Sages Primed
A Scribe's Point of View
Research
The thump and scrape, thump, thump and scrape of digging tools beat in the background. The wooden handle of the pick axe felt dry and aged. Overturned earth spread its aroma into the air, old and musty, but at the same time, it signaled the uncovering of something new.
Beside the archeological site, a tree stretched into the highest part of the canopy. The splintered wood scattered on the ground betrayed its pain. Lightning had left the tree bald at the top. It could no longer be the tallest in the forest. Branches hung bare, and some spots bore no branches at all. What had it lived through over its long life? Tell me your secrets, and share your story.
"Junah, stop daydreaming and help dig!"
Stephen turned to Zeshi, "he does this when he doesn't want to work."
Junah couldn't break away yet. The urge to take a deep breath surged through him as the vision started. Figures danced around a pond. No, it was a rectangular fountain. The city around the figures burned, but they rejoiced. Their celebration turned to panic as a silvery dragon surged through the trees. Lightning twisted their forms and skipped across the fountain.
"Junah! Hey, are you ok?" Zeshi grabbed his arms and shook him. The patch of scales on the left side of her face flickered with energy in the sun.
"Woah, no. Don't be unleashing that chaos here." Stephen pushed Zeshi back and pulled Junah away from the tree.
The air smelled sweet and fresh like a storm had just rolled through. The trio looked at each other with concern while waiting for the smell to dissipate. No one questioned the incident, magic was weird and could be dangerous. They had almost set something off, best to let it pass.
Zeshi spoke first, "We still need to catalog fourteen artifacts from the dig site for the Master Sage and there are at least three more to dig up. I'm cataloging. Junah, you take a turn digging."
Junah nodded. He had not intended to get the group off track and dove into the task to make up time and credibility. The pendant on his necklace danced under his shirt as he swung the pickaxe. The silver band held a small dragon charm. The dragon bounced and swirled while the scribes worked their site. Thump and scrape, thump, thump and scrape.
Student Life
The broom swished on the stone floor of the Avast Library. It had an almost metallic sound to it. The stiff bristles rang out a quiet harmony with each swipe. The Hallkeeper stepped in time with the broom. Thump and swipe, swipe and thump. Thump and swipe, swipe and thump.
All the heads of the scribes in the classroom were looking down, working on assignments. Junah got up from his table, curious about the beat in the hallway. After the Sage's lecture the scribes had free time to catch up on assignments and research. No one would mind if he stepped out.
He greeted the Hallkeeper with a smile and some ribbing."Supur, when will you set that broom on automatic?"
"Ah, Master Sage, I would miss the simple pleasure of cleaning up after you." Supur was not above returning the ribbing.
Magic training did not interest the Hallkeeper, but he had a good sense of the energy buildup around him. The Library relied on Hallkeepers to prevent any dangerous convergence of enchantments.
"I'm not even a Sage yet, Supur." Junah reminded the Hallkeeper, vaguely aware that it was just the Hallkeeper's favorite nickname for him.
Supur had lived in the Wildlands for many years. As a Sogut, he had honed those senses, warding off the dangers hidden in the forests. When he came to Etonia, skills like his were in short supply and quickly identified.
Junah asked, "How is the hum today?"
"Check it out for yourself," Supur replied.
The hallkeeper turned the broom upside down so Junah could touch the bristles. The individual strands tapped against Junah's hand like a gentle rain.
Junah closed his eyes to feel the beat and commented. "It's nearly full."
The hallkeeper reached into his pocket. The metal links of the necklace rambled their tune as they stretched into the air. A small silver dragon charm danced from the dangling necklace. The hallkeeper handed the necklace to Junah.
"Young man, you have always impressed me with your empathy toward magic and people. This is a gift for your upcoming graduation. Plus, you should have one when you head into the forest on your senior research trip. My people use charms such as these in the forest to keep balance."
The young scribe stood in the hall, eyes locked on the charm. Supur smiled at Junah. The dragon continued its dance as it hung from the necklace. The Hallkeeper stepped down the hall with a thump and swipe, swipe and thump.
It's a Quaint Library in the Wildlands that Excels in Magic Training and Pumps Out Quality Sages.
The Avast Library
Offers a top-notch education and experience with magic that will rival the best Academies and Schools of the Southern Kingdoms.
Spell Books, Spell Stones, Room and Board included when you register for service with the Etonia Wizard Network.
Register today at the closest Sending Office to build your future.
Enrich your training with:
Tools of the Scribe
Critical Thinking
The fire crackled and snapped while it emanated heat onto Stephen, Zeshi, and Junah. The trio sat in silence while each examined the artifacts collected during the day.
The smoke shifted, and Zeshi coughed. Footsteps fell in beat with the fire's crackle and snap. One, two, three, Junah looked up to see Sage Ettin walking toward their fire.
