I went to testing pushing the power through my body in various ways, early on it seemed I found some ability by sending the power to my mandibles but I couldn’t discern anything so I kept testing, and sending the power to my ears voices intruded in, quiet and muttering in various undiscerned words and then.

[Al] “what knowledge are you lacking? Oh, just finding a way to more effectively call me I see.”

Each of his words repeated and echoed by other voices I could barely make out.

“huh, so using my magic lets me talk to you more?”

[Al dissonant] “yes though it’s a bit more than that, at least in total knowledge you can draw on. You have not just my knowledge but the knowledge of all that follow me.”

“uh, well that’s good I guess. Are there any other powers I’ve gained you can tell me about?”

[Al dissonant] “yes, you have greater physical toughness though it’s overcome by silvered weapons {like a werewolf}”

“what was that? What did it mean a werewolf?”

[Al dissonant] “one that follows me, a werewolf my not so knowledgeable friend is a cursed being, a dangerous and deadly one that is difficult to harm without magic or silvered weapons.”

“alright, so are there more abilities you can tell me about?”

[Al dissonant] “you should have telepathy and a greater ability to see in darkness.”

“that last one sounds pointless, but telepathy!? I can read people's minds?”

[Al dissonant] “imperfectly, or rather I should say on a surface level yes you can.”

“that’s, wow! Ok I’m really liking having powers from you now… hmmm I wonder if I can read the monarchs mind.”

[Al dissonant] “you’ll have to try it to find out.”

“WAIT, wait I can just read caela’s mind! I better let the monarch know immediately.”

[Al dissonant] “do you think you’re unique in this for one such as him?”

“w-well, I… still I should tell him. Hold on I need to find the paper and ink.”

Soon I have my message sent, and it seems since I wasn’t concentrating on it the new link to al dissipated. With time alone I decided to go out, get lunch and mentally listen in on the people with my new power. This would be fun, the halflings really do make the best food and I get to learn things no one else can… well maybe some can but it can’t be all that common so onward I went.

Relaxing and eating my well cooked meats, enjoying the flavor that the halflings imbue it with as I relax and try to hear the thoughts around me. It took a bit, having to relax myself and slow my thoughts to where I could tap into my new abilities. Once I did the thoughts came in, first a gradual flow then a river of ideas, thoughts and emotions. Such liveliness I had not expected. These always dull creatures I see having such fun diversity of thought, carpenters, mason’s, smith’s, even a wealthy merchant and noble. I focused on the last two; the merchant looking to make a deal with what I gathered was a minor noble. Trading wood to foreign buyers as the lumber of Galunsha was unique and for carpenters had some desirable qualities, the two noting the delay in production to shipping as drying out this wood was difficult. I mentally stashed that bit of information away and let my focus roll on. Moving from one to another and catching the mind of the cook… a lizardfolk, well one of the cooks was it seemed. Moving on I eventually came across someone who was waiting, nervous.

{stranger} come on, where is that blasted elf? I’m paying good money. Huh, damn wench. No not sit down with me you stupid girl, I don’t need… oh! Illusion? Well maybe this is worth it after all. Play it cool don’t let this assassin see your concern. Alright first payment, and now. “Talen Havgur is the target” so nobody notices me saying this? Guess their right about a busy place like this being good cover. Damn they chose a very eye-grabbing illusion. Alright, now I just return home? Oh, off they go… I’ll get a drink then head out, might as well when I’m already here.

Well, this was interesting. I think I’ll find this man as he goes, strange I couldn’t find the assassin's mind though. After about fifteen minutes he heads out and I get a good look at him, flowing top with an open chest in a dark brown-red color… what do these people call it? They seem to have so many names for colors. The man had some belly fat but clearly had muscles built up as well, short hair, bronzed to brown skin with sideburns and a mustache that seemed a bit thin to my eyes. I ambled on behind him listening in on his thoughts.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

For someone so interested in keeping this meeting a secret he barely thought of being followed, instead planning how he would rise in the political sphere, how a marriage after this murder would ensure his improved status. Honestly if this is how most politicians think it’s no wonder they make such obvious mistakes, the man was barely thinking about what he needed to and instead about what he’d do once successful like it was guaranteed. Once I’d gotten enough info from him I split off onto my own path. It was a simple matter after that to write the necessary info down after that, who he was where he lived and the amount paid to the assassin as well as the assassin's target. With that letter sent off I relaxed for a bit and read, just enjoyed a book of history I bought from a nearby library.

In the late evening morgan walked in, clearly tired but looking happy.

[morgan] “guess who has a bunch of new spells now. I do!”

“that’s good, what did you add?”

[morgan] “mostly stuff your kind developed. Let's see it’s a bit of a list… I was working on these before so the mages here just helped me finish off my efforts, well some of them anyway let’s see. I’ve got the arcane missile, some magical barriers called mage’s armor, uh I can quickly excavate, make something greasy, turn my fists into stone… don’t think that one’s going to be so good. I can fire an arrow made of entirely acid, or make an extra-dimensional pit, talk in an elemental language, make my hands deal damage.. as in fire, lightning and such, again not that useful for me. Make an area get filled with glittering dust that blinds and outlines invisible people, make myself resistant to damaging energies, make a shattering sound, or a hail of stones.

“wow that’s a lo-”

[morgan] “not done”

“Seriously?”

[morgan] puts a hand up to me. “aura of damaging energy for those that get to close, will be using that one. Temporary immunity to a type of damaging energy, make an area of dirt or sand shift and entangle those in it, another extra-dimensional pit but with really sharp spikes, and a horrible smelling fog cloud.”

“… alright so that’s it?”

[morgan] “yeah for now.”

“h-how many magic abilities will you have?”

[morgan] “first, spells. And as for how many, as many as I can get.”

“so… are you going to be annoyed if I don’t remember everything you have?”

[morgan] “nope, I’ll let you know what I can do. So just remember that I have some options for fighting now.”

“noted, well I figured out some new powers for myself… and went on to find a man hiring an assassin. I can hear people's thoughts now.”

[morgan] “… oh, uh… isn’t that handy?”

“yeah, yeah it is. As evidenced by the fact that I caught an assassination plot already.”

[morgan] “yeah no you did great.”

“… you want to get dinner?”

[morgan] “hey! Were you reading my mind?!”

“no, why would I?”

[morgan] “you mean I’m that easy to figure out?”

“uh, not really. More what secrets would there be to find that would be worth finding out?”

[morgan] “uh, well… I guess that works. Lets go get food.”

we head out, enjoy our meal and she has me use my telepathy like a trick from a performer… we have our fun for the evening then head back home. Settling down to sleep, I feel good. We’ve made ourselves stronger, more useful to the hidden monarch and things are good at last… actually they’re great. Since I left my homeland, this was the best things had been. When I woke up the next day, I shifted and felt something against my head. It took a bit of moving around but I got a hold of the blade that was on my pillow, a long dagger. On my dresser was a note written in the common trader language.

Come at sunset to duskhaven alley, come alone, I’ll know if you don’t just like I know you followed the man that hired me yesterday. I don’t care that you’re an agent of the hidden monarch, if you double cross me or bring me anymore trouble I’ll find you and kill you for it.

I show the letter to morgan.

[morgan] “do not go. Don’t even think of it, clearly we need to catch them.”

“maybe. But they got the dagger into my room so they can find me.”

[morgan] “they followed you following him, you just keep an eye and be more evasive and they won’t find you.”

“that’s a terrible idea, they’re a professional at this.”

[morgan] “and going is a bad idea, they’ll just kill you.”

“maybe, but then again I can do things they may not expect.”