Chapter Two
Lady Rubina
Lady Rubina sat in her desk chair, regarding the elf with interest. He was quite short, like most elves, although he could be considered short even for an elf, being at most five feet and three inches. She noted the eagerness in his handsome, angular facade, and the slight frailty evident by his limbs. He had muscle on him but overall was very lean, an elven trait in itself. She noticed that he wore his deep brown hair long, its length reaching his mid back easily, were it not for the ponytail he kept it in. He wore a pair of plain brown breeches, a simple gray shirt, and a green cloak that looked like it was a mock-up of elven design, clearly human in make.
"And you have come here, all the way from Qualinost," she asked slowly, "To study magic under me?"
She honestly didn't know whether to be flattered or flabbergasted.
"Yes," he replied in his strong, tenor's voice, nodding once, "I have heard that you were quite a good teacher, and my... father... mentioned you often."
Rubina raised her eyebrow skeptically, "Your father?"
"Jenivarillios Bloodmoon," the elven man answered forcibly, through grated teeth.
"Ah, yes," she remarked in response. "Him. He was my Shalafi after my Test. He was not a very good teacher, and I assume you dislike him, based on your tone."
"Yes, I hate him," Fenixlyonis replied coldly.
Rubina sat back, in silent consideration. Several minutes passed in silence, neither breaking eye contact.
What if she doesn't want to teach me? Fenixlyonis asked himself. Is this entire trip in vain?
When she finally spoke again, she did so slowly and deliberately, "I will take you on as a student. I will require payment, but I can help you get yourself a job here so pay for my services. If you want to lodge here, in my tower, you may, for additional payments, or you may find it more financially friendly to stay at the Seasick Kraaken. They have long-term rooms available."
At that point she stood up, and walked over to one of the bookshelves lining her spacious and elegant study. Fenixlyonis stood rigid, unwilling to convey any emotion until she was quite finished.
"You will find the pre-Test studies are rather boring," she continued. "And lessons with me will be both few and short. Most of your time will be spent completing assignments I will give you periodically, studying books that I give to you, and practicing spell mastery. I have two other students in the city, you may run into them eventually. As for times, from this point on I will expect you to arrive here, in this room, by the thirteenth hour of every Day of Nuitari, every Day of Gilean, and every day of Kiri-Jolith."
Fenixlyonis nodded briskly. That wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting, but anything was something. Rubina approached him and handed him a book.
"You will study this," she instructed. "It contains some rudimentary spells that are often essential knowledge for more advanced spellcasting; which reminds me, show me your spellbook, please."
Reaching into his belt pouch, the elf drew forth a small leather-bound book with his name written carefully onto the cover.
"I can only cast magical missile and a basic defense spell as of yet," he admitted. "I have a few other basic spellbooks I acquired on the trip with some other simple spells, and I have been studying them."
Rubina replied thoughtfully, "Most teachers require students to clear their spellbooks first, but I suppose you're experienced enough. I won't require that."
She turned and walked back to her desk, sitting in her high-backed chair carefully. "You probably already know, but the Conclave has recently tightened up it's requirements for Testing. You must have a complete spellbook containing all spells you are able to cast on your person at all times. From this point, as you are becoming an advanced student, the only bladed weapon you are henceforth permitted to carry is a small dagger, which can only be used as a weapon of last resort. Is that quite understood?"
Fenixlyonis nodded briskly. He knew all that.
"As for the tighter restrictions," she continued, "you will not be permitted to Test until you have demonstrated competence in casting a 4th circle spell, under MY supervision. Do not attempt to cast a 4th circle spell on your own. It is illegal for any unTested magic-user to cast any spell above the third circle."
"Really?" he asked aloud, somewhat surprised.
Rubina nods grimly. "The suspicions surrounding our kind are growing at an alarming rate. No longer is Solamnia the only place where we are reviled. A new leadership is beginning to take hold in Istar, and Archmagus Rishandal Darkleaf, the Master of the Black Robes and Head of the Conclave, fears the worst for coming years.
"So, the Conclave has decided to police magic users far more closely. They fear the possibility of dissident or less dedicated magi giving us a bad name and further adding to the growing suspicions."
"I see," he replied sadly. "I did not know that."
"Well," Rubina began, "Perhaps it's time you went about your business of study, then?"
Fenixlyonis turned to leave, but then turned back.
"You have something to add, Novice Bloodmoon?" she inquired.
"I forgot to ask," he said. "What is wrong with Karthay? The people are all scared of their own shadows, and everything is tense. What is going on around here?"
"Oh, that," Rubina scoffed. "Karthay is currently in the sway of a group of Takhisis paladins. The balance of power shifts quite often here. You'll find it easy enough to stay out of the way. There is rumor that tensions are building between the Clerics of Takhisis and the Paladins of Chemosh, and the city may soon undertake a change of power. The fight is inevitable, it happens at least once every ten years or so."
"That often?" Fenixlyonis asked, shocked.
"Yes," she affirmed. "It's fairly certain that the Chemosh Paladins will manage to take over in the coming fight. The mayor will become someone else's puppet. Experience says that the Nightlord of Chemosh will probably send the High Paladin here to manage things and keep an eye on the mayor. Then a few years later the Takhisis followers will rally together and the High Paladin of Takhisis will resume control. You get used to it after a few shifts of power.
"In fact," she mused. "I would find it highly unlikely if Chemosh's followers don't take at least some interest in you. The prospect of a new Necromancer for their ranks is always appealing. You'll likely befriend at least one."
Fenixlyonis shudders.
"I don't find that very comforting, Lady Rubina," he replied.
"I doubted you would."
Finally, the elf turned and left the room.
I don't know what it is, she mused to herself. But I find something about that elf very disturbing.