The beat stopped as Sage Ettin spoke. "Scribes, I need your notes before you turn in for the night. Remember, this is twenty-five percent of your final grade."
The scribes spoke in unison, "Yes, Sage Ettin."
Junah waited until their teacher left and then shared, "The site we were working on today was a large pool in a park."
Zeshi put down the stone art she had been studying. "Is that what your vision was?"
Junah nodded, but Stephen was exasperated. He waved his hands as if writing in the sky, "We have determined the site was a pool with visions imparted from a tree."
When Stephen finished his pretend writing, Zeshi added, "We will need evidence for our notes, not intuition."
The fire pushed into the conversation with a crackle and snap. The three sat silent again.
Stephen spoke first. "Well, we had to get the pickaxes because we hit that aggregate. It was like the sides of a public bath, so it could have held water."
Zeshi added. "There weren't any trees in our dig site. The ground was wet, too. I bet it has been too wet for trees to grow season after season. The pool may have been filled with dirt, but it still holds water."
Quills flapped non-stop as all three worked hard to finish their notes. The fire crackled and snapped, then a thump. Crackle and snap, thump. Crackle and snap, thump. Sage Ettin approached with firm steps to collect the scribes' notes.
"Quills down. Lights out in five minutes."
Educational Outcomes
Master Sage Avast, headmaster of the Library, stepped up to the podium. Ceremony held an important place in the headmaster's vision for the library. As the senior sage trip came to a close, acknowledgement of hard work and an eye to the future were part of the final lesson.
The wooden podium wobbled on the uneven ground of the research site. As the Master Sage gripped the podium and spoke, the podium would lean to the right each time he started a new paragraph in his speech.
"Welcome senior scribes to your final year research trip..." Lean.
"I expect each of you to embody the principles of cooperation and learning..." Lean.
"Complete your job placement form, pick the three top positions you would like..." Lean.
"Your years as students, then scribes, and now senior scribes have all led to this moment..." Lean.
After the speech and lean, the senior sages returned to their campsites. Chatter echoed from each clump of tents. It spread like wildfire until the sound of two dozen voices leaned into one rumble.
Junah broke through the sound and asked Stephen, "What is your first choice?"
Stephen was confident. "I'm going to get a position in the Sending Office."
Zeshi and Junah nodded. Stephen had already been helping in the office as an apprentice. He was a top pick for the position.
Stephen asked, "What about you two?"
Zeshi answered first. "I'm going to put down the Church of the Silver Dragon, and if I don't get in as a Knight then I think I'd be a good teacher. Sage Zeshi."
The boys chuckled but didn't doubt for one second she could do either job.
Junah was last to answer. "I think aide to the Council seems right. But, Gorn wants me to do expeditions into the Wildlands with him. I know it is important to him as a Sogut."
Stephen's grandmother was from the forest as well. "I don't remember anything from the forest, but my grandma doesn't miss any chance to remind me of the old ways. It's what they do, bro."
Zeshi consoled Junah. "Since you don't have your parents anymore, it is nice that Gorn shares his ways. Maybe you can do both?"
Zeshi and Stephen leaned into Junah on either side of him in a show of support. The firm voices of Sages overtook the rumble of scribe conversations. Lanterns were set to emit the lowest light. Scribes disappeared into tents and settled in for the night. Zeshi and Stephen stepped away into their tents.
Junah stood still. Silence spread across the camp fast. The noise of the forest rolled back into the camp as the dominant sound.
He whispered to the forest. "Do you have anything to add?"
"Junah," Sage Ettin walked over. "There will be time to celebrate back in Etonia and process all this. We have safety protocols to follow until then. Get some rest, Sage."
Job Placement
Three cheers rose up. One after each name. Arms and ale mugs lifted high. Tables and chairs bumped on the floor as the crowd leaned forward. The three sages took a bow. Who wouldn't ham it up with such an adoring audience?
"Look at those three." Miss Maggie beamed pride at her grandson as well as Junah and Zeshi. She elbowed the large man beside her.
Gorn stood a head taller than everyone else in the room. He leaned down to speak. "Yes, Miss Maggie. The silver dragon calls to them."
He didn't cheer like the other friends and family in the Red Stirge Inn but waved his hand above the crowd to get Junah's attention. Junah returned his wave with a smile.
The three sages still wore their graduation robes. On the left lapel, each sported a pin identifying their accomplishment. A gold band supported the image of a leaping fish that represented the city of Etonia, and an open book, the symbol for the Library.Every hand was needed in Etonia. The Wildlands loomed large and dangerous outside the city walls, so each new sage received their preferred post. Their two-week training with the Etonia City Watch started the next day. Then, they would report to the Sending Office, Church of the Silver Dragon and the Etonia Council.
Other graduates found positions in the Heralds Guild, Northern Plenty Free Marketplace, Construction Guild, and as Sages at the Avast Library to teach the next classes of scribes.
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