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An Amnish Perspective on Monarchy - Justian Lanneset
by Justian Lanneset

A tyrannical social institution laid bare.
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Candlekeep Public Collection Reference
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An Elven Saying - Felynra Auvryarn
by Felynra Auvryarn

Anger, envy, hatred, rage,
Are in the blood of the Elves,
Towards every people on Faerun
Who do not belong to the Tel-quessir.

He kills animals and men,
His blood-lust knows no bounds.
The world can only recover
When it is rid of the Elf.
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Edelgarde Spades - Guide of Candlekeep and Deneirrath priest, still a Disney princess in the wrong tale.

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Auntie Ed's Wands(TM): Saving the Coast one Protection from Evil at time.

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An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast Vol I
by Mae Machshikhah
An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast
and Their Associations with the Drow.

Volume I.

Published in Hammer, Year of the Bow, 1354 DR.

Introduction
When I first committed myself to this project of discovering and unseating corruption in high places, I knew it would inevitably paint me, and those who supported me, as the villians. Truth tends to have that effect: it divides the world between those who will accept it, receive its wisdom and reform their ways, and those who hate it and want to keep their evil deeds concealed in the darkness beneath.

This could never be more applicable than investigating the relationships of individuals and their associations with that loathesome race whose name has struck fear into the innocent and helpless for far too long: the drow.

It is unfortunate that I am almost alone in this endeavour, but that does not surprise me. It is well said by my people, "Throw a rock into a pack of dogs. The one that yelps got hit." That my inquisition has been publically opposed by a variety of faiths and factions was to be expected, given the nature of its revelations and the significance of its implications.

I will, however, commend my brother at arms, Sir Anthem Arnemeiger, for being bold enough to proclaim words that needed to be said, even if they would not be heard. Had he gone about his rebuke of the Duchy of Baldur's Gate with some more tact, perhaps the ire of iniquity had not stared upon us so forcefully. But we will gladly bear this burden, as it is not for our sake that this investigation is made: it is for the good of the people of Baldur's Gate, and its security and its prosperity into the future that we seek to upturn its rotten underbelly and expose the filth for what it truly is.

Case One: Instigation - Part I
It may be well asked, "Why?" Is this matter really so severe that it merited a public warning from no less than two dissenting voices, amidst others who have thus far chosen to remain silent? I had not first thought so myself, had I not personally witnessed this corruption at hand with my own eyes and ears at the beginning. So it would be wise to start there.

It was the 8th of Eleint, 1353 DR, and I was performing a patrol from the Friendly Arm Inn south towards the Lion's Way. As I made the turn at the junction in order to head westwards for Candlekeep to resupply when I was ambushed by gnolls. Engaging them with sword and shield, a halfling by the name of Pokey McStab happened upon my encounter and rendered assistance by stabbing them in their mangy backs (appropriate to his name).

While I had been content to manage them alone, the encounter meandered into a conversation on the finer arts of military strategy when Pokey suddenly looked up and remarked of a figure walking down the road, "It's the drow lady." Now had it been spoken in shocked terror, as one might expect of an encounter with a black devil, the calm, the familiarity by which Pokey intoned his words struck me almost as much as the content themselves.

"Hi drow lady," he gave friendly greeting, whereas I choked out my perception of the truth I was supposedly hearing. "A drow?!" I replied, aghast, to which Pokey responded without hesitation, "Yes but don't go getting all worked up; let her live in peace." The next words from my lips were natural. "Surrender at once!" and I trained my loaded crossbow at her.

To my surprise, the black devil actually complied, lifting her palms in surrender and exclaiming, in the common tongue, "Don't shoot." At this point Pokey deliberately interjected and opposed my actions. "Why should she do that, she is committing no crime!" Again, my reply was natural. "Her existence is a crime!" To which he scoffed, "Ha, that attitude is too."

I advanced, crossbow remaining on target and commanded, "On your knees!" Again, to my surprise, she complied, although not without a protest that, "I'm not going to allow you to apprehend me." As I advanced upon the wretch, Pokey again remarked to me, "You got no chance. Once you move to go down there she will disappear into the shadows." I pressed forward, ignoring him.

Realising I would not be deterred from capturing my target, Pokey decided to go off and round up some of the local wildlife in order to cause a distraction. I rendered no assistance to the drow as she were attacked by the giant beetles he had brought with him. The drow was forced to fended them off with her bare hands, at which point Pokey exclaimed, "There is no law against being a drow, you know." I replied, keeping my crossbow trained on the drow as I moved in for the arrest, "And let's see what that does for your reputation, once it is known you are a drow collaborator."

He protested, saying, "I am not a drow collaborator; you did not even know she was drow, you foolish girl, till I told you." So how did he know? Did he not imply his familiarity by his manner of greeting, knowledge of the drow's martial and stealth capability, and not only his non-hostility at the encounter but outright interference in my attempt at making a peaceable arrest? I found it rather difficult to come to any other conclusion in the hot moment I had to decide my course. I replied thusly: "If you're not going to help, Pokey, I suggest to stop interfering."

It was at this point that things got complicated. An elf appeared from no-where, bow trained at the drow, and exclaimed, "Hey tunnel monkey!" The drow turned, sensing the inevitable, and exclaimed her final protest, "By the laws of the land- I am exempt whilst in the lands patrolled by Candlekeep!"

I, of course, and the elf, did not believe her, Candlekeep being approximately forty miles from our location and therefore well outside of their walls and thus any legal or political jurisdiction they may have claimed. Either the drow had been misinformed of her legal 'rights', or there are other damning questions to be asked of Candlekeep and its associates, but I will save that for a later volume.

I requested aid from the elf against the halfling's interference, saying, "Help me place her under arrest." He did not even glance at me when he replied, "I do not arrest dhaerow." I perceived what would happen, and it did happen. The elf gave the count of three, by which time the drow was to flee or perish. She waited until the third count before attempting to flee, and that was when the chase began.

I did my best to keep up with the elf as he chased the drow, firing arrows at her as she slid from cover to cover. We had travelled back to the junction of the Lion's and Coast Ways when the chase turned north, and there we encountered a paladin of the Order of the Radiant Heart, Kald Blake, making his way south. When the drow saw him, she immediately called for his aid, by name. "Kald, hand?" she asked frantically.

His replies only betrayed the knowledge he undoubtedly already had through his most certain prior association with this fiend: "I'd stay out of it; no, you should not be on the road! Leave!" It was too late, though, as the elf's blades finally cut her down when the drow accidentally bumped into me and thus revealed her location.

At this point the four of us, Kald, Pokey, the hitherto unnamed elf and myself got into an argument as to what should be done with her body. Pokey consistently and repetitively resisted and interfered in the attempts of the elf to claim the body and return the prized scalp to the Flaming Fist for a bounty.

It was at this point that Kald became negotiator, suggesting to Pokey, "If you want to recover her, do it in the city." An agreement was reached that Kald would take the body to Baldur's Gate so the unnamed elf could claim his bounty.

As the negotiations continued it was revealed by Kald that this drow was also a Sharran, and one with whom he had shared contact. He said, and I quote, "This one is different, but we're at a point where she may be aided by good gods or left dead." I naturally expressed my feelings on the matter. "Leave her dead." As we shall see in the next two volumes, this is clearly not what eventuated.
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Edelgarde Spades - Guide of Candlekeep and Deneirrath priest, still a Disney princess in the wrong tale.

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An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast Vol II
by Mae Machshikhah
An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast
and Their Associations with the Drow.

Volume II.

Published in Hammer, Year of the Bow, 1354 DR.

Case One: Instigation - Part II
In my first volume I began where all such inquiries begin: an encounter with a drow and the various responses I witnessed thereto. I will now continue that account, the witness of which may be corroborated by one Aeric, Scribe of Oghma, as we arrived at Wyrm's Crossing, Baldur's Gate, and everything that began to compound after we arrived there.

Our journey from the Lion's Way to Wyrm's Crossing was uneventful; not even the usual gathering of ne'edowells at the Friendly Arm Inn opposed or challenged our passage, given the rather unique 'cargo'. However, things escalated once we arrived upon Baldurian soil.

Besides the gawkers and common folk who began to crowd around us to see the dead drow for themselves, while we waited for a Flaming Fist officer to meet us at Wyrm's Crossing a variety of adventurers began to assemble there. Two of the notable ones, one Exordius Vrass and one Jane Price, seemed to take some interest in the consignment I had dutifully protected and helped deliver.

"So you caught a drow?" Vrass asked us before pondering, "I wonder which one?" Jane remarked that "There is quite a crowd at my gate." I examined her for identifying markings, but she bore no official insignia or Fist heraldry, so I was only left to wonder what she may have meant. I asked them both to stand aside as this matter had nothing to do with them.

I was immediately quizzed by Jane concerning my identity, which I only replied, "Protector of this 'consignment'." She enquired as to the manner of the delivery, which was plain as Kald had borne the dead drow on his shoulders the entire way.

At that point the woman, Jane, began her own conversation with the unnamed elf, apparently being some kind of acquaintance. He told her while nodding towards the deceased, "Just doing the good work; here for my bounty." She asked him, "You have a dead drow? And want to bring it to the city?" She then added, as if she herself were the legal authority in this particular case, "There is no bounty on drow paid outside of Duchal lands."

"We're on Duchal lands and I've got a dhaerow," the elf replied. Jane then asked, "Was this drow found somewhere behind me?" The elf assured her not to worry about the matter.

Vrass took offense to this conversation and protested immediately, "Doing the good work... killing is not a good act. It may be necessary but it is not good." I remarked very simply what I perceived of his attitude: "Another moron." He then accused me, "Do not speak of goodness when you do not know what it is. It is foolish."

Sensing the same attitude in Vrass that I had sensed in Pokey earlier, I probed. "Yes, let's all be friends with accursed drow... how many collaborators does this region breed?" Jane concurred with my sentiment then, at least on face value. "Too many." Vrass' expression changed and he regarded the both of us dismissively from that point onwards.

"Look up the Tolerance is Treason proclamation. Dhaerow collaborators will be labelled as treasonists and enemies of the Gate," commented the unnamed elf. Vrass' reaction spoke words of his opinions. "I care not. I do not serve the Dukes; I serve nothing but my beliefs. Nothing more, nothing less."

Finally, a Flaming Fist officer arrived on the scene to enquire of our gathering on the southern shore of Wyrm's Crossing. After advising us to give the corpse to the dogs, a result I thought was a fitting end, the elf protested the suggestion. "I would, kiddo, but we're surrounded by dhaerow sympathisers. I'm doing things the right way. If I turn her over to you, you dispose of her properly away from all these treasonists."

