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

Mystran Dogmatics, Vol II
by Aeili Azenci, Priestess of Mystra.

First Edition printed in the Year of the Morningstar, MCCCL

Introduction

The first volume of this work enlightened us to some of the history and background of the Mystran faith. We learnt that love, wisdom and temperance must prevail first and foremost in the minds of those who would adore the Lady of Mysteries and serve her with their minds and hearts.

With this foundation stone laid, it is time to move on to other practicalities of the Mystran faith. This volume will help us to understand how we are to put our knowledge of the Art into effect, or, in other words, how we may best play with magic and forge magical creations that will survive us beyond our mortal lives. This is, afterall, a far more lasting legacy than simply being known as a spellhurler, no matter how skilled or spectacular.

Chapter 1: Deft and Efficient Magic

Exposure to magic is one of the most brilliant thrills of spellcraft. The sensual feeling of the Weave surging through one's body as the correct vocalisations and movements of the hand come to their completion are wondrous to both behold and experience. Even the least cantrip conjures that shrill sensation that is the manipulation of Mystra's Weave. Magic is, in its most elemental form, a thoroughly enjoyable practice.

It is with great care and trepidation that we ought to practice our spellcraft. In our first volume we covered in a broad brushstroke the foolishness of Karsus in the development of his spell "Karsus' Avatar." Karsus did almost everything right: he spent an age in careful research and collecting obscure lore. He consulted his colleagues and gathered what requisite components there were. But Karsus lacked what Mystra would call us to have the most of: wisdom. Wisdom to look past our research and quest for new magic so as to fully grasp all the possible implications of what we are proposing to accomplish.

Karsus, as we well know, was careless and thoughtless about the implications of his mighty magic. Had he chosen a different deity as the target for his spell, magic as we know it now may well have been far different. But by choosing the Mother of All Magic Karsus was only ever doomed to folly. The power to control all magic across all the realms at all times does not and should not rest in the hands of a mortal man, no matter how distinguished or accomplished in his knowledge of arcana. Karsus serves as the ultimate example of what Mystra does not seek: reckless and careless experimentation with magic.

It is imperative, therefore, that worshippers of Mystra and practitioners of the Art should temper their magical pursuits with due care and dilligence. We need to think through carefully the possible implications of our research should it become widely known. I admit that there are a good many spells which remain undiscovered to this day because they perished with their makers, hidden away in their secret libraries and laboratories whose locations have long been forgotten or abandoned. Had Karsus known that his attempt to claim Mystra's place in the divine assembly would destroy almost the entire Netherese kingdom, he would not have done as he did. We too must be mindful of the potential wide-ranging consequences of our spellcasting and research.

Some further examples may well serve to reinforce this point. Responsible spellcraft ought to respect the natural order of the realms. There is no greater horror, both for a spellcaster and for the general populace of Faerun, than to come under assault of some or other creature which has been turned into a warped abomination because of a magical experiment gone wrong, or else a failed attempt to make a deal with some kind of called planar creature.

My people, the elves, know all too well what an army of evil planar beings can wreak here in the Material plane. Such befell Myth Drannor of old, the aptly named Weeping War. While the perpetrators of this travesty still remain unknown to this day, there is no other way that the Trio Nefarious made their way onto the Prime Material plane without being called here in a magical summoning. Once they had broken free of their original calling (as all called demons or devils are wont to do), they cajoled around themselves the largest standing army ever to march upon Faerun.

The old records estimate a force some 60,000 strong, including yugoloth demon mercenaries, ogres, gnolls, goblinoids and even giants. The most majestic city in the Realms perished under their brute force. Thousands were horribly tortured and eaten at their hands, and all this because a spellcaster did not think about the severe consequences of upsetting the natural order of the realms for the sake of magical experimentation and summoning. Necromancers would do well to take heed of this, and use their magics for purposes other than assembling the dead to unlife.

When our Lady of Mysteries calls her adherents to follow a path of deft and efficient magic usage, we must ever keep in mind such tales of the past. Let us use only as much magic as is necessary. Unnecessary shock and awe have no place in the repertoir of one who seeks Mystra's favour.

Lastly, should a situation arise that magic or a magical artifact presents an immediate threat to you, it must not be destroyed. Destruction of the Art is a heinous sin and will invoke the immediate displeasure of the Mother of All Magic. While such an act is seldom seen or heard, it is most pertinent to artifacts which have a habit of being uncovered from time to time in the hands of adventurers and may, in fact, have a sentience of their own. Should such a magical artifact be destroyed, be prepared to answer for it. The destruction or disjoining of such powerful magic does not go unnoticed, not just by the Lady but by whatever other deities may have had an interest in them, whatever it may be. Far better it is to have perilous magic hidden away in the recesses of the earth, or else hurled away into the Astral Sea or another plane, never to be found again.

Chapter 2: The Highest Art - Creation

The last and highest Art, for which purpose these Dogmatics aim to educate, is that of acts of magical creation. Some of this we have already uncovered in the preceding chapter. We are fortunate in the fact that there is an endless limit in the possibilities of the Weave. Some of those possibilities, as we have seen, result in dire consequences when they become reality. That is why it is all the more imperative to the followers of Mystra that we engage in our research carefully and thoughtfully. We must always consider whether the new spells or items we are working on, if they fell in the wrong hands, would cause untold harm in the realms, both to ourselves, our loved ones and our communities and lands.

Magical creation, though, is far preferrable to mere spellhurling. As I covered briefly in the first volume, Karsus' folly resulted in significant caps on the power and usage of magic. Some spells are so strenuous on the caster that their effects will fade after not more than a few minutes. Take, for example, a Spell Mantle. It is an effective and powerful abjuration to protect oneself from hostile magical effects. But maintaining such a spell is arduous, even with metamagic applied it will not last more than a few minutes. Far better would be the same effect hidden in the power of a magical ring, waiting only for the command word for it to be unleashed. That way others may benefit from the magic as well.

Such creation has its obvious strains. It is a long and tiresome process searching for arcane lore relevant to our fields of study. Some material components can be rare and require extra-special care and preparation (for example, Djinn blossoms or Aelfengrape). Even spells to complete or perfect our magical creations can be hard to come by. It may seem easier to merely buy a scroll of the relevant magic, but far better it is to learn the spell for oneself even if it requires years of practice to perform the correct incantation or somatic gesture.

However, there is great reward for dilligence in the Art, especially magical creation. It is our goal as worshippers of the Lady of Mysteries to see that her mysteries persist into the ages that will follow our own. Dweomerheart remains the final destination for us who freely choose to answer this call.

We have as our first example Azuth, that brilliant mage who exulted in the beauty of magical creation. Mystra blessed him as the first Magister, and afterwards as a power in his own right in her own realm. Second to him is Savras, another brilliant arcanist and diviner who exemplified what it means to follow Mystra's Dogma. He too was exalted to Mystra's eternal service. Indeed, this too is our ultimate goal as devoutees of the Mother of All Magic, that we too may serve her beyond our mortal lives, becoming one forever with the magic we love and delight in.

Conclusion

We have travelled quite the journey together now as we explored the Dogma of the Lady of Mysteries. I have endeavoured to explain and expound the teachings of the Mother of All Magic so that magic in the Realms may be held in high honour and esteemed by the less priviledged.

Let us pursue our love for magic, in and of itself, as the marvelous, majestic and mysterious gift of the Lady of Mysteries. Let us practice out spellcraft responsibly, as representatives of our Lady. Let us value the balance of the Realms by refusing to use magic in a way that upsets the natural order. Let us employ wisdom to think through the implications of our use of magic. And most of all, let us create, explore and enjoy this most blessed of gifts in such a manner that our posterity will enjoy it too.

