought occurs to him.

"Is... Is awakening something a magic? Is that how you can talk?"

[Maquise]

"Yes," he says. "Before that, I was just a regular bird, with no greater thoughts."

[JBarca]

"Wow."

Tendric seems content to entertain his own thoughts as he walks.

Wow is right. I wonder how one learns magic? Could I do it? I'm already a traitor by blood, I guess, and once I'm at the estate, I suppose I could be hidden enough to be a secret? I could teach all sorts of animals how to talk and they would be like Sanguineous... I wonder how magic works?

[Maquise]

The night sky reflects off the glass surface of the lake. Mountains rise on all sides.

You walk down the seemingly out of place paved road, arriving at a tall Gothic gate set off the beach. Sanguineous flies out of site for a moment, and the gate opens of its own accord.

You step onto the grounds proper. Every thing seems surprisingly well-kept. You round a bend, and get the first sight of your new home.

An imposing, grey Gothic tower stands before you. The outer walls are perfectly smooth, with no sign of mason work. Windows, tall and slitted, are placed at regular intervals, each one framed in wrought iron. The structure is at least 6 stories tall.

You arrive at the front door. It is inset several feet, forming an enclosed front step. You pass a pair of menacing gargoyles. The front door is about 8 foot square, with a set of two black knockers, appearing as grim faces.

[JBarca]

Reaching up, Tendric takes ahold of a knocker and gives it a timid bang or two, then hurriedly steps back. His eyes are the size of saucers and his hands are visibly shaking.

[Maquise]

The door opens, without any visible means of doing so. Sanguineous gestures with his wing.
"It is yours now, after a manner."
The bird studies you with a careful eye.
"I must warn you, though. Lucius was a very powerful man, and very private. His arcane abilities were most potent, and beyond your current understanding. Take care! There are many dangerous things in this tower, and mastering it will take a good deal of time and effort. The first and second floors are perfectly safe, but do not delve too quickly into the underground levels."

You enter the front door into a circular foyer. A chandelier spontaneously ignites, flooding the room in light. The floor is smooth marble with a fine carpet laid over it. Verdant plants sit in pots on the edge of the chamber, along with a circular table, upon which there is, amongst other things, a roll of parchment and a bound leather tome. A door leads out of the room on the opposite side.

[JBarca]

"I'll stay up here, don't worry." The boy's solemn expression displays his terror at what might be below him as he speaks.

He slowly walks toward the table, and picks up the parchment curiously, reading through it if possible.

[Maquise]

You break the scrolls seal, opening it. The scroll is written in black ink, with a hastened hand:

Tendric,
There are many things I wished to tell you, but my time is short, and there are important matters to discuss. You have inherited not only my property, but my legacy. I give you the resources I had in life to aid you in this, as my legacy will consume you if you allow it. But prove yourself strong, and you will gain more power than you could possibly imagine. This book is the beginning. Hold it close! Its knowledge is the greatest power on this earth.

Lucien von Nehlyvich

P.S. Listen to Sanguineous!


You examine the leather tome. The cover is black and featureless, the leather thick and stained with wear. It is held shut by a pale metal clasp. There is a small depression in the clasp, about the size of your thumb. The pages are still white, though.

[JBarca]

Tendrics rubs his thumb over the cover, then his whole hand, hoping to feel some sort of magic, though he has no idea what that really means.
After a moment, he fusses with the clasp, attempting to open the book and peer inside.

[Maquise]

You find, leafing through the white pages, that not all of them are blank. Some do, in fact, have writing on them. Pages covered in eldritch symbols and writings describing esoteric rituals. All seem simple enough, at least in practice. You find, to your amazement, that the longer you study these pages, the more their contents seem to make sense.

Sanguineous looks over your shoulder. "Ah, I see you have begun the study of spellcraft. Your uncle has left some basic pointers for you to get started. But before you start practicing, maybe we should start by getting settled in? It is late, after all, and we both have spent much time on the road."

[JBarca]

Tendric drags his eyes from the pages reluctantly.
"I suppose so. Where should we go? I'd be happy to just bed down for the night. Can you show me around tomorrow?"

[Maquise]

Your stomach growls.

"Perhaps, sir, we should find you something to eat first?"

[JBarca]

Tendric clutches his stomach and looks a bit abashed.

"Uh, yes... I'd sort of forgotten. Good idea."

[Maquise]

"Today has been a day full of momentous events, sir."

You walk over to the door out of the foyer, and find a circular outer hall. You find a set of guest bedrooms, and small dining room. You enter, and the largest chair at the table moves out of its own accord.