"What, do I look like the undertaker?" the officer answered, but then Jane interjected. "I could?" The elf immediately refused her offer. "Not a chance," as if he knew something more behind what I thought may have been benign words, given her earlier comments in opposition to Vrass.

The elf attempted to clarify whether the Flaming Fist were still offering bounty on drow, and since when had such bounties ceased to be paid, soon becoming dismayed somewhat at the implication coming from Jane's next words: "Since you did not kill it on our land." I challenged Jane directly at that point, asking, "Our? Since when do you speak for the Fist, citizen?"

"Who is that one?" the officer then asked, cutting across all the discussion, although only one knew her actual identity, another inquiry in and of itself. Kald. "Israe'anna," he answered. "You don't say, Israe? Hellstorm crew... a bloody pirate," Jane immediately confirmed additional details. She clearly knew far more than she was letting on at the time. The officer thought carefully for a moment and carefully inspected the body before proclaiming, "Alright. Take it towards the Gate and we'll see about what can be collected."

We moved into the city as the crowds gathered and gawked, and the conversation around me continued to flow. Someone asked what we were doing, and where the drow was killed. Jane answered, saying, "Killed her on the Lion's Way." That was an interesting statement, because to that point none of us had mentioned where the battle took place, nor had we reckoned Jane amongst those eyewitnesses recorded in Volume I of this account.

The elf was immediately suspicious. "Who said that?" "The birds," she answered. "And this is who you want to give her to..." Kald chimed in then, his burden almost ready to be alleviated from his wearied shoulders. The unnamed elf reaffirmed the fact that he did not wish the deceased to be handed over to a potential drow sympathiser, Jane, whom then began to regale some story of how drow had tunnelled beneath Baldur's Gate and has spent personal effort sealing it off. The truth or falsehood of those claims are unknown to me, but irrelevant.

"I told you," the elf retorted, "don't want me killing your pet monsters. All I know is she's a Sharran dhaerow." That revelation caused an immediate stir. "A Sharran drow? What proof of that?" Jane asked. "From the mouth of a paladin," the elf answered. "Which paladin?" The elf then thumbed at Kald.

By that time we had traversed the city and arrived at the Flaming Fist Compound in the Docks, where dispatch had already advised Captain James Norton, whom was awaiting our arrival. We were ushered inside immediately.

"Show me what you brought," Captain Norton said, cutting straight to the chase and silencing all the conversation to that point. The corpse was presented and the elf requested his 'usual arrangement', as if this were not the first time he had undergone this procedure.

"Bounties on these black devils is a thing of the past, though," Captain Norton replied, much to the elf's astonishment and protest. "The Windsouls know that?" That reference left most of us scratching our heads. They are, or were, a noble house who instigated a campaign now enshrined in the phrase, Tolerance is Treason, and one with whom he, and Captain Norton, seemed familiar.

"Hah, that song has lost its tune in the last few years," Captain Norton replied and immediately moved on. "Where was this one killed?" Kald answered for us, "Lion's Way." Captain Norton examined the corpse for some time as Jane gave us all a detailed explanation of how the drow's black hair made her some kind of drow societal outcast. How she knew that is another matter entirely.

"If you don't want her, I'll dispose of her. We're going to burn her if they do not," Kald added in the interim of Captain Norton's examination. I even suggested that the Temple of the Watcher be granted the corpse, with recompense paid to the Fist for so doing, that I might ensure it was properly destroyed.

In the end Captain Norton said, "We'll take this one in. The territory is a bit far to offer bounties for, but I can offer an incentive for further disposal of the black devils whenever you see them. Did you make the kill yourself?"

The unnamed elf answered, "Wasn't concerned about the coin as much as turning her over to someone who would treat it with care. Can't abide sympathisers." I wholly concurred, as did Captain Norton himself.

What happened next, however, is how this entire account turned on its head, as if what I've written already were not shocking enough on its own, for which I reserve my third volume.
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Edelgarde Spades - Guide of Candlekeep and Deneirrath priest, still a Disney princess in the wrong tale.

Gleam of the Firefly - In your darkest hour, look for the firefly

Auntie Ed's Wands(TM): Saving the Coast one Protection from Evil at time.

Candlekeep Public Collection Reference
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An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast Vol III
by Mae Machshikhah
An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast
and Their Associations with the Drow.

Volume III.

Published in Hammer, Year of the Bow, 1354 DR.

Case One: Instigation - Part III
My first two volumes having traced the trail of my first encounters with both pro and anti-drow sentiments by the denizens of the Sword Coast, this first case shall conclude with the final happenstance of our meeting with Captain Norton and the implications to be drawn from it.

I ended the last volume with Captain Norton's announcement that the Flaming Fist was willing to adjust its somewhat quelled policy regarding association with the black devils and the unnamed elf's desire to deliver the body of Sharran, murderer and Hellstorm Pirate Israe'anna to an authority that would take its duty and responsibility with all due care. I personally was rather pleased with this outcome. That is, until Jane Price began to open her mouth again.

"We really should form a list of collaborators and ban them from the city-state," she remarked. Given her wishy-washy stance observed in the previous volume, I was now wary as to how to perceive this idea, although as this book is now a testament, I was more than willing to run with her idea in the end. "Yes, a list of them should be formed, like that strange man in black at the bridge," she added, referring undoubtedly to Vrass in our encounter at Wyrm's Crossing earlier in the day.

Kald added his piece at that moment, words I am sure were also on the tip of the unnamed elf's tongue: "And yourself; could you please just let the captain finish this?" Jane retorted at once, "Kald, you were doing so well with your mouth shut... just stand there and look pretty, please." He replied, "If only you took notes." Jane motioned to Aeric the Scribe. "He already is."

The Oghmanyte concurred, stating his willingness to share what he recorded that day. This account is not his, they are my eyewitness testimony, but I do encourage my readers to cross-reference what I have recorded in these pages with what he recorded in his and you will see they quite agree in their factual content.

"Both of you just cool down and let the Captain do the fine work I've come to expect from him," the elf remarked, trying to calm the conversation down between Jane and Kald.

Captain Norton then said, "Bureaucracy, lists. Little good will come of it. A firm stance..." he stated and trailed off in his pronouncement as he ushered Fist soliders in to take the body away at long last. The captain then uttered another important announcement which brought me some relief in its telling: "Let it be known that I will reinstate bounties upon the cursed drow found upon Duchal Lands."

Content that this pronouncement was the conclusion of the proceedings, those gathered began to disperse, notwithstanding a few conversations between the Captain and Aeric about whether the records of the affairs of that day would be required. Captain Norton assured him they were not.

I lingered for a while and prepared myself to depart after the others, but Jane Price remained with the Captain. "Captain Norton, may I have a brief word?" Captain Norton's momentary gladness at our departure from the barracks turned into a grunt of acknowledgement to the woman. "What?"

Jane pressed her case, and I was astounded when I heard it. "This particular drow has intelligence about her person necessary for a project. Further, she is a perfect candidate for a sort of... squad... needed to free a group of slaves taken by a house, some of them whom were from this city, merchants." "She's dead," the Captain replied bluntly.

Jane continued regardless. "I am aware. Intelligence may be on her body that could be crucial. As for dead, well, those things can change. We both know that." Captain Norton took a long draw of his cigar, remaining silent for some time. Jane continued in a slightly more professional tone. "We would gain back our taken merchants. The problem is, I need a drow like this to pull it off. Of course, I would have to bleach her hair... tedious work. Of course, she will be your prisoner all the way till that day, and even then the chances of her surviving the mission is far from likely."

I shook my head in utter digust, muttering 'collaborator' under my breath as I prepared to leave the barracks. As I did so, I heard Captain Norton's reply echo behind me. "She is dead. Any further enquiries to this abberation, leave it higher up."


Case One: Observations & Implications

I have faithfully and accurately recounted the events, from the very beginning, which first aroused my ire regarding the authenticity of Baldurian Law and its enforcement in the case of drow and those who collaborate with them in this general region.

While I am glad that law was reaffirmed by Captain Norton after the events of 8th Eleint, Year of the Arch, it leaves many pressing and unanswered questions. It became most evident to me during the events of that day that there are many who are both familiar with the drow, know drow, defend drow and collaborate and sympathise with drow for various reasons. I find it hard to believe that those reasons could possibly be to the benefit of Baldur's Gate and its citizens, nevertheless

While Captain Norton believed at the time that a "firm stance" alone was adequate, hindsight has shown us that it has proved utterly ineffectual in the enforcement of the doctrine so effectually encapsulated by the Windsouls in that phrase, Tolerance is Treason. Why are so many who clearly tolerate drow permitted continuing access to Baldur's Gate with unimpeded impugnity if a 'firm stance' is adequate enough to deter them?

I would like to suggest that it both has not, and is not, deterring the many and varied relations that have been uncovered regarding persons on the Coast and their associations with the drow. Why, if there are so many of them (as my following volumes, and that supplied by Sir Anthem Arnemeiger of the Order of the Radiant Heart, shall surely demonstrate) and they are not terribly silent about their affairs either, have there been no voices crying out against their iniquities?

Why, when two voices dared to cry out against this injustice, were we marked as seditious and called to trial to answer for our 'crimes'? It is a crime to hold the safety of the Dukes, the city over which they rule, and its many and fair citizens over and above the rights of these infidels to continue their shameful practices in secret? Or could the saying really be true, and the rock has indeed struck firmly, and struck many, and they now lift up their unified voice at the pains being inflicted?

Furthermore, why is it that Jane Price felt that she could so boldly suggest to Captain James Norton that the body of the drow, Israe'anna, a long time enemy of Baldur's Gate and the Dukes, could or should be released for a 'special mission' of incredibly dubious nature? Why is it that the selfsame Captain James Norton, besides the obvious statement that the drow was dead, would dare to suggest that Jane's request ought to be passed on further up the line?

That implicated only one in my mind, Captain Norton's superior. Duke Eltan. And if Duke Eltan himself is involved, or approved, collaboration with the drow and/or the release of Israe'anna's body, for a special mission or not, does it not therefore justify my hesitancy in bringing my evidences directly to him, thereby risking the ire of those who endorse relations with the drow, in addition to what I have observed to be the general reaction to my revelations? Cover up, secrecy and besmirching those who dared take up the challenge and put a finger on this pulse of corruption lurking within the shadows of this otherwise fair and noble city.

And I declare solemnly that it was all worth it. Not only have I gladly sacrificed my reputation and position within my own Temple (whose defense of the Duchy in this matter continues to astound me), I would do it again without a second thought. Unlike the opinions of those who have falsely accused me, and will likely continue to do so long after this account has been published and disseminated across the Coast, I am dedicated to ensuring the People of Baldur's Gate can live their lives peaceably and free from the secret underbelly of collaboration by many otherwise noble and great societies with that feral and despicable race, the drow.

