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Alastra by Legendary Name

These  are the Journal entries of Adulla Zamatra. He is well renowned for his  recording of wonderful and amazing facts about this land. Adulla's  whereabouts are currently unknown, however it is assumed he continued  traveling the world, recording new and interesting facts.

[indent]Journal Entry #57 – The City of Alastra.[/indent]

Three  days ago I arrived in Dweld. Since that time I have spent my time in  the capital of Dweld, Alastra. I was lucky enough to meet an old man,  around the same age as myself, who owned a clockwork store. He offered  to provide me with shelter and food for the duration of my visit here,  to which I humbly accepted. On my first night staying at his house, we  spoke of things in Alastra. He had grown up in Alastra, and had many  interesting stories to tell. One topic that popped up during our  conversation, was religion. Apparently, Alastra was a place where people  were free to believe and pursue any sort of belief that they fancy,  which is where Alastra got its fame. The city seems to be divided into  three main streams of beliefs.

This pricked my ears, I fully intend to visit each of these groups and attempt to learn a bit more about them.

[indent]Journal Entry #58 – Wizards of the Coast[/indent]

The  first group of people I decided to visit, had set up on the coastal  areas of the city. They were more of a guild than a religion. They  consist of magicians who have a love for the use of magic. They are an  intelligent bunch, who seek knowledge, and study the various forms of  magic with fervor. They analyze the very essence of what is involved in  the casting of a spell, conjuring and rituals. Then they share that  knowledge with others. They welcome people from all walks of life, and  freely teach others how to use magic. The guild has a structure of  talented people. The Arch-Mages are the overseers of the guild, who  decide the direction individuals should take in their careers. The  Sorcerers and Wizards act as contractors for hire for whoever has the  money. The scholars, who teach others, and are the keepers of the  scrolls. And finally, the apprentices, who are new the ways of magic.

[indent]Journal Entry #59 – Monks of Alastra[/indent]

On  another side, live the Monks. The Monks also use magic, but have  different views on such matters. Monks believe in the perseverance and  safety of all life, and seek harmony and joy. They do not waste time in  learning the various ways of magic, and only focus on the arts of  healing and protection. Above all else they seek harmony and peace. They  have a belief that when one passes on, they enter the Realm of Thrones.  I must admit, my time with the Monks was extremely boring. I left early  that day.

[indent]Journal Entry #60 – Magi[/indent]

The last group, the Magi, was very interesting. They seemed to be a mixture of the other two groups.

I  met with one of their members, who seemed disgusted when I told him I  didn’t have a natural affinity to magic. Still, he explained what they  believed in. They have a strong belief that there is more than science  to magic, that there is a greater or higher work involved. They believe  that the Gods spawned magic, and that it chooses who it wills to wield  magic. If one is not born with a natural affinity to magic, then they  are not blessed by the Gods of magic. They do not welcome new members  unless they can demonstrate there use of magic through a spell or  sorcery of some type. Apparently, when one blessed by the Gods die, a  ritual must be performed to prepare their souls to join a greater work. I  was invited to observe a ritual that was scheduled for later that  afternoon.

The ritual room was dark, lit only by candles. The  body of a man lay in the centre of the room, on a wooden table.  Surrounding the man in a circle, were six Magi. They held hands, and  chanted in a harmonic tune. Rune symbols lit the room, and swayed in a  rhythmic pattern. Eventually, the symbols faded, and the mans eyes  flashed with flames. A bright burst of energy filled the room; I was  blinded for several minutes. When my eyes refocused, I noticed that the  man on the table, was no where to be seen. He clothes were still on the  table, but he was gone. Energy filled the room. I felt a strange  sensation on my skin, like electricity skimming the surface of my body.  The feeling was pleasurable, I only wished it lasted longer. It is no  wonder they perform this ritual. The Magi in the room seemed pleased. I  take it that meant the ritual was a success.

I conclude that  Alastra is a very interesting city, filled with unique individuals. I  could not say one group is right, or one group is wrong. They all seemed  to have unique, if incomplete views on how magic is best used. In the  end, the choice on how to use magic comes down to the decision of the  individual.