Of Elemental Arcana
by Anonymous, copied over from Ulcaster Ruins by Morgalia Verenach on Flamerule 29, 1353 DR.


Some spellcasters wax poetic about the four classical elements- air, earth, fire, and water- and that the division of magic into these categories is magic in its purest form. Some, particularly those from Kara-Tur and other lands far to the East, add a fifth element, wood, or use a slightly different ring of elements. Yet others espouse the merits of studying the energy "elements" of spells- acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic, and a few elect to include force-. Clerics muddle the discussion with the Plant and Animal domains in addition to the domains relating to the classical elements, with the clerics of elemental lords weighing in as well. Other mages insist that genies represent the true elemental essences and talk of the connections between elemental spirits and the Material Plane.

In short, spellcasters cannot reach a consensus on what elements are or what elemental magic is, and so "elemental mages" vary greatly even with the same type of element. In practice, specialists in the various elements have certain similarities, they tend to dress in colors appropriate to their element, proclaim their element superior to all others, eschew spells of the opposing elemental type, if such a concept truly exists, and focus on magic relating to their element in preference to all other types of spells. Elementalists of the classical types are the most ubiquitous.

Air elementalists are often conjurers, since that school has the greatest number of fog, cloud, and gas spells. Halruaa has a slightly higher proportion of air elementalists than other elemental casters, perhaps because of its skyships or its ties to the ancient floating cities of Netheril. Of the types of magical energy, air elementalists relate most strongly to cold.

Earth elementalists often specialize in transmutation spells, since many of these spells relate to earth, stone, and metal. A few pursue the path of conjuration. Earth elementalists relate most strongly to acid energy spells when not using 'true' earth magic. They are common among desert and mountain peoples.

Fire elementalists are often evokers, frequently specializing in battle magic. Many choose to focus their training on energy substitution, that they might wield even more fire spells. Fire elementalists are the most visible sort of elemental mage, and no place produces more of them than Thay, where Kossuth the Firelord is a popular deity.

Water elementalists tend not to specialize in schools of magic, but favor abjurations, divinations, and some kind of enchantments. They favor electrical energy over any other type of magical energy. Many come from the lands around the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Oghma
by Khellan Kelm

*The Symbol of Oghma is placed square and centre of the page, colored to give it an embossed effect*

Compiled and Written by Khellan Kelm Loremaster in the Clergy of Oghma. Whilst serving as an Acolyte of Candlekeep.
1353 DR.

Oghma, pronounced //Ogg-mah// is considered to be the most powerful deity of knowledge in Faerun.

He is known also as The Lord of Knowledge, Binder of what is Known.

His Symbol is simply a blank scroll on a wooden scroll dowel.

As he collects, stores and promotes all kinds of knowledge, he tends to align himself, as Neutral. Most of his direct clergy therefore too follows a neutral alignment as their work can take them on various paths of morality. But most of us tend to follow a good morale code of ethics.

We consider him to be cheerful and wise able to guide any and all critical thinkers and thought dwellers toward their point of view. We feel that he tends to involve himself with the planes through complex plots that he has puzzled through mentally first for great lengths of time rather than taking direct actions unlike many of his fellow deities.

As his realm deals in the management of all knowledge, invention of ideas, inspiration in general, it is said that he sits in judgement over every new idea thought by the people of Toril, deciding if it is to remain with its creator or be allowed to come into fruition and released upon the world.

The Church of Oghma

The church is primarily responsible for the accumulation and distribution of books, scrolls, knowledge and ideas and overall gatherings of knowledge, lore and history you will find the Clergy of Oghma. The church is known to have accepted peoples of any alignment and race as long as they are interested in the promotion and preservation of knowledge.

Day to day activities of the clergy involve analysing, archiving, filing, copying, distributing temple archives, new works commissions and general maintenance of the great libraries in which they work and live.
There are other clergymen and women that wander the lands freely as clerics and bards that seek out new knowledge to bring back to the temples for recording and preservation.
Many of the temples support the cause financially by selling copies of regional maps, arcane scrolls, runic translations, or allow access research on various sections of lore whilst performing scribe work for clients.
Temples of Oghma are typically found in most cities and some smaller regional towns. Sometimes there are isolated monasteries distanced from cities, built as large fortress like keeps, strong enough to house and preserve the collected knowledge through the ages. Candlekeep is one of the better known places where Oghma is revered.

The clerics of Oghma can be found praying for their divine gifts every morning.
Many of the monks in the order perform their prayers during the morning as well, before they undertake their morning wrestling practice. The Monks of Oghma are known to be fearsome wrestlers and highly proficient in close quarters hand to hand combat.

Midsummer and Shieldmeet are considered Holy Days to Oghma, as they are days when agreements are made or renewed and contracts are signed.

The Church performs two daily ceremonies called the Binding and the Covenant. The Binding is performed in the morning and involves the writing of Oghma's symbols and dogma during silent prayer. The Covenant is an evening service in which works of wisdom, songs, and new knowledge are shared aloud with the deity and present clergy members and worshipers.

Oghma and the clergy are considered to get along with many other religions and deities. But they openly oppose Talos, Bane, Mask, for their seek to corrupt knowledge, destroy it, or hoard it for themselves.
Oghma and his followers work closely with the deities Deneir, Milil, Gond and their followers as they all share a common love for knowledge, ideas and music.

Dogma of the Church of Oghma

Knowledge, particularly the raw knowledge of ideas, is supreme. An idea has no weight, but it can move mountains. The greatest gift of mortal hands. Knowledge is power and must be used with care, but hiding it away from others is never a good thing. Stifle no new ideas, no matter how false and crazed they seem; rather, let them be heard and cosndiered. never slay a singer, nor stand by as others do so. Spread knowledge where it is prudent to do so. Curb and deny falsehood, rumor, and deceitful tales whenever you encounter them. Write or copy lore of great value at least once a year and give it away. Sponsor and teach bards, scribes, and record keepers. Spread truth and knowledge so that all folk know more. Never deliver a message falsely or incompletely. Teach reading and writing to those who ask, and charge no fee for the teaching.

On Evil
by Sigrunn

We are often left with the notion that evil is in direct opposition to good, presented as an equal power. The dualities of merciful and cruel, forgiving and vengeful, compassion and hatred in language invites us to think of this as the truth. In lesson one, we laid out the principle of the greater good as an absolute in a relativistic world. In lesson two, we ask ourselves: What is evil? Is there an equal greater evil in existence opposite of the greater good? Is evil absolute?

I invite you to think of a lit candle in a dark room. It shines and lights up the darkness around it, creating shadow in its wake. The shadow is a reflection of the candlelight. It's creator. These are the only two observables present, as darkness forms the background. Without light or shadow, darkness is indescribable. It exists in contrast with light and shadow, and only through these does it take on any properties.
The light is the only observable onto which both darkness and shadow rely upon. It is the single absolute, from which they are given form. So it is with good and evil in this analogy. Good is light, evil is shadow. Without good there is no evil, but without evil there is still good, as evident by the absence of shadow in darkness, or it's absence in a strong enough light. There cannot be two conflicting absolutes, as that turns the world entirely relativistic. Evil then, relies on good for it's existence, and the good is the only absolute. Thus, there is no greater evil, only greater good.

When Chauntea, the blessed Earth-mother, created life, life itself became the vessel of the greater good in all mortal beings. Every mortal is born good with the potential to uphold it. This light is always burning within them. Evil then, is best thought of as a taint. It is not the actions that make evil what it is, just as it is not with the greater good. It is the absence of good that makes evil. As we move further away from the light, the shadows grow. As we move closer to the light, the shadow diminishes. Evil taints the divine soul that is good, the goodness of life, but it can never fully subsume it. Remember that the light is absolute and that this taint, this shadow, needs even the smallest of flickers to keep existing. Subsuming the good within a mortal extinguishes that mortal entirely. Thus, all mortals inhabit good as long as they're alive.

