Several tables with comfy chairs fill the room, a few mages are already at the tables reading scrolls and making some notes. One of them appears to be dozing off.
It is very quiet, as a copperplate notice requests.

*book has a collection of books. Mostly about soul magic. He also has a book on diplomacy.*

Hmmmm... intresting... Hmmm I will have to read more...


*book has opened four books all at once and seems to be reading them all at once*

For a moment the air in the room becomes very still. Then a light draft starts and gradually gets stronger until the page in open books start to turn by themselves. Still it gets stronger as an ereily silent votex of air starts to form in the rooms doorway. The winds get stronger as the vortex beings to take shape until, suddenly they stop and a large air elemental stands there, lightning crackling above it.

It looks at Book

"Air mage Book, we need to have a little chat"

*Book looks up and Smiles*... I thought you would get around to talking to me... How can I help you Air?


Would that i was that I was as informed as the other elements I may not have made a catatasrophe of things. It is a shame Fire has a Lord of water don't you think....

The elemental looks closely at Book for a moment.

"A shame!" it exclaims then lets out a roar of laughter

"The only reason the fire elementals have the water lord is because we ARRANGED it. Something you should have been part of, but you chose not to. Do tell, why was that?"

Because that Damned fool Soot has been giving me some very bad advice when it comes to the politics of Elemental kin... and I trust avian little.

*Book smiles* It is quite hard to have a chat about such..... matters and remain seemingly in the background. When every Bugger and their Aunt wishes to listen in on your conversation.


It would have been nice to have had him in my hands for one more night... but such is timing I suppose.

Am I right in not trusting Fire?? I have had luck in manipulating an Earth mage.. I have also taken from Earth one of the castles... It doesn't feel right being in it.. but it's a safe place for books..

Hmmm... according to some talk in the inn... the Angels have been found... in a hatchery. Is this a good thing? Or annoying?

*Book smiles at the Air elemental with a look of explaining his thoughts and actions to an equal*

The elemental listens paitently

"Whether you trust or do not trust others is of course your choice, however you have yet to explain why you did not bring the tray to us as soon as you possibly could, especially as you knew what it contained and its importance to all four elemental houses. Simply by allowing the fire lords to have it has given us a major advantage in our dealings with them, had we possessed it ourselves one can only speculate at the political ramifications of such an event for the plane of air. However the chance was allowed to slip through our fingers and we would very much like to know why"


The elemental pauses for a moment

"You would be wise not to trust the elementals or their mortal followers of any element othat than that of air, by all means manipulate them and bend them to your will but never trust them as each is out to further the goals or they are fools.

The angels return is a great thing and of great moment, the elements have been unbalanced in the world and restoring that balance will help strengthen the ties between us. The angels are our kin and should be treated as such"

*Book nods and listens* The Angels return is a good thing... Should I protect them from the Demon Kin?? I am not sure how they are reciving mortals at this time.. after all the group of ninneys went with that Brock. There must have been a diplomatic problem *Book sighs* it always happens with them.



*Book sizes up the Elemental* If there was notification to all Air Mages that the Tray was required.. I did not recieve it.. One speculates that you told Avian and therefore it did not get to me. I trust him little as He gave it to fire rather than to you.

I needed that Tray for just an hour more. A trapped water lord.. think of the Possibilities. Instead it was stolen at the wrong time. Given to fire... and then to top it off those who stole it have the gaul to say I made a mistake in the casting of power spells.

*Book sighs and closes all of the books in front of him* It was a TRAGIC day. I feel fully responsible for not researching more. However with the tools at hand?? and a fool of an earth mage for resources?? We were bound to fail.

You have my humble apologies for that error. However I am far from powerful where avian is concerned, with me he can do as he pleases. So stealing the tray I could not stop.

It would have only been a matter of time before the foolish earth mage would have handed the tray to me.. and then with little or no fuss I could have given it to Air. Yet we had to move to quickly.


*Book smiles and relaxes* Fire was far to impatient. We of air have that in abundance.... but...

*Book splays his hands flat out on the table after pushing back the hood of his robe* There is little experience with our combat mages. They move to quickly, to preserve us we need to be crafty how we use our skills. I have little power but I am ... resourceful. Those with large power .... hmmm *book thinks of his words carefully* waste it on trivial matters. When we should research more we fight.. when we should fight we research. It leads to mistakes.. like the one made with the tray.