Now, I admit I have not covered the latter half of my claim which I established at the outset of this inquiry, namely that I was eyewitness to the drow, Israe'anna, later alive. That task is dedicated to my next volume, unto which I now turn my attention and to finally begin to put pen to Jane Price's (feigned?) wish for lists and names.
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Edelgarde Spades - Guide of Candlekeep and Deneirrath priest, still a Disney princess in the wrong tale.

Gleam of the Firefly - In your darkest hour, look for the firefly

Auntie Ed's Wands(TM): Saving the Coast one Protection from Evil at time.

Candlekeep Public Collection Reference
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An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast Vol IV
by Mae Machshikhah
An Inquiry of Persons on the Coast
and Their Associations with the Drow.

Volume IV.

Published in Hammer, Year of the Bow, 1354 DR.

Case Two: Kirias & 'Friend'
When I concluded my business with the Flaming Fist on the 8th of Eleint, Year of the Arch, 1354 DR, I never honestly expected to see the black devil again despite Jane Price's request to utilise, if not outright raise from the dead, her for whatever secret society she is truly a part of. Unfortunately, that expectation was subsequently annihilated, the details of which are as follows.

It was just slightly more than two tendays after the events of the 8th of Eleint, being the 29th of Eleint. After taking a routine patrol from Baldur's Gate south to the Friendly Arm Inn, I decided, somewhat spur-of-the-moment, to divert from my initial plan to continue south to Beregost and instead pressed into the Woods of Sharp Teeth to check that the local orc population was still being kept in submission.

When I entered the woods at dusk I met with none of its usual denizens, but as I rounded a gully and emerged into a clearing I saw two figures from the distance, standing and talking. One was very clearly an elf, decked out in his clerical raiment and looking quite well to do. The other was dressed in black, face covered over with mask and cowl, but I could discern from her figure and voice that this was a female.

They both turned instinctively at my approach, just as I instinctively sent my hand to the handle of my mace. One can never be certain what one will encounter in that aptly-named forest, and this was certainly no exception to that.

"Be at peace; the orcs are all you will need that mace for in these woods," the male elf said, clearly noticing that I was on edge. His companion seemed less sure of herself, shifting and fidgeting and constantly looking at the male, as if for reassurance. He responded to her non-verbal cues by placing his hand on her shoulder.

"If you get overwhelmed, just scream loudly. I will come pull you out of their grasp," the masked one said. Her voice was strangely familiar. It was the same that I had encountered pleading surrender on the Lion's way some two tendays before.

The male elf laughed. "Like you did for me, hmm? These are different orcs."

She looked back at him. "These ones are noticeably easier to deal with."

"Indeed. Perhaps wear your holy symbol outside your armour for now," he asked her.

"Me?" she seemed doubtful. He nodded and she took it out from its concealed place about her neck. I could not make out the symbol from where I was, not to mention it was night and the shadows in the forest were long and many, but I did notice its metallic glint when she turned.

"And whom might I be so kind as to thank for the warning of the dangers that lurk in this forest?" I asked them in an appreciative tone.

"Kirias, Cor'Faernsuor of Dharasha priest of Corellon," he answered with a smile.

"And your friend?" I asked, looking at the masked one.

She immediately leaned over and whispered hushedly with Kirias. "If you wish..." he said aloud as an answer to whatever the question was.

She sighed, nodded, looked at me and said, "From what I'm told it's Israe'anna."

"Interesting," I immediately replied, because that was a revelation I was not expecting. Here I was thinking that the Flaming Fist had done the right thing by the elf (whose name is still unknown to me) whom had delivered the drow's corpse over to Captain Norton with the express intention that sympathisers would be a non-issue. Here, now, right before my eyes, was the evidence that that trust had been breached.

"Why do you say that?" Israe'anna immediately asked me.

"Indeed? And who are you?" Kirias concurred with her.

I ignored their plea for identification and replied with my own question. "You needed to be told what your own name was?" I asked her.

She shifted, rubbing her hood and nodded in answer. "I apparently experienced death, and from what I understand I should have been with the faithless. However, I was resurrected for some reason; I do not fully understand it."

Kirias rested his hand on her arm and interrupted, "It's okay, but you don't need to tell everyone every time they ask."

She continued anyway. "Regardless, I worshipped something I shouldn't have been worshipping and was given a second chance. I don't know who or what it was, but my memory is a mess. What I do remember is confusing, and there are large chunks of memory that is just gone."

Kirias interrupted her again at that point, redirecting the conversation in my direction. "You still have yet to identify yourself. Who are you?" he asked me the second time.

"It is impolite to interrupt, don't you know?" I answered, rather more keen to let Israe'anna spill what she knew of her own demise.

"Come then, perhaps we should continue your lessons elsewhere," he turned and said to her.

"If neither of you know my name, perhaps it is best forgotten. I have a feeling, however, that is not the case," I answered, apparently erroneously expecting them to have known that I was one of those who had hunted Israe'anna down and seen to it that she were delivered over to the Flaming Fist.

She asked him, "Have you met her before?"

"If I have, I've not been introduced," he answered her. "If you don't wish to be addressed by your name, or offer it, you should not ask it of others mi'lady," he then answered me.

"Let me just say this, as one dedicated to the safety of the people," I answered them, again ignoring the third plea for identification. "Using a name like Israe'anna is only going to get you killed. Again. Whoever told you that was your name clearly did not think it through."

"Really?" she replied, shocked and clearly on edge at the revelation.

"Be calm," he tried to quell her growing dismay, but I was not done.

"Rather unfortunate that your friend here believes that is you," I continued, motioning at Kirias, "for if it was I would smite you where you stand." Of course, I knew it was Israe'anna, but I now had the damning evidence I needed. I was not willing at the time to dismiss my tactical advantage of knowledge. Furthermore, it was a case of two elves against myself if I decided to press my attack. It was far better, in my judgement, to let this one pass because its revelation alone would do far, far more in highlighting the perversity of drow collaboration in this region, and elves no less, than killing, or being killed by, Israe'anna and her allies ever would.

"But I'm not going to do that because I believe he has mistaken you for someone else," I lied, again not wanting to give him advantage because I knew he was not mistaken in her identity, "a vile criminal hated everywhere the light shines." That part was true. This was Israe'anna, alive again to torment the Coast with her violence.

"Are you quite finished?" he snapped back at me.

"Is your ignorance?" I asked in return, for clearly that was not the case. He knew who she was. He knew she was drow. Why else the face covering, the defensiveness, the secrecy?

"We have business, and unfortunately you've interrupted and I've yet to hear a cause or your name," he said, a vain attempt to worm his way out of the impending predicament. "Is this how the faithful of Helm conduct themselves?" he said, obviously identifying the symbol upon my breastplate then. But now was the time to drive the dagger of treason further inside, for I had caught an elf with a drow and he knew it.

"Pryat Mae yr Machshikhah," I now identified myself fully. "I assisted the elf who finally brought Israe'anna's crimes to their end. And yes, it is," I commented about my manner of conduct. "Unlike some of your kind, we actually value the truth."

"Then you've got no business left here, since, as you say, you brought that other business to an end."

"I implied that quite some time ago, but you were the one continuing to ask questions," I retorted.

"This could not be the other you speak of," he now brazenly lied to my face. But it was too late. I already knew. He could not now change his story at the end.

"Quite," I concluded, ready to resume my patrol. "It would be quite a large furore if the Flaming Fist came to understand that their most hated criminal was once again alive and roaming under the light of the sun and moon."

Case Two: Observations & Implications
Most of this case reads for itself. An elf giving the drow Israe'anna lessons and conduction business deep in the Sharp Teeth Woods, away from prying eyes and ears. Or so they thought.

Of course, questions will naturally be asked of me concerning my method of interrogation, but I regret nothing. I am already strung up by the Dukes of this city while they do nothing else than cover their own treachery, making me the scapegoat for their own inquities. Of course the Temple of Helm would disown me, given how they share the same bed as Duke Eltan and likely partake in the same lascivious deeds of drow butt-kissing as he has, given his responsibilty for the Flaming Fist's mishandling of this entire matter.

And of course Lord Darius would string me up as seditious, but did you read between the lines when he asked for this city to "look past differences of race"? What he actually meant, like his pawn paladin Taevemira spoke after him, is that there will soon be a public announcement that good drow exist, and their presence in Baldur's Gate will be tolerated!

I wish all of Baldur's Gate to be united and harmonious. I wish the Dukes to come to their senses and increase taxes on the Thayans and the Zhents and reduce them on Baldurian business, like Darius Holding Company, so that the city will not be indebted to evil. But I will not hide the plain and obvious truth that Baldur's Gate is a city which harbours drow sympathisers and punishes those who expose them.
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An Introduction to Torilian Astrology Vol I

Volume I: The Chief Luminaries.
by Aeilli Azenci, Priestess of Mystra

Printed in the Year of the Morningstar, MCCCL.

Series introduction
Have you ever gazed upon the beauty of the heavens, stunned in awe of its splendour and brilliance? Have you felt the radiance of the sun, and watched the changes in the moon? Did you ever see images in the stars the longer you observed them, and began to wonder what their meaning could be?

This book hopes to answer such questions and more. It is my hope as an astrologer to help you, dear reader, understand what you see when you look up into the sky. Furthermore it is my joy, as a diviner, to help you understand not just what you see radiating light above you, but also what they mean to tell you about yourself, your life and your role in the cosmic balance.

The best place to start our journey amongst the stars is upon our backs, laying upon some soft grass or perhaps a blanket and staring up at the luminescent sky, both day and night.

The Sun

Of course, the first thing that will strike you is the most obvious one: the raging orb of intense, radiant heat that is our Sun.

Naturally, the Sun is closely aligned with the forces of purification and renewal. Fire burning hot in a forge will purify metals poured on top of it. So it is that the fires of the Sun, when in favourable alignment, indicate the process of purification or develpment to a higher state of being or strength.

Similarly, we know that when the Sun bestows its blissful rays of warmth upon the winter soils they begin to stir with life. Thus the sun indicates renewal and revitalisation both of life and energy.

Due to its supreme position in the heavenlies, the sun denotes leadership, regalty, governance, ambition and other associated concepts which carry the idea of majesty.

Element: Fire
Elemental Deity: Kossuth
Other Associated Deities: Lathander, Milil.

Significations: Improvement, purification, renewal, refreshment, leadership, governance, kingship, excellence, ambition, majesty.