This is a very important point when it comes to evil, as this is the main reason actions such as mercy, compassion and forgiveness are often thought as good. It is not the action of mercy, out of kindness and reserve, that carries weight but the refusal to extinguish even the smallest forms of light still within. No mortal is ever beyond redemption precisely because there is always good left within even the cruelest tyrant.

How is this taint manifesting itself upon the greater good, like shadow to the light?
We remember that the greater good ultimately consists of only one virtue: that of sacrifice. Evil then attempts the opposite. Evil is the clam that when surrounded by light, ever shining, ever attempting to lit up it's inner being, shuts itself as rigorously as it can. Evil is the way of self before others, of self-preservation at any cost. More directly, evil revalues everything as acceptable given a gain.

It is not evil to use resources for oneself when necessary, but it is evil to use those resources when others could benefit more from them. It is not evil to find pleasures in life and indulge in them, but it is evil when doing so causes harm upon another. Evil is ultimately selfish to the point that self takes precedence in all thought. Robbing another of their life, for minimal gain, is still a gain in a tainted mind and so acceptable. To one aspiring towards the greater good, the same line of thought is abhorable. As long as evil gains something out of it, it becomes acceptable. The main difference between good and evil mortals is that good recognizes the benefit and cost and thus makes a judgement for the best outcome of all, while evil sees a benefit as acceptable regardless of cost, as long as others bear that cost.

With this in mind, as moral individuals we ought to take great care of how we view ourselves and the indulgences we partake in. There are many trials ahead that can cause us to stray from the good path. Most notable among these is love. Love is ultimately a selfish notion of loving one above another, and as such it carries great potential for taint. At the same time, it is the only notion which carries the light onwards through generations and deserves to be cherished. Great discipline is required with all indulgences, for the potential taint is all around us. However, within every mortal being there are also the powers to reject evil entirely. The mastery of such self-control is what we'll consider next.

This was the second lesson.

Written by Alvald, as told to him by the dwarven seer Sigrunn of the order of the silver rose, in the year of the morningstar 1350 DR.

On Mythals
by Anonymous, copied over from Ulcaster Ruins by Morgalia Verenach on Flamerule 29, 1353 DR.

A Mythal is a living web of magical energy created by elven high magic. Rumor tells that mythals are powerful and extensive wards that endure for hundreds or thousands of years given a primitive consciousness and a task of protecting a location, such as an elven city or holy location. Designed to protect those inside and repel certain kinds of creatures, mythals use known spells, although each has a unique set of abilities that do not duplicate any known spell.

In addition to true mythals created by elven high magic, a number of presumptuous spellcasters have attempted to create their own form of muthals, with limited success. These constructions are usually much less powerful than a true mythal and do not last as long. Many are dependent on variable taps of magical power; they sit near leylines, or draw power from the stars, or draw upon other ill-understood reservoirs of magical energy. Other magical effects are thought to be mythals, but are actually remnants of divine manifestations or localized quirks of the Weave.

On Shadowdancing Vol I
by Amora Lilinlith

On Darkness and Shadows

It is a common conception that Darkness and Shadows are inherently evil and are only used by those who wish to do others harm, such as assassins, thieves, and brigands. This is not the case, as with any tool, it can be used for good or evil. It is the morality of the person using the tool that will determine how the usage is perceived.
While it is true that thieves, assassins, and their ilk often use the cover of darkness and night to perform their raids, and as such has led to the belief that darkness, night, and shadow are evil, and with good cause. The common person is always afraid of what they do not know, including myself in regards to arcana. However, as I continue to plunge myself into the understanding of Shadowdancing, I have learned both through study and my own actions, that shadows and darkness are but merely tools to be used, as much as a sword or armor.
It has its purpose, and use, and how I use it has nothing to do with its morality.

Shrowed in Shadow

The first task one should seek to obtain is the flexibility of body and mind. As to blend with darkness and dance within its depth one must be agile and nimble, far past that of the average man. Almost to the point that a simple chainshirt is too restrictive of their movements. They should also learn to dodge and slip in the midst of combat, as to use the shadows later, they must be able to have a sense of mind while naturally having their reflexes sharpened.
Once that is achieved, they can begin to hone their mind, and focus with a bit of effort into the manipulation of shadows. The first ability any Shadowdancer must learn is the ability to manipulate the shadows around them, and shrowd themselves within it. This allows them to simply vanish in plain sight as those that attempt to perceive them watch the shadows engulf them into nothingness. You must continue to educate yourself on basic hiding skills and the act of moving silently with quiet steps is still a must. Simply because you vanish, does not mean your heavy footfalls cannot be heard. The initial task of learning this ability, is eased by those with the natural affinity to summon darkness, otherwise you will need to have a deeper understanding of how to manipulate the weave. You may not need to cast any spells to do this, but understanding it will help focus your mind to the task at hand, and with further abilities you will learn.

Manipulation of the Mind

Once you have sufficiently mastered bending the shadows around you, next comes manipulating the mind with shadow. To do this, you focus the shadows and fears of those near you, and force the person's mind to retreat back from their task. This effectively places them in a dazed state where they cannot act until either they summon the will of the mind to face their fears, or the effect wears off. This effect lasts approximately thirty seconds, leaving you to either slip away, or attack your target unimpeded by their movements.
Those who manage the willpower to resist this, state they experience some shadow creep into their vision and quickly push it away, their mind largely unaffected by the shadows. This ability works similarly as the Arcane spell of Daze of the enchantment school, but is again, used through force of will and manipulation of Shadow Magic.

Articulating the Shadows

Once you have found the skill of manipulating the shadows to affect one's mind, you should also have the skill and will to manipulate the shadows into an incorporeal form that can fight beside you. This form, is drawn from the Plane of Shadows, and given life from a creature known as 'Shadow.' This lifeform is considered an undead creature, but it is not evil in nature. Instead, its morality is shaped by the Shadowdancer, just as she shapes the morality of the shadows around her.
This ability is similar to that of a 'Lesser Planar Binding' spell which only pulls from the Plane of Shadows, or a 'Summon Undead' of the fifth Circle. However, you need not make a summoning circle, or long times of incantation, but simply sheer force of will and concentration. The shadow is bound to your own shadow, and can be pulled forth from it, or can be summoned from any level of darkness or shade cast upon the ground. As you grow stronger in your manipulations of shadow, your ability to pull forth greater spirits of shadow will increase as well. They will always take the form of a Shadow Creature, but will be stronger, harder to hit, and more adept at stealth as you are. It's also worth noting these are intelligent creatures and you can communicate with them effectively. They are not the brainless undead of the Zombie and Skeleton types. As such, care should be given to these creatures as the Shadowdancer sees fit.

Armoring up with Shadows

As you continue your growth and skill at manipulating the Shadows, your next task is learning to manipulate the shadows into a defensive sixth sense. They will also thicken and harden to protect you against incoming strikes, and help you evade and predict the swing of your enemies. This task requires a bit of concentration to initiate and maintain, and though combat, will only last for about 18 seconds. The added bonus to this skill as well, is that while enshrouded with the protective shadows, you are a bit harder to hit as well, and slightly concealing against your enemy.
You will need to learn how to manipulate the shadows into a hardened form, and in the beginning they will only protect you against raw magical energies. As you continue to master and harden the shadows, eventually they will harden to the point of adamantine, stopping any damage but a sword of that make through for a significant absorbtion of the blow. The Shadows as well, will continue to increase in number concealing you more and more until about a fifth of your body is concealed in shadow, even during a pitched fight. They will also act as a second skin, allow you to sense and dodge the incoming blow, enhancing your ability to protect yourself to a great effect.

