Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Having had some time pass since her annoucement regarding seeking astronomer hopefuls to teach and study the skies with, Atria would have made a second annoucement asking for interested parties to gather at a clearing near the village, where the trees don't obscure the night sky during the next full moon - on the 21st of Hammer, just before midnight.

This gathering being the first, Atria would have taken some time to mingle with those in attendance, try and learn their names and reasons for attending. Once it was clear that no one else was arriving, or if they were arriving it'd be done in a tardy fashion, she started the lecture.

She started with what every Reader of a university does to a new class - an introduction of her own connection to the field, some tales about using the stars to pull off some close-calls at the high seas and a bit of history of her faith in Sehanine. What it amounted to in the end was that Lafali'Atria saying she owed her life to Sehanine Moonbow, and while she did study the heavens before finding faith in the moonlit mystery, after a particular miracle, she has taken to dedicating all her work to her glory. She would finish the introductions saying she hopes the rest will find equal love for the subject, even if they adore someone else from the Seldarine, or if they are of the Triune tradition.

Pacing her lecture so that the actual meat of the subject started when Selune was at her highest, Atria instructed everyone to observe the full moon and to commit the various stars around her to memory, stressing that if they couldn't remember all of them, to at least pick one particularly bright and easy to remember star. After giving everyone enough time to do as instructed, she'd drop the first assignment to her newfound students - when the next full moon arrives, everyone must offer an observation to Atria on how their chosen star drifted around the moon.

With class activity handled, she went into the actual lecture. It being the first session, she avoided discussing any of the mathematics. Instead, she tried to stress the importance of having some lexical knowledge first, so as to understand the later methods.

She would first start by discussing the idea of "Moving Stars" or planets and "Standing stars" or simply just stars. She would explain that while there are thousands of stars, there's only a very few planets relevant to their studies. She would list them thus:

There exists Selune of course, which is a special type of planet unique to the one they live upon, Abeir-Toril. Selune, rather than travelling around the Sun, orbits Abeir-Toril. Due to the proximity of these worlds and their intertwined fates, Selune affects Toril directly, in a way that has observable effects in form of the tides. She would also mention that there are certain cycles upon Toril that coincide with the time Selune takes to make a full circle, but would explain that many scholars believe this to be a coincidence rather than actual relation.

She would then take the time to translate her simplified terminology of before into more specialized expressions. "To Travel around a planet or a sun is to orbit", "The time it takes for a planet to return to the same position in its orbit is called its orbital period" and she would finish at that. She would hold a short break, letting people ask questions which she would try to answer with the best of her ability without spoiling her assignment to the group.

Her explanations on Anadia, Coliar, Karpri and chandos are rather short. She would explain that in order they are associated with Kossuth, Akadi, Isthishia and Grumbar, and their cycles appear to coincide with certain historical events' repetitions. She would lament that her expertise would fail in this regard, and would invite people in the crowd to research the library at the Arcane Tower to make their own observations.

Of note from her explanations though would be their colours, their distance from Abeir-Toril and also their approximated distance from the Sun. At this point, she would discuss two models for describing the universe - one that views Abeir-Toril at its centre, and one that views the Sun at its centre. She would explain that while certain cultures insist upon Toril-centric universes, the observations made over the thousands of years elves lived upon this world, and by human astronomers of Netheril and Mulhorand as well indicate that a sun-centric model is more plausible. She would tease her students, saying that they will soon find themselves agreeing with the second model once they start reviewing period tables at later lessons.

She would also take the time to discuss the differences between elven tradition and human ones, particularly of divine associations and names. For instance, Anadia, while associated with Kossuth for humans, the god of fire, she'd explain that for us elves, it's named Uluemyn, and is instead associated with Solonor Thelandira, god of hunting and well-thought out decisions. She would make a few comments on how the planet that humans consider with fire and war is instead associated with the natural cycle of hunting and wisdom for elves.

She would explain that the rest of these planets have different names as well amongst elvenkind, but she would stress that she believes in Learning by Doing, and thus instructs her students to also try and research what Coliar, Karpri and Chandos are named in proper elven, and which of the Seldarine are associated with them.

Ending her lecture, she'd tease about the existence of planets that cannot be observed by the naked eye, but will leave this for their next meeting on the next New Moon. As a final assignment, she asks her students to try and observe how the stars' brightness changes as Selune fades to New Moon.


Wrapping things up, she'd ask a few review questions to gauge how much was retained and reitirate her assignments:
- Observe how Selune's location relative to a particular star near it changes by the next full moon.
- Try to collect historical events that coincide with stellar cycles using the library and village elders.
- Try and learn the elven names for Coliar, Karpri and Chandos.

