Varian Blacksong , Dark Elf Scion

Of all the people in the new empire, yours certainly got the least to gain out of the grand unity. Your undercities in the deep must pay home to dwarves and travellers now, whilst the high towers of your scholars are open to many not of your kin. Frankly, you were never bothered by the peace and quiet of the times you live in, unlike the noble house from which you stem. Your bloodline is one of pride, prejudice and petty purity. Your siblings and distant relatives all curse out the names of shortlived rulers and laws so alien to your kind they might as well be chains written in ink. You are different - You see it all for what it is: An opportunity. A chance to grasp at power that would have been impossible to achieve through barbaric conquest alone. From the imperial senate to the royally funded academies, everyone gets a chance to make a name and leave their mark. While it does devalue some of the weight the names of the old houses once held, it opens new doors entirely.

You of your onyx skin and chiseled flesh, hair like silver strands, you know that there is untapped potential in this new order. So no love was lost to your heart when you left the towers and isolated peaks of your family's residence behind to sign up for a cultural exchange, ending up with you in the tutelage of the empire's brightest minds. You might not show your affection as readily as many others do, but you have grown quite fond of both your peers and arcane mentors. There's the archmage and headmaster of the academy, Thala Velasco, a woman of high elven descent, her skin as radiant as the morning sun, her hair a shimmering gold and her power unrivalled by any at the academy, including yourself. Some of your peers have caught your eye as well. Irissa, a quite endowed black and silver-scaled lizardwoman, and Lana, a human scholar of fiery hair and fair skin that had just recently arrived, finding an unexpected companion in you. You do see them as more than conveniences and potential tools, yet your heritage still shines bright in your soul. You see them at your side in the future, but in service nonetheless. You know yourself to be made for great things, for a purpose higher than court magicks and advisory.

The salvation comes, one not too distant day, when Lana rushes at you amidst the marble corridors of the academy, her eyes lit up like gemstones, their amber shine magically reinforced. You are pulled aside in a surprising show of confidence, pushed into a small storage closet, where she immediately begins to lift up her robes. You're no stranger to sudden advances. Dark Elves are quite endowed and known for their prowess, but this does strike you as a bit much. You've known her to be a bit shy and meek.

Then you realise that she is not undressing but pulling a stack of books out from under the fabric, throwing them in a pile on the floor. "I listened." She explains, "I listened when you talked about how your people do things. Taking charge, grasping fate by the reins and pulling." She seems incredibly proud of herself and you immediately recognise why - These books are of inconceivable value. Ancient tomes of power and knowledge. To even have them without permission from the headmistress or at least any of the higher mages would border on treason to the empire.

"A new shipment came today. I...helped sort the crates for the researches and magelords and I tried that illusion trick I showed you recently, you remember? Anyway, I managed to pocket some that weren't listed in the shipping manifest. I was going to just explore them on my own but I was excited and now had to tell someone and please don't think I'm stupid. I've been wanting to elevate my skills for so long and you said it's my--"

You stop her with a gentle gesture of your hand and an admittedly quite charming smile. "It's fine." You say, your voice as smooth as silk, "I think that's quite impressive. Let's take a look, shall we?"

One book stands out above the rest, lined in gemstones and old runes. No covered title or author and the pages themself seemingly are made of shifting energies, barely posing as a sort of eldritch paper. It is a book of importance, of desire and power beyond understanding.