However, due to the short length of the skill due to the nature and concentration during a fight that is required for you to use such a thing, it's recommended you use this skill as a last ditch effort to escape an attacker, if he is able to spot you through the shadows.

Awareness of Mind and Body

Simply because you continue to perfect your arts of shadow manipulation does not mean you can relax on your laurels when it comes to your presence of mind and skill of movement.
Firstly, by now you should understand how your body is able to glide through the space you wish it, slipping in and out of the shadows at will. Now you will need to learn how to manipulate your body to protect you, even from a potentially fatal blow. By bending and moving with the blow, you can limit the impact of the damage, like a shadow dancing against a torchlight.
Lastly, you need to be aware of everything that is around you, even in a fight. Pay attention and hone your sense of what is around you. This will allow you to sense when an enemy is trying to get the best of you. Small things matter, the glimmer of a blade on a moon-lit night, or a shadow that seems out of place from a torch. These things we've learned to manipulate and now you must know when they are out of place.
Learning these things will give you a chance when the shadows are being turned against you.

On the Greater Good
by Sigrunn


Our basic morals are ultimately guided by the very real powers of good and evil. This struggle diverts into beliefs that are either absolute or relative at its core. For example, is telling a lie always a bad thing, or are there circumstances where it can be permitted, to the point of it being viewed as good?

Many paladins orders have a tendency towards the absolute, having a strong faith in maxims and the letter of the law. But the absolutist position carries inherent moral issues. At its center, absolutism demands equality in all judgements. A thing deemed wrong, is always equally wrong. A destitute farmer stealing a loaf of bread to feed is family is committing a crime equal to that of the evil baron who stole the farmer;s entire harvest to begin with. Circumstances are trivial, the action itself reveals the truth. The other viewpoint is the relativistic one. It holds that the judgement of good or evil depends on the situation at hand. As such, there are differences in all cases, be it theft or murder. Either of these can be justified given the right circumstances. This viewpoint also carries inherent moral issues. For example, it carries the troubling notion that good or evil depends on the observer. As such, a relativistic individual can easily judge his or her own actions as good and others as evil without possible correction (since law is absolute and does not apply). Yet while we must defer to this viewpoint to exact any true justice, it also offers us an opportunity to step out of its moral issues. Namely if everything is relative, then it must also hold that the relativistic viewpoint in itself is relative. That is, there must be an absolute exception to the relativistic argument. This exception is the greater good. The greater good has the quality that when confronted with relativistic notions, it remains absolute in all observable cases. As such, it is always good to all observers. Many virtues are held as good, and we often associate honesty, generosity, humbleness, politeness, chastity, chivalry and duty as such, while this may not be the case. To elaborate upon this, let's draw on a few examples, while keeping our attention fixed on the motivations of the characters.

First, imagine a rich nobleman donating gold to an orphanage. This can be argued as an act of generosity towards those in great need. It can however also be said that the nobleman might be so rich, that the donation has no effect on him personally. Thus, it is an act devoid of sacrifice. One might say that the nobleman gains something in return for this donation: the good-will and the appearance of being good. As such, it can be viewed as an act of buying those rewards rather than performing good for its own sake. The intentions may be well meant, but one cannot easily avoid the entanglement of there being a transaction being made. In a second example, we deal with a knight sworn to chastity, yet he has since birth suffered from a most unattractive appearance. This unfortunate occurrence would lead the knight to be shunned in all romantic endeavors. With or without a vow, the effect for the knight is the same. That is, without opportunity to engage in romantic encounters, is a vow to abstain from them a sacrifice at all? Can it be good to just follow the natural course of events, given that no effort was spent in its achievement?

For a third and final example, a farmer is wrongfully evicted and forced to seek refuge at a friend. Soldiers knock on the door, looking for the farmer. If the farmer is caught, it will mean execution for him, and the friend himself runs the risk of being accused of harboring him with an equally harsh punishment. Is it acceptable for the friend to lie? Is it good to tell the truth, dooming the farmer? Is there any action which would be absolutely good? No? Consider the friend lying about him being the farmer, would that change the facts?

We should now begin to see a pattern of the way in which the greater good is manifested. In all the examples, we find that the greater good deals with the motivation behind each act. The consequences are marginalized, as the only virtue which does not stray into a reward is one of sacrifice. Sacrifice can by it's own definition only be judged by one-self truly, as it is in the act of giving one-self up to something greater that one aligns one's actions with the greater good. It is closely aligned with the virtues of humbleness, duty and chivalry, but it never truly becomes either. The way of the greater good surpasses all, save the act of sacrifice which it embodies. It is greater than any force, as it is absolutely good in its motivation, acting for a greater ideal in its pure form. This is something that we, as good citizens of Toril, should always keep in mind in all our doings so that we too may align ourselves with the power of the greater good. Anything else is ultimately relativistic, for better or worse.

This is the first lesson.

Written by Alvald, as told to him by the dwarven seer Sigrunn of the order of the Silver Rose, in the year of the morningstar 1350 DR.

Of Bhaal and Myrkul
by Magnus Whitehall

Futility, a word that means pointless or uselessness. Something that has no meaning, or point of fact that will cause any sort of change. One can say that War is futile, because what does it really do? Thousands dead on the ground, their eyes pecked out by the crows and carrion eaters. Fields, farms and villages, burnt and ransacked or left utterly destroyed. Whole cities depopulated, or left in ruin. And for what? Control of a bridge over a thin stream of water? Maybe some source of quality stone or ore? Or maybe just someone wanted a bigger garden.

There are a lot of things that can be futile, it is all really a matter of realizing them. But perhaps the most futile of efforts, is the hostility warranted to the faiths of Myrkul and Bhaal. While the opposition against Bane is understandable, as it is a war of political ideology between freedom and tyranny, it is not at all logical to fight against something that is part of life; especially in the world which we live in where life, death and murder are almost constantly at our side.

I just ask you, dear reader, to take the time to read my argument; before you burn this book. You might find a speck of truth.

Let us start with Myrkul, Lord of the Bones, and god of the dead. As the god of the afterlife, it is inevitable that we will all one day stand before the Lord of Bones, either by old age or by some untimely end. After all, not all of us can be blessed with a cleric with the skill needed to call back a soul. And even then, it doesn't always work.

From the lowest beggar, to the wealthiest of nobles, to the blackest of Blackguards to the holiest of paladins. All one day die, and all one day stand before the Lord of Bones. So to oppose the church of Myrkul is really nothing more than to oppose the very nature of the afterlife.

Now we can certainly fight against the necromantic arts, fell those who raise the dead in unholy ritual for some purpose or another, and while many may connect Myrkul with such practices, it is only one part of what the god represents.

Ultimately, what really stands as futile, is to oppose Myrkul's church in their aspect as the church of the dead. Because we all must one day die, and because Myrkul will be the final voice of our souls final fate, it seems logical that a person or city would at least want to be in his good graces.

Now some may claim some moral high ground of opposing the church of Myrkul on premise that the church often petuates fear of Myrkul and of death, among whatever other foolish excuse to carry out their moralistic crusade. But it is perfectly healthy to fear the afterlife. After all, you are at the mercy of a god's choice.

But we don't need to just fear Myrkul. In fact, we don't have to fear death at all. If it is inevitable, we should more or less accept it. And more importantly, perhaps respect it. After all if you know you are going to die; doesn't it make you want to appreciate life more?

