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The Glynwood Institute For Thaumaturgical Studies

---

Apollo's inquiry of the small town just outside the college seemed to respark the banter between his new classmates. Was it really something so divisive? Or perhaps it was that this lot had yet to find common ground. Or, maybe they just liked to throw verbal jabs at each other- the one named Blake seemed like he did, anyway. Apollo's eyes trailed down to Blake's gauze around his arms as he seemed to strike a nerve with Theo, and wondered if it was related, but kept that idea secluded away from the possibility of prying into another hurtful subject. Instead, he pivoted both his eyes and head to the two girls on his other side, as he seemed just as intrigued as Dionysia that Iris would find a simple bed to be so luxurious. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you slept well, at least!" He released some of the tension between the five of them with a small laugh, just in time for a sixth student to approach. Someone he hadn't seen in during the opening ceremony; did he come from somewhere else in the crowd? Or was he late? Apollo shrugged when the student asked permission to join, offering a bit of clarity with "I don't think its up to us, we were all assigned into cohorts. But uhh, I don't see why you can't chat with us until we're all sent off to our dorms."

Apollo's hand lifted to the new student, accompanied by a warm smile. "I'm Apollo, and these are-" he looked over his shoulder at the others in the conversation, taking a second to coagulate their names in his head. "Iris, Dionysia, Theo, and Blake," he listed from left to right, before facing back to him. "And you are?"

@Scribe of Thoth@Crowvette@Ignorancebliss

The Glynwood Institute For Thaumaturgical Studies

Is this still taking applications?

@Ignorancebliss

Might get a faster answer on the discord.

Adventure Awaits! - Prompt Voting CYOA (Always Open)

> Shoot the fragile cliffs above. <

---

A blood-curdling roar bellowed from the grotesquely fanged maw of the troll, its hands balled into fists high above its head as its strained and red eyes glared down at you with an angry hunger. Its arms began to swing down just as you fired one final arrow, which whistled over its head and climbed high toward the edge of the cliffs. While the metal arrow tip itself only made a barely audible "plink" off the loose stone between the cracks, the impact was enough to release them. A low and loud rumble shook the troll from its final attack, saving you from its crushing blow as it twisted its head up to the sky. Neither you nor the troll had much time to react, though. As quickly as you struck your target, rocks and snow began to slip from the edge of the cliff and rain down upon you both, followed soon after by a cascade of earth and ice as the wedge between the cracks slipped further and further out from the wall it sat in.

The troll rose its hand to its face, shielding its eyes from the collapsing debris and backing away from you. Now was your chance! You quickly stood up, and even more quickly felt a surge of pain strangle your legs, causing you to collapse onto your hands and knees. The frozen stones striking your back grew bigger with each passing second, trying to keep you pinned under the impending landslide. Fighting past the crumbling cliffside and the weakness in your body, you picked yourself up again and began to limp away from the danger zone before it was too late. Unfortunately, doing so only lured the monster to follow you, it too seeking refuge from the harassment above. It growled and roared, stumbling after you while suffering the same battering and bruising that you were. Luckily, it was just barely too far away to strike you, and its attempts to hold its arms out to you were met with falling chunks of cliffside swatting its hands back down.

You wouldn't dare look behind you. Every moment wasted was life or death. You pressed on against the pain, the glistening clouds of powdery dust and snow that obscured your vision, the rumbling, roaring and growling behind you. It all culminated in a earth-shaking crash behind you. An explosion of stone as you were certain the massive wedge finally met the ground. What followed was near-silence; the pattering of smaller pebbles sounded like pleasant rain in comparison to the storm of earth you suffered through as the dust settled both metaphorically and physically. Notably- the visceral roars of your foe were also absent, evident as your looked over your shoulder to see a single large, fur coated claw, stained red and poking out from underneath the colossal boulder.