Selune

The second brightest object in the heavens is most keenly visible at night, our dear moon Selune being trailed by her Tears, of which more and more become visible as the night progresses.

Selune herself waxes and wanes with her endless monthly cycles, and it is well established that Selune has a degree of control over the ebb and flow of the tides. Some arcanists even theorize a potential ebb and flow effect over the magic Weave as well, but this has never been decisively proven either way.

Selune's endless cycles show us processes of change affecting both us and our world. That these cycles repeat again and again also let us perceive a degree of retribution: actions have consequences to follow afterwards. The darkness of the new moon is soon followed by the brightness of the full, and then back again. Portents involving the position of Selune will often reveal an aspect of the following principle: one will reap what they sow in life.

Element: Water
Elemental Deity: Istishia
Other Associated Deities: Selune, Shaundakul.

Significations: Adaptation, flexibility, repetition, cycles, consequences, karma, fairness, recompense.

Anadia

While not the most obvious of night objects, the distinctive red twinkle of Anadia is discernable to most using only the naked eye. This planet is the closest to the sun, ancient astrologers say, and as such it burns with the raw intensity of the sun's radiance.

It is called Uluemyn by the elves and it is often associated with the untempered ferocity that is elemental fire. Consequently, many ancient civilizations equated the planet's portents with significant battles, warfare and destructive processes such as natural disasters.

Anadia represents in its purest form a warrior's relentless courage and martial prowess in the face of pain and injury. Struggle and adversity are essential aspects of life to him, but he has the determination to overcome them. Conversely, the rawest expression of Anadia is the unmerciful ruthlessness of battle to the death. This destructive side of Anadia displays possibilities of domination, despotism, competition, conquest and violent, mindless rage.

Element: Fire
Elemental Deity: Kossuth
Other Associated Deities: Garagos, Tempus, Tyr, Gruumsh, Solonor Thelandira.

Significations: Courage, survival, combat, battle, ruthlessness, cruelty, rage, manipulation of force or strength.

Coliar

Discernable by its occasional blue gleam, Coliar is called the "Philosopher's Star" by people in the far northern regions. It is called Luridel by the elves and has traditionally been associated with the powers of the mind. It is rumoured that this planet held great significance in the life of Alaundo the Seer.

Coliar's association with the elemental air carries with it notions of restlessness and freedom. In the same way that the wind can be neither constrained or controlled, portents signified by Coliar's position in the sky display a love of freedom and the wild openness of nature. It is also closely aligned with the darker side of freedom: stealth, trickery, lies and general resistance to order and structure in life.

Similarly, Coliar provides an impetus to original thought. The mind is free and creative, and just as the wind is ever restless in its circuits so too are the minds of those ever searching for new knowledge, insight and wisdom. Thought is far more complex than simple literalism, and perhaps that is why Alaundo's prophecies are considered to have originated, in part, from portents relating to the activity of Coliar in the night sky.

Element: Air
Elemental Deity: Akadi
Other Associated Deities: Azuth, Mystra, Gond, Oghma, Mask, Brandobaris, Erevan Ilesere.

Significations: Freedom, perseverence, travel, wilderness, trickery, illusion, deception, lawlessness, problem-solving, wisdom, philosophy, invention.

Karpri

Often mistaken for its larger cousin Coliar, Karpri in fact shines with a very faint green tinge mingled amidst its glowing blue. Coliar exceeds its brightness, however, and this fact is often the only discernable difference between the two planets.

Named Ochael by the elves, Karpri is traditionally associated with elemental water, especially the concept that water gives life to all things. This had been extended to encompass those aspects of life which unite all things together: beauty, maternity, love, nurture.

Just as the rains freely fall from the heavens and give their life-giving sustenance to the whole realm of Toril, Karpri's portents often signify the natural unity which exists between all of the variegated and conflicting forces jostling for their place in the realms.

Element: Water
Elemental Deity: Istishia
Other Associated Deities: Sune, Eldath, Sharess, Rillifane Rallathil

Significations: Beauty, love, life-force, passion, nurture, care, attachment, connectedness.

Chandos

Far dimmer and conspicuous than the other planets, Chandos' faint brown flicker is what sets it apart from the other celestial bodies which are seen to roam across the night sky.

The elves give Chandos the name Iaras in light of its connections with forces associated with the elemental earth. Astrological portents involving Chandos thus often relate to the qualities of earth: endurance, reliability, stability and changelessness.

In the same way that plethora of eyes have watched the mountains stand fast against the decay of time, Chandos upholds qualities somewhat in opposition to that of Coliar. Long-lasting order, structure and consistency are the portents of this planet.

Element: Earth
Elemental Deity: Grumbar
Other Associated Deities: Tyr, Dumathoin, Labelas Enoreth.

Significations: Order, lawkeeping, stability, endurance, reliability, defined limits, changelessness, devotion.

Conclusion to Volume I

We are now at the end of our introduction to the chiefest of the heavenly luminaries. The messages embedded within the passage of these heavenly bodies will take on additional meanings, as we shall see, when combined with the portents provided by the astrological constellations.

Given that there are twelve major constellations to just the six chief luminaries, I have decided to encapsulate their meanings in a new treatise. The next work will enlighten us to the positions and descriptions of the twelve constellations, as well as their own special astrological portents.

I expect a third volume to round out these lectures by means of practically applying astrological principles and caculations to determine daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly portents based on one's own birth starsign.

"To the stars the nations gazed,
Eager to unlock their secret signs,
The stars themselves, in no way fazed,
Whispered to mortals their unwritten lines."
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Gleam of the Firefly - In your darkest hour, look for the firefly

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An Introduction to Torilian Astrology Vol II

Volume II: The Zodiac.
by Aeilli Azenci, Priestess of Mystra

Printed in the Year of the Morningstar, MCCCL.
In our first volume we dealt with the astrological significance of the motion of the Sun, Selune and the four planets. In this second volume we will cover the twelve constellations of the Torilian Zodiac.

The majority of predictions that utilise starsigns consider the relative positions of the other celestial bodies at the time of crafting the relevant portent. To simplify things slightly, the following description of the Zodiac signs pertains to when the Sun is passing through them. The relevant dates according to the Calendar of Harptos are listed alongside each entry.

The constellations roughly follow a 360 degree circular arc across the sky, starting in the due east, and may not be fully visible at some times of the year depending on one's location in Faerun. As with the first volume, the best place to begin our journey in the stars is upon our backs looking up at them.

The Sun's Signpost

This constellation is perhaps the easiest to recognize as it rests due east. One will notice that it has three lines of stars with clusters at each outward tip. The place the lines intersect is exact east.

The curious image of these linear clusters have given the constellation other distinctive names. It is known as the 'Arrows of the Gods' amongst various human civilizations, and the elves similarly call it Adarivael and hold it sacred to the elven deity of archery, Solonor Thelandira.

Associated Dates: 21st Ches until 20th Tarsakh.
Birthstone: Coral
Planetary Ruler: Anadia
Element: Fire
Elemental Deity: Kossuth
Associated Deities: Lathander

Significations: Athleticism, self-perfection, dawn, creativity, renewal, youth, good, nobility, strength, protection, passion, purification, cleansing, tempering, reason, innovation, danger, self-denial.

The Swordsman

Another ancient constellation, the Swordsman features prominently in many civilisations as the one who denotes heroism and battle.

The elves believe that this constellation is the exalted spirit of Auranamn, Corellon's devoted friend who perished in the ancient battle against Gruumsh. The reward for his sacrifice was to stand watch over the elven race for eternity.

Associated Dates: 21st Tarsakh until 21st Mirtul.
Birthstone: Chrysolite
Planetary Ruler: Chandos
Element: Earth
Elemental Deity: Grumbar
Associated Deities: Torm, Tyr, Helm, Tempus.

Significations: Loyalty, guardianship, champions, heroism, battle, combat prowess, freedom, honour, duty, obedience, alertness, judgement, lawfulness, justice, stability, endurance, perseverance, aiding the oppressed, protecting the weak and poor.

The Chamaeleon

Also known as The Gorgon in the north, one ancient northern story tells of a great battle long ago between Uthgar and a gorgon. Uthgar's victory ultimately provided the Uthgardt their homeland to settle in safety.

The name Chamaeleon comes from the fact that this constellation rests in the 'footsteps' of the Swordsman, but Swordsman never seems to notice he is there, waiting, watching, following.

Associated Dates: 22nd Mirtul until 21st Kythorn
Birthstone: Selenite
Planetary Ruler: Coliar
Element: Air
Elemental Deity: Akadi
Associated Deities: Mask, Brandobaris, Uthgar

Significations: Scheming, plotting, treachery, deception, darkness, stealth, disguise, secrets, espionage, larceny, lawlessness, intrigue, sophistry, subtlety, misdirection, manipulations, subterfuge, illusions, luck, halflings, risk-taking, adventure, travel, mischief, pranks, humour, sensual pleasure, hedonism, shamanism, hunting, dislike for arcane magic.

The Double Daggers

This array of two oppositely-aligned crescents of stars rests in the western night sky. In fact true west can be determined by plotting a course directly between the two curved 'blades'.

Associated Dates: 22nd Kythorn until 22nd Flamerule
Birthstone: Topaz
Planetary Ruler: Selune
Element: Water
Elemental Deity: Ishtishia
Associated Deities: Shar, Helm, Auril

Significations: Darkness, secrets, hiding and hidden things, lingering injury, bitterness, revenge, hopelessness, nihilism, subterfuge, erosion, undoing, destruction, undeath, seafaring, storms, cold & frost, punishment, unfairness, vigilance, planning, keeping one's word.

The Lion

This animal-shaped constellation is known by many names: the Lion, the Leopard, the Wolf, the Jackal, depending on the civilisation.

Associated Dates: 23rd Flamerule until 22nd Eleasias.
Birthstone: Diamond
Planetary Ruler: Sun
Element: Fire
Elemental Deity: Kossuth
Associated Deities: Nobanion, Siamorphe.

Significations: Leadership, honour, nobility, noble behaviour, beneificence, lawfulness, sociability, order, self sacrifice, responsibility, resource management, fairness, cooperation, compassion, harmony, tolerance, bards, knowledge, genealogies, lineage & titles, service, role-model, excellence.

The Jester

Highharvestide is when the Jester is the most apparent, both by means of its bright gleam in the sky and in the general frivolity associated with its sign.

Associated Dates: 23rd Eleasias until 22nd Eleint.
Birthstone: Carnelian
Planetary Ruler: Chandos
Element: Earth
Elemental Deity: Grumbar
Associated Deities: Lliira, Sharess, Eilistraee, Shiallia.

