Profiles in Magic, Volume 6 (book)

Sanyrsen Astoshe: In Unity, We Survive

PREFACE:

Heritage Monographs, the official press of the Moon Mage Guild, is proud to present the sixth volume in the ongoing Profiles in Magic series. The information within these volumes, painstakingly culled from transcripts and field research, has been compiled by a dedicated staff of scholars and Guild representatives.

This installment of our ongoing Profiles in Magic series details the life and times of one of the Guild's most influential leaders, Sanyrsen Astoshe, notable member of the High Council. His works show the benefits of efficiency and order within the Guild, and his efforts allowed the Guild to endure the hostile times that came upon the collapse of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star.

Chapter One: The Resistance War

Sanyrsen Astoshe Zsikiel was born two hundred and thirty-nine years before the Victory, into the proud and noble Zsikiel family of Ratha. At the time, the Zsikiels commanded the Imperial Garrison in the area, and Sanyrsen was brought up with discipline, wealth, and military training. The times were turbulent, though, and not much more than ten years after Sanyrsen's birth, the Empire entered into a period of chaos which preceded its collapse. The capital was abandoned in the wake of uprisings by disenchanted lords and the Dragon Priest Cult, and the Elven warlord Tiero began causing battle across the Imperial lands.

When the Resistance War began, Ratha stayed out of the war, though House Zsikiel opted to join in the conflict, as the House had come to power through the Empire. Sanyrsen proved to be an exceptional soldier, born to lead. He joined with the Legion of Shorka under Lanival's command and was placed in charge of a small group of soldiers. His most notable victory, and that which placed him on the record books, was when he and his group successfully routed an invasion of the coast off of Leth Deriel.

The landing party repelled, Sanyrsen's expertise had protected the rear of Shorka's army and safeguarded one of Lanival's most crucial food storehouses. Had Sanyrsen failed and the storehouses come under attack, Lanival's forces would have had a difficult time surviving the harsh winter which followed.

Young Sanyrsen served as an able commander throughout the remainder of the war, surviving when so many others had perished. Once peace was brought about by the establishment of the Five Provinces, he found himself at a lack for what to do with his life. On a whim, the S'Kra lordling enrolled at Darkstone's Crystal Hand chapterhouse, and thus began his career as a Moon Mage. Sanyrsen diligently studied under Guildmaster Draan, and consistent demonstration of his strategic and leadership skills, as well as his natural affinity for magic, earned him many promotions in a short span of time. At the age of twenty seven, Sanyrsen Astoshe was nominated by the Monks of the Crystal Hand for a seat on the High Council, and was accepted by a unanimous vote. He still holds the record as the youngest Council Member as of this writing.

Chapter Two: Ascension to the Council

As a soldier, Sanyrsen believed in efficiency as well as quick and decisive action, and that was the key to his many victories. As a representative of the Crystal Hand, he strove to bring order and perfection to the Council and the Guild. It was these goals that led Sanyrsen to his greatest accomplishment. Looking out upon the Five Provinces, the Councilor saw chaos. The Moon Mages' Guildhalls were scattered across the lands, their links to each other virtually severed. The Council in Ankis Dir had no connection to the halls, as the new governments were too disorganized and the roads were unsafe, plagued by bandits and wild animals. The Guildhalls were, without the leadership of the Council, each independent, directionless, and were slowly beginning to die.

Sanyrsen enlisted a select group of twenty one mages and ordered them, with Council support, to undergo intense training in the magics of invisibility, communication, and teleportation. This training was harsh and rigorous, far more severe than anything a soldier suffered through during the Resistance Wars. And despite his background as a soldier, Sanyrsen's students were not warriors -- the exact opposite, in fact. This group was trained to avoid combat and fighting at all costs, and their magic supported them in that.

After six months of the most fierce training, and after the students had been driven near to the point of obsession, Sanyrsen declared the tutelage complete. In the chambers of Ankis Dir, the entire High Council, their guests, and the local mages of the Guild, gathered to hold a special ceremony celebrating the success of these twenty one individuals. They were toasted, feasted, and cheered, and when all that was complete, the Guildmistress Prime herself awarded each of them a special commemorative golden cap and instructed them to wear the caps with pride, for they had been appointed the new messengers of the Guild.

They immediately proved their worth and showed that Sanyrsen's training had not been in vain. The messengers allowed for the near- instantaneous transfer of information, allowing the High Council to coordinate the efforts of every Guildhall in the Five Provinces. At last, the Guild had purpose and direction again, and began to flourish once more. In one meeting of the Council at Ankis Dir, the Guildmistress Prime's comments have been recorded in Council transcripts [Moon Mage Archives, Throne City Guild, 278:23:40] as:

These Goldcaps have truly become our lifeline. We owe them, and you, our thanks. You are to be commended, Councilor.

The name stuck, and ever since the Guild's messengers have been called such: The Goldcaps. Sanyrsen's reply was simple. "They give us unity. In unity, we survive."

The Guild maintained the Goldcaps as an integral part of its structure, and even rearranged the duties of the High Council so that two members were responsible for overseeing the messengers. Sanyrsen was chosen as the first Council Member to control the Goldcaps; it was a simple decision, as he was the cause of their existence. The Goldcaps have never numbered less than twenty one, but there are many times since their establishment that there have been more.

As one of his duties in maintaining the efficiency of the Goldcaps, Sanyrsen often traveled across the Five Provinces ensuring that all was flowing smoothly. He always delighted in returning to Ratha, the city in part ruled by his family, for no matter how long he remained in Leth Deriel, he still thought of the cliffside city as home. The support and patronage of his wealthy family also proved to be a great boon to the Moon Mage Guild. The Zsikiels aiding in providing the financial support the Guild needed without the Imperial Board of Wizardry.

It is not known exactly when, but at some point Sanyrsen fell in love with the Reshalian ambassador to Zoluren, the young daughter of the then Baron Moglin. Letters between the two of them as well as poetry written by the maiden to Sanyrsen tell of how they met and tracked the progress of their blooming feelings, and these letters are still kept at the Astoshe family's personal estate in Muspar'i. They wed, and despite the fact that such bonding was an uncommon custom among the Monks of the Crystal Hand (the monks believed that taking such time away from the pursuit of perfection as was necessary to cultivate a marriage was hazardous to the spirit), the Council and the Guild gave Sanyrsen its full support. A lavish reception was held in the city of the Crossing.

Sanyrsen continued to serve on the Council until well into his elderly years, when he and his wife retired to the desert city of Muspar'i. Even though he was no longer a Councilor, the Guild's leaders frequently consulted Sanyrsen on major decisions by way of the Goldcaps he had trained. Two of Sanyrsen's five children joined the Moon Mage Guild, and one of those eventually was appointed to the High Council himself. Two more returned to Ratha, and served as military leaders. His fifth child became a famed poet and writer.