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STONE MATHSONIAN

Character Name: Stone Mathsonian

The Autobiography of Stone Mathsonian

 

My name is Stone Mathsonian. I happened here to Sosaria by mistake during the time of Age of Shadows. It was a dark time and Sosaria seemed to be in a great turmoil about the changes in technologies and the new lands just discovered. But alas, I am jumping far ahead by mentioning these things.

First I must tell you about myself. I am but a humble wizard naught but 35 yrs old, young for a wizard of my level. My name Mathsonian comes from a long line of historians, but I am the first to become a wizard. I am rather tall for those around me at about 6 of the foot in which I wear rather well traveled boots. (It could be the fact that most wizards are quite old and tend to stoop rather then stand tall as I do.) I’m considered rather average looking, not a handsome prince, but neither was I a warted long-nosed curmudgeon as I’ve seen of my kind. I have a trimmed goatee fairing it rather then the singing a long beard gets you, and wear my hair longish to keep the sun from burning my neck. I wear the traditional wizard’s hat, and arcane robe which is proper and most comfortable. I am also an accomplished swordsman as the lands I lived in were rather a dangerous place with the usual creatures of orcs, trolls, goblins, and the like. Those around would considered me a loner as I tended to enjoy the company of an ancient tome by a fire rather then the blathering of some of the more senile of my kind talking about ages past.

I lived in a tower with others of my kind. All that surround me were wizards or ‘witches’ (for a better term of witches to be described is beyond me at the moment). The towers walls were created before time was even a single grain of sand. Its ancient halls filled with all of the knowledge of magicks the human race stored here. I started my apprenticeship here and decided this was where I was meant to be. I had no desire to ever leave its walls.

As I had mentioned before the land was fraught with dangers, as the power of man was not as great as in the past, and those of other races seemed to have a greater hold on the lands surrounding us. We were constantly at war with some race or another, and it never seemed to me that we had a chance at peace before another war with the orcs or trolls of the land would start up somewhere else. I decided it was time to find a better way for my people to travel due to caravans and travelers constantly getting ambushed by these skirmishes.

And this is how I ended up in Sosaria – by mistake. I was in my laboratory messing around with different magicks and spells. The ones I was most interested in were traveling from one place to another with the use of magic. I was never a great conjurer of demons as some of my brethren are. I was considered a 2nd class mage and while adept at my skill level could not ever seem to get beyond it. This research I was doing was my great hope to first help those who needed a safe way for passage and also to get me to a true first class wizard’s level. All I had to do was come up with the magicks that worked, which I had been failing quite miserably as of late.

Late one evening as I was studying yet another ancient tome I came across a passage about a mystical scroll that could ‘gate’ anything from one place to another. The scrolls seemed easy enough to make and I wondered why it was not used. I would need some fresh parchment, the quill made of a sphinx, and the ink made up of a gryphon in order to actually conjure this scroll into life. These were all ready ingredients where I lived so were easily obtainable. I hurriedly gathered the ingredients and set to work. The words were of some ancient language that I could not understand but the tome I read said if written correctly would give the user of such an item the ability to travel anywhere. Looking back it should have read any-when too as in different parallels of worlds. To conjure the scroll into use all one had to do was think of the place where one wished to travel and a portal would open up large enough for travelers and their steeds could pass on through. Ah, the most simple lest of solutions! No more would travelers and merchants be ambushed by thieves and the like! I would be hailed a hero. Oh, the ego of it all I was so caught up in my own excitement I forgot the two things that all wizards are first taught. If it’s too good to be true, it usually is. The second mistake made is to have a test subject use it for you first and then test it on yourself. I had forgotten about all these lessons in my lust for advancement. Even wizards have the simplest of failings such as ego and a hunger for power. I decided to use the scroll as soon as it dried.

