Gorlen Blackhammer - Journal Entry, #321
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Umf… Gorlen leans back in his chair outside his shop. “Finally, we are closed up for the night!”. “I’m working way too hard for a gnome that’s for sure.” He looks up at sky, mumbles “it looks like twilight is upon us, Osric.”
Now Osric may not realize it, but he is a high potential that lives within the walls of V’Ral, and Gorlen is Osric’s unknown benefactor. Gorlen covers his room and board, his tuition at the schools of magic, and miscellaneous expenses. Osric still hasn’t put it together that its Gorlen but likes to hang out with Gorlen because he seems to know a lot about random things, and more than he should know for a low level shop owner so Osric finds him interesting. That and Gorlen always buys when they go to the Drunken Ogre.
Plus, Osric is a little intimidated by Sorvani being the only powermaster in the city, Gorlen tries to tell him he’s all bark and no bite, but Osric is still hesitant. You will have to put up with some hard truths with Sorvani as he is not going to let you slide, but I’ve never seen him quit on a student. And honestly for all his rough demeanor, and hard candor he is a highly regarded Powermaster, and the only one in the city. Many students back in the mess would be so lucky to study under him.
As Gorlen begins packing his pipe with Ironleaf, traded from the Dwarves at Kheg-Moldur, it has a bit of a sharp and tangy aftertaste, but shit if it doesn’t help him with him mental focus. As Gorlen is trying to light his pipe.
Osric says “Hey Gorlen tell me the story about the library you helped build” … /cough /cough… Gorlen says “Osric I am pretty sure I said watched being built … I surely don’t have the resources to build it”
Osric replys… “No Gorlen I’m pretty sure you said built”
Gorlen swears under his breath … “Damn it and his perfect recall… well I misspoke besides, as he takes a deep breath on his pipe, which library are you referring to?
Osric looks at him, “I don’t know where it was…was there more than one? Gorlen looks at him… Did I ever tell you about my friend Pyra?”
Osric says “No I don’t believe you have.”
Gorlen settles in… “Whew now that’s going back some adventuring days, I was searching for an new entrance to the Underdark along this particular treacherous mountain pass, my old entry had been blocked by a demi-lich and his friends so with that no longer being an option, I needed a new way in.”
Osric interjects…” Were they looking for you?”
Gorlen casts an eye at Osric…” Not important, that’s a story for another time, let’s stay on point.”
… “Ahh where was I … ahh yes, I stumbled upon an ancient and confusing portal, constructed with chaos magic, long story short I should have zigged when I zagged and I had gotten sucked into the elemental plane of fire. At the time it didn’t seem to be a good thing, but in the end, it worked out.”
Gorlen continues…” After a few weeks of dodging fire salamanders, I came across this mountainous plateau where I met Pyra a Phoenix for the first time. Pyra was under attack for her eggs by a large group of fire basilisks. I was able to help her by distracting a few of them, dividing their forces, and bleeding on them so that Pyra could take them out.
Osric laughs … “ How did you live?”
Gorlen smircks … “Big Ohms, lots of Big Ohms…”
Gorlen smiles… “Since the battle we quickly bonded as friends, and over many nights of Firewine, and Ember Ale Pyra told me of her plans to build a library. The Library of Flames. Ohh bit off topic, if a Phoenix offers you Inferno Whisky…say no… say no all day long…that stuff will kill you and no amount of big ohm’ing will help.”
Pyra was a brilliant scholar and a master of fire magic, but she was also deeply curious about the world beyond her own. She spent many years studying the ancient tomes and scrolls of her own world, but she hungered for knowledge that could only be found beyond the boundaries of the Elemental Plane of Fire.
To satisfy her curiosity, Pyra devoted herself to the creation of a library that would house the greatest collection of knowledge and wisdom ever assembled, or at least try. She summoned the most skilled artisans and architects from across the plane and set them to work, using the very flames of the plane itself to shape the building’s structure.
