The Journey of a Concealed Figure

[AConcealedFigure]

"I finally managed to scrounge enough for the train ride and to bribe the man at the gate for a visa. I feel bad for the group that I left behind. It was not my fault the undead fell upon them... seems they no longer had need of their possessions anyway. I managed to survive the usual way... being hidden and ever vigilant. The people in the fort, many of them do not see the things I see. Their time here has left many of them feeling contented, safe... Made many bags easy pickings. Some of them are watchful though... Must keep an eye out on them... For now, I need to work on some skills to defend myself. There's a crypt outside of town that I've seen the dead pouring out of. I wonder if anyone was buried with their possessions... Worth taking a look..."

[AConcealedFigure]

"The crypts are crowded with not just the dead, but others with the same goals as me... I have found there to be old chests below... I've never been much of a hand with lockpicks, but something is drawing me to look within... Just my typical curiosity? Or... something more?"

"The lockpicks are expensive, It has taken many broken picks, but I finally cracked one. Within, coin, some odd items, and these old books... Can't read a word... Tried to take a closer look but it fell to pieces... I'll hold onto them in case I make a friend that can use them... The peculiar items as well... I don't know their worth, but if they've been locked away..."

"I should start making plans for a safe place away from the Fort... In case things take a turn for me there. I should prepare some things, benches, storage, anything I might need to be self-sufficient..."

[AConcealedFigure]

"I've spent a lot of time among the dead, my ability to get into the sealed away chests has gotten better, though the cost in lockpicks alone has been staggering... I've been building up quite the inventory, made myself a decent little place. I feel safer than I have in some time... Many of those various items, dozens of these tomes... Perhaps it's worth taking another look at their contents..."

"It took several attempts but I believe I've managed to put together some of the patterns of these words... I'm not sure what they mean but something about the configuration seems... right. They feel... Powerful... I myself... Feel powerful just for knowing... Do all of these books hold the same potential" *Looks within the bag of dozens of tomes* "Perhaps... Perhaps this is something worth knowing... The books won't seem to make it through the process but the information... If I could somehow harness this information... What does it mean?"

[AConcealedFigure]

"MAGIC! My studies have led me to something even I can understand. These are spellwork, for certain... I've seen other mages about... Even attempted to approach them... They have not been... very open with me, for obvious reasons. I continue to read and grow... And even practice... It's a good thing I have my safe haven. A fine place to practice."

"I've been a fool... To think anywhere was safe... I came home to a note... Stupid! STUPID! I can't stay here... It's not safe... I need to make some friends... Who can be trusted though? Is there any way for one like me not to walk a solitary path? I need to take some chances... But first... to move things... and take care of this place... Leave nothing behind."

[AConcealedFigure]

"I've made a new safe haven. It's not as nice as before but it is a place of my own. Making new contacts as well, hoping to hear back from one of the Faction Leaders though I don't know what sort of keep a thief and aspiring mage could hope to find..."

"In the meantime, my picking skills become more and more honed, I've started getting into the area's houses recently. Odd how there are so many engineers but so few strong locks. I take mostly only what I need to further my research... Mostly... Some other items here and there to pass along as gifts and favors..."

"I'm keeping my most important items with Lindsey. I will create a new way, a new store for people like myself, A Sorcerer's Sanctum. I've been dabbling here and there and I've finally created a spellbinder's kit. Between the parchments of words, spell scrolls, these peculiar items (my research refers to as Morium) I hope to make things more easily available. I scoff at those who would try to stop knowledge..."

[AConcealedFigure]

"I'd been out exploring today, skulking through an odd tribe of men, The Ooks? They were very strong, but I met a fellow skulker in the night, very adept at putting the cannibals down... Perhaps someone worth trusting? Who knows if there is such a thing anymore..."

"I can back into town after a long hunt, after having gone further out than I'd ever have before... Seemed there was some kind of disturbance in the Craft Hall... A large crowd had gathered... I tried pushing through to see what all the alarm was about... Then I ran straight into Him... Layne Bridges, he called himself, the leader of the VIC others called him... Said he was here inspecting heretical items..."

"He'd left a note with Lindsey, saying if there was some mistake or argument about what'd been confiscated, to come find him... Time to pack things up again... There was a place I'd seen before, some kind of Gypsy Town... I wonder if they would be more amenable to this sort of business..."

"The Legion finally reached back to me regarding my note... Perhaps if I am honest with them, they can help find refuge... Perhaps... They'll turn me in themselves... Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Some things must be risked..."