The Grove

[Geoffrey Ravenhurst]

Leuwinmorgh's adoptive son was practicing his archery with the others. He had considered leaving earlier to wander the city, but knew his friend Thalia would be looking for him among the elven raiders. Today, he was shirtless as he aimed at the leaves falling from the nearby tree. The wind made it a bit of a challenge, but this was nothing compared to aiming in the shrouded terrain of Thessali.

[Thalia Vedas]

Thalia was indeed looking for him and approached the grove. She saw him and unlike the majority of women who attended the voyage she could keep her head in front of a shirtless man. This was after all, not a social call. She gave him a elven hand gesture meaning hello, at least it meant that where she came from and waited politely off to the side.

[Geoffrey Ravenhurst]

When Herneiros saw her, he immediately approached with bow in hand and grin on his face. "Welcome to my home away from home. I hope you are doing well today."

[Thalia Vedas]

“As well as can be expected, and yourself?” She asked smiling at him, and looking around at the other... twanging their bows, “apologies for leaving so abruptly, I cannot stand thornheart.” She explained, though she imagined she didn't need to.

[Geoffrey Ravenhurst]

"Aye. I only agreed to his request because it didn't require me to anywhere near the man himself and I was already intent on passing through the area he was interested in..."

Herneiros gazed upon the area before gesturing. "There’s a quiet spot this way. Many raiders have very simple views on the Mist and it would be better to leave it that way..."

***

Near a great tree was an ancient table and chairs carved from stone by some probably long dead Innurian. Herneiros had stopped to grab a book from his satchel, the very same book he had recovered from the village on Al-Khial. He laid it before her.

"It's magically sealed, but I can remove the protective spell when you're ready."

[Thalia Vedas]

Thalia nodded and took out a few of the books she’d used to translate the other texts, she was going to offer to discuss the translations she’d already done but this may help piece things together.

She laid the books out and open and then nodded to him to remove the spell so she could begin.

[Geoffrey Ravenhurst]

He laid his hand on the book, said a word that defied the relationship between language and music, and then sat back. "It should be safe."

(Dispel)

[Thalia Vedas]

Thalia nodded to him again and looked at the book, being careful with it in case it was fragile, she began to take a look at it, for now trying to decipher its purpose rather than specifics,

“It’s quite a community you have here.” She tried making vague conversation as she worked.

[The Forgotten God]

The book is a wizard’s spellbook, full of notes and drawings of different spells attempted. The wizard had apparently been a practitioner of planar magic. It was a functionally dead brand of sorcery that had fallen with the Old World. Thalia could copy the spells and the manner in which they’re cast onto new scrolls and skilled wizards could attempt recreating the old magic. There are otherwise notes of the dragons that repeatedly attacked the island, classifying them into three distinct groups that he knew of. His writing style is pompous and she can feel his arrogance even in his own journal. The last entry involves a group of raiders arriving on a “shadow boat” and him preparing to preserve his greatness for posterity. He is almost certainly Nigel Thornheart’s direct ancestor.

[Geoffrey Ravenhurst]

"My parents founded it, I think, though we spend most of our time in the Mist. It's odd though... almost everyone looks the same age as when I was a child... I think my teacher might have a few gray hairs but that's it. Time is very strange when you're an ordinary human among elves..."

[Thalia Vedas]

“Hardly ordinary” Thalia said still focusing on the book, “but I take the point, I have no idea how long I’ll be around for, my kind are also not ordinary.” She clearly meant half elves, she’d never met another one, “like you I adopted an elven culture. It will be harder for them. You aging, that’s why elves usually stick to their own, you just lose what you love.”

[Geoffrey Ravenhurst]

"I suppose that is indeed a sort of sad wisdom. I rather envy you. Those extra few years you might have..."

[Thalia Vedas]

“Worst of both, best of both, I get to die and leave the people I care, and also live long enough to feel the sting of losing humans, but I do not know my average life span.” Thalia shrugged, no point in dwelling on It.

“Did you claim your boon from the dragon, it is very strong, perhaps it could work some magic to Give you elf like longevity?” She suggested.

[Geoffrey Ravenhurst]

Herneiros shook his head. "All I did was ask her about the history of the Mist, and the people who operated that fortress she paid us so much to infiltrate. She laughed, thinking I was going to ask for something I could carry away in my pocket. I don't think she was expecting simple questions..."

[Thalia Vedas]

“Knowledge is treasure and power,” she shrugged, “though, answers can be found in many ways, I have nit asked for anything as of yet. We’re her answers worth while?” She asked, turning a page.