I woke up at my writing desk when I woke up the next morning with a great crick in my neck. I was excited about the prospect of what I had done and what it will do for my people and just as important my stature. I gathered what I thought I might need for my journey – My favorite hat and robe, my best pair of well worn traveling boots, my sword (a beaten broadsword), and the necessary accoutrements a wizard might need. This would be a book of useful spells, a bag of herbs and other such powders, a magic sextant, also some mead and food for the journey. I left my purse of coins behind thinking that I would not need them as the journey I was about to embark upon would be a short one.

Excited as I was I had almost forgotten the scroll as I left my room. I went out to the main courtyard of the tower to give myself space just in case something happened. I drew in my breath and invoked the spell that would activate the scroll “Vas Rel Por”.

Everything went Dark around me and large portal opened before me – it’s purple glow beckoning me to walk through what I hope was the Northern territory as I had envisioned. I cautiously approached this magic portal and walked through….

The feeling of vertigo overtook me as I felt as if I was falling off of a deep cliff and all went dark…

I slowly became aware of my surroundings as the morning sunlight was shining on my face. I looked and saw that I was in a strange stand of trees of which I did not recognize. I was near a strange mountain range I had not seen before. I quickly grabbed my magic sextant and invoked it. “You are near a town directly north from here”. Slowly I realized that I was nowhere near my homeland – my scroll worked! But where was I? I quickly gathered myself off of the forest floor and brushed my robe off of the debris that was attracted to it and cautiously started along north following the mountain range.

As I traveled to the north I happened upon a miner. He was a rather old man with crooked teeth and little hair. His face looked like crumpled leather and was not surprised to find out he worked the mines around these parts for a long time. Upon asking him some questions I was pointed to the town of Minoc directly north of the mines he was working at. The mountain range I was walking past was known as Mount Kendall, and the place to where I was standing was known as the “East Mines”. I also found out what this place was called – Sosaria. I was indeed far from where I started this morning!

The journey to Minoc was an uneventful one. I did ponder my fate as I walked toward this unknown place. Was I to be stuck here forever? What was I to do here in this strange land? As I pondered these questions I rose over a hill and saw over a swift moving river the town of Minoc.

Minoc is a mining town it would appear with the buildings more attuned to that trade then for that of travelers such as myself. I found the local guild called the “Counselors Guild”. They told me while this guild was now defunct they still attempted to help those travelers who were lost or in need of assistance. Needless to say I was quite happy as I was both!

It was there I learned a brief history of Sosaria. They were quite happy to answer all the questions I had. The counselors explained about the different “Facets” of Sosaria and how that had come about. It appears the people pleaded to their then king Lord British to change the lands to exile all the murderers and thieves to a facet named “Felluca”. This facet is known as “Trammel” where no murderer’s or wandering thieves can travel. I thought it quite fascinating that a King would do something so drastic to protect his people. I learned about Lord Blackthorn and his evil intentions. I also learned something crucial – that the land’s are without a king, he had mysteriously disappeared. Also strange changes were happening about the land. An “Age of Shadows” has come about with the discovery of new lands called “Malas”. New and mysterious ‘artifacts’ were showing an imbalance within the people of Sosaria. There were strange rumors of people who used the dead as their magic called Necromancers. And lastly there was word of holy warriors called Paladins whose quest in life was to vanquish evil.

I was overwhelmed with this information but was grateful for it as I now knew the lay of the land a little better. But now the question that has been gnawing at my insides- Where was I to go from here?

The counselor’s at the guild house said I should travel to see the great wizard Uzeraan located in the city of Haven. He would be able to guide and direct me. I was told I could go by ship or by opening a gate directly to the wizard. Although the last thing I wised to do was use a ‘gate’ again my desire to find out what my fate overtook my fears. I gladly accepted the counselor’s offer. Before I left the counselor’s at the guild gave me a purse with some of the local currency – gold coins, and a bag that had some much needed herbs called ‘reagents’ as I did not bring much for the journey.

