Gabriella Character Bio

To:
Dr. Blakeridge
Editor-in-Chief of *Anthropology Today*
1123 Quill Market St.
Capital, Territories Humaine

Dear Dr. Blakeridge,

I am writing to you in regards to submitting my essay to *Anthropology Today*. I am an apprentice of Prof. Hieronyma, Dean of the Order Anthropology Department, and I would like to humbly submit my paper, "The Secrets of Thuricvod," co-written by my mentor, for consideration.

A brief abstract of it is below, and a full copy is attached. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Gabriella
Order Sorceress and
Apprentice Anthropologist

ABSTRACT

"The Secrets of Thuricvod"
by Gabriella, Order Apprentice Anthropologist and
Hieronyma, Dean of the Order Anthropology Department

An expedition to the ancient dwarven settlement, Thuricvod, has yielded tantalizing information about the "Great Shift," an event that led to the desertification of the Western Plains into the Shifted Sands. Scrolls found at the site refer to the Great Shift as a rift implosion triggered by the dwarves to seal our world off from the dwarven homeworld, Thur, and to collapse a rift to the Dark World. This act trapped many dwarves here, but cut Thur off from potential orc invasion. Interestingly, the dwarves, despite at that time not having settled any further east than Dusty River, had maps of the entire continent. On them, they refer to our world as "Thuric" or "Second Thur." The dwarves believed this world to be a second version of theirs, which perhaps reveals the true nature of the rifts--they are not portals between different worlds but between different versions of the same one. This paper explores how this theory revolutionizes anthropology and increases the probability of future orc invasions.

To: Gabriella
Ministry Post Box 31
Ministry Outpost North
Shifted Sands, Unclaimed Territory

Dear Gabriella,

Regretfully, I must inform you that *Anthropology Today* will not publish your essay. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Regards,
Dr. Blakeridge
Editor-in-Chief, *Anthropology Today*

To: Master Cygnus
1 Order Dr.
Capital, Territories Humaine
Dear Master Cygnus,

I'm in desperate need of your help. I have done something wrong, I think. After I tried to publish the paper I co-wrote with Prof. Hieronyma, strange things began happening. Hieronyma has been reassigned to an Oasis expedition, which we both know is a wild satyr chase. Documents have turned up missing at our camp, and both of our travel visas have been rescinded. I don't think we can come home.

Please help!

Best,
Gabriella
Order Sorceress and
Apprentice Anthropologist

To: Gabriella
Ministry Post Box 31
Ministry Outpost North
Shifted Sands, Unclaimed Territory

Dear Gabriella,

I have inquired on both of your behalves, but there is little I can do. The Ministry and the Weavers have blacklisted both of you for sharing "secret" information.

As you know, after your apprenticeship in the Alchemy Wing, I began an internal investigation--which was halted by the Weavers and our government, the Ministry. However, I was somewhat relieved. I thought the Weavers would deal with the Alchemy Wing.

I see I was wrong. The Weavers shrouded the Alchemy Wing in secrecy and recommended to the Ministry that certain topics not be researched or discussed. Your paper broached one of them: future orc invasions. I suspect that orc invasions must be more probable than we know, though I don't know why they would hide that from the public.

Unfortunately, because you are blacklisted, you cannot publish or find a job--even in the Order. But I will continue to vouch for you. I have so far had a light touch with the Order and the Weavers, but now I will pull back the reins. For now, my advice is to follow Hieronyma and lay low in the Shifted Sands.

I am very sorry something like this has happened to you again. This is not the Order that I know.

Fortune Favor You,
Master Cygnus
The Master of the Order

To: Master Cygnus
1 Order Dr.
Capital, Territories Humaine

Dear Master Cygnus,

Thank you for your honesty. It is a pity you are unable to help.

It angers me that the Ministry, the Weavers, and the Order have been secretly withholding vital information. This is very dangerous. What will we do if orcs invade?

The Weavers must be stopped and the truth exposed. I will find a way to the Dark World and bring back proof of a probable orc invasion and show it to the world!

Thank you for all your help, Master Cygnus, but I feel this is something I *must* do for everyone's sake.

Very Sincerely,
Gabriella
The Sorceress

RETURN TO SENDER: MESSAGE UNCLAIMED
To: Gabriella
Ministry Post Box 31
Ministry Outpost North
Shifted Sands, Unclaimed Territory

Dear Gabriella,

Do not travel to the Dark World! By spying on the Weavers I've learned the Dark World is without magic--but hungers for it. Its terrors will fly to you and the rift like a moth to a flame. You will hear voices and you will want power--because, slowly, the world will drain you and the rift's magic.

And that is why the dwarves of Thuricvod destroyed their rift and the Dark World's. They knew if the rift stayed open, orcs would pour into our world because ours is more magical even than Thur. Reconnecting our world to the Dark World would be catastrophic.

Please stay with Hieronyma. I agree this Weaver and Ministry nonsense must end.

Riftmaker Protect You,
Master Cygnus