Were you to feel remorse for killing this troll? You pondered if it would have felt the same while it bit into its dessert had things gone the other way. The quandary didn't last much longer in your mind, as the sting of your body returned you to reality. Regardless of how you felt, standing here wouldn't change it. In the silence following the fight, you lowered yourself against a newly fallen boulder to recuperate and make sure you were still in one piece. Nothing was missing- that's good. Nothing looks like it's bent the wrong way- also good. The pain from just moving though, like whip cracks against your knees and shins- not good. You pulled at the bandolier across your chest, plucking from it one of three small vials with a glimmering red fluid sloshing about inside. These potions were expensive, but putting you back to form was worth the gold. Rolling it between your thumb and index finger, you pondered if it was worth drinking. On the one hand, you could still move. On the other hand, it hurt like hell.

---

• Drink the health potion, and continue on your way.
[Spend 1 of 3 health potions: return to a healthy condition]

• Press on without drinking the potion.
[No cost: Maintain harm at moderate, "weakened legs"]

• Rest here for a bit to catch your breath before continuing.
[Spend 1 hour resting: Reduce harm to minor, "bruised legs"]

Adventure Awaits! - Prompt Voting CYOA (Always Open)

> Bow and arrow. <
[Archetype - Rogue]

---

One of your hands snapped to your bow, pointing it at the mountain troll as your other hand lifted an arrow from your quiver and nocked it in place. You always came prepared with plenty of ammunition, but the thick fur and hide of this thing meant you'd have to aim your shots well if you wanted to make it through alive. With a careful poise, you kept your weapon between you and your potential foe, waiting for the perfect moment. The troll however, was far less patient. A low and gravelly mixture of a roar and screech tested your resolve as the monster picked itself up from its dinner. With the howl of the wind far behind at the entrance of this pass, the battle cry of the beast was unfiltered in its predation as it leaned forward and began to charge.

Where the beast claimed superiority of strength, you claimed superiority of dexterity. The moment it sprung into action, you loosed your arrow with impeccable reaction, sinking the projectile into the shoulder of the hulking behemoth as it trampled its way toward you. To both your expectation and dismay, a single shot of this caliber was not enough to slow the stampede. Your eyes risked a brief moment away from the troll as you scanned to your left and right for an escape. There was nowhere to hide fully, but plenty of crumbled cliffside nestled where the walls met the floor on both sides; rocks and boulders of varying sizes laid about, perfect for climbing atop. Hesitation was deadly at the moment, and so you took the opportunity presented to scramble onto the high ground just in time to avoid a swipe from the troll.

From your new perch, you were not fully out of reach, but you did have time to sink a few more arrows into your attacker as it recovered from the miss. Another intimidating roar bellowed as it turned and rose its arms to reach you. As best as you could, you led the monster astray, hopping across the uneven and treacherous shelf of cold earth. Each jump and roll you made dodged the slashing of claws, piercing of teeth, and crushing of limbs that each sundered any stone your feet crossed. Even a single successful strike against you would spell disaster, leading you to only take retaliation shots when you believed it to be absolutely safe. That was, until you ran out of running room at the top of these rocks. The next set of toppled stonework was far beyond the range of a leap, and almost instantly as you spent searching for somewhere closer to run or jump to, you felt the air in your lungs vacate from a mighty impact against your back. The troll's fist launched you off the boulder and onto the ground in a rough tumble across the cold stones.

Your body was wracked with pain; scratches and bruises from the landing only intensified the soreness of your back and legs from the swipe that knocked you down. As you turned onto your back and reclaimed your bow, you looked up just in time to see the beast looming overhead. Both of its arms rose high, clenched together in an overt desire to turn you into crimson paste against the ground. Looking past the arrow-filled monster, you saw high above it a large crack in the cliffs, splitting near the top to barely support a massive chunk of earth that looked like even the slightest nudge could set it free.

---

• Try to get out of the way.

• Shoot the troll.
[Write in: Choose a part of the body]

• Shoot the fragile cliffs above.

The Glynwood Institute For Thaumaturgical Studies

---

"It's nice to meet you all," Apollo listened as his new classmates introduced themselves, each of Iris, Theo, Blake and Dionysia taking a turn to familiarize the cohort, or at least the half of the bunch that formed this circle. They were within earshot of the absolutely elated man who was forced to be their wrangler, but had not yet coagulated around him as a few his other students seemed to have done. "Ohh, well hopefully we'll all be fast-friends, then," Apollo nodded at Blake's explanation. "How long did you stay at Pebblebrook for? I just arrived today from Pontaion, so I didn't really get to see the town much." He rose his hand to the back of his head and gave the others a light hearted smile. "It seemed quaint, though!"

