Reflect on how you got here

You think back to that day several years ago when you received the fateful letter, the note that changed your life:

"Dear Thomas," it read. "It is with deepest regret that we must inform you of the passing of your uncle, Gaius Jogur. While we understand you had not been close in these last few years, at the request of the recently departed we are sending this missive to you, his sole living relative, to advise not only of Mr. Jogur's passing, but also that his remains have been disposed of in accordance with his expressed wishes, and he has left all of his estate, possessions and various holdings to your sole inheritance, less any applicable taxes, liens, or fees owed or outstanding in settlement of this or other existing accounts. At your earliest convenience, we must request hire or commission transit to the Tarius Region of the Bridge Between Worlds and join us at Aelfryd Hall, where executors will oversee transfer of any assets from the deceased to yourself, whether mundane, magical, or otherwise..."

The letter was signed, "The Law Offices of the Brothers Arckeminituditon". You recognized the name - one of the big noble houses from one of the Gray Elf kingdoms from the other side of the Bridge. Funny how even after the dethroning of their monarchs and fall of their aristocracy, the same few families and oligarchs controlled much of the economy and culture of Raumina, the strange realm across the Bridge from your own world.

You recalled the last time you had spoken to old Uncle Gaius, when the old man - your father's oldest brother - let you know that, seemingly out of the blue, he was packing up and making the long, costly trip across the realms to Raumina, pursuing some kind of opportunistic business venture in the wake of the fall of the elven nations and their grip on much of that world. You remembered a mix of emotions, chiefly surprise that Gaius was leaving, and loneliness at the knowledge that with your uncle's departure from the Earth that gave him birth, you would simply be the only remaining member of your family alive in this world. Still, though, you wished your old uncle luck in his endeavors, and the old man promised to stay in touch - though you both must have known this was an empty promise due to the sheer logistics of sending any kind of correspondence between worlds.

Attached to the letter was a lengthy document detailing the fee structure being charged to the estate and a thorough explanation of each line item, each written in the wordy, overwrought style you'd expect from a Gray Elf lawyer. Seven or eight pages in was an assurance that all fees would be settled prior to your arrival. You also received several pages of directions on how to reach Aelfryd Hall, its relative location from popular planar portal sites on the Bridge Between Worlds, and a list of recommended portal-wizards who could assist in transport. The massive document might have been better described as a book than a letter, though you supposed that if you had already taken the effort and expense of sending anything between the Earth and the fantastic realm across the Bridge, you might as well be thorough.

As you read through the lengthy documents from your uncle's lawyers, it dawned on you that with a list of inherited items this long - it listed everything from extravagant artworks, jewels, and other treasures to the mundane - you recall a detailed description of a particular broomstick. One item stood out from the rest, though - your uncle's residence at Aelfryd Hall itself. Though the description in the document made the manor and its holdings sound more than a little run-down, to your reading even a poorly-maintained manor and its lands were a fine inheritance.

Clearly, old Uncle Gaias had done alright for himself in the years since you last saw him. While you were saddened to hear of his passing, you figured you may as well make the most of the situation. Within a few days of receiving the letter, you had hired magical passage from Earth to the Bridge Between World, Tarius Region, where your future at Aelfryd Hall would begin.

And all of that, of course, brings you back to this morning.