Now we turn to Bhaal. Lord of Murder. At least, that is the best presentation of Bhaal that common men and women most recognize. But really, it is a flawed and half way understanding of a concept that is very close to the heart of men.

Murder. It is the most common understanding of Bhaal's worship. And it is largely the reason for the negative press given to the faith. But in actuality, Bhaal doesn't care if his followers murder someone in the dark, anymore than he would probably care if they murdered someone on a field of battle. In the end, what Bhaal desires most is a violent death or a ritual death.

And this is because, that while Myrkul is the god of the dead. It is Bhaal who is god of death. Of dying. Of ending life. The ending of living. Most notably, untimely endings. A knife in the dark. A sword in the heart. A spell burning your flesh off, or even eaten by some druid's rabid badger. When your life is cut short, it is Bhaal whom holds power.

So you see, so long as the death is violent, then the death is homage to Bhaal; even if you worship him or not. After all, just as not all men worship Tempus, it is he who gains strength when wars are raged. The domains of the God's play a part in our lives if we are their faithful or not. And for those of us, who live a life of violence; adventurers, soldiers, serial killers, and really anyone who finds themselves killing another person or something at least thrice a day, is in many ways serving Bhaal. Because in the end, all those deaths are always violent.

And this is because violence is part of our being. The desire to kill, and want to end life. It exists in us all. Everyone one of us has a killer, waiting to come out. It just usually needs the go ahead of someone or something. Like our rulers or gods, once a man has the justification, boom big pillars of blood as they cut down whoever they are directed to kill. Soldier's know this part better than anyone else I think, after all would you go up to another you barely know and stick an axe into their cranium without some sort of reason?

Even a paladin, has a killer in him. A desire to see a being he considers evil to be put to death. Even if its for some moralistic cause, it is never the less still a desire to end a life, and that is what Bhaal represents.

In the end we all serve the Lord of Murder.

And this dear readers, is what I leave you with. Don't follow a crusade blindly without first thinking how close to the very evil you fight you really are. After all, fight fire with fire and all you have left is a burnt down forest.

We don't need to fight against these faiths, they are part of our lives in matter how we fight them. I'm sure a lot of people saw that when the Blight tore across the Coast leaving plenty of poor sods dead.

And let us not think that these gods are not without mercy. After all, good or bad, when hard times afflict our lives we often pray to the gods for mercy. And even a god like Myrkul and Bhaal can be merciful. You just have to make them want to.

Origin of the Black Network
by The Avowed of Candlekeep
Y 1356 DR

The origin of the Black Network can be ascribed to two main figures. One is Manshoon, a powerful mage and the man responsible for the opening of the portal to Baator at Dragonspear Castle and the consequent war, which only recently came to an end. One is Fzoul Chembryl, chosen High Priest of Bane and childhood friend of Manshoon.

Manshoon was born in Zhentil Keep in the year 1229 DR to Harlshoon, the first lord of Zhentil Keep. During his youth, he was sent away with his brother Asmuth and Chess, the son of his father’s rival, to prove themselves worthy of being lords.

During their absence, Harlshoon was killed and his place usurped by the mage Theilon Greencloak and the banite priest Ulsan Baneservant.

Few events of Manshoon’s adventuring years are known. One of those is the encounter his group had with the Harpers. In that occasion, Manshoon lost his right hand, which was then restored, and his brother lost his sight.

After learning Harlshoon’s position was usurped, they decided to go back to Zhentil Keep. However, Manshoon’s blind brother died shortly after under mysterious circumstances.

At their return to Zhentil Keep, in 1260, Manshoon and Chess learn that one of the two usurpers, Lord Greencloak was killed during an attack against the Masked Wizards of Ankhalus the year before. With the help of Fzoul Chembryl, a subordinate of the usurper Lord Baneservant, they managed to kill him and take over Zhentil Keep. In exchange, Manshoon helped him to rise through the ranks of the Church of Bane.

In the year 1261 DR Manshoon founded both the Black Cloaks and the Zhentarim, a mercenary company to support their rule over the Moonsea, while Fzoul Chembryl acted as his second in command. In the years following, internal revolts were ruthlessly crushed, any rival slaughtered and the weaks dispatched out of the ranks.

In 1263, Fzoul Chembryl broke with the Black Lord’s Altar, the orthodox Banite church run by the High Inperceptor, naming the Dark Shrine of Bane in Zhentil Keep the new Black Altar. This brought many of the Banite priests of the Keep in the ranks of the Zhentarim.

In 1265 a flying hollow rock was discovered in Tenshendale. Manshoon claimed it was a conduit to the gods and sent the Banite priests of Zhentil Keep there in pilgrimage. In regards to what they found inside that rock, there are theories only. However, it is known that after their pilgrimage, all the Banite priests suddenly started obeying Manshoon’s without fail. Also, in the attempt of swaying the power away from the High Imperceptor, Manshoon and the Black Cloaks swore fealty to Bane, following Fzoul’s schism.

In 1276 DR, the Zhentarim were employed to secure the newly established trade route between the Moonsea and the Sword Coast, which provided slaves, poison, drugs and smokepoweder weapons. On top of that, several events surrounding these trade activities are still unclear. Many routes, started by their rival caravans, were completed under the Zhentarim’s banner after those aforementioned rivals were mysteriously taken down by bands of monstrous humanoids. It is also known that more than one isolated village had to rely on Zhentarim protection after they were suddenly threatened by summoned monstrous creatures or by the monster population and wildlife turned aggressive.

In 1306, Zhentil Keep forged an alliance with Sembia, Hillsfar, Phlan and Melvaunt, crushing Mulmaster, after its attempt to control the access to the River Lis in what is known as the Moonsea War.
Between 1353 and 1354, Manshoon opened the portal to Baator at Dragonspear Castle and at the beginning of 1345 DR the Castle was overrun by devils. Manshoon was then branded as traitor by the Zhentarim.

Fzoul Chembryl, the Chosen of Bane, still retains his position at Zhentil Keep and has been working tirelessly to turn the Zhentarim into an arm of the faith of Bane.

People of the Highway by Jenya Kuznetsova
by Jenya Kuznetsova

Foreword

A brightly painted caravan trundles down an endless road. Stopping here or there for a day or two, strong mustached men trade with locals, go hunting, or find temporary work. Meanwhile, women with long dark hair ell fortunes and peddle herbs and charms. Music, laughter, and vibrant colors are everywhere. Motley-colored tents are set up around a central fire.

These are the Gur, a nomadic people who form a nation unto themselves; a nation without physical borders. The Gur language and culture are rich tapestries of influences, yet remain distinctly their own. In these pages I will give you a glimpse into the Gur world, MY world, for I am Jenya Kuznetsova and I am Gur.

History:

In the first century DR a large group of refugees fled Raumathar (what is now Rashemen and Thay) and its endless war with Narfell. These refugees left everything behind in the hopes of finding a life far from violence, pain, and destruction. These were the first Gur; homeless and desperate people seeking a better life for themselves and their children.

Life wasn't easy for these strangers in strange lands. Everywhere we were met with suspicion by more settled peoples. There was no unclaimed land for us to call our own and no established nation would let us stay for long, at least not without subjugation. Eventually my people became so accustomed to moving on that we adopted the road itself as our home. And so it remains to this day.

Today the Gur are divided into two groups: one living in the Endless Wastes to the east, and the other travelling the roads of the Western Heartlands. It's with this latter group that the rest of this work will be concerned.

Appearance and Dress:

Most Gur have dark complexions ranging from light olive to dark tan, though other skin tones can occur through intermarriage with non-Gur. Generally hair is black, thick and wavy or curly while eyes tend toward dark brown or black. Many Gur resemble our Rashemi cousins.

