Entry 1
After expending considerable effort and time, and no small amount of money, I have made my way to the fabled Archipelago of Arelith. I arrived in the port city of Cordor on the Isle of Arelith itself, the largest mass in this region.
After no great amount of time I had located the Arcane Tower, Arelith's centre for magical study. I was given a tour of the faculty by Padre Cynos of Mystra, and given no small amount of coercion from a young Sorceress by the name of Aiyanna Willow.
It has been nearly three weeks since then, and I have come to the conclusion that to continue my studies unaided would be foolish. So I am to make my way once more to the Tower. Hopefully Miss Willow or someone equally as keen to induct new recruits will be able to point me to one of the Three Archmagi.
As for Cordor, it has all the markings of a hub city. Crowded comings and goings, crime and vast variations in the wealth of the populace. Interestingly, I noticed several ethereal creatures lurking the Graveyard I can only assume were Ghosts. I will be investigating this further.
Mordius Dalton, 71 AR
Entry 2
The Arcane Tower gathers its membership through open trials, and I have been invited to attend one such trial. Exactly what this will entail eludes me, though miss Willow suggested I consider what I wish to gain from membership in the Tower, and what I could bring with me to benefit them.
This is an opportunity I will not allow to pass by. In other areas, I have been getting to learn the City of Cordor in more depth, and my findings worry me. The city is steeped in rumour, gossip and hearsay, with the noticeboards filled in the majority with accusations of Infernal pacts and crimes of association.
It seems that the Written word, more than anything else, holds sway here. Something that skilled propagandists and rank amateurs alike are keen to make full advantage of. O Those notices that are not simply a political filth flinging competition are no less worrisome. A necromancer openly hiring apprentices who can exhibit cruelty and ruthlessness for instance.
It is my great hope that soon I can find lodgings elsewhere, as the very nature of this City seems to poison the spirit and crush the soul. Perhaps there will be dormitories in the Tower I can make use of. I can but hope.
Mordius Dalton, 71 AR
Entry 3
It seems that this city isn't as gloomy and depressive as first impressions would suggest. I met a charming young Dwarven girl by the name of Crystal who was very keen to obtain some glass. I was able to smelt her what she required and in turn she provided me with some softwood, which I have since turned into the bindings for this diary, amongst other things.
I have also discovered a most amusing book by the Councillor Jolly Fiddlesticks, titled "So You've Washed Up in Cordor." A tongue-in-cheek look at the hardships of immigrants to Arelith. It will make for an excellent source for my final papers on this place.
However, I have been given call to question the administration of the Tower. Shortly before I took to writing this entry, I passed Archmage Alexander in the Nomad (that is the tavern in which I have been lodging) face down on the bar room floor, blathering about micro sized bar wenches, clearly the worse for ale.
Perhaps the answer to the question of 'What can I bring to the Tower' should be 'some sanity and respectability.' We shall see how things fare at the Trials soon.
Mordius Dalton, 71 AR
Entry 4
Today I witnessed the dizzying heights of surrealism that is Cordor. En route to the Mercentile building I spotted a small crowd gathered round Councillor Fiddlestick's estate. They were oggling a single female Kobold that was cowering behind a crate.
Attempts to communicate with the Kobold in the Draconic tongue had failed, though she seemed able to speak in the animal tongue of the Druids. Communication was being made, however progress was certainly not.
Not content with being given an armed escort from a city that would just as soon see her slain as look upon her, she was insisting her property be defended and returned to her from a vagrant thief. Most astoundingly of all, there were humans of the City actually Defending the creature and its apparent rights.
While I do hope that this is the limit of the insanity in this city, I feel I am barely scratching the surface. Fortunately Arcane Trials have been announced, so this Chaotic place will soon be behind me.
Mordius Dalton, 71 AR
Entry 5
My application to the Tower was successful and my first venture out as a member of the Arcane Tower was nothing if not overwhelming. We were bound for the halls of Umbrick, an ancient dwarven hold that has since been overrun by the Duergar.
Our path took us from the Dwarf hold of Brogendenstein, the refuge made by those survivors of Umbrick, and up the mountains. At the summit of the mountain we encountered a great white dragon known as Icingbreath. The senior members of the tower dispatched this creature.
Past Icingbreath's mountain nest there was a fissure in the mountain face which let us into the Halls of Umbrick. The Architecture was truely breathtaking. The place seemed to be in a state of decline, as if the Duergar had no desire to keep it, simply destroy that the Dwarves had created.
Our scouring of the Library was of great help. I retrieved numerous tomes of summoning. Hopefully the Tower can make use of these, as they are far too heavy for me to keep...
Mordius Dalton, 71 AR
Entry 6
Today I ventured back to the City of Cordor for the first time since my acceptance into the Tower. There I met a rather odd young lady by the name of Vanya. She had clearly had some ill experiences of arcanists in the past, thouhg she soon warmed to me.
Together we explored the Bramble woods. Not quite as epic a quest as my trip to Umbrick last month, but still an important venture. It seems there is a Goblin tribe affecting the local insect population. There were gigantic examples of Cockroaches and Spiders to be found.
Miss Vanya even went to the trouble of teaching me how to better defend myself with my staff. We were able to collect a good number of raw gems and softwood, which I have since planed into scorlls and book bindings for my report.
I do hope that Miss Vanya is available again in the future, as she has proven herself a valuable ally and good company as well. I just hope she can overcome her misgivings about Magi. there is something she is not telling me, but I cannot put my finger on it.
Mordius Dalton, 71 AR
Entry 7
I ventured out into the Kobold infested Cordor Iron mines recently, at Miss Vanya's request. She required some iron in order to begin work on a set of weapons and armour for herself.
The mines were somewhat deserted, clearly we were advancing in the wake of another group. However the leader of the Mines, a half-dragon Sorcerer and his elite Dragonkin Guard remained.
It was during this conflict that both Vanya and Wentworth proved their value as combatants and allies. We came away unscathed and alive, though much lighter on the healing front.
Vanya is already planning our next outing, the Sewers of Cordor. It would seem that they have taken on an ecosystem all of their own, with Trolls and the like living down there. I'm on my way to get hold of a few more acid based offensive spells...
Mordius Dalton, 71 AR