Significations: Joy, mirth, fun, revelry, free spirit, carefree, freedom, bards, dance, song, poetry, entertainment, festivals, hedonism, romance, procreation, fertility, weddings, celebration, pleasure-seeking, sensual fulfillment, flirting, distractable, decadence, beauty, kindness, harmony, protecting the weak, stability, eternity.

The Horn

A distinctive V formation of stars, the earliest civilisations associated this constellation with fertility, wealth and fortune.

Associated Dates: 24th Eleint until 23rd Marpenoth.
Birthstone: Amethyst
Planetary Ruler: Coliar
Element: Air
Elemental Deity: Akadi
Associated Deities: Chauntea, Tymora, Waukeen, Sune, Eldath

Significations: Abundance, bounty, fortune, wealth, fertility, cultivation, growth, nurture, broodiness, harvesting, plant-life, food, feasting, harvest festivals, providence, trade, merchants, flexibility, extravagance.

The Serpent

This is a winding string of stars that has long been associated with its namesake. The oldest known story is that of a malevolent serpent named Maerilzoun, who would descend upon the world at the end of the age and consume everything in his path.

Associated Dates: 24th Marpenoth until 22nd Uktar.
Birthstone: Emerald
Planetary Ruler: Karpri
Element: Water
Elemental Deity: Istishia
Associated Deities: Tiamat, Garagos, Talos, Hoar, Malar, Beshaba , Talona, Loviatar, Gargauth.

Significations: Domination, control, tyranny, greed, selfishness, hoarding, war, fury, bloodlust, destruction, orcs, inciting terror, barbarians, trickery, storms, murder, subversion, rebellion, corruption, bitterness, sadism, misfortune, disasters, poison, pain, disease, torture, torment, despair, depravity.

The Archer

Standing opposite the Swordsman in the night sky, the Archer is viewed as a companion of the Swordsman, whom he watches with endless attention.

Associated Dates: 23rd Uktar until 21st Nightal.
Birthstone: Opal
Planetary Ruler: Sun
Element: Fire
Elemental Deity: Kossuth
Associated Deities: Mielikki, Gwaerom Windstrom.

Significations: Focus, precision, balance, concentration, tracking, hunting, stalking, rangers, druids, forests, harmony with nature, monster slaying, action, goodness, discreet heroism, leading by example.

Velessea

Known as Angharradh amongst the elves, this feminine-shaped constellation is named Velessea after the story of a powerful and good witch who spent her life fighting goblin-kin and aiding travellers who had fallen prey to their raids.

Associated Dates: 22nd Nightal until 20th of Hammer.
Birthstone: Jasper
Planetary Ruler: Chandos
Element: Earth
Elemental Deity: Grumbar
Associated Deities: Ilmater, Shaundakul.

Significations: Defense, repulsion of enemies, unification with allies, protecting the vunerable, withstanding evil and tyranny, perseverence, perpetuity, exploration, knowledge of geography, cartography.

The Wizard's March

The three bright stars of this constellation also have their own names: Ulazimir, Iziaslau and Rahnieda. According to legend they were three powerful magi who roamed the eastern regions of Faerun, dispensing their wisdom and knowledge to all who would seek it of them.

Associated Dates: 21 Hammer until 19 Alturiak.
Birthstone: Jetstone
Planetary Ruler: Coliar
Element: Air
Elemental Deity: Akadi
Associated Deities: Mystra, Azuth, Savras, Deneir, Oghma, Gond.

Significations: Arcane magic, wisdom, knowledge, lore, counsel, sages, wizards, philosophy, reason, analysis, study, meditation, inner calm, divination, truth-seeking, discernment, humility, responsibility, discipline, restraint, ingenuity, problem-solving, runes, symbols, glyphs, literacy, critical thought, travel, invention, spontaneity.

The Triton

This constellation is so called because it depicts a seated individual raising a trident into the air with one hand. The elves relate it to Sashelas, the god of the sea elves, nd include the two bright stars just to the left as representing Sashelas' two loyal dolphin companions Tilvadar and Tambaun.

Associated Dates: 20th of Alturiak until the 20th of Ches.
Birthstone: Crystal
Planetary Ruler: Karpri
Element: Water
Elemental Deity: Istishia
Associated Deities: Umberlee, Valkur

Significations: Risk-taking, escaping danger, managing unpredictability, meeting challenges, capriciousness, volatility, seafaring, storms, trials, troubles, respect for divine forces or nature.

The next volume will explore how to survey the sky and interpret the messages given by the whole heavenly host.
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Gleam of the Firefly - In your darkest hour, look for the firefly

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An Introduction to Torilian Astrology Vol III

Volume III: Practical Astrology.
by Aeilli Azenci, Priestess of Mystra

Printed in the Year of the Morningstar, MCCCL.
This third work I expected to be the last in this series on astrology. However the breadth and depth of the content yet remaining means I am probably minded to expand the details over this and the following work. I am also minded to prepare an auxillary volume containing a glossary and various appendices to assist budding astrologers in creating their first portents.

The first two volumes of this series have uncovered the distinguishing characteristics of the heavenly host and the various significations and influences they tend to have in our daily lives. In the first work we explored the chief luminaries, so named because they are often the brightest objects in the sky: the sun, the moon and the four planets Anadia, Coliar, Karpri and Chandos. These six luminaries have regular patterns as they transit the sky, and Selune also has its monthly change from new to full and back again.

The second work explained the locations of the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. I would have preferred to have gone into more detailed explanation of these, but the Zodiac carries significant difficulties in that each culture has a different story behind many of the images in the night sky. For the sake of simplicity I have tried to incorporate as many similarities between the variety of cultural interpretations of the Zodiac as possible and integrate them into one fluid work.

The current enterprise aims to offer a basic introduction to the art of reading the position of the chief luminaries and determining subsequent portents based on the alignment and location of each of the heavenly bodies. I will endeavour to use as little astrological language as I can possibly muster. Where this fails, interested readers my feel free to consult the glossary in Volume V.

Locating the Chief Luminaries

The first step in crafting an astrological portent, whether it be for that day or perhaps a birthsign or other complex reading, is to identify the location of the six luminaries and the Zodiac signs in which they have fallen for that particular day.

As mentioned in Volume II, the Zodiac consists of 12 constellations which roughly follow a 360 degree circular arc across the night sky. Each constellation occupies one 30 degree segment, or sign, of the 360 degree whole.

The centre point of this circle rests at true north, which can be found by looking for the Brow Star. It rests within a non-zodiac constellation known as Mystra's Circle, or in other places the Crown of the North, a spectacular ring of stars with a vortex of black darkness in the midst of them all. The Brow Star is distinctively the brightest of these and never moves in the night sky; all other stars appear to revolve around it.

After identifying true north in this manner the next task is to identify true east, or the Sun's Signpost constellation. You may need to wait until dawn if you are not attuned to identifying its location without the aid of sunrise, but once you learn this the constellation will soon become distinctive enough in its own right.

This position marks the beginning of the Zodiac and hence the first place to start surveying the positions of the chief luminaries. The Sun's yearly cycle through the Zodiac is slow and divides the constellations roughtly into the twelve months of the Calendar of Harptos, starting in the Sun's Signpost on the 21st of Ches. The relevant dates for the Sun's progression through the Zodiac are listed in Volume II of this work.

The regular planetary and lunar cycles see them positioned within the 30 degree segments of each constellation at different times of the year. Selune obviously traverses them all every month in her regular 30 day cycle, the other planets are slowly, passing through the Zodiac three to eight times per year. The sun passes through each sign only once per year, being the slowest luminary of them all.

Selune's influence is also complicated by her related cycle of new to full moon. Some of these details I have relegated to my supplementary volume and the interested reader would do well to find more about it there in Appendix I.

This means that any given day will have a new and interesting position assigned to each of the chief luminaries amongst the constellations, although their cycles from year to year are regular enough that they can be plotted on an ephemeris chart far into the future, allowing predictive portents to be made about the days, months and years to come.

Determining Decans

One begins to formulate a daily portent by first recording the relevant positions of the chief luminaries in their respective Zodiac signs. Remember that each constellation occupies a 30 degree segment of the whole 360 degree night sky, centred on the Brow Star.

The chief luminaries will each occupy a place in one of those 12 segments. One may need to observe the entire night in order to locate one of the luminaries because they may not always be fully visible, especially in Midwinter when the sun lies lower on the horizon than in Midsummer. This will also be partially influenced by one's location on Faerun. Some constellations are difficult, if not impossible, to see if one lives further south than the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Once each luminary is located, use an astrologer's compass to note the exact degree it occupies in that 30 degree segment. An astologer's compass is a metal ring with a cross in the centre, divided into four quarters. Each quarter has three smaller divisions marked on the rim, and within each of these three markings are an additional three smaller segmentations.

Using it is as simple as aligning the centre of the cross to the Brow Star, then aligning the right crossbar to the Sun's Signpost. Use the white string attached to identify where each luminary rests for that day and record the degree.

Note that the twelve segments pertain to the twelve signs of the Zodiac, and the smaller segmentations pertain to what are called decans, or tenths. When recording the location of a luminary within a constellation, it is helpful to record which decan it is as well. This will be explained further below. Decans are simply named 1st, 2nd or 3rd decan (1-10, 11-20 and 21-30 degrees of a segment respectively).

Once you have ascertained all your positions you should have a reading something like the following example:

Sun in the First Decan of Sun's Signpost.
Selune in the Second Decan of Jester.
Anadia in the First Decan of Double Daggers.
Coliar in the Third Decan of Serpent.
Karpri in the Second Decan of Wizard's March.
Chandos in the First Decan of Archer.

This is the beginning of crafting a daily portent from those astrological positions. However, to unfortunately complicate matters, there is far more to a portent than the mere position of the luminaries alone.

Allowing for Alignments

Not only are daily readings determined by the position of the various luminary bodies in the sky but also the complex interrelationships between them. When drawn up on a circular chart the luminaries may appear in various alignments, or aspects, with each other.

The most significant of these are 60 degrees (sextile), 90 degrees (square), 120 degrees (trine), and 180 degrees (opposed). Sextile and trine aspects are always favourable, emphasising positive traits of the luminaries and signs they are in. Square and opposed are always unfavourable and emphasise negative traits.

When two luminaries occupy the same sign they are said to have converged. Selune and the Sun converge every month at new moon. In these instances, readings are determined by Zodiac rulership firstly. Certain signs are naturally affiliated with certain luminaries and hence their attributes overcome those of the convergence. Appendices II and III in Volume V detail these relationships.

If neither of the converged luminaries possess dominance by rulership it will be determined by luminary speed. A luminary which enters a sign where another is present already will in fact overtake it. This is known as application, and the applying planet dominates the slower one. However after the two have converged the slower planet becomes dominant as the faster one separates from it, thus losing its position of strength.

