Savant Veila - The Aegis of Sages

Savant Veila - The Aegis of Lore

In the heart of Cradlebrook, among the gilded shelves of Cradlebrook’s great library The Golden Gathering, Savant Veila sat within the embrace of knowledge. Though to many she was merely a librarian, to those who sought wisdom, she was Delnator’s chosen. She was the quiet force of knowledge shaping Goodhollow’s destiny.

Tonight, the Court of Lords was restless.

The valleys of Goodhollow, once untroubled stretches of fertile land, were now beset by growing numbers of monster nests and incursions. Wolves larger than horses stalked the borders. Shadows of creatures long thought extinct stirred beneath the hills. Goblins, Orcs, Hobgoblins, and every manner of foul species reappeared faster than they could be removed. And no force, neither knightly order nor city guard, could be spread thin enough to stem the tide.

A proposal lay before the Court: Goodhollow must not merely permit, but actively endorse the Charter of Adventuring Companies. The bannered lawless groups that once sought riches on their own whims would, under the Charter, become an official force against the encroaching darkness. Protected, funded, regulated, and given leave to operate freely within the borders of Goodhollow.

The Lords debated with measured tones, but beneath the surface lay an undercurrent of fear and doubt. To some, adventurers were reckless mercenaries, prone to destruction as much as salvation. Yet another evil that, if unleashed, could tear down the very law that governed their fair land. To others, they were an untapped asset & the only warriors whose flexibility and sheer numbers could shift the balance.

Yet, amidst the shifting tides and raised voices, one voice remained silent. Lord Edran Ainsel, known for his prudence and measured judgment, sat at the edge of deliberation. A single vote stood between resolution and division, and the burden lay upon his shoulders. The deciding vote lay in his hands.

That night, long after the council dispersed, promising to put the matter to vote in the morning, Lord Ainsel found himself pacing the quiet halls of the library. He did not seek a book. He sought her.

“I have read every ledger, reviewed every account,” Lord Ainsel murmured, finding Veila seated within the amber glow of enchanted lanterns. “Some say the Companies will bring ruin. Others swear it will be our salvation. But no parchment has given me certainty.”

Veila did not answer immediately. Instead, she gestured toward a nearby scroll, one bound in deep green, marked with the seal of a ruler long passed.

“This was written when our ancestors faced the first great calamity, beset by forces from both Tovale and the Vales and uncertain how to act,” she said, fingers tracing the ancient ink. “They feared the unknown as we do now. They debated the risks as we do now. And when the time, the necessity, came to act… they hesitated.”

Edran furrowed his brow as she continued.

“The result? Goodhollow suffered nearly a century of war before our forebears finally sought the help they had shunned.” She turned her gaze to him. “The question is not whether legitimizing the Adventure Companies carries risk. It is whether the risks outweigh the suffering that will come if you choose inaction.”

Edran exhaled deeply, the weight of history settling upon his shoulders.

The next morning, the Court reconvened. As silence fell before the final vote, Lord Edran Ainsel stood, his voice clear.

“The Charter shall be endorsed,” he declared. “If we are to shape Goodhollow’s future, let it be with strength, with determination, and with forces that are guided by our hand, not biting at our throats. Before indecision leaves us vulnerable and fate forces our hand.”

“Let the call ring out. Goodhollow will review and endorse the Legitimization of a limited number of Adventure Companies to be the gauntlet of Goodhollow to smite these foul monstrosities!”

And as the decree was sealed, as the whispers of history became the echo of tomorrow, Veila returned to her tomes.

For though she never cast a vote among rulers, her wisdom had, again, steered their decision, and guided the future of Goodhollow forward.