To be honest Osric, the Library of Flames like most libraries I’ve helped build or defend always becomes an obsession with me, so I stayed, and I helped Pyra forge her library. The Library of Flames is a remarkable structure that stands tall upon the plateau in the Flamecrest Mountains amidst the scorching landscape of the Elemental Plane of Fire. The Library of Flames was not built quickly - it took many years for Pyra, her team, and me to construct. But as the library grew in size and scope, so too did Pyra’s reputation as a master of the arcane. Scholars and adventurers from across the Elemental Plane of Fire began to flock to the library, seeking knowledge and enlightenment.
Inside the library, the shelves were lined with ancient tomes and scrolls that contained knowledge of the secrets of fire magic, the histories of the elemental planes, and the wisdom of the most powerful mages and sorcerers throughout the multiverse. The library was also home to a number of scholars and scribes who worked tirelessly to record new discoveries and insights.
Pyra herself remained at the heart of the library, serving as its keeper and guardian. She was a kind and wise librarian, always willing to share her knowledge with those who sought it. But he was also fiercely protective of the library and its contents, using her formidable powers to defend it against any who sought to do it harm.Osric jumps in… “Ahh did you get busy with the bird…cause man you are kinda talking about a Phoenix like you loved her”
Gorlen grumbles… “Listen smartass do you want to hear the story or not” … Osfic nods his head
“Over time, the Library of Flames became a hub of learning and discovery, a place where scholars and adventurers from across the multiverse could come together to share their knowledge and insights. It was a testament to the power of fire and the limitless potential of knowledge and curiosity. And for Pyra, it was the culmination of a lifetime of work and dedication - a legacy that would endure for centuries to come.”
Gorlen voice fades…” Or at least until her capture and death”, as Gorlen looks off in contemplation, and with a little buzz from the Ironleaf.
Osric looks sad … “ What happened you couldn’t save her?”
Gorlen looks at Osrc…”Unfortunately no, she was nearly all powerful while in the library, but she left, I still don’t know why but what I do know is there is a pecking order in the Phoenix hierarchy and apparently they aren’t supposed to be building libraries and sharing knowledge with others. Building a library in the elemental planes always creates enemies and Pyra had her share most coming out of the City of Brass. However, the enemies from the City isn’t what killed her, it was the fracture generated between the Phoenix order when Pyra built the library. Pyra had gotten on a Greater Celestial Phoenix’s radar in a bad way, eventually taking her out. Not sure how they coaxed her out of the library, that still concerns me to this day. “
Osric says… “ So did this douche of a Celestial Phoenix destroy the library.”
Gorlen smiles … “No the library immediately moved to the librarian role onto Pyra’s child Aurora. At which point Aurora was bestowed with the powers and abilities of the librarian and the Celestial Phoenix couldn’t take down the library … it wasn’t for trying that’s for sure.”
“In the end….It took all of about five minutes, like her mother Aurora was a quick learner and she was able to reach out with her mind from the library and lure the Celestial Phoenix inside, the Celestial Phoenix severely underestimated Aurora’s abilities and the speed at which they came to her… at which point Aurora snuffed out its flame.”
Gorlen holds up his hand…” Yes your right Osric, Phoenix all are reborn, but they never come back exactly the same as you remember them, memories, personalities… a lot changes, essentially a new Phoenix, in some ways at least. So unfortunately, Pyra is gone. I do still go and visit Aurora from time to time, she is a bit of an adopted daughter to me.”
Osric says … “Hey Gorlen didn’t a V’Ral team recently bring back a Fire Fragment the Penetrator’s found on the moon? Do you think that may put us on the City of Brass’s radar?
Gorlen looks at him… “I don’t think the whole city will come at us, but it will likely stir the pot and we will get the attention of a few beings of power. But those elemental plane folks think about time differently than we do…so it will likely take a good long while before they figure their shit out.”
Osric you hungry, Gorlen slaps his belly lets grab something to eat…I may have a few kegs of Ember Ale left over to have with our Dragons Breath Wings.
