#aeldia

His passing has been tough on all of us. The day I set off from The Novice Path Outpost will mark three months since his sudden death. He was the first one to tell me the dangers of ancient tomes and I find it bitterly ironic that he was the first one to demonstrate the consequences of becoming too excited about the contents of a leatherbound volume before identifying the magic binding it to begin with. 

His life’s work up in flames.... I still remember the tome self-immolating as the Elder Keeper tried to pull Father away from the flames. The fire was thankfully contained by the resistance spells cast around the shelves surrounding the tome study podium. I can’t imagine how much worse Father would have felt if his was not the only tome to be destroyed by his hubris. I miss him dearly. But I know that he would want me to learn from this mistake and to take it forward with me on my journey through The Novice Path. This took some reflection to arrive at, I must have soared over Darkmeadow for hours in my crow form, trying to erase the memory of the sight inside my tiny bird brain... but it’s remained nonetheless. 

Mother is torn, of course. But these things inevitably happen to the best scholars in our enclave. Only four years ago my studymate witnessed Elder Chapman asphyxiated by vines due to a tome recovered from Irtherian ruins and was thought to have been created by some of the first Earthlings to settle there. You can never know a tomes true origin and because of this you can never assume a benevolent scribe. However, excitement can get the better of anyone, even Father. 

His service was vast as many people in Darkmeadow and many of his colleagues from The Great Underworld Library were deeply stricken by his death. As favors of their gratitude for knowing him I received a wand made of wood from a tree that reportedly stood adjacent to the fabled Ashthorn tree, a quill that once belonged to my Father when he was in his Iltirian Heritage Certification Studies, and a leather pouch containing fortified food made by the Elves of Irtheria formulated specifically to gain the favor of particularly unfriendly creatures. I imagine all of these things will come in handy on my travels and luckily Mother agreed to not unpack them from my luggage. 

The contents of my luggage (though significantly smaller than what I started with) are constituted thus:

A set of cloaks each for warm and cold weather, as well as one set to block strong winds while keeping an unintrusive shape

Another set of boots in case I get water or mud in the pair on my feet while walking

My most recently brewed healing draughts and herbal remedies (Mother tried to insist I would not need my Purging Tonic until I suggested the presence of potential poisons along The Path)

My guide to The Novice Path which includes the most recently carted map of the journey

A bottomless pouch for herbs and ingredients I may find along the way (cost me 15GP from Elder Taylor’s son.... highway robbery if you ask me)

The set of weightless apothecary drawers gifted to me by Mother for my 8th birthday

My foldable crow perch in case it becomes advantageous to remain in my crow form for prolonged periods of time

Orb of Predicting Change for coping with the new environment of Orilium Academy

Spare scrolls, parchment, and quill tips, feathers I can always shake free from the perch after use

Protective gloves for animal handling

Useful tomes, journals, and notes gifted to me by family members as tokens of confidence for the trip

Leather bookstrap crafted by Father

My ABSOLUTELY necessary enchanted nose clip for the stench of blood I’m sure will accompany the others in our party

four journals to ensure I have enough room to document all the notes and experiences I have along the way (maybe I can even compile and publish them in the future for others to take advantage of!)

All other supplies I will accumulate the day of my trip (best to have food that is as fresh as possible, clothes that are cleaned the day of departure, and tinder dried on the fire the night before). Mother said she would assist me with these things the morning of while I ate my breakfast to make sure I had as much strength to start with as possible. How I do appreciate the efforts of her pride. I want to do my part to put my best foot forward tomorrow and that comes chiefly with a good night’s sleep!