From the Attic: A Mage's message

In the mage's campaign where Tim character Jeremy lost his magery; the climatic confrontation game at the trial of Barton Dwayne's character. Tim decided to go all out in defending Barton and wrote a hell of a speech. Before the game he handed it to me so I would know what to expect.

Unfortunally the trial was never held. Jeremy's defense of Barton was a little more dramatic. There was a faction in the guild really out to get the PCs. While enormously successfully the four PC, Jeremy, Barton, Edward, and Alec, really shook up how the Mage's Guild usually operated. In a seemly minor incident (minor compared to other things you will read about) the traditionalists finely figure a way to bring the PCs to heel. Circumstances were such that only Barton turned himself in.

Jeremy had just recovered his magery and was studying god magic at the time of the incident. So he was free to come. Resolved to defend Barton, he returned to City-State but for various reason the venality of the traditionalist pushed him over the edge. With the power of the gods at his command he demonstrated dramatically that magic has no limits and busted Barton out.


Here is the speech Jeremy wanted to make. I hope you enjoy it as a view into what was a very enjoyable campaign.

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Hello everyone, it has been a long time since I’ve seend you all. I hoped to return on a more favorable note, but these are chaotic times.

I will tell you now, for those who are not aware, that Barton and I have been friends since we were fumbling apprentices. I came here from my special training to defend him. I know Barton to be impulsive, explosive, and even wild at times. But never once has he did anything to harm the guild. Sometimes his tactics cause the elders to wince and sweat. But he has never failed to do what they have asked. I can on many occasions remember where he had gone beyond what was asked of him at his own personal cost.

If you will indulge me I will run off a few of the tasks Barton has performed.

1. He help rid the guild of the vampire Ventrue.
2. He helped discover the taigh and is solely responsible for the reconstruction of the taigh. I assure you that the taigh is a very ethical being and would not just anyone do this.
3. He helped disrupt the armies of the Duke of Bernost, crippling the northern forces. We as a group took over keeps, ambushed supply caravans, and set traps for any other that passed by. They were terrified to travel on their own roads. Barton is solely responsible for the peasant revolt. He supplied them with arms so that Bernost would have more to contend with. At the end of it all the Overlord himself personally thanked Barton.
4. Barton tracked down one of the seven elder Ventrue Vampires and slew him on his own grounds. Imagine the danger he put himself into to rid this city of their filth.
5. I personally saw him resurrect a man who was wrongfully killed.

He has also helped me in my time of need. When I was stripped of my magery by the Lars, Barton accompanied me to the Realm of the Lars. There he fought selflessly to help a friend.

Now I know we are here to discuss his knowledge of Edward and Alec being associated with the Black Lotous. But I want to remind you that they were friend before he found out. They have saved each others lives countless times. Assisted each other in times of need. And why should we blame Barton for his knowledge and not seek out the answer to why somebody like Edward was allowed to come in. If we wish no Black Lotus among us then maybe we should screen the people into our guild a bit more carefully. He was and is Barton’s friend.

Whether you like to admit it or not I am sure everyone of us has done some outside the code. This code tries to limit the umlimited. The needed for it real, but there are many grey areas. We are always discovering, expanding our knowledge, and sometimes we do things that is beyond the code. Sometimes we much rely on what we think is right instead of being told what is right.

Alec and Edward have done no harm to our guild. Barton has if anything proven the capability of our guild to the Overlord. He has been working hard to rebuild the Taigh and build a home there. And soon I believe he is going to be married to a lovely lady.

I want you to consider everything Barton has done and what he is doing now and ask yourselves if he deserves to be punished. He has done more good for this guild than anyone else I can remember in recent memory. He is a good man and a good friend, that is why I am here today. Do what you must, but consider Barton as a whole and not judge him for one single incident.

Thank You
Jeremy