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[h1][i][b]To Interpret the Stars[/b][/i][/h1]
[i][b]January First, Sixteenth-Century[/b][/i][/center]

The stars are a most impressive canvas of both magnificence, cosmic will, and divine magic. As it shines and wavers with the day and the night, sometimes it can even overcome the blue veil of the sky even as the sun overpowers all other stars in the heavens. Countless civilizations before would see the heavens and their stellar constellations as anything from a roof to a divine creator's own canvas. These ludicrous superstitions have left the old lands of Oros since long, as understanding of magic grew, so too did religion lose its grip on the powerful mage-caste of the seemingly primordial nation.

At the very peak of the tallest mountain range of Othros, the Orobori Mountains, sits one of the many observatories that litter the lands of the arcane realm. The possesion of the most prestigious Stargazer's Guild. This particular building being the personal observation center for none other than the Guild Master, Astros Luprico; a renowned writer across Albion, most known for his works on cosmic interpretation. On this particular night, just like any other, the clouds would not be able to defy his cosmic ambitions. The clouds were below him, the observatory and the summit it was built into, reaching far towards the stars above.

As he gazed out from the ledge of his seemingly celestial abode he could see before him a sea of clouds, rocking into the mountain side beneath him. As he looked into its vast expanse, as this grey aerial ocean reaches far and in all directions, he could see ever-the-odd opening, allowing him to gaze into the vast metropolis of Omon below him. Home to the citadel of [b]the Lord[/b], the Most Benevolent, almighty, and divine lord of Othros. His might and will is the might and will of his subjects, but through his fair iron hand he promotes progress and empowers the people through benevolence and justice --- it is this benevolence that granted Astros Luprico his home amongst the stars, far above common men and women, far above even the apex of the many towering castles and palaces of their grand and benevolent masters, far above the intrigue and ambition of the mage society.

The Stargazer's Guild has been, since many generations prior, in a most difficult position, only improving under Astros' leadership. Illegitimate scorn and nonsensible insults have plagued the Guild. It had been completely unable to expand its cosmic ambitions for over five generations. If there was a reason for this then it had been hidden from the world long since he was ever born, but the Archdeities are all-knowing, they are all-seeing, and they do not forget scorn or insults laid upon them. Their mercy is great, but their wrath is thousand-fold greater. The world is the way it is for it is better that way, whatever his ancestors had done it was only natural that their descendents would pay for this wrong doing.

But the Lord, in his eternal splendor, granted home and sanctuary to the guild. He allowed it to prosper within his land, and through tedious efforts, allowed them proper embassy within the many institutions owned and governed by the seemingly all-encompassing Administratory. The Lord's selfless efforts and caring earned this old man, at the top of one of the most advanced cosmic observatories in all of Albion, countless mentions of undeserved praise.

Luprico looked down once more, as he sees the clouds begin to reach the distant spire of the Lord's personal palace. The grey veil would not rock against the great tower as it had done the side of the mountain, instead it would go around. He had seen this happen many times before, and will likely see it many times in the future, but he will always be as amazed as he was when he first saw it. The very ability of the Archdeities to bend the world and its laws to their will, their ability and their existence as walking forces of nature, it seemed to transcend even the very nature of what a mage is.

In his amazement, Astros Luprico was put off suddenly as he heard the rapid yet passive, somewhat shy steps of a woman approach behind him. "[i]Master, the Cosmic Chamber has been prepared for you,[/i]" she trailed off, her eyes not meeting the gaze of her master, as it grazed her face from across the observatory's terrace. Astros was never much for handling slaves, he saw their uses, but always had difficulty talking with them. Before he had thought of how to properly respond, to ease the tense atmosphere between the two since earlier, the slave took it upon herself to take the directive.

"[i]Um, I've prepared the necessary elements for you, so please follow me[/i]" she stammered with confidence, she was certain that she had prepared everything required to gaze into and interpret the odd stellar canvas above her. Her master was not so sure, however, and followed her in curious silence. Her ignorance of the cosmic reality above them had been made apparent the other day, where she and her fellow servants had done nothing except clean the Cosmic Chamber, neglecting to prepare even the most basic of arcane instruments --- not even Luprico's most trusted notebook had been prepared. In his irritation and schooling of his less than satisfactory servants, he had raised his arm and submitted them to arcane discipline. 