If we apply the above to our earlier example we would end up with the following enhanced reading.

Sun in the 1st Decan of Sun's Signpost
- Square to Anadia
- Sextile with Karpri
- Trine with Chandos

Waxing Gibbous Selune in the 2nd Decan of Jester
- Sextile with Anadia
- Sextile with Coliar
- Square to Chandos

Anadia in the 1st Decan of Double Daggers
- Trine with Coliar

Coliar in the 3rd Decan of Serpent
- Square to Karpri

Karpri in the 2nd Decan of Wizard's March
- Sextile with Chandos

Chandos in the 1st Decan of Archer.

Note that identical readings are not repeated. In the example above both the Sun and Selune were sextile with Anadia. Under Anadia's entry, though, both of these readings are omitted as they have already been described.

None of the luminaries were conjunct in a ruled sign, although Coliar is quickly approaching Chandos' position as it transits from Serpent to Archer. As soon as Coliar enters the Archer constellation it will be applying conjunct with Chandos and will gain dominance over it.

Conclusion

There is still much to understand about reading the stars and in the next volume I will futher develop the above example into a more definitive astrological portent. This has been the direction of our journey and this volume but a starting point for applying the basic principles of astrology.
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An Introduction to Torilian Astrology Vol IV

Volume IV: Portents and Birthsigns.
by Aeilli Azenci, Priestess of Mystra

Printed in the Year of the Morningstar, MCCCL.
I had expected my third volume to have been my last in this series on Torilian astrology. To my surprise, and perhaps my joy, my last volume left far too much hanging in the air. So in order to complete what the last volume left unfulfilled I present this fourth volume in this series on astrology.

Volume III put in to practice the raw knowledge gained from my first two works on this topic. With the information acquired from all these three it is my hope that my readers may begin to take their first steps in actually interpreting what the stars say for themselves. That is the purpose of this volume and we will begin where we concluded in Volume III by developing the meanings hidden in the alignments between the various luminaries.

Producing a Portent

If you remember my concluding pages in the previous work I had presented an example of a possible night time array from which I determined the relevant alignments between the signs and luminaries. I will briefly recount that example here.

Sun in the 1st Decan of Sun's Signpost.
- Square to Anadia
- Sextile with Karpri
- Trine with Chandos

Waxing Gibbous Selune in the 2nd Decan of Jester.
- Sextile with Anadia
- Sextile with Coliar
- Square to Chandos

Anadia in the 1st Decan of Double Daggers.
- Trine with Coliar

Coliar in the 3rd Decan of Serpent.
- Square to Karpri.

Karpri in the 2nd Decan of Wizard's March.
- Sextile with Chandos

Chandos in the 1st Decan of Archer.

Now that we are refreshed with this example let us try to interpret a few of these alignments and see what they mean. We will begin with the Sun. If you recall any of the details from my first volume, the Sun represents forces of renewal, purification, development, leadership and governance. When placed in the Sun's Signpost, these attributes are very influential in that this sign tends to the same emphases.

Now let us see what the other alignments do with the emphases above. The Sun is Square to Anadia here, which, if you remember from the previous work, will emphasise the negative aspects of these two luminaries. Anadia, in a negative capacity, represents ruthlessness, cruelty, rage and manipulation of strength. Sitting in Double Daggers as it is only multiplies this woe with influences such as injury, bitterness, revenge, destruction and undoing.

The Sun does rest positively with two other luminaries though. It is sextile with Karpri and trine with Chandos, emphasising positive aspects from both. In the former case, Karpri sits in Wizard's March. This is a very interesting position because Karpri's emphases of love, passion, nurture and connectedness does not tend to meld well with Wizard's March and its emphasis on free thought, restraint, problem solving, invention, wisdom, magic, reason and study. Chandos in the latter case, resting in Archer, exemplifies forces of order, reliability, focus, precision, action and example.

The various aspects related to the Sun therefore describe to us an individual who is passionately critical in their appraisal of the world, reliable, precise and focused. However this reliability and focus can just as equally be applied to the forces of good, personal development and thoughtful self-reformation as they could be to ably plotted murder, strife, and injustice. There are temptations to be motivated by revenge, and such a path will be relentlessly followed without waivering.

A Second Example

In order to reinforce the above principles, let us try our hand at one more portent. This time we will use the position of Selune on the example chart to make a reading. The first thing to note pertaining to portents involving Selune are its current phase. In our example above, Selune is very nearly opposed to the Sun. This indicates it is in the Waxing Gibbous stage, a time in which obstacles must be overcome. This will be a key element in interpreting the other alignments Selune has in our reading.

Our example places Selune within the 2nd decan of Jester, a position which tends to emphasise the cyclic and repetitive nature of festivities, frivolity and other sources of happiness. Seasonal celebrations come to mind especially here, especially those honoured across Faerun by the majority of cultures and races.

Now our first two alignments are positive ones. Selune rests in a sextile aspect with both Anadia to the left and Coliar to the right. The first emphasises the positive qualities that exist beween Selune and Anadia, in this case Anadia's positive qualities of courage and survival. Coliar''s influence on Selune emphasises traits of freedom, perseverence and travelling, as well as intellectual capacity.

Chandos, however, rests at a negatively aligned square position with Selune. Chandos' normally stable and reliable nature is thus underminded by Selune's negative traits of vindictiveness and retribution.

In sum, our second reading speaks of one who pays zealous attention to festivities, year in year out. They themselves love the joyfulness of festivity to such a degree that they are courageous enough to brave the unknown and travel from town to town, eager to experience new forms of joy in different places and from different cultures. They will have a knack for pulling through difficulty, although they will have a hard time finding stability in their life. Hardships, especially in regard to failed relationships, may give way to vindictive behaviours which seek to right all kinds of perceived wrongs against them.

Birthcharts

In a way of conclusion, I would just like to touch briefly on the concept of Birthcharts. These are a fascinating area of astrological study and require much preparation and research to accomplish well. Every person is born at a unique time and under a unique arrangement of the heavenly host. It is said that the arrangement of the stars at one's birth does much to plot that person's potential course in life, and that is what makes them so enthralling to draw up.

Caculating an accurate chart must begin with accurate details about the subject's place, date, time and year of birth. Of these four factors, the most important are place, date and year. Without knowing the exact day and year of birth it is impossible to look up the relevant celestial alignments using an ephemeris, which is a historical account of the positions of the heavenly luminaries on a given date. Knowing the place of birth is useful insofar as some celestial bodies are not visible in the sky at certain times of the year in certain locations in Faerun.

Calculating the planetary aspects are as simple as what we have already learnt, saving that they must be looked up from the historical record in a suitable ephemeris. Once these are obtained for the day and year in question, one may then plot their respective locations upon a chart and from here calculate the various positive and negative alignments.

After this is done, one interprets the chart similar to crafting a daily portent, but the readings obtained from this process pertain to personal tendencies and habits for the whole of the subject's lifetime. You will be surprised how often these birthchart predictions portray the gist of one's whole life, although these are not set in stone, so to speak.

Every person still remains free to listen to what the stars say, or else forge their own path in the Realms making of it what they may. Yet they remain as a useful guide and with a little practice and imagination, even you, dear reader, will be looking at the skies to see what they stars say to you today.
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An Introduction to Torilian Astrology Vol V

Volume V: Supplementary Glossary, Appendices and Charts.
by Aeilli Azenci, Priestess of Mystra

Printed in the Year of the Morningstar, MCCCL.
This last volume exists only to supplement the previous four. Within the interested reader will find a useful glossary of common astrological terms, as well as several helpful appendices to assist students of astrology in making correct interpretations of the celestial data.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this Introduction to Torilian Astrology as much as I hope you have enjoyed reading it. Let us all now turn our attention to the stars and listen to what they have to whisper to us.

*the following line is written in the Espruar Elven script*

In honour of my mother, blessed servant of Sehanine, who taught me to love and read the stars from my youth.

Glossary of Common Astrological Terms

Alignment - Luminaries are considered to be in alignment when they exist within 60, 90, 120 or 180 degrees of another luminary, centred on the Brow Star. See also, aspect.

Applying - When a faster luminary approaches alignment with a slower one. Applying luminaries exhibit a stronger alignments and thus their qualities will overrule those of the slower luminary. See Appendix IV.

Aspect - The particular angular distances between luminaries measured in degrees. A luminary may only have aspects with other luminaries it can 'see'. Every luminary emits seven rays of vision: 60, 90 and 120 degrees to the left, 180 degrees immediately in front, and 120, 90 and 60 degrees to the right.

Conjunction - When luminaries traverse within the same decan of a sign. Selune is always conjunct with the Sun at New Moon.

Decan - 10 degree segmentations within a 30 degree sign. Luminaries are in alignment only when their respective decans and angles match. See Appendix V.

Disseminating - The period when Selune's solar illumination begins to decrease. See Appendix I.

Ephemeris - A detailed record of past, present and future alignments. Essential for producing a birth chart or predictive portents.

Luminary - Any one of the major light-bringing objects in the heavens: The Sun, Selune, Anadia, Coliar, Karpri and Chandos. See Volume I for more information on the respective luminaries.

Opposed - When two luminaries exist in opposite, or 180 degree, alignment. As with the square alignment, opposites are very unfavourable and emphasise negative qualities. Selune is opposite the Sun at Full Moon.

Retrograde - The apparent reverse movement of a luminary in a sign. This emphasises opposite qualities. The Sun and Selune are never retrograde.

Ruler - Each of the respective signs has a luminary with which it has a natural affinity. Such luminaries are said to 'rule' those signs when they are passing through them and thus have a strong influence over all their aspects while transiting their ruled sign. See Appendices II and III.

Separating - When a faster luminary leaves an exact alignment with a slower one. Separating luminaries exhibit weakening influences and thus the slower luminary's qualities will be emphasised. See Appendix IV.

Sextile - When two luminaries exist in an alignment of 60 degrees. This alignment is very favourable and emphasises the positive qualities of each luminary in their signs.

Sign - Each of the twelve 30 degree segments of the 360 degree Zodiac, which also happen to correspond with 12 major constellations. See Volume II of this work for more information.

Square - When two luminaries align in different signs at 90 degrees. Square aspects are strongly unfavourable alignments and emphasise negative qualities. Selune is square to the Sun at half moon, whether waxing or waning.

Trine - When two luminaries exist in signs at 120 degrees. Trine aspects are very favourable an emphasis positive qualities of the respective luminaries.

Appendix I: Phases of Selune

1. New Moon - The dark phase at the beginning of the lunar month when the Sun and Selune are in conjunction. It is a time for planning and formulation.

