Vitus Ambrosia - Of Shadows, Arcanae and Clockworks Obscura

[tzaeru]

"Hurry along now, you know what they'll say if we're even a minute late!" barked the old master of the floppish gnome, the gnome who was not quite a youngling anymore, if not very mature either. The two hurried towards the Mulan house, bringing along the tools of their trade. The master's back turned, the gnome decided he had had enough of hurrying to fulfill every desire of the Mulan. It was still early and shadows were long. He slipped off, moving from shadow to shadow. Away from Syl-Var.

Years ago, when his parents had given up most of their savings to sign the gnome up to become an apprentice to a local mechanist, the gnome had thought much more glamoursly of the craft. He had imagined intricate clockworks, complex machinery, rumbling mechanisms of apparatutes both gigantic and miniscule in size. A chance to be someone and do something marvelous, even in the oppressive atmosphere of a place like Hazlan.

Instead, all they did was install locks and tripwire alarms.

For this ambitious gnome, whose true interests laid in everything obscure, difficult, complicated and mysterious, Syl-Var was much too small and the chances for greatness under Mulan rulership much too low. He longed to study the arts closer to his heart. He wanted to see threatre. He wanted to perform. He wanted to build with his hands. He wanted to show the world what he truly was capable of.

Deciding to try his luck elsewhere, the gnome's plans came to a new twist when Mists arose on one fateful night on the road..

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Name: Vitus Ambrosia
Age: 40, stepping into adulthood for a gnome.
Origin: Native; Hazlan, Syl-Var.
Aligment: Neither strongly good nor evil as of making. Averse of order and hierarchies, but flexible and quick to adjust to changing situations.
Appearance: Average gnome; Large nose, brown hair, with first touches of grey. Pale blue eyes. Seems agile, flexible. Relatively passable looks for a gnome.
Interests: Machinery, illusions, theatre, art, mercantilism, travel, shadows.
Aversions: Being trapped, being controlled, being ordered around, being broke, being underappreciated, being unknown.
Fears: Cages, immobilizing traps, evocation magic, destructive magic, necromantic magic.

[tzaeru]

13th of March, 773, Port-à-Lucine, Chez Léon

Mists threw me off track. Somehow, I ended up to Barovia!

I did not expect a small town like Vallaki to offer much to satisfy my curiousity. But to my surprise, I did come to meet many the interesting individual. The first person I met was a mage, Tyrios. I was wary of him, and his abilities, at first, but they ended up proving relatively harmless; I'd still not turn my back to the old man and his summonings. Recently, he expressed interest in visiting the Red Academy! What a fool. I'll have nothing to do with such insanity. He'll end up to the tables, no doubt of that. I also met a gnome woman - blast it if I can remember her name - who likewise could command some arcane power. An interesting acquintance; I'm sure we'll meet more in the future.

I set to reimburse my monetary situation, by gathering herbs. I did quite well, and I also happened on some artifacts, part of which I've then sold. Made enough from this simple merchandising to afford my current trip to Dementlieu.

More excitingly, I've seen wonders I didn't imagine to exist, both awesome and horrifying. I find myself having admiration to some things other would find frightening; I saw shadows walk out from the trees of black, and there's a sense of beauty to how they move, how the shape forms, how it slides across the land.

What's less beautiful are the claws which are very real, how shadowy they may look!

To continue my pursuits in mechanics, I've arrived to Dementlieu. What a beautiful city! A joy to be in! But I've also a more serious purpose here; I'm looking to study mathematics and the mechanical physics at their University. Perhaps learn the language, too, if they let me in..

[tzaeru]

17th of March, 773, Port-à-Lucine, Chez Léon

What days of wonder have there been! I should have put down my notes earlier, so I could explore each of these events and subjects more closely..

On the day of writing my last entry, I travelled back to Vallaki to restock in coin. I ended up exploring the old crypt by the Raduta Keep with miss Klytmnestra. There, in the final stretch, we found a pulsating orb, as if made of shadow itself, hovering in the air; Around it, shadow-beings in the dozens had gathered. We dispatched the shadows, but I couldn't help but be greatly intrigued by the patterns of the orb.. My curiousity got  the best of me, and I approached the orb, trying to reach for its surface. Ouch!