Adventure Awaits! - Prompt Voting CYOA (Always Open)

> "Reports of a missing person led me here." <

---

With the inquisitive gaze of Umildraen upon you, your hand reached up to lower your scarf from around your face and give room to speak. "Not too long ago, a woman by the name of Aika Lenonne made her way up these mountains in search of this temple. She never came back down, and so here I am- to find her," you trailed off as you looked off to the temple across the peaks. The grim thought crossed your mind that in a place as cold, dark, and dangerous as this, someone unprepared, lost or injured would have a very short time remaining. Your view snapped back to your guide, a questioning leer of your own fired back at him. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about her, would you?"

The dwarf by your side flustered a bit under your scrutiny and shook his head side to side. "Can't say I do, yer th'first one to hire me services fer some while. There are other hikers among th'peaks that take travelers too- or worse- she tried gettin' up here herself," he shrugged and looked out to the temple himself. "She could be anywhere up here, y'know. What makes ye think she's in there?"

"The client- her teacher, master? He had tasked her to explore the temple. He wouldn't tell me why, but it was clear this was her intended destination."

"Well he sounds almost as daft as she does. Least he ain't tryna kill her, or there'd be no sense in sendin' ye up here."

A nod was all you felt needed as your eye scanned the pass between you and the temple, planning the final leg of the route in your head. You seemed to get lost in thought for a minute, as a nudge from your guide returned you to focus. "Seems strange to me though, don'cha think? One girl disappears up a mountain, so he only sends one more person to find her?" It dawned on you that he might be right, and that something isn't adding up here. Either way, there would be little point in turning back now. "I'm confident that I can find her," you reassured both Umildraen and yourself. The response you earned was a rather hearty "Har har! That's th'spirit," and an even heartier slap on your back. He retracted his arm into the other and folded them over his chest, pinning his beard down to it. "Unfortunately for ye, this is as far as I go. Th'path ahead speaks for itself. But unless this Aika could fend fer herself, she could be layin' face-down in some red snow in that there pass," he released his hand and aimed a fat index finger down between the two ridges in the distance, a small crevasse splitting them would be the most direct route to the temple.

"Aye, best o' luck to ye," the dwarf excused himself, turning about face and trudging back the way you came. With no one left to kill time for you, you pulled your scarf back over your mouth, and carefully made down the steep incline before you.

Even here at the top of the world, the remaining peaks towered as mountains in their own right. The base of the ridges you found yourself between was cast under an umbral curtain, shielded from the silvery gaze of the moon by the sheer cliffs that rose to your left and right. From here, the Temple of Zorkuth was no longer in view, but you were certain you were headed toward it still. With the tall stretches of rock on either side, the bitter cold wind here died down significantly, along with the accumulation of snow, revealing the remains of an old stone-worked path of large bricks. This ancient semblance of a road crept along the pass, carrying you closer and closer to the other side. Still, no sight of your missing person could be made. Any snowfall even as recent as this morning would have covered tracks before this pass in minutes, and here there was almost no snow in which to leave footprints. It wouldn't be until halfway through the pass that you encountered anything of merit.

Of course, the one thing you hoped not to cross was the exact thing blocking your way. Taking up a rather greedy amount of space between the cliffs was a hulking beast of a creature, clad ivory in thick fur and hunched over the carcass of something unrecognizable, though thankfully too large itself to be a person. This two-legged, two-armed thing was no part humanoid, as a fully monstrous maw accented small predatory eyes, all of which crowned by two massive horns which curled in erratic directions. It tore into its prey with vicious claws, bringing the color red into this otherwise black-and-white landscape as it knelt down and sunk its teeth into the meal to rip away something to chew on. It was at that moment, as it lifted its head from the food it crouched over, that its eyes locked with yours.

There was no ambiguity in what would happen next. You reached for your...