*Book lightly grips the table with his fingertips.. a look of frustration comes across his face* Tell me Air HOW do I contact you... without going through another.. it is TIRESOME. I am left out of conversations When an Elemental does "show up".. It makes me un-nerved... to the point I do not trust Elemental kin at all.

Tell me... why did you not ask me for the tray?

The elemental listens closely to Book

"No there is no need to protect the Angels form the Demon-Kin, the T'cra have returned and they stand shoulder to shoulder against them, as for them and their dealings with mortals they have begun well with the trolls in their home city and have been working to throw back the undead although there have been recent setbacks that may require attention"

It pauses for a moment "Mage Book you are not making any sense on the matter of the tray. First you say you were unaware of the importance of the tray to the element of air, yet later you say you knew of its importance and were plotting to aquire it from the earth mage through trickery. Therefore you must have been made aware of its importance whether you realise it or not. Subtaly and trickery have their times and place but so do brute force and strength. The simple matter is that you knew the value of that tray and you did not aquire it for you element. As you say when it was of such great value why did you not take the tray and have done. The earth mage was a fool not to have handed it to his element the moment he can in to posession of the item, a fact that you have re-enforced by also referring to him as a fool. The simple fact of the matter is you failed to outwit an earth mage who was, by your own admission, an idiot. Perhaps you need to work on your "trickery"."

After a moment he continues

"As for the ritual, you say you have little knowledge of rituals hence why you made such a catastrophic mistake. However, I should like to ask you something. Tell me, what are the three ways a mage may regain his power once spent?"

*Book raises an eyebrow and smiles at The mention Demon kin and Angel kin working together*

I knew only that the Tray was valuable to the Earth mage. This alone was enough for me to decide it was not for him to have posession of it. Magical artifacts should not be in a fools hands. As for what the tray actually was, I was only told that After it was stollen. I was not privy to such information.


*Book takes a deep breath* If something is kept from me it takes a little longer for me to find out.


*Book angers at the Question but keeps his temper in check his hands still frimly splayed out on the table*

You can sleep... you can do a ritual or you can be given power by an elemental or item of power. With training one can meditate for short periods of time and gain back power.


Come come Friend Air.. you have still not told me why you did not ask me for the Tray.. and why Avian knew to take it and give it to Air.. only Fire got there first and he Gave it to fire.

The elemental listens closely to Books reply

"Putting aside the tray for a moment, listen to your reply. To regain power a mage may sleep or can do a ritual"

He waits for a moment in the hope that what he has said sinks in.

"Yes thats right, you perform a ritual when you try to recover power, it must have been one of the earliest lessons you learned as a mage. All mages learn it take a ritual of around 30 mins to do something simple such as restore expended power. They also learn that if they try and draw power quicker they risk blowing themselves up. As you have also said a mage may draw small amounts of power through what is in effect a very small ritual but the effect is so delicatly balanced that a loud noise disturbing the mages concentration can have disasterous effects."

The elemental studies Book for a moment to see if there is any understanding

"Now, keeping in mind these rudimentary lessons learned by all mages including yourself. What on earth did you think you were doing trying to manipulate massive amount of magic with a ritual that was unsuitable for you to regain your own expended power? And before you blame this earth mage who seems to be your scapegoat for any wrongdoings on your part, you have already proved you know better. So what possible justification do you have for this ineptitude?"

The elemental awaits a response...

*Book smiles*.. No the earth mage was not at fault on this.

Time was a factor for many reasons. Secondly we had no idea what we were doing, hence the problem with the tray. I only knew of one Elmental lord to question for the answer to this.

Thirdly We were in a hurry and this just did not help matters. I take partial responsibilty for this and I apologise.

Simply put a lack of information a small amount of time and over eagerness to complete the ritual. I have sworn to never do one without full investigation into the magics involved in this .... ritual magics.

*Book smiles warmly* Not something I have done lightly Master Air. I am ready for punishment if required. But I have taken myself to this this.. water place to learn and not make that mistake again.

*Book takes his hands from the table and calmly pushes the hood back from his face and looks at the Air elemental*..


