Role

Chapter 9

(On one page of his journal it appears as though Glastrom attempted to codify
his thoughts on his beliefs and morality. Messy penmanship and a tone that is
sometimes informal make it clear that these are a work in progress or thoughts
he is weighing rather than something meant to be a final draft.)

Though the Lord of Magic shuns me, it changes nothing. My path is set.

I. The power of Magic is the great hope for all worlds, including Thera. It
is our means of progress, civilization, advancement, and security. It frees us
from the shackles of the natural world and sets us above animals. Preservation
of the power of Magic is the supreme imperative. Anything done to this end is
justified.

II. Those who would destroy Magic and who would murder all mages, or even all
members of any guild of mages without regard to their individual natures must
themselves be destroyed.

III. Servants or priests of Nature need to be culled as well. The natural
world is at odds with the power of Magic. It is a starting point, kindling
for the spark of life perhaps, but we can do better. Magic can build a better
world. Plant-loving reactionaries will stand in the way of this progress and
tend to murder useful necromancers and conjurers anyway. See II.

IV. The Empire and its servants need to be punished for casting out their
Arcane Sect and treating many mages as second-class citizens. This form of
bondage for mages can't be allowed to be the model of civilization.

V. Anyone who wants to kill me needs to die first, even if I wouldn't
otherwise have a problem with them. I can't walk this righteous path if I am
dead.

VI. The lives of mages should be preserved where possible. As long as they
aren't looking to kill me, or worshipping Nature, or part of the Empire, or
some of those Island people on whichever days they're trying to kill me, better
just assume they're always dangerous, or some kind of elf, or maybe some kind
of law mage trying to execute me, or someone who has something I need and won't
give it to me, or (scrawled in the margin: maybe skip this item, too many
exceptions!)

VII. Violence is necessary for many of the greatest magics, directly or
indirectly. This hard truth may not be eschewed or abjured.

VIII.Seek perfection in all things, especially those arcane, no matter how minor
the spell or technique. Said to be a teaching of the Masters of the Five Magics
and there must be a purpose or some power in it. Progress through elemental
magic reflects this principal, may hint at a greater truth.