One of the counselors asked for me to follow him to a clearing outside of the guild house, and with the magic words and motions he chanted “Vas Rel Por” a large purple vortex opened up before him. He reassured me that it would be quite safe and as I stood staring at it I thought it was too late to turn back I stepped through the gate.

I stepped out the other side safe and a little dizzy as I was not used to traveling by gate quite yet. I looked around and saw before me a bustling town. What appeared around me was a great garden with a fountain surrounded with buildings of industry: a bank, a mage shop, a black smith, and a huge tower which was where the great wizard Uzeraan was waiting for me.

I headed toward the enormous metal doors which two guards had blocked. They barked at me “Halt! What business do ye’ have here”. I patiently explained to them my business, and they let me pass without incident. As I entered I saw before me a great hall with strange unknown items around me. I also noticed a strange little purple creature I had not seen before locked in a cage.

Standing in the hall waiting for me was the Wizard Uzeraan. He greeted me warmly. Upon talking with him he explained about the Horde Minions invasion to the west side of Haven. He apologized for not being able to spend much time as he was trying to gather the necessary items to perform a great spell to wipe them from the island for good. He decided to help me if I would help him with his quest. He would give me the gold I would need to make it in these lands as well as a special item if I were to help him. I accepted his terms. I would help him find the remaining items – a scroll that had the spell of power, some daemon’s blood, a daemon bone, and some dirt from a dryad and in exchange I would receive 1000 gold coins and a ‘horn of retreat’.

It was a tough quest. I had to go deep into the mines where lost souls had killed the apprentice who carried the scroll of power. I had to riddle with a dryad to receive the dirt, and I had to fight off a ambush of horde minion to retrieve the daemons blood. Lastly I had to visit the Haven Cemetery and fight off zombies, skeletons, and ghouls to retrieve the daemon bone from a crypt.

I was successful in my quest and Uzeraan was eternally grateful. He quickly gave me a sack containing the gold and horn and wandered off to work on his spell without saying a word.

I went outside of the tower and headed to deposit my gold at the bank when I ran into a dragon! It turned its head and was debating on whether I was to be a snack when its owner Lord Aragorn barked a command to have ‘Trogdor’ (apparently its name) ‘stay’. Lord Aragorn was a regal looking man about my height with blonde hair and Vandyke. He was wearing clothes bestowing someone who was well to do in black and royal purple. His armor was a bright gold which he said brought him luck. He was high above me riding an even stranger looking black mare. My astonishment plain on my face, he asked if I was a fool. I recovered and stated no, just a stranger to these lands. He seemed quite interested in hearing my tale, and I quickly gave him a summary of my events of the past few weeks that lead me to where I currently stood.

Lord Aragorn looking slightly bemused over story sat their thinking for a minute. He then said that he would be more then happy to show me the lands of Sosaria. He then told me about his guild Defenders of Virtue and of the Virtues. Honor, Justice, Compassion, Sacrifice, Humility, Honesty, and Valor were the virtues that they followed. His guild held the virtues above all else in their lives and that each member strived to follow the virtues in their lives. To help those in need and to hold true the values the virtues defined was of most importance.

I accepted his offer and he brought me to the tower that DV called home. This is located just East across an inlet of the town called Skara Brae. There I met the Guild Leader’s Lord Ciengarde and Lady Jaelythe. Both appeared as if they were royalty and held themselves with the air of one who was of that stature. I bowed before them and they asked me to rise. I was asked if I held true the values of the Virtues as explained to me by Lord Aragorn. I said I did as I have always considered myself a good and true wizard. I was to have Lord Aragorn show me the way of the Virtues and I would become his apprentice (or page, which I considered rather derogatory for a man such as myself). I bowed and said that I gave my life to Defender’s of Virtue. This was the start of my journey for the next few years.

Lord Aragorn was kind enough to tame for me a llama as I had quite a tough time riding a horse. The llama being lower to the ground I tended to not fall off of it as much as the horse.