Women keep their hair long and elaborately plaited, and usually wear bright colors. Long skirts, multiple scarves, and off-the-shoulder blouses are common.

Men often wear plain work clothes but favor brighter colors at social events. Then colorful vests are worn over white shirts with a bright sash around the middle. Darker pants are tucked into fine leather boots.

Good personal grooming is important to both sexes, and both display gold earrings and bracelets as sign of status and personal wealth.

Language and Culture:

The Gurri language resembles Rashemi, but over the centuries has adopted so many words and phrases from western tongues that it's now its own distinct lexicon. Gur culture has also evolved since its Rhaumathar roots.

The main goal in Gur culture is the acquisition of "Baht". Baht is a complex idea that ecompasses honor, pride, success, purity, cleanliness, wisdom, and generosity of both spirit and of material things. A man who is a shrewd businessman but gives to the poor, is a generous host and always keeps his word, is clean in his habits and appearance, and is openly proud of his accomplishment without claiming glory that is not his own is said to have good Baht. Note that avarice does not play a part: coin is not acquired through clever business dealing so that it can be hoarded, it's acquired so it can be spent on providing good food, drink, and entertainment for family, friends, and friendly strangers. To us, coin is meant to flow around like water, not sit around like dung. Baht can mean different things to different people, though. Trading and commerce is usually the domain of men among my people and men gain more prestige through it than do women, though women are not forbidden from it.
Conversely, kindness and compassion are more valued in women than they are in men.

Opposite of Baht is "Ladz". Ladz is deplorable behavior that must be avoided at all costs. Ladz encompasses everything that Baht is not, such as miserliness, foolishness, uncleanliness, cruelty, and so on. Ladz is also gained from impure acts such as having sex before marriage and unnatural acts such as most forms of necromancy. The only type of necromancy that is allowed, even respected, is speaking with the spirits of the dead without using force to compel them to speak. Communication must be of their own free will. Any uses of power to command the dead, bind the dead, or animate corpses is strictly taboo and could result in banishment or even execution.

Religion and Magic:

Most Gur pray primarily to Selune, in fact one of our phrases for ourselves is "Selune's Children". Because many of our women are seers (more on that in a moment), Savras is also a popular deity. Of course, like most people, we pray to various deities depending upon the situation such as Waukeen, Shaundakul, Mystra, and so forth. Nevertheless, Selune and Savras hold special places in our hearts.

Many Gur women possess "The Sight", occasional uncontrollable glimpses of the past, future, or distantly placed present. Almost all Gur women have at least some magical talent and while this usually manifests as a natural ability with hedge magic and herbalism, sorceresses are a little more common among my people than with other peoples.

Most Gur men have little or no magical ability, though male bards are not unknown. Why the women of my people tend to have more magical talent than the men is not understood.

Society:

The Gur have no formal ruler over us all, not among ourselves and we certainly don't recognize any outsider as having the right to rule us. We travel in extended family units, or clans, and each clan is lead by two people: the "Bulibasha", who is the male leader in charge of material concerns, and the "Drabarnj", who is a sort of wise woman in charge of spiritual matters and is also the main healer of the family.

The Bulibasha is one of the elder men (but not infirm in mind or body) and is in charge of where the clan travels, when and where we stop, and for how long. He is also the one who represents the clan to outsiders and handles most business dealings with outsiders.

The Drabarnj is the eldest woman with the most magical power and/or divination skill. She provides spiritual guidance and attends to the sick and wounded. She has absolute power to over-rule any decision made by the Bulibasha if her special insight indicates a course of action other than what he has commanded, but she's usually content to let him handle mundane affairs.

Each clan travels in one or more "vardo", which is our word for caravan or wagon. These are brightly painted conveyances that carry all of our belongings. If it won't fit on the vardo, odds are we don't need it. We don't actually live in the vardo, though. We travel in it and only sleep in it occasionally if the weather is very bad or if we're only stopping for one night. Our real living takes place in our tents and campsites under wide open skies.

Cultural Differences:

There are some key differences between Westerner culture and Gur culture that I feel is important for both sides to understand when dealing with one another. Firstly, there is the concept of land ownership. Toril is timeless and eternal and all mortal creatures, even elves, are brief specks in the face of that eternity. To us, a mortal being claiming to own land is like a flea claiming to own a dog; so don't expect to impress a Gur with tales of how much land you own. It would be better not to mention it.

Secondly, there is the word "maybe". I have noticed that sometimes when a Westerner says "maybe" in response to a request, what they mean is "I will say maybe because I don't want to appear impolite, but I really mean no". When a Gur says "maybe", we really mean "maybe". Keeping our promises is an important part of Baht, so if we are not 100% certain we CAN keep our word, we won't give it. When we say "maybe" we mean "Yes, I will try but might not succeed". If we mean no, we will say no. We would rather appear impolite than be an Oathbreaker. It's also important to remember that if a person breaks their word, they not only dishonor themselves but dishonor the one to whom that word was given. Part of Baht is the wisdom to know what kind of person one is dealing with. If I put my trust in another who then proves to be an Oathbreaker, I have been made to look a fool in the eyes of my people. Therefore, do not give your word to a Gur if you are not sure you can keep it.

Conclusion:

It is my hope that these pages have helped you to understand my people better, just as it is my hope that walking among you away from my clan these past months has helped me understand Westerners better. Selune guide your steps, and may your road be ever pleasant.

Philosophical Tales I
by Ayla Elidole

The Storyteller

A man wakes up one morning, hoping to change the world. He goes to the market place, climbs on a wooden crate and then starts telling stories. He hopes his stories will be so beautiful that they'll touch the people's hearts, that they will change them.

At first, some listen to him attentively. But soon people lose interest. He does not give up though. And every day, he returns to the market place and keeps telling his stories.

Time passes and people grow used to the old fool telling stories on the wooden crate. His beard has grown long and his voice is reduced to the faintest of whispers. In the market place there is only a child and a small dog who listen to him.

One day, the child comes to ask the storyteller :
"Hey, old man. Why do you keep telling your stories. Don't you see no one's listening to them?"
"I used to tell them to change the world", the old man replies with a sad smile.
"Well. It doesn't work", says the child in return. "So why do you continue?"
"Now I will keep telling my tales, child, for the world not to change me."

The Colibri


Once upon a time, in a vast and magnificent forest, a terrible fire started.

All the animals of the forest were terrified as they watched the flames destroy their beloved forest, powerless to stop it.

All but for a tiny colibri, as determined as it was weak and fragile. It was constantly in motion, frantically carrying droplets of water in its beak and throwing them into the flames. Relentlessly coming and going from the river to the forest.

After a while, the squirrel, annoyed by what he deemed a useless endeavour, asked to the wee bird:
"Colibri! Are you crazed? Don't you see you won't put the fire out with those little drops of water?"
"I know", replied the bird. "But at least, I'm doing as much as I ever could."

The King and the Beggar


Once upon a time, in a far, far away country, lived a great King who ruled over a vast, rich land. He was reknowned for being a fair ruler, loved and respected by his people.

One day, he decided to tour his kingdom and started a long journey across his domain. Along came his ministers, the whole of his court, travelling in great pomp and luxury.

Upon arriving in the poorest city of his lands, he asked to meet the poorest man in the town. The citizens lead the King and all his magnificent court to the outskirts of the city where an old beggar lived under a shabby lean-to.

The beggar, not believing his eyes, kneeled and bowed low to the King who extended a hand toward him and asked :
"Give something to me, old man".

Not believing his ears, the beggar dared look up to the king and asked, anger in his voice :
"But my king, I own nothing but the handful of rice that will be my dinner tonight"
"Give me something", the King insisted.

