An Esrian Tale: The Wizard's Dream

***An Esrian Tale: The Wizard's Dream*** was the first game set in the world of Esria. It established the setting and laid the foundation for future adventures. It told the story of a young wizard who set out to uncover the truth behind the worrying disappearance of magic from the world, and the companions who joined him along the way.

Although shorter and less realised than later iterations, it would set events into motion that would continue to be felt by generations of heroes to come. A second campaign, set 10 years later, directly followed the events of the game.

## Plot

### Part I: Humble Beginnings

In the year 1365 of the Common Era, the world of Esria began to see a dramatic change. Magic, a force which had long since existed in the realm of mortals and a power which brought about the entire creation of the world, was beginning to disappear. The very mana found floating like an unseen mist on the air was thinning, and no caster could say that they hadn't noticed the difference.

Six years later, after no sign had been given that the disappearance of magic was set to end, and when no answer had so far been found, an aspiring young wizard in Vesryn would don a humble burlap sack and set out with only a spellbook and a handful of provisions. His name was Cyril Faulkner of Bucklesbury, and although he may not have known it at the time, his story was one that would come to shape the world as it is known today.

The young wizard Faulkner met many on his travels, though it was only when riding on a merchant's convoy from Starhill to the sleepy village of Morningmore that he would encounter his first true companions. The convoy was upset by a blockage in the road, found to be a crude ambush put in place by forest dwelling bandits, but it was not destined to be held up for long. As luck would have it, Cyril was not the only would-be adventurer riding a carriage that day. Thalanil Lyndis, a brave and talented Elven ranger from the woodland realm of Elyn Estel, and Billingham, a daring fighter striking from the shadow. Their travels would eventually take them far across the Astran Isles, and on all manner of adventures, but at the hour of their meeting they had yet to realise it.

Another two had been riding in Cyril's carriage. One, an ageing knight, and the other a youthful female Orc acting as his bodyguard. After swiftly defeating the bandits that had attacked, that knight had found himself struck down in the battle and unable to continue. He urged those around him to find the stone had had been stolen from him, and the three unlikely adventurers found themselves accompanying the Orc hunter into the forest.

There, they discovered an omen for what was to come. Guided by the Orc, the party pressed deeper into the woods to find a mysterious stone circle alive with activity. The man named Billingham was to go first, utilising his roguish talents to approach the circle and observe events as they happened. What he saw, corrupted druids in possession of a glowing red stone, would be a secret carried to his grave.

Cyril and the rest of his companions arrived seconds too late, in the process alerting their enemies to their presence. A battle ensued, and only after the many fanatical druids lay dead did they have the time to inspect the mysterious stone circle. There, the leader of the bandits that had ambushed them now lay dead inside of his clothes, reduced and deconstructed to little more than an ashen mannequin that fell to pieces with a single touch.

The young wizard was taken aback. The magic that he felt surrounding the circle, lingering from a powerful burst, was that which did not exist. The very construction of the spell used seemed to defy the very rules of magic, and was wholly chaotic in nature. It left all feeling cold and full of dread, but still Cyril saw it prudent to take a vial and depart with a sample of the black ash. Searching for the truth behind this vial would take Cyril and his newly found friends on a journey across the Astran Isles, from the quiet village of Morningmore to the troubled town of Highwall, the sleepy parish of Aredale and even the capital of Olenor itself, Emberstrand.

### Part II: The Last Dragon

Deciding that the problems facing Esria were simply too many and too great to handle one at a time, the three companions resolved to part ways and do what they could for their respective homes. For Thalanil this meant a journey back to the elven territories, as even such long standing realms now found themselves gravely threatened. In the case of Serena, she would return to her people to warn them of the foul corruption of druidic magic that was spreading all too quickly.

Cyril, however, would take it upon himself to further his own quest. His discovery of an addition to his journal, left by none other than his dear friend Billingham, revealed much of what he had sought to know ever since his journey had started. It spoke of red stones aglow, and the very life disappearing from those that fell victim to the cruel magic held within.

The path was all too clear for the young wizard. Following the many clues that had been left, he made provisions and plans for a journey to the tall peaks of the silver mountains themselves. There, he hoped to uncover the truth behind the nature of the foul magic he had encountered, and hopefully find his friends again when the time came to fight.

Ascending the testing slopes of the Ostian mountains, he would will himself onwards and protect himself with vital magic until his ascent had ended. Near the peak of the mountain, hiding deep inside of an icy cavern, Cyril would come face to face with a creature that he had long sought to see with his own eyes. A great argent dragon was concealed within the depths of the mountain, with scales shining a bright silver and snout aflame, and it was only by the clever usage of both words and magic that Cyril managed to survive its sudden attacks.

After clarifying his lack of evil intent, the young wizard found himself sitting down for a conversation with one of the most ancient and revered creatures in Esria's history. He learned of the dragon's name, Exegon, and why he had hidden himself so deeply into the Ostian mountains. It was within that cavern that Cyril came to know of heartstones, and how souls were being stolen and destroyed to create the magic that was threatening to plunge the world into darkness. Exegon's soul was one that held immense power, a fact which had forced him to hide himself away behind powerful magical veils, but he was far more concerned for his young daughter, Miravir.

The wizard and the dragon talked for several days, waiting for a particularly fierce blizzard to pass. In that time, they grew to understand one another. Sensing the young wizard's immense potential, he asked that he take Miravir far away and under his own care. Cyril was hesitant, of course, wary as to the idea of having to care for a dragon. He would not have the time to make a decision, however. He would instead find himself flung into a furious battle atop the mountain. Druidic assassins armed with cruel daggers and even fouler magic sallied forth from the blizzard, eyes aglow with the crimson greed of their master. They had come for the souls of the two dragons.

Despite the best attempts of both Cyril and Exegon, the enemy numbers proved too great. Additionally, the appearance of a new foe clad in black robes and wielding more power than any enemy so far upset the tide of the battle. Cyril was overwhelmed by magic that seemed to deconstruct his own, and escaped only by the sacrifice of the noble argent dragon he had come to know.

Respecting the last wishes of the great dragon, Cyril would take the young wyrmling Miravir and flee as far as he could.

## Characters

### The Party

* Cyril Faulkner
* Billingham
* Thalanil Lyndis lind Elyn Estel
* Serena