The Headmaster's Assistance

Another installment of Lirael Glimmereye's journal as he progresses as a Yuan-ti Cleric of the Twilight Domain/Rogue. He is a character in a D&D 5e High Fantasy home brew adventure campaign. Today's installment is the second part of our last session where we journeyed to Inverness and met with the Magic Academy's Headmaster and gleaned a great deal of valuable information and engineered a trade. If you look below, this is the correct order of the journal entries.

Past Journal Entries:

1. Lirael Glimmereye - Backstory
2. The Prophets of Minwa
3. A Journey Into the Dreamveil
4. The Silent Struggle
5. An Answer Well Received

The Headmaster's Assistance

As the dawn painted the woods in hues of gold, our fellowship emerged from our woodland encampment, bound for the bustling city of Inverness. A city teeming with a diverse array of races and cultures, it promised both intrigue and challenges. Our destination within this metropolis of magic was the esteemed Magic Academy, a place rumored to house knowledge as vast as the realms themselves.

Though again on the way, Varrin chose to mimick the face of the Ratfolk driver, who while proficient in his duties, was reticent with conversation. As we departed his carriage he looked at Varrin and shook his head. Then whipped the horses to be away from us.

Upon entering the hallowed halls of the Magic Academy, we were met with an unexpected sight. The Headmaster, an Owlin of sagely demeanor, conducted his affairs not in a distant, dusty office but amidst the very heart of knowledge—the library. Without the usual bureaucratic obstacles, we approached him directly with Minwa's stamp in hand, signaling our purpose.

The Headmaster in the Magic Academy's Library
Image created by Bing AI Image Creator - 2023

At the mention of the enigmatic figure, the Shadowed One, which quickly prompted the Headmaster to beckon us into the shadows, where secrets unfurl. Our audience with the Headmaster led us to a secret office concealed behind a bookcase, shrouded in mystery. Here, in this private space, we delved into matters of great consequence. 

When asked what we should call him, he smiled and simply responded. "The Headmaster, of course."

There was a little small talk and while introductions were being made Varrin changed his appearance to mimic the Headmaster. At which the Headmaster frowned and immediately requested that Varrin turn back to his normal appearance. Varrin did. Personally, I thought that that was in poor taste and might be something that if he keeps doing will get us into more trouble at some point in the future. However, I also am starting to believe that this is part of who Varrin is and he doesn't have many filters regarding his collection of what he calls masks.

Then we got down to business, while the Shadowed One was on all of our minds, it was Hassan, who the Headmaster said was a fractured soul from Mystwood, became the initial focal point of our discourse. The Headmaster unraveled the tale of his shattered existence, one of a multitude of replicas spawned from a fractured psyche. There may be other possible ways to eliminate him, but from what the Headmaster stated that only by killing the true Hassan with the elusive Blade of Selves, a weapon of replication, would permanently remove him from the lands of the living. The intricacies of combating this elusive foe danced in our minds.

Then, the conversation shifted to the Shadowed One himself, an ancient sorcerer with a countenance etched in shadows. A person doomed to watch those he loves die, while he continues to live. The Headmaster told us to look at Varrin, whose primary countenance resembles the enigmatic figure, was deemed a reflection of the ancient one. 

We discussed our experiences in the Dreamveil and what we saw. Though according to him the Shadowed One had lived for several millennia possible existing before the Magic Academy so long ago, not the 640 years that we had heard in our dream.

In the midst of our revelations, the specter of Lenore, an archaeologist and former faculty member, materialized. Her disappearance two decades past remained a lingering mystery. Journals and artifacts were handed over to him, including Lenore's necklace, which after The Headmaster spoke a few words causing a transformation of a necklace into a key that bore implications yet to be deciphered that he gave back to Varrin. Saying "You will need this I believe." He then quietly thumbed through Lenore's journal and sighed then handed the journal back to me.

We gave him a few moments to compose himself as it seemed that he and Lenore were close and as he continued, The Headmaster then unraveled a plot that he believed the Shadowed One was attempting. A plot that spanned millennia, involving the Underlily and a perilous attempt to merge the Prime and Mirror worlds, inviting cataclysmic consequences and a mass extinction event of both Terra's. We exchanged glances since those were the same terms used back at Minwa's temple.

The Headmaster's visage had shifted and his feathers ruffled with each revelation, his sagely countenance contorted by the gravity of our discoveries. Lindross's account of golden spiders, believed extinct, added another layer of complexity to our unfolding quest. When we showed him one, he became quite animated and allowed the creature to crawl onto his shoulder, seemingly speaking with it. After a few minutes he gave it back.

I brought out the book with the maps and after looking through it, he began talking of Unvail, the Headmaster hinted at the ruins of King Behenny, as a potential haven for the Shadowed Man. He counseled us to consult the Lord of Nocktail before venturing into those lands echoed in our minds, cautioning against hastiness. Belle the Lord of the area is very possessive of those ruins and trespassers are dealt with harshly.

The revelation of a malevolent dagger, capable of unleashing a monstrous forces, sent shivers through the room and we could see that even after all of our other disclosures that this one left him visibly shaken and he would not touch it. He strongly told us to never touch the dagger again, because it was so dangerous and got up, went to a shelf, emptied out a box and said that this would be a better container to carry that thing in. A decision was made to entrust it to the King for proper disposal and that Lindross would be the most appropriate member of our party to carry this monstrosity.

In a bid for aid, I sought the Headmaster's guidance, leading to an agreement— the two journals and a Midas spider for access to the Academy's treasury and library. A fair exchange in the currency of knowledge. The Headmaster looked at me and stated your Master speaks well of you and I promised what aid that I could and while I'm not at liberty to simply give you things from the Academy I am authorized to make equitable trades for items that will enhance our esteemed institution. So I will trade with you for the two journals and Midas Spider, your ability to go into our vault where you may each pick out what we consider to be one rare magic item and one uncommon magic item. Is that an acceptable trade to you.

We quickly agreed to this generous offer and at that point it was obvious that our time with the Headmaster was over. He summoned his aide and told him of his decision and bade that he escort us to the vault. We said our goodbyes and thanked him for his time and valued information.

As we departed, and I looked back, I could see the Headmaster's gaze lingering on Lenore's journal, a silent lament for a bygone era, then he sat down at his desk and opened it up to that last page with writing, with a sad look upon his face...as his aide closed the door behind us. 

While we being escorted down to the vault, we crystallized plans for Landriss and I to travel to the palace and present the dagger to the King, while Varrin would remain at the Academy, avoiding potential diplomatic intricacies.

We believed it might not be in the best interests of the party to take Varrin there, since his penchant for mimicking people without forethought would not be well received at the Palace. Also according to Lindross, Changelings are not that welcome at the palace under most circumstances.

After conducting our business at the Palace we would return to the Academy and reunite with Varrin, then determine the next destination in our quest to stop the Shadowed One's malevolent schemes.

In this labyrinth of revelations and decisions, we tread cautiously, aware that each step propels us deeper into the tapestry of fate. The shadows cast by our discoveries loom large, and the echoes of the day's revelations resonate in the chambers of my thoughts.