This night, however, would come as a surprise to all of them, Luprico's first would be that his servants had not only prepared the necessary instruments, but even replaced his aging cold-steel feather quilt. It had been his since he was young, granted to him as a gift by the Grand Teacher of the Magi, the Noble Master of the Administratory, [b]the Administrator[/b] himself. Rarely did an Archdeity spend time amongst mortal whelps, but the Administrator is one of few to make an exception. During exceptional graduations and exemplorary students, he gifts them with a personalized gift, more honorary and symbolic thank practical, and sends them on their way towards the new world of the Master Magi in the lavishness of a most glorious and awe-inspiring ceremony.

Luprico had been fortunate enough to go on that path 62 years in the past, but as he had aged, so too had his quilt wavered. It was at its last legs by now, simple stubbornness being the only real explanation for why it was still in use. In order to excuse their wrong service yesterday, his servants had apparently taken it upon themselves to have their desire to excuse their horrific service the day before made manifest in this gold-embroidered, volcanically forged steel quilt. He marveled in silent wonder at the make of this most impressive tool of writing. Runes on the side of the quilt, before the feathered end's beginning, seem to speak of a forge amidsts the skies, a citadel of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and magic. 

As he realized its origin, he quickly looked towards the girl, her face grinning immensely --- How could a servant girl have come into contact with someone who sells a quilt of [b]the Maker[/b]? No, not even that, how is such a craft even here in his humble chamber of cosmic intepretation to begin with? Only questions appeared in his head, but it was all suddenly silenced as a faint, uninterpretable whisper crossed the night sky. 

Luprico quickly gazed up, holy quilt in hand, and dropped it as he saw the cosmic anomaly ride across the clear sky before him. His servant girl, terrified, sprinted towards the quilt in fear that her master was disappointed, but as she frightfully gazed up at his face after having picked up her gift from her floor, she was swept away. Her mouth wide open, the other horde of servants have since long been gazing in amazement as well, as the fifteen stars zoomed across the divine canvas above them.

"This is no canvas, girl" he paused, "What you see above you is the cosmos; vast expanse of unimaginable magic. A world of the arcane far beyond our mortal understanding..." He spoke mostly to himself, but he could feel the very awe within the girl next to him build up with every word he uttered as they all gazed out of the open roof above them. The marble around them made even the faintest whispers of perplexity bounce around the room, creating an atmosphere of absolute wonderment for all of them to experience. 

"Fifteen stars zoom across the heavens, Fifteen stars..."

His face, as he thought and stared at the night sky, went through all the emotions known to man. Awe, fear, pride, joy, curiosity, and so many more. In astonishment he finally concluded, as he finally took the quilt from his servant girl next to him, that this was divine. "The Fifteen stars of our world; the fourteen, the archdeities, led by this world's sovereign, the sovereign of all this world, the- the Monarch himself!"

As the stars had finally passed from their vision out of the open roof in the Cosmic Chamber and Luprico had finally regained his composure, he shot directly towards the writing desk behind him. He noted his discovery, his theory, and to his amusement, his childish glee. This was a cosmic interpretation without equal, without comparison in all the world and all the history before, it was the first of its kind, and it was, most importantly, fifteen stars that zoomed through the skies.

[i]I must inform the [b]Most Benevolent[/b] in the city below[/i], he thought, as he finished his scribbling and quickly set off towards the path which would lead him through the many halls of his lavish observatory. As he left through the entrance, tailed by his servants, the difficult journey of racing down the rock path down the mountain side was to be the next obstacle. He was adamant, though, of his findings and an unforeseen sense of obligation aided in his quest down the mountain. His fervour would not be concluded until his journey would bring him into the megapolis of Omon and ultimately into the sacrosanct halls of the Lord's personal acropolis.

[hider=Summary]Nothing of importance occured, merely gazing at the stars[/hider]