---

• Sword and shield.
[Archetype - Warrior]

• Bow and arrow.
[Archetype - Rogue]

• Mace.
[Archetype - Priest]

• Staff.
[Archetype - Mage]

The Glynwood Institute For Thaumaturgical Studies

---

The final day in Pontaion was somber, sobering for Apollo. Surrounded by his family- both blood and bond- he put on an air of pride for the small audience that gathered to see him off. He had given his temporary goodbyes to each one of them, the least of which not being his own mother Freyalise as she pulled herself away from the teleportation circle in which he stood. Operating this circle was a simple task for the expert mage that took posture between him and his mother, and as the historian performed his incantation, Apollo looked upon this man with a silent nod of gratitude. A thanks not only for whisking him away, or for composing the letter that secured him a place at his destination. He thanked Ezeras for all of the support the Ekkenhart family provided for the last two of the Sophos name.

The young student drew in his breath, closed his eyes, and let his mind wander. When focus had recoalesced around him, his new view was that of the through-town of Pebblebrook. The sounds of gentle waves bid him to about-face and find the ferry upon which he would make the final leg of his venture. The letter aided him in boarding the ship, and he took in the faces of his would-be classmates and companions as more bodies joined for the ride.

Apollo wasn't a stranger to living under weather changing magic, but even his childhood in the climate-controlled city of Tythrae didn't prepare him for the spectacle he'd marvel at as the ship set unto the waters. Upon witnessing the gloomy clouds make way for the elegant sunlight above, his eyes grew wide in amazement. A bright smile plastered across his face as the school that would make his new home came into view, presented in all its opulent glory. The downdraft of Ouranic magical energy only helped electrify his mood with energy, filling through him as it did the dancing lights that fluttered throughout the sky and across the lake. Anyone who looked upon him would see one giddy mageling, not enough to bounce off the walls, but one who was clearly optimistic about the year ahead.

Upon arrival at the campus island, Apollo's bewildered sight-seeing would continue as he and his fellow freshmen were led into the small gathering hall, and having coagulated with his assigned cohort by now, was unable to avoid hearing the banter that some of the students already seemed to involve each other in. An affair amongst the teachers certainly wasn't the first thing he expected to hear, but an institution run by the gathering of some of the most powerful mages- both politically and magically- it didn't exactly surprise him either. Being the ever extrovert he was, he leaned in toward them with a friendly smile. "Hey there," he greeted. "It seems like we're in the same class group, so... my name's Apollo. Nice to meet you!" As he introduced himself, he familiarized himself with the faces of his new classmates. "Do you three already know each other? It must be nice to already have some friends right out the-" If any of those he spoke to were paying him attention, they likely would have caught his mouth forming the word "gate," but heard no sound as the silencing spell washed over the crowd and music to make way for the formalities to begin.

Apollo was taken aback with a slight confusion at first, but as the Chancellor began to speak, his head turned to face their headmaster and understanding found him not long after. Unfortunately, he also picked up on the slight dissent that seeped through both the student body and the faculty like a thinly veiled miasma. He shook it off as best as he could and focused on the words of the head of staff, as well as the instructions of the Vice-Chancellor that followed. As the ceremony seemed to end as suddenly as it began, and the volume of the hall returned to its previous levels, Apollo spared a glance at the black-haired man who would oversee his cohort before returning to the other students he was addressing. "Huh, that was a bit dry for a welcome ceremony, don't you think? Oh! And I didn't catch your names before, again I'm Apollo," he repeated with a bit more decorum.

Adventure Awaits! - Prompt Voting CYOA (Always Open)

Umildraen Nogrid

Face

Race
Humanoid - Dwarf (Mountain)
Age
185
Appearance
Standing at just a hair over three feet, Umildraen is short even by dwarven standards. He makes up for this less-than-impressive stature with a bulk of musculature toned by a lifetime on the treacherous Therakin Mountains. Screwed on straight atop his broad and round shoulders is an equally round face, decorated by a flat and bulbous nose between two beady almond colored eyes, and a colossal black beard, greyed with age. He is often seen clad head-to-toe in thick furs and cloths, protecting himself from the freezing temperatures he calls home.