Two Exhausted looking man and woman arrives to the gates of Doron Amar, the man, A human wearing purple clothes identifies himself as Eth, supporting his companion - an elven woman dressed in rags and looking in quite a bad condition. The man asks the rangers to inform the council of his arrival.
((PM sent

In the Everans Jest, many were witness to the suggestion of Councillor Laeria; that something had to be done, that action must be taken.

Calling the human named Mach Fryar to the Jest for the discussion, it was heard and seen that it was suggested he lead an adventuring company of "Valorous intent", and the human seems to have reluctantly agreed that it was needed and would soon be resting on the matter.

Upon waking, Mach has posted a notice on the Everan now; a call to arms, a call to hope, to finding a place for the good and worthy to serve a higher purpose and find their fortunes and act for the good of others to find him and reach out to him, that he and Tialysanna would lead a group against the dark of the devils of the north.

The Letter (or see below for without Parchment)
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The Letter without the Cursive
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It seems that among these little murmurings, Laeria had assured that support would be offered on behalf of Doron Amar, and that other groups could be sought further.

Late in the evening of Flamerule 16, just before the midnight hour, a slender looking moon-kin wearing a black-hooded cloak and bluish-grey tunic would hurriedly approach the rangers perched atop the gates of the settlement. A quiet verbal utterance is offered by the moon-elf, briefly stated, as he gestured back towards the Wood of Sharp Teeth. Whatever message was spoken by the visitor would likely have put the rangers on edge... as one of the words spoken by him was done so with utter disdain bordering on contempt, and with curled upper lip. The moon-elf visitor then turned back towards the path leading out of the forest, stating pointedly back over his shoulder, "I'm certain I need not tell you to warn the others."

Twin blades appeared then in his hands, as he loped up the hill to vanish into the forest beyond...

Several hours later, the same elf would return, this time draped in brown leather armor instead of a tunic, and with a quiver of arrows slung over his back. Approaching the gates once more, the moon-elf wordlessly passed a small piece of parchment up to one of the rangers before turning to melt away into the woods once more...

Word may reach certain folk that the Elves of Doron Amar are hosting a Midsummer Festival once again. Those that may be visiting the village can see that the preparations for the celebration are underway, with the trees being adorned with glowing crystal orbs, certain mages training with their illusions, food being prepared and more.

((Scheduled for Saturday, 19:00 GMT!))

Any resident or frequent visitor of Doron Amar would have noticed a particular Dwarf recently. The Sentries would report that he is friendly and not a foe, so much as to be an efficient orc-manace at least.

Coming out of hiding but probably already seen, Saurvi approached the front gates of Doron Amar while putting a knocked arrow back in it's quiver. With a hand now free he waves to the Sentries and secures a longbow, almost as large as himself, most ways behind a dull off-green cloak.

The blacksmiths would share that he often gets their name wrong, mistaking them for the blacksmiths working on different shifts. He either can't realize it or is simply too cheery to care. Anyone could see him spending his earnings and stuffing bundles of specialized arrows into his pack at least once a week.

He never sleeps in Doron Amar, although he has been seen drinking a wine skin, puffing on his small wooden pipe, and sharing friendly words with others by the campfire.

A blue-back peregrine falcon settles down at one window of the Arcane Tower. The bird ruffles up it's feathers against the chilly wind, waiting for Laeria to return to her study and notice the message, a small scroll case tied to one of it's talons.

*A muscular heavily armored elven woman is seen guarding Doron Amar entrance these days.*

Written in elegant Espruar, a message is posted outside the local inn.

I am seeking a tutor well versed in our people's manners and etiquette,
along with a proper knowledge of the history of our people and the teaching of the Seldarine.
A tutor for an unruly student that has much to learn.
Payment will be generous, for the task will require great patience and skill.

To any who are interested, leave your name with the innkeeper or seek me out.
Ell'adir

A human looking young girl with red hairs was seen running to the Gates of Doron Amar and coming from the South.

She said she had a warning to deliver from Atria. She was then seen talking with the guards of the gates.

A slender and familiar looking elf, a rare visitor since the recent departure of several prominent elves, might be seen passing through the settlement lately. Once during midday, and then a few nights later, this time sporting a black cloak instead of his customary blue one.

During his first visit, the elf would have moved about the village in a manner that might suggest he was simply checking in on things... as he would nod in greeting to the settlers he passed, but did not stop to speak to anyone while he scanned around. A brief visit to The Jest would follow, before the elf made his way slowly back out of Doron and slipped quietly back out into the forest.

During his second visit, the elf would, more or less, seem to stand watch atop the bluff at the end of the bridge. A candle-mark would pass as he stood there silently, not quite broodingly, but also not quite contentedly, before he was joined by a female elf garbed in red. The two spoke for another candle-mark or so before the male elfs gaze was drawn towards something, or someone, moving down the path. It wasn't long after that the pair perched on the bridge parted amicably, the female headed towards the tower, and the male making his way back out of the settlement...

A missive is sent to the Elven Village of Doron Amar from Baulder's Gate