Please tell me one thing.. what is going on. Your politics are slowing down the freedom of the living races in this plne of existance. Fire minions are becoming obstructive.


You might not have noticied but we are Suffering in this plane. Air is free of threat so far. As are the other planes, however this plane is under direct assault from a Dark God. What do you suggest I do? We have lost all the great knowledge of our old Mage craft. We study a new, we are like babes compared to some of these undead. They are powerful and they use elemental magic. From what you tell me you give elemental magics out.

So Why Dear Dear Elemental of my plane, do you give the enemy magic? How do I stop them from taking it from you and using it against US?

Why do I think that Fire lies to us.. That they do not actualy tell us how magic works. That they fog our minds with useless information.

*Book stands slowly and careful not to make any sudden movements* It is perhaps time that I collected my thoughts in a different place. This place of water is ... distasteful to me. Perhaps Elemental Lord we will talk again... *Book smiles and humbly bows his head in aknowledgement*

(OOC Sorry work sent me away for a few days so I could not reply)

"You say you were short on time, so short you attempted three failed rituals instead of one successful one and the sources of information you had available to you were ignored in your arrogance. Do you really think you could have learned anything from the tray? A lord of water bound in to a prison by the same magics you were trying to perform, if you actually think he would have helped you then you are far more stupid than you look"

The elemental listens to what Book has to say before staring at him utterly agog

"I have to admit I simply do not know what to say to you mage, your complete ignorance of the situation astounds me and would probably make your fellow mages roll around in hysterical fits of laughter.

You say our plane and those of the other elementals are free of threat, yet they are currently faced with one of the worst threats we have ever known, which has in part been caused by you, the mortal races of this world. You call yourself an air mage but you have no understanding of the threats to the plane of air.

Also, the undead are your enemies, not ours. If you genuinely understood and took part in the politics of the elements, not only would you understand this fact but you would also be a great deal more powerful than you are now. The fellow mages you deride so harshly play these games, you have seen them gain in power but you do not understand what it is they have done to get that power. Instead you criticise them for getting what you so desire. The undead know this and they play the games and they get the magic, you cannot stop them, but we do treat both the undead and the living races equally, you have equal chance to gain the knowledge you seek all you need to do is reach out and take it instead of expecting it to fall in to your lap.

Perhaps fire did lie to you, alternativly perhaps you did not understand what it was you were told. Not all infomation is given easily for those who work to understand something value it much more than those who dont, and often garner greater understanding from the same information than one who has it explained to them. You say you seek knowledge but you only see what is in front of you and cannot see the depths beneath the surface. Tell me, does water have no depth just becasue you can see the surface?

As for this place, you call it a place of water, this alone singles you out as small minded and possibly blind. This place is a home for all the elements rather than one specific one, you can see this if you look around you even if you have no ability to detect magic. Do you really think that Umbrial would have gained the support of all 4 elemental races if this place were restricted to only one element? Perhaps what gives you a headache is being in the presence of someone who has understood the politics of the planes and used them to build something that will advance magical learning by centuries.

Finally I have a question for you, what if I gave you the chance to help the elemental plane of air against its current threat, would you take it? Would you do whatever was needed to save the powers you served, irrespective of the challenge or the cost?

Would you do it if the plane of air offered all the magical knowledge we had at our disposal in return for your services?

I serve? I thought I was given in fair trial, magics.

You say we play a game of politics that has gone on for longer than I have been alive. You say the undead are merely our enemy.

So tell me. Earth has had it's own elementals trapped by undead mages. We seek to unbind those elementals. Is this wrong?


I am small minded? Perhaps. I seek to preserve and not destroy and to keep this knowledge for all to understand. Not to resrict it to a selcelt few who wish to join under the control of water. If I pledge my alliegance to one political power in the elemental plane. Tell me why would I possibly deal with a sworn enemy?


No in my plane the elements work together in many ways. We can do little to help in your power struggles except maybe if it follows our path. Lord Air, I do not wish to insult you.

It is just these mages of power you speak of, who play the game of politics with your elemental kind do not share their knowledge. I understand people of a different plane not sharing. But of my own??????? I am kept from this knowledge as they see me as weak and foolish.