Angered, the beggar placed a single grain of rice in the Kings outstretched hand. The King took it with great ceremony, thanked the beggar and left with all his court.

The whole afternoon long, the beggar would cuss and mumble about how unfair the King had been. Charity was supposed to be the other way around, wasn't it ?

But anger can only last so long and in the evening was replaced by hunger. So the beggar took his handful of rice.

In it stood a single golden grain.

And the beggar fell crying to the ground, wishing he had given it all.

The Three Colanders

Once upon a time, a man came to see a philosopher and asked him :
"Do you know what I learned about your friend?"

"No", replied the philosopher. "But before you tell me, I wish to check your story with the test of the three colanders."

"The three colanders?" asked the man

"Yes. Before telling all kinds of tales about things and people, it is good to filter what one wishes to tell. The first colander is the one of Truth. Did you check that your tale is true?"

"No, I just heard of it."

"Alright. Let us use the second colander, then. The one of Kindness. Is what you wish to tell me a good thing?"

"No, on the contrary", answers the man.

"Finally, the colander of Utility. Will it be useful to me to learn what my friend did or said?"

"No, not really."

"So", concluded the philosopher. "If what you have to say is neither true, nor kind and if it is not useful, why to you wish to tell it to me?"

Philosophical Tales II
by Ayla Elidole

On Stones

One day, the pupils of a philosopher come into the class and see a glass pot on their master's desk.

They settle down, puzzled, and the old man waits until he is surrounded only by silence and curious gazes.

Without a word, he starts placing stones, the size of a closed fist, into the pot. After a while, when no more stones can fit into it, he asks his pupils:
"Is this pot full?

The pupils are prompt to answer: "Yes, Master, it is"

With a smile, the philosopher takes a bag of pebbles from behind the desk and pours them into the pot, the small stones filling the gaps between the larger one.

"Is this pot full?", he asks again.

The pupils, more cautious, reply: "Probably not, Master..."

Nodding, the old man takes a bag of sand from behind the desk and fills the pot with it.
"And now ?"

The pupils, not fooled anymore, answer: "You could add water, Master !"

"Indeed, young ones", replies the philosopher, taking out a jug from behind the desk and filling up the pot with water. "Now what is the lesson of this ?", he asks to the classroom.

After a time of reflection, one of the students tries an answer: "That there is always room or time to do something, even when we believe there is none ?"

"No, child", smiled the old man. "If I had put the water or the sand first, there would have been no room left for the larger stones."

He paused.

"And the lesson is that life is just like this pot. If you focus on details, on unimportant matters, your life will be filled by those grains of sand, leaving no room for what really matters.

First, you have to place the large stones in. The ones that give meaning to your life.

All the rest is pebbles, sand and water."

The Three Cups


Once upon a time, in the sea of sand of Calimshan, lived the Sultan Haroun ar-Rachid. The man liked to hunt and one day, while he was chasing a particularly fast gazelle, he distanced his followers and found himself alone among the dunes.

He wandered for a time, lost, until he stumbled upon the camp of a nomad shepherd. The herdsman, having heard noise, came out of his tent and invited the weary looking stranger to eat some dates and drink a cup of goat milk.

The Sultan drank and ate, grateful, then asked the nomad:
"Do you have nothing else to drink?"
"I have a bit of wine", replied the man, who took out a bottle from a chest and poured a cup of wine to the Sultan.

After having drank the cup, Haroun ar-Rachid asked to the shepherd :
"Do you know who I am?"
"You are my guest, I am hounoured by your visit. I need not know more", replied the nomad.
"I will tell you nonetheless. I am a servant of the great Haroun ar-Rachid."

At the words, the herdsman bowed low and poured another cup of wine to the Sultan, who drank it and then asked again:
"Do you know who I am?"
"Of course, you just told me. You serve the Sultan and your visit in my humble abode is a great honour !"
"Yes, but I did not tell you what kind of servant I am. I am the Sultan's Vizier", added Haroun.

At this, the shepherd's eyes widened and he bowed even lower.
"Oh ! Your presence illuminates my miserable tent. I will remember such grand visit all my life ô Vizier !" And the nomad poured the Sultan a third cup of wine.

Haroun ar-Rachid drank the cup and asked again:
"Do you know who I am?"
"How could I ignore it! I have the honour to have Haroun ar-Rachid's Vizier as a guest!"
"I lied to you. I am Haroun ar-Rachid", said the Sultan, expecting an even deeper bow and another cup of wine.

To his surprise, the man took the cup from his hand, the bottle and wandered to the chest.

The Sultan's surprise rose even higher when the shepherd did not return with a more expensive bottle, but empty handed.
"Why did you put the wine away ? I am thirsty still!"
"Listen", replied the nomad. "I gave you a cup and you were a servant of the Sultan. I believed you.

After another, you were his Vizier. I believed you.

After a third you are the Sultan himself?

What will you become, if I serve you a fourth?

You've drunk enough, man, and won't have a drop more."

On Appetite

Once upon a time, in the port city of Cimbar, lived a philosopher named Dio. He was sitting on his doorstep, eating a dish of lentils.

In all Chessenta, nothing was cheaper than lentils.

A minister notices Dio's meager meal as he passes by and calls out:
"Poor Dio! If you learned to bow a little, and flattered the Emperor more, you wouldn't have to swallow so many lentils."

"Poor you, brother", replied Dio. "If you ate a few lentils from time to time, you perhaps wouldn't need to bow and flatter the Emperor so much."

Picture Book One
by Ogruhn the Ogrillon

DRAGONSPEAR CASTLE

This work is dedicated to the scholars of Candlekeep, in particular the scribe Edelgarde.

It comes with 8 unique printed illustrations by hand of Ogruhn the Ogrillon.

hi
I Ogruhn
Ogruhn make nice drawings
keep of candles teach Ogruhn to make word things from drawses letturs
dem smarts
letturs some time look like ants
thanks redhair tailwagglur, for teach Ogruhn to w-r-e-y-t-h- WRITE

_________
/) ___ | ___\\
{? <0 0> }
\ | /oo\ | /
/\ |-^--^|/\
/ \____I___/ \


Ogruhn draw face like it shows in rainpuddle

it pretty face, with nice moss green skin and sharp toothsies and shiny eyes

eyes purple and facehairs green, like ogre!
Ogruhn strong like ogre! like Vaprak


________________________
/ / \
/ __ / \
/ ,,,,, \ / / |
oOo[__+___]ooO][ooO / /
O0o()oOo()()o0OooOoo / /
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| ____ |==|
| [: K :] |==|
[]___________________[]___[][/center]


Ogruhn draw chest full of shiny lootses

great hoard for Ogruhn from fight for coin, when Ogruhn make big war to devils in spear-of-dragons castle, in great long go


[] [] [] [] [] []
[_____] [____]
| 0 |^^^^^^^^^^^| 0 |
| | ____ | |
/ \ / \ / \
[______]---|||||||----[_____]
. _ _ _ . : : . __ . . _ _
= =


Ogruhn drawses great spear-of-dragon castle from great long go

it where Ogruhn fight man thing that horned like goat but walk on t-w-o-e-s TWOS like Ogruhn

some them gots wings like bird too, also! And big swoopy tail like whip


|^^^^^^^
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|
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o oo o o [JL]==> |
[] [[/] []/[] ()() |
]] ]] ]] ]\ /] LL |_____________ _ _
________________________________
__________________________________


Ogruhn draw him attack great gate at castle

little warrior ones follow as Ogruhn try break big gate of spear of dragon castle with big log


()================()
// \\
// \\
// \\
[] []
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
[_[]--------------------------[_[]


soon gate thing break and many little ones go in and fight big devil thing in castle

many little ones go fight above ground

but Ogruhn go fight in dark tunnels as little ones pay Ogruhn to fight there

Ogruhn not want draw tunnels, so him draw flower


/##\
/###\
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___________/ |___________________


^ ^
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/ \
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<()xxxx[ |====/
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Ogruhn draw devil with sword stuck in chest

above ground devil die! below ground devil die!

when us come up from tunnels all happy and cheer! all devil dead and castle ours

Ogruhn make great scream of vick-toe-ree and gets many shinies from little ones

() O \ / O O o O
o O O o O () O
o / \ o O --{O} o
o o O
o O o
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it was pretty day

*a large handprint covers the rest of the page like a signature*

Poems of a Myrkulite Vol I
by Crathaidh

Volume One

--

I
The Black Knight Cometh
-+-+-+-+-

The Undercity whispered still,
ghosts roamed the street.
Where pale luminensce ill,
and dim shades meet.