2. Crescent - The waxing phase of Selune between new moon and first quarter. It is a time for setting plans into motion.

3. First Quarter - The phase when Selune is half dark and half bright, but the brightness is increasing. It is a time for focused, forceful activity. Selune is square to the Sun in this phase.

4. Waxing Gibbous - The phase between first quarter and full moon when more than half of Selune's surface is illumined. It is a time for overcoming obstacles.

5. Full Moon - The phase when Selune is completely illumined. It is the time of fulfilment, when one's plans either succeed or fail. Selune is opposing the Sun in this phase.

6. Waning Gibbous - Otherwise known as Disseminating Selune, this phase is when Selune's surface is still more than half illumined but that illumination is slowly decreasing. It is a time for fruit to bear, proverbially speaking, and for participating with others. It is also a time for discarding failed plans and beginning to plan new ones.

7. Last Quarter - The phase when Selune is again half bright and half dark, but the darkness is increasing upon the surface. It is a time to move beyond the past and begin working in earnest on new things. Selune is square to the Sun in this phase.

8. Dark Crescent - This is the final phase of Selune before it returns to the New Moon. Selune has only a sliver of illumination during this phase before it is finally wholly enveloped in darkness. It is thus a time of completion and self-examination, but also earnest preparation for what is about to come into new light.

Appendix II: Zodiac Rulership by Luminary

Sun: Lion, Archer.
Selune: Double Daggers.
Anadia: Sun's Signpost.
Coliar: Chamaeleon, Horn, Wizard's March.
Karpri: Serpent, Triton.
Chandos: Swordsman, Jester, Velessea.

Appendix III: Zodiac Rulership by Sign

Sun's Signpost: Anadia
Swordsman: Chandos
Chamaeleon: Coliar
Double Daggers: Selune
Lion: Sun
Jester: Chandos
Horn: Coliar
Serpent: Karpri
Archer: Sun
Velessea: Chandos
Wizard's March: Coliar
Triton: Karpri

Appendix IV: Luminary Application and Separation.

Luminaries higher in the following list will always apply and separate those below them. Keep this in mind when calculating aspects.

1. Selune
2. Anadia
3. Karpri
4. Coliar
5. Chandos
6. The Sun

Appendix V: Sign Aspects

Below is a list of all the various major aspects by sign. A luminary which rests in the sign listed in the first colum will likewise have an aspect with any luminary traversing the signs of the second column. All signs will have two sextiles, squares and trines (one to the right and one to the left respectively) and only one opposite.

Sun's Signpost - Sextile: Chamaeleon, Wizard's March; Square: Double Daggers, Velessea; Trine: Lion, Archer; Opposed: Horn.

Swordsman - Sextile: Double Daggers, Triton; Square: Lion, Wizard's March; Trine: Jester, Velessea; Opposed: Serpent.

Chamaeleon - Sextile: Lion, Sun's Signpost; Square: Jester, Triton; Trine: Horn, Wizard's March; Opposed: Archer.

Double Daggers - Sextile: Jester, Swordsman; Square: Horn, Sun's Signpost; Trine: Serpent, Triton; Opposed: Velessea.

Lion - Sextile: Horn, Chamaeleon; Square: Serpent, Swordsman; Trine: Archer, Sun's Signpost; Opposed: Wizard's March.

Jester - Sextile: Serpent, Double Daggers; Square: Archer, Chamaeleon; Trine: Velessea, Swordsman; Opposed: Triton.

Horn - Sextile: Archer, Lion; Square: Velessea, Double Daggers; Trine: Wizard's March, Chamaeleon; Opposed: Sun's Signpost.

Serpent - Sextile: Velessea, Jester; Square: Wizard's March, Lion; Trine: Triton, Double Daggers; Opposed: Swordsman.

Archer - Sextile: Wizard's March, Horn; Square: Triton, Jester; Trine: Lion, Sun's Signpost; Opposed: Chamaeleon.

Velessea - Sextile: Triton, Serpent; Square: Sun's Signpost, Horn; Trine: Swordsman, Jester; Opposed: Double Daggers.

Wizard's March - Sextile: Sun's Signpost, Archer; Square: Swordsman, Serpent; Trine: Chamaeleon, Horn; Opposed: Lion.

Triton - Sextile: Swordsman, Velessea; Square: Chamaeleon, Archer; Trine: Double Daggers, Serpent; Opposed: Jester.
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An Old Order Meditation Manual
by Mi-Le

In my travels, I have heard others use the Shou term "ki" to refer to a certain life force or mystical energy in the body. But in the Shou language, "ki" also literally means breath of air. Breath can also be expressed by the Show word "xi". The monks of my monastery utilize "xi" as an object of meditation. Simply put, we practice simple awareness of the breath. In the Shou language, the actual practice is called "shA xi guan".

There's no need for complex theories in this practice. Meditation should be simple. All we're doing here is watching the breath. And that's easy enough, isn't it?
After all, we're breathing every moment, even if we usually don't pay attention to it. With this practice, we're just paying attention to our breathing for a change.

So sit comfortably, with your back straight. Close your eyes and relax your body. Then watch the breath by paying attention to where the air meets your nose. Wherever you feel the sensation of breathing the most, just keep watching at that point. Watch one inhalation, from beginning to end. You're just watching the breath that is happening in the present moment, not thinking about the last breath or the next. So in a way, there's only one breath.

Don't control or regulate the breath. This is important. We are just paying attention to the natural process of breathing. We are not trying to control or force anything.

If a distraction happens, just acknowledge it. Don't fight it, and don't follow it. Don't reject it, and don't become involved with it. Just note the thought, emotion, sound, or whatever. Then gently but firmly go back to the breath, without getting upset or judging yourself for getting distracted. If a distraction is so strong you feel like you can't go back to the breath, don't push yourself too hard. You can take this opportunity to be aware and mindful of what is going on in your mind. Let the agitation, feeling, whatever, arise. Don't fight it or reject it. Sit and observe it. Be objective about it, without judging yourself. Notice any resistance and relax it. Be open to the experience. And when it passes, go back to the breath.

If it seems like the experience isn't passing, you are probably feeding into it without being aware of it. So try a little trick. Instead of observing the distraction itself, try noticing the mind's attachment to the distraction. Watch how the mind reaches out and grasps at the distraction or mental object. If you look closely, you can notice a certain gravitation in the mind towards the mental object. It's sort of an underlying mental current. Watch that gravitation or current; don't follow it, breath for a while, the mind settles into a certain stillness. In Shou, we call this stillness "ding". When the mind is thus stilled, it is capable of recognizing the complex processes in things that we previously took for granted. Previously, we might have been annoyed by a dog's barking. But with a still mind, we can recognize the following step as they happen: we register the sound, then we apply the label of barking, then the mind begins to stir in reaction, and we can tell that it is about to become annoyed. But when we notice the annoyance about to bubble up, it subsides before it ever manifests. This awareness of mental processes allows us to avoid annoyance.

So we can see the benefits of practicing meditation for ourselves. The immediate benefits are simple: it calms the mind, reduces greed and hatred, and helps you see things clearly. With practice, you begin to truly experience each present moment, and life stops being a distracted blur. You're truly present in the here and now, and even the breath itself becomes a fascinating process. In the long term, we become less entangled by the little things. Where our minds used to latch onto something, we now see that something as a process in flux. There is nothing permanent to hold onto, no need to identify with anything. We begin to see everything for what it is: impermanent, suffering, and non-self. With this clear insight, we don't attach to anything. We become free from our egos.

Without the ego getting in the way, we see the world as a web of interdependent conditioned processes.

We realize the Way.
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Edelgarde Spades - Guide of Candlekeep and Deneirrath priest, still a Disney princess in the wrong tale.

Gleam of the Firefly - In your darkest hour, look for the firefly

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Angharradh and the Faerie Dragon
by Laitae Lafreth

Garurtgix was a young Faerie Dragon living in the Feywild. One day his wings had become gray and dull, and not bright and colourful like others of his kin. A cruel red dragon called Sjachixen had once fooled him into believing it was because all the flowers had taken his colours. This made poor Garurtgix very sad because he used to love flowers.

"How can I get my colours back?" Garurtgix sadly asked.

"You must cut down a thousand flowers of each colour." Sjachixen replied with a cruel smirk.

And so Garurtgix started to cut down all the flowers he could find.

One day, he came upon Angharradh, the Queen of Arvandor, who was tending to her garden it was a great and beautiful garden of flowers of all the colours he could ever imagine, and had a small pond in the middle. Garurtgix, being angry with the flowers, told her that they had stolen all his colours and that he needed to cut them all down. Angharrad shook her head at his anger and told him to come down to the pond with her.

There, they looked into the relection of the pond, and indeed, Garurtgix had no colours. He then let out a sad sigh.

"You see?" he said sadly and looked back at Angharradh. "My colours are all gone. Sjachixen said the flowers took them and that i had to cut down a thousand of each coloured flower to get them back."

Angharrad smiled at him.

"No, dear. They are all there," she said and threw a bucket of water over him with a soft chuckle. "Sjachixen have just covered you in ashes, little one."

Garurtgix blinked and looked down at his reflection again. Now, his wings were yet again shining with bright colours. He then smiled and helped tending to Angharradh's flowers for the rest of his life.
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Astrological Augment Vol I
An Academic Paper by Priestess Aeili Azenci.
Published in the Year of the Arch, 1353 DR.

Preface
Distant, untouchable and altogether mysterious: such adjectives are fitting epithets for the heavenly host that twinkle their eternal astral greetings night by night. Worshiped as gods in some parts and feared for their sudden and inexplicable omens, the stars have provided a source of inspiration for nations and peoples, sought out by astrologers and stargazers with the secret hope of uncovering their mysterious, silent voices that cry out in their umbral surrounds.

Is it possible, I once asked myself, that the stars actually conceal untapped power? Could be be that their daily realignment and interrelationship can actually be beckoned with the forces of magic, and the faintest portion of their power taken from them and repurposed for mortal use? It was an intriguing question that first caught my attention while I was attending Evereska's arcane observatory and from that day I have set myself to discerning whether there is indeed far more laying behind the mysteries of the starry host.

This present work represents the culmination of that humble journey, one of the many stones upon which I've stepped while daring to cross the fast-flowing cataract which is life on the Sword Coast. If I were asked why it took nigh on three decades for me to reach the conclusions I have in this work, my answer would be simple. I always thought, as a descendant of my people, the Tel'Quessir, that time would be little object to my quest for knowledge of the mysteries withheld above. I was wrong.

