Commencement: Childwall to Winterhaven

Adventure Log
It has been two days since my graduation at Childwall. Though I've longed to journey beyond the walls of the ancient academy, I am beginning to think that I took the city for granted. I miss the busy storefronts in Teacher's Square, the countless unread adventures that awaited me in the Great Library, and even the 15-story tower itself--especially the windowsill on the fourth floor where I would study my notes on Religious History and Philosophy of Healing. How quickly I went from the watcher to the human speck scurrying along the road, hoping that Pelor's will guides me in the right direction.

We were still wearing our graduation colors when Dougal's letter arrived. It is perhaps risky for me to commit these words to paper, but I trust that this journal will not fall into the wrong hands. Dougal is a scholar of the third circle and our instructor in Historical Metaphysics. He left early last year on a sabbatical, but we had hoped to see him attend the graduation. Instead of seeing us off at our closing ceremony, he sent us an invitation to our future.

Friends!

I approach you with the expectation of strict and complete confidence with this: a business and research proposition which might secure us all no small measure of fame and perhaps a fair measure of prosperity.

Recently, I obtained a map showing the location of a purported DRAGON'S TOMB. If this map is correct, the artifacts contained therein will be of both great historical and worldly value.

With your assistance I believe we can both capitalize on this opportunity as well as improve the world. Perhaps there will be the opportunity for adventure as well. . . . If you are interested, meet me in Wrafton's in Winterhaven on 28th Kord.

Your friend as always,
Dougal of Childwall

Naturally, we set off for Winterhaven the next morning.

I'm skeptical of this "dragon's tomb" he speaks of, but I cannot pass up an opportunity to bring the light of Pelor into the dark regions of the north. My friends embark on this journey for their own reasons--to avoid an overbearing father, to seek fame and fortune, and to find themselves in this great search.

The fields along the road we traveled were sparse and struggling. Either the farmers have turned their back on Pelor, or he is turning his back on them. I pray that I can bring his mercy upon those who are struggling and sear any opposition with the goodness of his light. Within a few miles of Winterhaven, we encountered our first foes: kobolds. The fighter and I suffered quite a bit of damage, but with the aid of a bit of magic and a bit of brute force, our party extinguished the threat.

We reached Winterhaven triumphantly and acquainted ourselves with the guards and the smithy. Tonight we rest at Wrafton's inn and wait to meet Dougal tomorrow. My friends are a bit out of place up here in the town so full of humans. Yet I, too, feel out of place where the goddess Avandra is the one to whom most people pray. I have no objection to her, but I place my trust in compassion over luck any day.

"One flame lights a hundred others." -Illumination #9