You gather your strength

The night finally comes. You are standing in your quarters. They are spacious and well furnished at least.

You aren't forbidden to leave them but it has been implied that it would be more appreciated if you stayed there and didn't wander around the city.

Well, some time alone is what you need anyway.

You begin your preparations. You take some red powder from a pouch in your bag. You dispose it in a circle on the ground and draw some esoteric symbols around it. You then sit in the circle and close your eyes.

What you're going to attempt will take a lot from you. Entering in communion with your God deeper than you're used to. But it should be worth it.

You remember the first time you learned of Hysh'igha, the God conqueror. The one with a hundred wives. It was at the end of one of your many travels to the Far Away Isles. You were looking for ancient knowledge and crafts and also to maybe forge alliances with some of the southern peoples to help you overthrow the Esteran regime.

The later had been a disappointment. Those people were happy and lived simple lives, attuned with nature. They saw no point in joining you on a faraway crusade.

Still, you had stopped on your way back to one specific island they had indicated to you. The one where their most reknown sorcerer, a man named “Kwanirk”, lived surrounded by his own little harem of women. The other villagers spoke of him with the utmost reverence mixed with a little bit of fear.

It was an incredible occasion. Magic was forbidden to men in Estera and in its neighborhoods’ country. Those who tried to practice it had to do it in secret. Moreover, one needed to be naturally gifted with the ability. Otherwise he would never be able to accomplish more than a few basic illusions even after decades of training.

You had met many charlatans during your travels, but from what you heard this sorcerer seemed to be an authentic magic user.

You went to his island to meet him. You were surprised to discover a mostly average, although extremely fit old man.

His wives occupied by various chores were all extremely beautiful. You had heard they were the most prized beauties of their respective villages sent to him in tribute. They all seemed to be happy and to go along well which was surprising.

He accepted that you live with him and his many wives for a time, curious as he was to learn about Esteran culture. In exchange you had to help them with the hunt and the fishing. You knew it wouldn’t be hard work for you. You had been trained in all kinds of trapping techniques as a child, so you gladly accepted.

He started teaching you about his art. You learned how to meditate and how to mix potions to enter powerful trance under his guidance.

Sometimes he told you about his beliefs: To him magic had been given to the humans by the Gods when they still walked the surface of the earth, eons away.

They had left disappointed with humanity, but had left the gift of magic to some of them.