[JBarca]

Does everything in this place move on its own like that?

Wide-eyed, Tendric seats himself.

"Sanguineous, does anyone else live here?"

[Maquise]

"No, not anymore," Sanguineous says. "This was your uncle's most private estate. If anyone now lives who knows about it, I am not aware of them."

You hear noises emerge from the kitchen, sounds of fire, pots, and pans. After a short while, appetizing smells begin to waft out.

As you continue to wait, the sound of stringed instruments is heard. You look around, and see a set of instruments in the corner of the dining room. They appear to be playing themselves. The music is beautiful, calm and soothing as opposed to the boisterous tavern music you are used to.

A cart wheels out of the kitchen towards you. A pair of white gloves place a plate of delicious looking appetizers in front of you. It consists of steamed mushrooms and shrimp, with some sort of sauce.

The meal continues, each course just as rich as the last. After eating your fill along with a sampling of some of your uncle's excellent wine, you are satisfied.

[JBarca]

"Sanguineous, are all meals like this? I feel I'll weigh as much as horse by this time next week."
After waiting a moment to ensure no more food would be forthcoming, Tendric rises, stretches, and yawns.

"Can you show me where to sleep, now? I need to sleep this off before I'll be ready to do anything else, I think."

[Maquise]

You find at one end of the hallway a heavy stone door. It does not appear to possess either lock or handle, and you cannot open it. At the other end, is a staircase that ascends.

You arrive at the second floor. Three doors stand before you, one leads to another flight of stairs, one an elaborate study, one the master bedroom. First you examine the study. In it is one massive writing desk, stocked and well organized. The room also contains a private library containing more books, tomes and scrolls than you have ever witnessed. You locate another door, which leads to what looks like a private museum. Paintings of exotic people and places line the walls, and you see priceless objects, both beautiful and strange, sealed in glass cases. A pair of suits of armor stand beside the entrance door.

At last you arrive in the master bedroom. It is, like the rest of the tower, greatly comfortable but a touch spartan considering the obvious wealth of the owner. The bed is four-post and has a silk spread, and is the largest bed you have ever seen.

You notice that, in addition to the wardrobe and other such items a bedroom would have, there is a large, oaken door in the corner of your room. You open it, and are hit with a wave of hot, humid air. As the room is revealed, you find yourself in the entrance to a private bath. The pool is circular, 8 ft in diameter at a guess. A marble dragon stands over, water pouring from its mouth, and a glint that suggests ruby eyes.

[JBarca]

Well, I'd hate to ruin this bed with my filth...

Tendric strips down and dips into the pool for a bit before climbing into bed, immediately falling asleep.

[Maquise]

You sleep throughout the night and well into the morning; the bed is even softer than you thought.

You awake refreshed, and a breakfast is waiting for you. It is every bit as excellent as the dinner was the night before. With breakfast out of the way, you are ready to start the day's work.

[JBarca]

Tendric immediately heads for the entryway, and gathers the book. He finds a place to sit and begins to read.

[Maquise]

You start studying the contents of the book in earnest, and quickly realize that though the symbols are starting to make sense, it will take months before you can master what is written just on these pages.

You head for the library, and begin to research, referencing other works as well.

[JBarca]

Tendric spends all of his time reading, poring over the texts, absorbing all he can. He stops only to sleep and eat. Never before had he had the opportunity to actually learn, to do anything aside form farm. He put his past behind him, doing his best to forget the death of his father, his farm.

Because I'm not reading these books, I don't know what Tendric is actually getting. As such, I'm not sure how to respond really. What sort of thing do you think I should be doing? I don't want Tendric to stop doing things because I don't know how learning magic works, I guess.

[Maquise]

After several months of study, you get a full mastery of the basic cantrips outlined in the Black Book, along with a few basic true spells.

Basically, you get everything a Level 1 Wizard has. Feel free to specify what Connor does during these months, including any exploration of the Tower and surrounding territory.

[JBarca]

Although Tendric spends the vast majority of his time studying, he also takes time each week to wander the halls of the tower, careful to avoid the areas about which Sanguineous had warned him. He takes time to inspect the rooms, doing his best to learn the layout and locations of each.
Once he feels comfortable with the building, he begins to walk outside, though he never strays far from his new home.

Does this mean I should go ahead and create up a character sheet for Tendric? If so, aside from the 25pt buy, what else do I need to know? Traits/Drawbacks? How should I handle wealth?

Also, sorry for the delay in responding; long weekend.