Mortality is a brutal reality, and it is only when one's end is presented to you that one realises how much more, perhaps, one may have done with their short years. I understand quite fully the fervour with which my human acquaintances pour themselves at their sundry tasks. That is not to say I have not been as an elf; quite the contrary in fact. It has never been any less of a goal of mine than to leave in my wake a humble, yet honourable, legacy, of which this work is my magnum opus. But had I known that this year had been the last my feet had remained upon the shores of continental Faerun, perhaps I had been more judicious in the expenditure of my time and personal resources, yet all the same I have no regrets whatsoever in what I have done.

Such a work would be incomplete, however, without an initial acknowledgement of its interpersonal contributors. While I may have grown more and more reclusive in my last months, there have been certain friends whose dogged determination to encourage me always ever onwards simply must be recorded ad memoriam.

Lady Neela Daren and Halbazzer Drin, as my fellow colleagues and associates in all things magical, there has never been a day when I have not recalled or resolved to find inspiration in your timely counsel, supply of spell components, and general friendliness. To my list of temple friends I must also add my sister in the faith, Great Reader Laitae La'freth, Hoppy Toadmeadow and the recently departed Priestess Telia Santraeger. Your combined enthusiasm and humilty in our common faith gives me much hope that Mystra's church is in good hands when such names are together adorned with the Eight-Pointed Star.

To the Guide of Candlekeep, Alexandra Keenan (as of the time of this writing), I must profess a measure of unpayable debt. You tolerated my spasmodic presence in your office, ofttimes at awkward hours, without complaint, graciously and tenderly asking advice of me as I equally endeavoured to acquire the same. Your firm but fair attitude will see you occupy an irreplaceable part on the roster of Candlekeep's Guides, if not actually surpassing the sensibility and diplomatic tact of one of Candlekeep's greatest, Valerius Rokranon.

To my dear friends and colleages in En Dharasha Everae and Doron Amar I should like to say the following. You have been by my side when I have been at my highest, and also when I have been at my very lowest. You tolerated my inconsistencies and my enigmatic nature, lifting my spirit to soar beyond the brooding clouds on the horizon. I will not forget any of you, even though I know my name will one day be forgotten amongst you.

Elyssa and Viridiana, you I mention specially by name simply because you accepted me as I am, despite what apparent cruelty and injustice Fate has put into my lap. I was dancing at the edge of the veil, held back only by your love and devotion to me as fellow kinsfolk. It seems only right to honour you with this work.

There are, of course, many more names I could add to these but I feel this preface is loquacious enough. To those who took the time to know me, bear with me and graciously receive what I had to offer, I am forever thankful.

Introduction
When I first arrived on the Sword Coast, the first thing that struck me was the decided lack of understanding of traditional astrology and the meaning of the stars. While I primarily sought to address this general deficiency by first publishing my five volume series on Torilian Astrology, which was further supplemented by my 'What the Stars Say' series in the Baldur's Gate Herald (while it was in circulation), I wondered if it were at all possible to make the intangible tangible, to draw on the powers of the stellar alignments and actually bestow that power upon a subject, that is, to use magic to bestow the Zodiac onto an individual.

The result of this exploration of astrology and magic is the sole focus of this work, whereby I will discuss the process of discovery that lead me to developing the only legacy I am content to share with the denizens of the Sword Coast before I take my permanent leave from it, a spell of my own devising: Aeili's Astrological Augment.

Theory and Development
When I commenced this project back during my early days on the continent, I was always struck by the varying and unique portents that astrology tends to produce. One of the core factors driving this infinitesimal possibility of astrological portents is that even though the stellar host undertakes regular, albeit sometimes lengthy, Zodiacal cycles, each individual in the world has an entirely unique starsign of their own, irregardless of their perception or understanding of it. That is to say that portents are as varied and endless in the possibilities because their recipients are as varied and endless in the stellar formations under which they were born, and under which they now live.

Thus, the first portion of development involved the creation of my very own cantrip, Discern Starsign. Obviously a spell reserved for astrological specialists, by uttering its divine phrasing and tossing a handful of fairy dust against a dark area, such as a lightless cave, cellar or room, an individual's starsign at birth is shown by means of an accumulating pattern of dust particles. Obviously it is up to the diviner to record and interpret the result using an ephemeris, but the cantrip's utility proves its usefulness when one encounters individuals for whom one would like to interpret astrological portents, but they are unaware of their own starsign.

Because of this rich and endless variety of options in the stars, just as in individuals, I surmised it would be possible to draw upon that apparent randomness, harness it, and then focus it at a specific instance in time, that is, the present. This part of the process was far more intensive, and I endeavoured to incorporate casting a variant of my Discern Starsign cantrip in the development of Astrological Augment.

By discerning the subjects own starsign, drawing upon the powers of the Zodiac could be far more concentrated and intensive, tailoring a specific portent for that specific individual for that specific day. This is the utility aspect of the spell as I intended it, insofar as the alignments in the stars change day to day, so too could the strengths and weaknesses drawn from the stars and planets by means of my intended Astrological Augment.

What I had to discover was how to most accurately harness the power of the signs at a specific time and place, and for a limited duration. It was at this point I recalled some of my recent experiments in crystallomancy. I had met a measure of success utilising quartz crystal to capture, analyse and restore fragmented sentience in those mentally damaged by psionic attack. Then it occurred to me that each Zodiac has its own innate birthstone, each different, each latent with its own powers when used in combination with astrological portents.

It seemed natural to me, then, to utilise these varied gemstones as natural spell foci to store the intended astrologial energy as magical energy, from which it could be paired with the subject by means of Discern Starsign. Experimentation over the last two years finally met with a measure of success when I understood that certain hand gestures, especially raising of the palms heavenward, stone in hand, increased the focus of arcane energy downwards to the centralised object.

This procedure proved true when repeated with each individual birthstone. However, I soon discovered that one need not hold their own Zodiac birthstone for the energy to be successfully imbued into it. It held true even when alternative stones were used, as it seemed they harnessed the available astrological portent, funnelled through its own peculiarities and then intermingled with the subjects birthsign, the result being a wholly random, yet intentional and unmistakably tangible, outcome on each occasion.

[Continued in Volume II]
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Edelgarde Spades - Guide of Candlekeep and Deneirrath priest, still a Disney princess in the wrong tale.

Gleam of the Firefly - In your darkest hour, look for the firefly

Auntie Ed's Wands(TM): Saving the Coast one Protection from Evil at time.

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Astrological Augment Vol II
An Academic Paper by Priestess Aeili Azenci.
Published in the Year of the Arch, 1353 DR.

Theory and Development, Continued
Impressed by my results, I reviewed the various formulae, verbal, somatic and material spell components to discern if there were some way to simplify the spell. Nothing I attempted worked as well as the original derivation, so I resolved to leave it as it was.

In terms of complexity, Astrological Augment requires the significant talents of a dedicated diviner or broader generalist to comprehend the sophisticated interrelationship I have forged between Mystra's Weave and the concealed secrets hidden in the stars. As such, it is not suitable for students of magic with capabilities below the forth circle.

Effects
Astrological Augment was developed to be a form of divine aid to the recipient, and thus has especially specific, albeit seemingly random, effects. It's magic will persist until an entire twenty four turns of an hourglass have elapsed, owing to the fact that the augment can only persist insofar as a specific reading and application of the celestial alignments persists. Given that such things change daily, Astrological Augment cannot be applied more than once to the same subject each day, but casting it upon different subjects is guaranteed to have different results.

More specifically, Astrological Augment will enact a variety of possible effects upon a subject, both benign and malignant. Possibilities drawn from various portents include increasing (or decreasing) their physical or mental aptitude, natural, acquired or inspired skills, talent, professions or combat prowess, ability (or inability) to interact socially, and potential reactivity to further magical or environmental effects.

Precisely what will be bestowed upon a person is impossible to discern without conducting a separate and time-consuming birthsign portent, and even then it can only be used as a general guide. The magic will operate independently of alignments or magical concealments such as Non-Detection, since such things are superfluous to the influences of the celestial array, although the subject is always aware of precisely how their starsigns have been magically influenced by the casting of this spell.

Conclusions
My initial suspicions that the worlds of astrology and the arcane could be merged seem well founded, and given the outcomes of this particular avenue of magical analysis I would now go so far as to say that I am barely scratching the surface.

I was quite pleased that Discern Starsign could be thus modified and become the basis of a useful and tangible proof that the stars can be utilised to guide an individual's destiny. However, as with general portents, Fate unravels both the good and the ill with the passing of time. The two ebb and flow in a constant flux and quite seperately of one's individual whims, meaning that one is as likely to meet a beneficial portent as they are to uncover a maleficial one on any given day this spell is used.

It is my sincere hope and desire that Astrological Augment will find a niche role in guiding adventurers, seers, scholars, scribes and even ordinary folk in their day-to-day activities, and perhaps inspire a temple apprentice or even one of my students from Doron Amar or En Dharasha Everae to look deeper into the other secrets that I am certain the stars conceal from us to this very day.

Addendum - Spell Notes
Aeili's Astrological Augment

Caster Level(s): Wizard/Sorcerer 4, Magic 4
Innate Level: 4
School: Divination
Descriptor(s): N/A
Components: Verbal, Somatic, Focus
Range: Touch
Area of Effect / Target: Single
Duration: 24 hours
Save: Harmless
Spell Resistance: Yes

You divine the powers of the Faerunian Zodiac, imbuing the target with three of their qualities for the next 24 hours. The Zodiac qualities are chosen at random from the following list:

+1d3 Dodge AC
+1d3 Fortitude Saving Throws
+1d3 Reflex Saving Throws
+1d3 Will Saving Throws
+1d3 Universal Saving Throws
+1d3 Attack Bonus
+1d3 Divine Damage Bonus
+1d4 to three randomly selected skills
+3 to a randomly selected stat
-1d4 to three randomly selected skills
-1d3 to a randomly selected stat
-1d3 to Save vs. Spells

Astrological Augment requires the caster to be in possession of any one Zodiac birthstone, to be used as an arcane or divine spell focus.

This spell can only be cast once per 24 hour period on any target, as the stars must shift before the next day's effects can be applied.

You hold the Zodiac's birthstone in your hand and incant the spell's completion phrase, lifting your palm and the gemstone towards the stars. The gem begins to glow brightly, and whomever carries the gemstone with them will be imbued with the powers of the Zodiac for that day.
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Edelgarde Spades - Guide of Candlekeep and Deneirrath priest, still a Disney princess in the wrong tale.

Gleam of the Firefly - In your darkest hour, look for the firefly

Auntie Ed's Wands(TM): Saving the Coast one Protection from Evil at time.

Candlekeep Public Collection Reference
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