Personality
Umildraen's youthful heart beats warm life through him, like the geothermal drums of his people. Ever curious, he is happy to wander with seemingly aimless cause across the mountains he calls home, and is selfless in his desire to share such wonders with anyone willing to tread beside him.
Biography
Umildraen Nogrid has lived a relatively peaceful but fulfilling life. Born in the border city of Jotov, the Nogrid family spent as much time above ground in the Daldoran half of the city as they did underground in the Lasaruujian sectors. As a through-city for merchants, militia, and adventurers, Umildraen quickly found a love for those who would make exploring and travel their hobby and career. He took this penchant for adventure to heart, spending his free time hiking the mountains of Daldon and feeding his wanderlust from dawn to dusk and then some.
In his later age, Umildraen settled further up the mountains than his family had lived before him, nestling into a cozy hole-in-the-wall where he sold his services as a travel guide for those seeking to cross the maze of peaks within the Therakin Mountains.

Adventure Awaits! - Prompt Voting CYOA (Always Open)

Well- I had a bit of time to squeeze out some writing today, and I'm a bit too excited to wait until tomorrow! Don't worry, the voting for this first round will still be a week long as normal, so you'll all have until the end of Saturday May 20th to vote one of the prompts.

Adventure Awaits! - Prompt Voting CYOA (Always Open)

~ Prologue ~

---

Our story begins with the night sky, an infinite dome of deep midnight blue, decorated by the glistening motes of the heavens. From zenith to horizon, this celestial shell remained unobstructed as you crest one of the peaks of the Therakin Mountain range. The darkness above your head contrasted the ethereal silver below your feet, the snow around you illuminated by the captivating moonlight. To your sides, the cliffs of this peak dropped steeply, granting you an unobstructed view of the countryside both to the east and west. On your right, the mountains receded quickly as your gaze flew further east, and to the still somewhat unexplored forests that sat snug against this earthly spine you walked atop. There, the border leading to the Kingdom of Geland and its many provinces was drawn where tree met stone. On your left, the mountains of Therakin sloped more gently west, dotting the Daldon Empire with several more peaks as far as the eye could see.

"Th'wind's quite calm tonight, ain't it?" The only other living thing nearby spoke to you as he tossed a glance over his left shoulder. What looked back at you with beady almond-colored eyes was the stout and stocky mug of a mountain dwarf. His head was helmeted by a massive wool cap, rivaled only by the magnitude of his salt-and-pepper beard which cascaded from his lips and jaw just beyond his belt. Adding to his width was a heavy fur coat wrapped tightly over his shoulders and around his stomach. You had only met this man half a day ago, but you knew him as Umildraen Nogrid, a hermit and guide-of-sorts for those daring or foolish enough to embark on this pilgrimage. "Count yer'self lucky," Umildraen wagged a finger before facing forward and continuing to trudge through the snow. "I gave a mighty fine prayer to Ersu for a safe hike after our dinner- a bit rushed but I'm supposin' some of th'gods ain't that picky," he mused himself with a low chuckle. As he continued, the path he led you on steepened further, and you found yourself cresting yet another spike of frozen stone along the uneven spires here at the top of the world.

From this miniature peak, your intended destination finally came into view. The summit of Therakin itself rose from between the next set of ridges, with only one more pass between you and the temple that jutted from the side of the cliffs near the very top. With only its entry structure visible from the outside, you presumed that the remainder- and what you sought within- were carved, chiseled, and constructed directly into the mountain itself.

"Still don't get it, why yer' in such a rush to see th'Temple of Zorkuth," your guide very visibly shrugged as he pulled himself up to the top of this penultimate peak. "I've led many a traveler to this very peak- you know. Th'temple's a sight for sure, but ya've seen th'walk to get up here, even from me cozy little shack half-way up." Umildraen scratched his beard with a thickly gloved hand and turned to face you. "Somethin' tells me you ain't just a tourist. Nobody would come up here at this time o'night just to take a gander and walk back down. What's in there that's gotcha in a hurry?"

---

• "Reports of a missing person led me here."

• "There's a great evil residing in that temple."

• "I've heard of the vast treasures that lie within."

• "An ancient relic of great power rests there."