Lady Rubina
Lady Rubina sat in her desk chair, regarding the elf with interest. He was quite short, like most elves, although he could be considered short even for an elf, being at most five feet and three inches. She noted the eagerness in his handsome, angular facade, and the slight frailty evident by his limbs. He had muscle on him but overall was very lean, an elven trait in itself. She noticed that he wore his deep brown hair long, its length reaching his mid back easily, were it not for the ponytail he kept it in. He wore a pair of plain brown breeches, a simple gray shirt, and a green cloak that looked like it was a mock-up of elven design, clearly human in make.
"And you have come here, all the way from Qualinost," she asked slowly, "To study magic under me?"
She honestly didn't know whether to be flattered or flabbergasted.
"Yes," he replied in his strong, tenor's voice, nodding once, "I have heard that you were quite a good teacher, and my... father... mentioned you often."
Rubina raised her eyebrow skeptically, "Your father?"
"Jenivarillios Bloodmoon," the elven man answered forcibly, through grated teeth.
"Ah, yes," she remarked in response. "Him. He was my Shalafi after my Test. He was not a very good teacher, and I assume you dislike him, based on your tone."
"Yes, I hate him," Fenixlyonis replied coldly.
Rubina sat back, in silent consideration. Several minutes passed in silence, neither breaking eye contact.
What if she doesn't want to teach me? Fenixlyonis asked himself. Is this entire trip in vain?
When she finally spoke again, she did so slowly and deliberately, "I will take you on as a student. I will require payment, but I can help you get yourself a job here so pay for my services. If you want to lodge here, in my tower, you may, for additional payments, or you may find it more financially friendly to stay at the Seasick Kraaken. They have long-term rooms available."
At that point she stood up, and walked over to one of the bookshelves lining her spacious and elegant study. Fenixlyonis stood rigid, unwilling to convey any emotion until she was quite finished.
"You will find the pre-Test studies are rather boring," she continued. "And lessons with me will be both few and short. Most of your time will be spent completing assignments I will give you periodically, studying books that I give to you, and practicing spell mastery. I have two other students in the city, you may run into them eventually. As for times, from this point on I will expect you to arrive here, in this room, by the thirteenth hour of every Day of Nuitari, every Day of Gilean, and every day of Kiri-Jolith."
Fenixlyonis nodded briskly. That wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting, but anything was something. Rubina approached him and handed him a book.
"You will study this," she instructed. "It contains some rudimentary spells that are often essential knowledge for more advanced spellcasting; which reminds me, show me your spellbook, please."
Reaching into his belt pouch, the elf drew forth a small leather-bound book with his name written carefully onto the cover.
"I can only cast magical missile and a basic defense spell as of yet," he admitted. "I have a few other basic spellbooks I acquired on the trip with some other simple spells, and I have been studying them."
Rubina replied thoughtfully, "Most teachers require students to clear their spellbooks first, but I suppose you're experienced enough. I won't require that."
She turned and walked back to her desk, sitting in her high-backed chair carefully. "You probably already know, but the Conclave has recently tightened up it's requirements for Testing. You must have a complete spellbook containing all spells you are able to cast on your person at all times. From this point, as you are becoming an advanced student, the only bladed weapon you are henceforth permitted to carry is a small dagger, which can only be used as a weapon of last resort. Is that quite understood?"
Fenixlyonis nodded briskly. He knew all that.
"As for the tighter restrictions," she continued, "you will not be permitted to Test until you have demonstrated competence in casting a 4th circle spell, under MY supervision. Do not attempt to cast a 4th circle spell on your own. It is illegal for any unTested magic-user to cast any spell above the third circle."
"Really?" he asked aloud, somewhat surprised.
Rubina nods grimly. "The suspicions surrounding our kind are growing at an alarming rate. No longer is Solamnia the only place where we are reviled. A new leadership is beginning to take hold in Istar, and Archmagus Rishandal Darkleaf, the Master of the Black Robes and Head of the Conclave, fears the worst for coming years.
"So, the Conclave has decided to police magic users far more closely. They fear the possibility of dissident or less dedicated magi giving us a bad name and further adding to the growing suspicions."
"I see," he replied sadly. "I did not know that."
"Well," Rubina began, "Perhaps it's time you went about your business of study, then?"
Fenixlyonis turned to leave, but then turned back.
"You have something to add, Novice Bloodmoon?" she inquired.
"I forgot to ask," he said. "What is wrong with Karthay? The people are all scared of their own shadows, and everything is tense. What is going on around here?"
"Oh, that," Rubina scoffed. "Karthay is currently in the sway of a group of Takhisis paladins. The balance of power shifts quite often here. You'll find it easy enough to stay out of the way. There is rumor that tensions are building between the Clerics of Takhisis and the Paladins of Chemosh, and the city may soon undertake a change of power. The fight is inevitable, it happens at least once every ten years or so."
"That often?" Fenixlyonis asked, shocked.
"Yes," she affirmed. "It's fairly certain that the Chemosh Paladins will manage to take over in the coming fight. The mayor will become someone else's puppet. Experience says that the Nightlord of Chemosh will probably send the High Paladin here to manage things and keep an eye on the mayor. Then a few years later the Takhisis followers will rally together and the High Paladin of Takhisis will resume control. You get used to it after a few shifts of power.
"In fact," she mused. "I would find it highly unlikely if Chemosh's followers don't take at least some interest in you. The prospect of a new Necromancer for their ranks is always appealing. You'll likely befriend at least one."
Fenixlyonis shudders.
"I don't find that very comforting, Lady Rubina," he replied.
"I doubted you would."
Finally, the elf turned and left the room.
I don't know what it is, she mused to herself. But I find something about that elf very disturbing.