Yet Master Air. I am not weak and I am no fool. I use my power wisely and wish only to gain more spell points to enable me to cast the spells I have more often. My spells may seem weak to you but for me they are a powerful arsenel that have saved the lives of my friends many times. They have even helped elemental kin when required.


You offer a large tempting prize. But I do not know the price. I am not hungry for power. I wish to save the lives of my fellows. I wish the burden of the undead smashing our gate to stop. Will all the power of Air stop that at this time?

*Book heaves a great sigh* I do not like being out of the Loop Air, it is most.... frustrating. While I understand I'm one of the weakest mages around and I could be beaten easily by any other Air mage I come across, I have no right to be in the loop. However in this case you muct expect me to make large mistakes.

Lastly.. for again I do not wish to ... upset you further. Airkin are ... in danger from undead. I have heard tell of a Demon, as you know fire kin, being turned to undead. Would that an angel had this fate... what would happen?

*Book listens eagerly to this answer as it is one of the questions he has been reading about*


I maybe be a foolish mage but I do not waste what I have been given in rash displays of power. Which it seems most other elemental mages do. *Book plays with the black ring on his finger*

"Serve, of course you serve, mages are an extension of the elementals power here in this plane. You are nothing without elementals and therefore the bargain has always been a simple one. We give you the magical power and you server us. Do not make the mistake of believing you are our equals, you mortals would be nothing if you didnt fill a useful role to us the elementals."

After a moment the elemental continues

"The bound earth elements are the problem of the earth plane and the mages that serve them, they are not your problem. The more earth magic bound up in items the weaker earth becomes and therefore the stronger we get.

I have to admit I wonder what plane it is you speak of. All the elementals and the mages that server them follow the agendas of their element. Sometimes this means they work together and fight side by side, other times they will be at each others throats but always the needs and desires of the element coms first. All mages play the game of politicsor they get left behind as you have been. The others struggle to get involved in in our struggles and disputes, they make alliances and enemies but by doing so they gain power. They are not the ones keeping you from power, you do that yourself by not embracing what it is you are and what you stand for."

After a moments thought the elemental continues

"Allow me to put you on the path you seem blind to. I offer you a spell of the fourth level and the mental skill required to use it. All you need to do is become a mage of the Air house Lyph. Agree and the knowledge is yours.

As for my previous offer, note that I offered you knowledge and not power. There are those who think that knowledge is power but that is not quite correct, power is the correct use of knowledge. We of Air have much knowledge to give and we want you to do a job for us. Name your price, what knowledge is sufficient payment for your services? Perhaps we could give you the knowledge of how to create a new life stone. Alternativly how about the knowledge of how to stop the undead riseing again and again? This kind of information could save your friends or turn the tide of the war against the undead.

So I ask again what payment do you ask for your services?

As for the Air-Kin, they are more than capable of looking after themselves, they are older and wiser than than you know. However, as to your question about an undead angel. Properly raised it it would be a being of great and terrible power, stopping it would virtually impossible for a mortal like you."

From what I understand House Lyph has .. a problem. I'm sure I know where this resides.


Lord of Air.... From what you said.. it has perhaps given me an idea. I have come into some information that may help Air gain Dominion over the other Elements. I find Fire is two faced. Water is just a waste of time and Earth moves to slow. Sir should be in control as we ... have greater wisdom.

So if we Bound elementals from Other planes into weapons. These in turn help my kind in our struggle. This would help Air gain a stonger footing. If I managed to bind a Lord of the other planes... then I would entrust that to House Lyph... Seeing as Lyph is the most trustworthy of all Air houses..

Do not think me Left behind Lord Air. Just because I have not asked for something does not mean I am not capable. I have been lead to believe by fire that binding any elemental into a weapon is a bad idea for elemental kind.

My Lord I do not see myself as equal in power to you. To even think that.. it would be such folley I'd be an idiot worth having the air from my lungs removed forever. NO. I think of us as equals in this bargain. Yes I gain something from you, but it is nothing in comparisson to what you could give. You yourself have confirmed this. Yet what you could ask of me is Great.