Under Lord Aragorn’s tutelage I learned about the lands of Sosaria. We traveled far and wide and came across many of the creatures of this strange land. Too numerous to mention, the list of creatures would keep one writing volumes on such things. We traveled by sea and by land. I honed my skills as a swordsman and as a mage. After many years of training I was considered an “Elder” mage and “Legendary” swordsman. I am now quite adept at dispatching those who opposed me quite quickly and easily at present times.

I also learned how to live by the Virtues in which DV holds sacred. We applied them in our daily lives and let them guide us when we were unsure on how to move forward in situations. The Virtues gave new meaning to my life and I let them guide me where they willed.

Finally came the day for Lord Aragorn to announce I was ready to become a Knight of Defenders of Virtues. It would be a quite arduous quest but he felt that I was up to the task. I gladly accepted this quest that was bestowed upon me. My quest was to travel to Felluca and go to each of the shrines throughout the land. I was to got to each and meditate and decide what they meant to me and how I used them in my daily life. I was to then to go the opposites of the Virtues – the Dungeons of Fire, Wind, Shame, Destard, Deceit, Covetous, and Wrong for these represented what the Virtues weren’t. I was to go as a peasant of that land with naught but my wits, and a dagger. I could use no means of transportation other then that by foot or by boat. I could ask travelers I encountered for assistance, but not to explain to them anything about my journey.

It was a journey I will soon not forget. I had to runaway from a band of murderers upon entering the Felluca Britain moongate. I barely got away with my skin intact. I encountered a tribe of Orcs and had to hide for 3 days and 3 nights until they wandered away. I had to fend of the Black Solen Warriors and their Queens to get to Wind. I managed to fend off an Ogre with the night’s fire as he smelled the rabbit I had on the spit that I planned on eating for supper. I had to fair sea monsters and water elementals as I crossed rough seas to travel from one shrine to the other. I was put to the very end of my will and my being, but I did not give up. I managed to travel to the last Dungeon in the far North Wrong when again I was beset upon by a murderer. If it were not for a wandering healer my quest would have ended in travesty. Of course it did not as I am indeed writing this!

I traveled back to the Defenders of Virtue Tower weary but somehow enlightened by my journey. There waiting for me was my Knight Lord Aragorn, and with him all of Defenders of Virtue. They had a banquet celebrating my completion of my quest! I handed over my journals that I had written in explaining my journey in great detail. I had put all of my meditations to paper in them also. I had learned a lot about myself, the lands, and what the virtues meant for me in my life and in the friendships I have created.

It has been nearly a year to the day since my quest, and I now have a Squire Seth under me. He is now doing his quest (a secret you see so I shall not write it onto parchment as he has yet to complete it.) and I am waiting for his return – if he does return that is.

The days of Age of Shadows have since been and gone, and now the new Empire to the east has been discovered. A Samurai Empire with the islands of Tokuna recently discovered I spend a great many days there discovering its new lands. I have encountered many a new creature not yet discovered, and new evils I wish not to discuss in this story. That will have to wait for another chapter in my life when I have finished documenting all of its inhabitants, dungeons, cities, landscapes, and waterways.

I am now grateful that I happened upon this land of Sosaria on accident. I have learned much about myself. I have learned a great deal about the great Virtues that I now hold close to my heart. I have met a great many people and befriended them all. I have conquered my fears and have met many a great challenge. I have risen in rank from a Page to Knight and now to Grand Duke – the right hand to the current Guild Master Lord Chaldeus. (Note – Lady Jaelythe and Ciengarde have since retired and went on a great quest and have recently returned to Sosaria, but wished to stay out of the politics and thus the work a guild requires.)

I am Stone Mathsonian – Grand Duke of Defenders of Virtue, Elder Mage and Swordsman, Knight of Seth, and friends to all of Defenders of Virtue and those who hold true to the Virtues. And still the rider of my trusty steed the llama that Lord Aragorn provided for me years ago. This is my story and I hold to it as being forthright and true.