Slavers at the Gates
The following content is a synopsis of the Prologue of Volanthia Divided, a campaign set in Norlanin and played by members of the Realm of Strife Patron’s Guild.
Adolescent spirit users from all across Norlanin arrive at Volanthia only to discover that permanent entry and citizenship can only be gained by enrolling in the Volanthian Academy of the Spiritual Arts (VASA). The enrollment offices are closed until the next semester begins and as such one group of would be students must instead camp out in the outer city.
The outer city is a lawless place, a rough and tumble shanty town that has slowly sprung up outside the main gates of Volanthia, populated by miscreants and mundies. One by one each of the young magic users is conned by a friendly mage who claims to work for the enrollment office. He claims he can get them through the “Citizen’s Gate” (a magical portal in the city wall that only citizens can pass through). Once inside the city, the enrollment office is much less busy and they should have no problems getting into VASA.
However the temporary “Citizen’s Amulets” he offers turn out to be counterfeit. Instead of getting them into the city, the amulets knock them out cold out and teleport to a secret prison cell located somewhere in the outer city.
Here they discover that Slavers have been hired to capture young magic users to be sold for nefarious purposes to an extremist group within the Royal Order of Archons in Leonen
Despite having their spirit powers blocked, the students manage to orchestrate their escape by tricking the Slavers and physically overpowering them. They receive further assistance from a young red headed novice named Valleen Waycrest, who claims she is there to rescue everyone. Though ultimately her brave rescue doesn’t tip the odds much in their favor, a group of Battlemages from the Volanthian Guard (the police force for the City of Mages) arrive shortly after, in pursuit of Valleen at the behest of her father
Valleen is displeased with them, claiming that they are not doing their job and that this issue of slavers kidnapping young magic users at the gates has gotten out of control and that Volanthia needs to act. The Battlemages ignire her comments and simply insist that she return to her father while they take care dealing with the slavers. The Battlemages are particularly impressed by Hadrian, who they believe already shows promise and may one day make fine member of the Volanthian Guard.
In an attempt to compensation them for their troubles, the Volanthian Guard offer the young magic users temporary access to Volanthia through the main gates, and are taken to be enrolled directly into VASA. Once enrolled, they relinquish all of their personal belongings and are given Novice’s robes, pendant, and a choice of a wand or dagger.
While many of the young magic users are reluctant to give up their prized possessions and/or ancestral heirlooms, the enrollment officer insists they will be keep safe in the vaults and will be returned upon graduation. Once relinquished, they are given a quick tour of VASA and then shown to their new private quarters. They are all now novice students of VASA.
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