A fine gift you offer and I will accept it to become part of your house. The Knowledge I wish to learn from you is how to create a magical weapon. In the up and coming battle the will be needed. Demon kin have become undead, I see no reason why the Angels can not become so. For this we may need to arm the Angels or atleast have a way of defeating one if it falls. But creating weapons gives both a boon for you and a boon for me. An equal trade off.


My lord the creation of a second life stone would be good if.. if we wished to stay in a tiny area. I feel our population would out grow this area soon. No I need to know how to reapir the lifestone and how to Stop the undead rising again and again.


Finally Lord Air. I need to know of any of the Air elementals that have been trapped and bound inside items of power and how I can free them. Unless it is against the wishes of... Our house.

"Do tell mage, what is this problem that troubles your new house, I am interested to hear your take on it. Also, choose your new spell and it will be granted to you.

Your opinion of the other elements is your own to make and hold as is your will but your idea, if I understand it right is an interesting one. The basis of your idea is to weaken the other elements by trapping elementals in weapons. Tis an interesing plan and could concieveably work. Your mind is sharp mage, perhaps there is value in having you in house Lyph.

It is interesting you ask for the knowledge of how to make magical items as the principles are the same should you wish to make a magical sword or a new life stone so the knowledge you have requested is large in quantity. However, I like your plan to trap elementals and weaken the other planes allowing us to take the dominance which is rightfully ours.

Very well, if you do a task for us, we will grant you this knowledge and allow you to set your plan in motion, we will even lend support where we are able. Consider the task we ask of you a downpayment to show you are loyal to your new house.

Do you agree?"

I am lead to believe by other mages not of our element that there is a power struggle in the Element of Air. I largely ignored this as I count it as hearsay and rumour. Not fact.

Hence why it may be a problem.



I will do as you ask.. But tell me first. With regards to making items of power. All I know is how to bind an Elemental into an object, not how to craft it. I need names of elementals. This is how we could bind the most..... annoying of our enemies. From what I have learned a name is all I need and they will be bound. So perhaps Our House could supply the names.. It is something I stubbled apon by accident when I tried to rid an area of undead.

A mistake that was costly but proved very fruitful. It could be fixed but it showed me how to bind an elemental into something strong enough to hold it.


I accept our Bargain Lord Air. May I ask you that you do not share my wish with another mage of our... element. Fire has managed to turn other mage's away from binding any elemental into an object. Fire has even dared to say he will kill anyone who does.

I ask one last thing.. We are bargained well and done. But why has an Air elemental given the gift of a message spell to a Water mage?.. Umbrial has used it to summon me, I counter cast it immediately as I not suffer being summoned by anything but an Elemental of my choice of plane.

(OOC the Elemental spell book only goes to level 3 from what I can read).

(OOC we can sort out which level 4 spell you get when you next get to an event as I dont have a copy of the full spell lists in a readily usable format atm)

The elemental appears satisfied.

"The method you think you know is the old method, it is long, hard work and dangerous, as you have already learned. We will teach you the new way to bind elementals in to items, faster, more efficient and without the danger. However you will need to either learn the skill of crafting artificer items or find someone who can do it for you. For only artificer items are strong enough to bind an elemental against its will.

As for the message spell and the water mage, look around, this is a place of magic there are mages all over, one of those could have cast it on the water mages behalf, or they could have provided her with a scroll so she could do it herself. These are only two possible options that would have allowed a mage of water to use an air spell and either would seem likely considering this place we are in now.

Anyway, my work here is done and our deal is complete, you are now a mage of house Lyph and have been granted your payment for that. Also you have agreed to perform a task for us in return for the knowledge of how to craft items and thereby further the objectives of air. Our deals have been set and cannot be broken. We shall be in touch with your task, once its completed the knowledge is yours. You have greatness in your future mage, walk forward boldly for we are watching your back. I warn you, should you choose to turn your back on our deal, then I guarenttee the only place you will be able to elude us will be deep in the elemental plane of earth and unless you become and earth elemental in the mean time you may find surving there a little hard.

I bid you good day"

The vortex increases and the paper flys and the elemental is gone.

*Book smiles* Atlast noticed.... Hmm I'll have to have a word about leaving things in a mess... Books are dleicate... And I'll be making sure that missy doesn't cast an Airspell at me..


*Book walks having remembered a few teachings about Soul casting..*