Wont touch it again.

On the very same day, there was a couple of other very interesting events. Sir Arden showed me something he could do - namely, disappearing. Yes, disappearing! I am not entirely convinced if there wasn't some arcane trick being involved, but he explained it as such; When in a cave, be moss. When in a forest, be a tree. He assured me that there was no arcane involved. I am still wondering if this is purely a natural skill, perhaps realized by carefully selected pattern of coloring upon his attire, and by his intimate knowledge of the nature he so very much loves. Or.. If there's something else beyond that being involved?..

I thought of this for long. In a forest, be a tree. In a crowd, be everyone, yet no one. Look around and become your environment. An intriguing thought dawned upon me in another discussion, conducted in the darkness of Morninglord church's downstairs, with sir Pierron; What is it that surrounds us at all times? What is it that we always carry with us, no matter if we're in a forest or in a city? Ah, do I dare to take this thought any further? Perhaps not..

For my pursuits in academia, I've continued learning the language. My tactic is simple; I ask translations related to phrases I might say in my profession or that I might say with folk I am to deal with. I've a good head for this, and find myself quite capable of remembering most words upon the first hearing. I've had these tiny lessons with half a dozen folk by now. For example, this morning I asked monsieur Allatarn how I might say, "the stored energy dissipates by time and distance", a phrase my old master used to describe the winding of a clock. What did he say? L'énergie stockée se dissipe par le temps et la distance.

I'm satisfied enough with my lessons to have reapplied to the university.

[tzaeru]

18th of March, 773, The Mist Camp

Is there a day when something exciting did not happen? If there is, I am not looking forward to it!

Yesterday mid day, I met with Verinne van Haute. I've rarely - if ever - spoken of these ambitions of mine towards certain sort of art. I did now. And it was wonderful! She showed me the lighting systems of the theater, and we discussed of the other of Hazlan's forms of theater; Shadow. Shadow theater. With puppets, or actors; But acting is done via shadows. A play of shadows and light! This sends thrills through my soul. And the mechanics of the system of lighting are almost equally exciting.

Then, in the evening, I met with professor Hans Geyer. And I am to enroll! Just need to gather the tuition cost.. Which is no small amount. I can't help but to wonder if one born to Dementlieu would be asked quite that much? But it matters not, in the end. This is the goal and it's not the end goal; It's just a step towards the far end.

I write this from the Mist Camp, trying to hawk my goods to gather the required coin.

[tzaeru]

18th of March, 773, Université de Dementlieu

I have completed my enrollment. It cost quite a bit, but I'm now a student at the university!

I'm taking the chance to pursue not only my chosen fields of mechanics and mathematics, but also the arcane mysteries..

I also overcame my fear of being flat-out turned down and approached miss Van Haute about an idea for a play I had. A play of shadows, I'd say. To my delight, she took the proposition with excitement. I am to work on the script of the play in the coming months. I have a few tricks in mind for such a play, but I must study much more to feel comfortable with them..

[tzaeru]

23th of June, 773, Lady's Rest of Vallaki, Barovia

The civil war has put a small halt on my studies at the university as well as my plans of advancing the play I have sketched for the Theater. I've relocated to Barovia for the duration of the war, for even though someone suggested I might work as a mechanist in the fighting force, I have little interest for battles. What does it mean to me who is the winner between two groups of high-borns? Nothing!

In Barovia, I met with an intriguing Mulan man by the name of Ossur Fezim. He said he's a Gudkaede, a god-link, having originally arrived to Barovia as part of a mission. I hesitated to approach him - you never know how the Mulan perceive such - but he turned out a reasonable man. He is bound to defend the faithful and seems to have an understanding of the Lawgiver's will. We traveled together and I can find appreciation for this man.

Until the civil war is done with, I seem to be stuck in Barovia. Hopefully the time wont be all wasted!