Fan

The tale of Fan warns against carelessness while playing the role of a schemer among the Trel. She was, within the Imperial Courts, a high-ranking scholar. Mastering history and the mystic arts, she, like many others of her rank, was immensely talented long before her introduction into the Courts. Yet, unlike many others, she did not come from a noble or an educated background. Her humble origins were within the endless fields, where the faint yellow of the grass touched the skies, without any trees or mountains to ruin her view. It was the flatland that inspired her, the toil of her family, something she wished to ease them of. Despite the lack of water, the ground was more than agreeable. Plants grew at an alarming rate. So those from other lands claimed, anyway. Yet, when the young were called upon to the Imperial Courts, she did not hesitate to leave what she knew behind. However, not all was as it appeared.

From the moment she stepped into Trel, she was being watched. Challenges were thrown before the potential candidates, testing their adherence to the Heavenly teachings. She was met with poverty, sickness, and difficult choices. Though shaken, she held her determination until they reached the outer doors of the Imperial Courts. From the two hundred that were summoned, little over a hundred remained. Mere seconds after the doors opened, another twelve were sent home.

Additional tests were given. With each batch of potential rivals gone home, her chances of acceptance felt far more real, like a tangible thing. Her mind swam with the possibilities of what her future could hold. However, when the last remaining were called upon and told their purpose, her countenance fell. Nothing she would do here had any chance of aiding her family. All this, the pomp and glamour, the arduous process... All was done to undermine the growing power of the Vampires. She accepted, of course. Though the freedom to return was offered, even she knew that those remaining knew too much.

Secrecy was a vital part of her new career, a blessing, for it offered her a chance to work without the constant interference from the court officials. Others focused on attempts at harnessing the hidden mysteries, binding the Outsiders to their will. The philosophy that only by utilizing their power, using it against them, was the majority, despite the cost it was projected to toll on the common folk of Trel. She, instead, turned her attention inward. Trel had its own monstrosities, which they allowed to fester, tormenting the lands and the conscience alike. The guilt that surrounded the undeath was enough of a deterrent. She was left alone to experiment and study. Her diligence and exceptional skill with the tools to bind the undead were phenomenal. Soon, she became known as the Mother of Necromancy.

Yet, her loyalty to her people never wavered, despite the food and hospitality offered. Her steadfastness would be her downfall.

The notes she had prepared, with pieces of live specimens as examples, were eventually discovered by rival students. To set an example, the family she had left in search of answers perished within the flames lit by jealousy. With no home to go to, she was removed from her position of power. Her former name was stripped away, and from then on, she would be known as Fan. 'Mortal'. It was an insult, meant to be the final chapter of her story. Exiled into a bog, so different from the beauty she longed for, Fan continued her research in secret. Humiliation was fueled by determination. Away from prying eyes, Fan assumed the role of a defeated and dejected scholar, banished without the necessary tools. The tools of her trade were within her, the pages lit by her quiet rage.