[Maquise]

You start with two traits, and can optionally take a drawback to get a third. All traits must be in different categories.


The first floor has the foyer where you entered. You first view the kitchens, as the dishes from your meal are being cleaned. Sure enough, all of the cookware seems to be cleaning itself. A door in the back leads out to a small farm, complete with vegetables and animals. A collection of animated scarecrows tend the farm. Off the main hallway, you find a parlor for the entertainment of guests, if you so desired. It is well decorated, with furnishings of silk and gold.
Further down, you locate several guest rooms. Each one is well-kept, although you do note that, as far as Sanguineous is aware, they have never been used; you may be the first person to enter this tower other than its master. "Master Lucien had many estates; he entertained elsewhere."

The second floor has the study, first library, museum, and Master Bedroom and Bath. Ascending to the third floor, you find a Map Room, Alchemy Lab, and a balcony with a Rare Herb Garden on it. In the Alchemy Lab, you find a second set of stairs leading upwards, to a locked door. Above the locked door, it says, "Alchemy: Advanced Studies."

You continue up the main flight. Most of the doors are locked; the names of these that most stick out to you are, "Library of Conjuration," "Hall of Testing," and "Necrotorium."

Most of the doors on the upper floors are locked, except the one at the very top. On the pinnacle of the tower, you find an observatory, equipped with all manner of astrological devices.

[JBarca]

Having learned his first few spells and inscribed them into a blank spellbook he found in a library, Tendric begins to grow more curious about magic, and its illegality. He seeks out his raven friend.
"Sanguineous? Why does the world hate Arcana so much? It's not inherently evil, and not everyone who uses it is, right? Also, what was my uncle doing? Did he learn and collect all of this for a particular purpose? It's just... so much!"

Sorry for the delay. I'm finishing up Tendric now.
Two questions: First, should I just use the average starting wealth for Tendric? I'm in a fortress of magic, I'm not sure if I have access to anything extra.
Second, I know this isn't typically allowed (Awakaned and all), but could I make Sanguineous my Familiar? It'd be pretty cool to have him around wherever I go.

[Maquise]

Sanguineous is intended as your familiar. For the sake of simplicity, let's say for now that you have access to gear equal to what you'd find as a 1st level character.

"I'm afraid that while your uncle shared a great deal with me, his motivation was not amongst it. Nor could I tell you the motivations of your enemies, save that people have the tenancy to fear that which they do not understand."

[JBarca]

Looking a bit disappointed, Tendric nods.
"I see. I guess I'll just have to figure that out myself. Sanguineous... Why are some of the doors upstairs locked? If my uncle was the only resident of this tower, who else would be entering them?"

Really? Nifty! How should I go about statting him? Should I roll here for his stats, as per Awaken, or do you have him statted already?
In case I am doing the rolling, I'll go ahead and do it, with the knowledge that I'll likely be disregarding these later.
[roll0] (I don't know why this one actually mattered, come to think of it. I suppose he just gets 6, by nature of my being a 1st level Wizard?)
[roll1]

[Maquise]

Stat him as a standard familiar.

"No one, however you are not yet ready to enter them. Lucien put safeguards in place to ensure you only had access to magic that you could control. It being an exceptionally dangerous tool, after all. You would not wish to enter the Necrotorium before you are ready, after all."

[JBarca]

"I... suppose that makes sense. Sanguineous, will you show me about the lands under my control? I haven't ventured more than a few hundred feet from, well from home in a long while. Do other people live on the land?"

Am... Am I a lord?
Tendric seems excited at the prospect.

Another thought strikes the boy.
I wonder how long I can continue gaining skill by studying? The books seem to indicate some sort of practical knowledge needs to be gained along with the factual. I wonder how that can be gained? Most spells seem to function best in some sort of challenging situation... Ah well, thoughts for another time.

Here's Tendric (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1029229). Let me know if anything doesn't check out.

[Maquise]

"No one else lives on this land. The Tower and all the shore front of Lake Ruimare is under your ownership."

[JBarca]

"I... I see. Thank you, Sanguineous."

Tendric spends the next few days ensuring he is ready, then approaches his companion again.

"Sanguineous, where is the nearest settlement? I think I would like to meet a few of my neighbors. Maybe have some over for a meal? I could demonstrate that the people who live here don't need to be feared. What do you think?"

[Maquise]

"This Tower is deep within the Wyrmwood, milord. There is no civilization for many leagues. Although, there are the Naormi. They are a nomadic people that sometimes travel the Wyrmwood to escape persecution from the king."