A shape steel clad,
passing under crumbled arches.
Weeped with waters had,
from foul sewer marches.

It cometh upon terminus,
a deep dark power.
Emanating from within - thus
enter halls without cower.

In tow and wake,
many deceased - the putrid stank.
Bereft of breath or make,
all file-and-rank (vile and rank)

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II

Uilleam
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Uilleam a promise
The price thus paid
Muire Ilmater blessed
The child now dead

Four sentinels - one tomb
One soul ever lost
One god - a deicide
Two more kings left

One driven far away
From copse to corpse
In dark under they pray (prey)
A black hand high

Another waits for us
Inevitable lot
Greatest one of the three
A fate we share

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III

Song of Three
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The Lord of Murder will perish,
but in his doom he shall spawn
a score of mortal progeny.
Chaos will be sewn
from their passage.
So sayeth the wise Alaundo.

The Lord of Bones will endure,
forever more his will be done
upon the finite lifes of the living.
Fear will be spread
by his devout agents.
So sayeth the corvus black.

The Lord of Darkness shall return,
forced from hearth and home
he shall rebuild in strife.
Malice and tyranny will be
spread from the sunset.
So witnessed by the Eye.

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IV

Watchers' Wrath
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Rebuked in vain
Where three boars gold
Gather on an azure plain

By argent snow
And winter's light
The Watchers glow
Prepared to fight

Through weal or woe
She cast the spell
The Reaper mocked by our foe

Fear will return
From whence rebuked
Watchers will learn
Forever spooked

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Know mortal - that you are being watched by death's unseeing and gloom sockets and guided to your end by his tongueless and silent voice. Your end draws nearer as you read these words. You are finite.

Prayers of the Adorned of Ilmater One
by Ameris Santraeger

Universal words shared with those new to the faith. Often repeated.

Persevere in the face of pain.

Heal the sick, the wounded and the diseased.

Comfort the dying, the griefstricken, and the heartsick.

Take on the burdens and the pain of others.

Champion the causes of the oppressed and unjustly treated, and give shelter and kind counsel to the lonely, the lost and the ruined.

Pursue the service of Ilmater, and he will provide - leave gross riches and the acquisition of all but medicines to others.

Words spoken when the novice becomes Adorned. The Broken God's words.

Help all who hurt, no matter who they are.

The truly holy take on the suffering of others.

Suffer in His name and He will be there to support you.

Stick to your cause if it is right, whatever the pain and peril.

Stand up to all tyrants, resisting in ways both great and small.

Allow no injustice to go by unchallenged.

There is no shame in a meaningful death.

Calishite, translated from the Alzhedo. The Adorned of Calimshan have a more passive tradition, and this is a short lyric about redemption. It is attributed to Saint Ramedar, who is said to have swayed a cruel Pasha to the Broken God's faith with nothing but quiet words of counsel.

Chains of greed bind;
Hunger's bite inspiring grasping hands;
The Judge offers choice;
The Righteous teach how to choose.

Chains of hate bind;
Burdens endured only through Fury;
The Judge offers choice;
The Righteous teach how to choose.

Chains of fear bind;
Suffering's whip removes compassion;
The Judge offers choice;
The Righteous teach how to choose.

Prayer of Monastics Militant of Ilmater as transposed by Tarlu Uitlender.

O Master of Mercy and hope for the hopeless,
Instill into me this day the spirit of mercy and forgiveness
To bestow likewise, myself, upon those who, in their wretchedness,
Mete out cruelty upon your helpless and suffering children,
So that all may come to bestow mercy in your manner.

Or failing that, guide my feet to kick their sorry butts
From the Sword Coast to the Sea of Stars
And back again.

This, I ask, as your humble and loving servant.

Written by myself, Brother Ameris Santraeger, after a moment of severe spiritual crisis in the winter of 1349 DR.

Ilmater the Wise, the Merciful, the Enduring, hear my prayer.
I ask for wisdom.
Guide me through this blinding storm;
Thanks to you, I see.

Ilmater the Wise, the Merciful, the Enduring, hear my prayer.
I ask for mercy,
Forgive my most wicked sins;
Thanks to you, I breathe.

Ilmater the Wise, the Merciful, the Enduring, hear my prayer.
I ask to endure,
Share freely your divine strength;
In your name, I rise.

A parable on the subject of error, often shared with paladins of He Who Endures who seek atonement or those of the Adorned who struggle with the burden of human error. It uses the heresies of the Mad Priest, the Archsufferer Bloirt Waelarn as a backdrop, and is said to have been composed by the Adorned of Mussum itself, to honor Sir Holdenhand's resolve to undo his mistake.

Sir Holdenhand knelt before the Archsufferer and heard the command.
"The heretics of the degenerate house of Mussum have lost their faith. They are mad in their minds! Their knights have laid hands upon their fellow Adorned!" Sir Holenhand's brow furrowed at the thought of the crime.
"Cleanse the filth!" the command came, and Sir Holenhand answered, leading the Brothers of the Cup to war. For he knew not that it was the Archsufferer who was mad.

Sir Holenhand looked up at Holy Hill Farro. The banner of the Noble Heart flew proud over it, and the heretics lay inside. And he gave the order. "No injustice must go unchallenged, even by those we once called Brother! Onto the walls, Knights of the Cup! Onto the walls, Knights of the Bleeding Shield! Onto the walls, Warriors of Suffering!"
The Noble Heart did not ask for quarter though; and the fighting was bitter.

Sir Holenhand looked upon Bronsheir's Charge, as the enemy's bravery finally broke upon the reerves. The wedge of heretics selling their lives so their Brothers might escape. He heard their prayers to the Broken God; saw the purity in their sacrifice. And he wept as he gave the order. "We have Endured, Brothers! We are Unbroken! Now we end this!" And it was done.

And Sir Holdenhand looked out over the Weeping Rock, stained with the crimson tears of the fallen. He looked upon broken pennants and shattered shields, upon the Bloody Racks sundered, a Golden Cup filled with the blood of Noble Hearts, his bitter victory. "True sufferers all." He said, and he knew his error.

And then his judgement fell upon the mad priest.


A prayer spoken at times when faith seems hard, when the sacrifices of duty weigh heavy. Although it is originally Damaran, it spread long ago and has been perhaps modified in its travels. This is the version I was taught in Tethyr.

Set aside the cup;
Thirst will trouble you no more;
Ilmater provides.

Set aside your greed;
Hunger only in your soul;
Ilmater provides.

Set aside desire;
Te body chains pure spirit;
Ilmater provides.

Rebuke avarice;
No wealth adorns the faithful;
Ilmater provides.

Rebuke anger;
Fury is foe to healing;
Ilmater provides.

Shoulder your burden;
He shares even the bitterest pain;
We walk together.