Stars of Twighlight

(Character related post regarding my current character Arik'thain.)

"I awoke thinking about her again. Pallid delicate skin, dark hair, and blood red lips. Her eyes are hungry, burning with anger and something more, dark eyes filled with a design that is beyond me. To let such beauty wither away into nothingness. Surely that is a waste. There is danger within this flower however, and I fear it is a poison that may consume me. I need that danger, that anchor to keep me feeling alive. My life is about purpose, about cold logic, about order and goals. Am I even allowed the sin of this selfish desire. Is this dangerous flower something I should nurture, even though it could bring me to a final ruin. Is the beauty worth the possibility of utter failure. The answer is obvious, yet still the delicate creature remains. What drives me to this unreasonable act is beyond me, perhaps its just my youth, or perhaps its my need to take one selfish risk, if only for the chance of something only I want, something only I need. It is a foolish thing, beyond my reasoning, and yet I still continue on with these thoughts, with these dreams. A crack in my armor to be exploited, but I fear it is not a weakness I can deal with. It is beyond me, and so I will let it continue. It may be my undoing, but I will keep it as my choice to make. I feel that there is something useful that could come of this, and there are strings attached that I have not had a chance to study. Perhaps this selfish desire could prove beneficial after all. I truly hope this is the case, but only time will tell. It may be nothing more than another fancy in my wishful thinking."

"I have been sending more letters home. I have a great many friends among my fathers associates, as well as among some of the younger nobles and tradesmen's sons. I would like to bring a small contingent into town in order to help maintain some order, and to utilize this group to create a sense of structure and discipline. I do not necessarily want knights, for I feel that would be too much anxiety for the state of the town. However, a group of well armed and loyal mercenary's, plus some soldiers and skilled in the subtle means of information gathering would go a long way to knowing the ins and outs of the town. A host of loyal bodyguards would also be much needed for the coming days, for I feel my safety will soon be in jeopardy, a small contingent of loyal guards would at least be a deterrent. Getting a few of my old friends into town would give me some room to work on other levels as well. A few lesser nobles or the sons of some well known tradesmen and merchants would go a long way in proving my worth to the town. I'll need to build at least a small amount of trust among the townsfolk if I am to have any clout in the coming days. I have been thinking about bringing a few ladies in as well, probably third or fourth daughters from some nobles or known merchants, but this would at least allow me the chance to use them for Anson's benefit. If I had a nice stock of healthy potentials, it would make Ansons inevitable choice of a bride far easier, for I'd have plenty of time to look them over and groom them for his personal needs. Granted, his goals keep him too busy to bed down with a wife now, but it is a nobles duty to perpetuate his line, so getting a wife ready for him would be the most sensible thing, and it would free up his time to do more important things. Also, I could pick my own future bride from this line, should I choose to marry. I have not given it much thought, but assuming I come out of this with more clout than my position as a wizard could normally hold, it would be nice to at least have something to show off to the locales. Plus, a pretty face would at least take away some of the mystery surrounding my craft. Well, it is a thought. The idea of having someone relying on me other than Anson however sounds a bit tiresome. Still, it might have to be done, if for no other reason than to keep peace among the townsfolk, and to create a more credible face for myself. I also may attract an apprentice or two, a fresh graduate perhaps from the university. I could always use an assistant for when my laboratory and library are finished. Someone knowledgeable in the ways of magic could also help in research, as well as properly storing various components and keeping experiments in line. I estimate i'll need to increase the size of my estate considerably to hold the contingent of people i'm expecting, but assuming we keep getting a steady source of treasure from our adventures, I see no reason why i cant raise the 3-6 thousand gold i'll need to fully renovate my estate. The lab will be an investment all on its own, and building a library on the side of the house will be an additional renovation, not to mention the expense of getting quality copies of various books and tomes. I may open the library to the general public once it is fully functional. Educating the people could only lead to a better, healthier lifestyle for them. Still, that is something for the future, and the days to come are still clouded with uncertainty."

"On a similar note, it would almost be somewhat profitable to set up a section of the Wheel and Cog trade and merchant company within the town. Perhaps one of my brothers would be up to the task of running a branch through town. It is something i could discuss with my father, and perhaps i'll send letters on the subject. The the town has little money, but there may be goods coming into town from outside sources that we could buy at low prices, and sell at some of the main cities and trade towns for higher profit. I have a feeling that stolen goods are coming in from lichus, and buying these goods and selling them back would be cheap, and an effective way to bring some coin into the town, as well as into my family's coffers of course. Having a notable tradesman and merchant in town would also give us access to reliable gem cutters and handlers, as well as money scales that wont be weighted down. This would be good for the common people as well, and would bring more trust to my family's name. This idea may be worth looking into. The addition of quality goods coming into town would also allow some diversity for the townsfolk, and perhaps entice some of the nearby towns and villages to start permanent trades. At its worst, it would allow for more credibility of my fathers name. I could also front the coin for the initial investment, that way my father would have nothing to lose. I dont want to scar his name in any way with this endeavor, or to endanger his and my family's livelihood. I believe he would agree if I were to make him that kind of offer. I should pen my proposition to him soon"