Stephen G's page

Home for a weekend with the family. I look forward to these weekends as long as mom can keep it together and stay off the shiver. She thinks I don't know, but I have my suspicions. I have seen the urchins coming and going to my house late at odd times in the day. Hanging around the mission has opened my eyes up to the seedier side of the city. Full of scum, but still some good people who have been dealt a bad hand from the start. If it were not for my father's influence, the disgrace of my grandfather could have landed me among them as well.
My thoughts are interrupted by a commotion downstairs. My studies will have to wait a bit. It is getting late and I wonder what mom and dad are arguing about. Sneaking down the stairs it becomes more clear. Apparently there is a fairly valuable book on magic missing. Mom swears she packed it, but I fear her addiction went back to then. It must have been left in the workshop. According to dad this book could bring some prosperity back to our family if sold to the right person.
I think I know where it is hidden. If I can get it back maybe we can get some help for mother. I'm a smart girl. My studies are going well. I'm a fair hand with a sword and bow (at least I think so). I can do this... I'll get the book for them.
I get before dawn to get mys stuff together and head off. Leaving a note that I'm going back to the Academae early, I saddle my horse and ride out to the old estate. I should get there before night by horse and a bit of a ways back. No problem, what could go wrong.
The trip to the estate is fairly uneventful. With the sun out and me riding on the main road I have no problems getting to the estate house. From a distance it looks deserted still. I tie up my horse outside the house and head in and down to the basement where the reinforced workshop is. Grandfather worked with some stuff that could go boom and this was the buffer. Let's see thru the wine cellar and 10 paces from the NW corner is the hidden door. Grandfather thought I didn't know about this, but I saw him one night. Now if I remember the triggers for the door were in the corners 2' from the floor. With a faint click the door slide open with a grind. "I guess it has been a while.", I mutter.
Down 20' the stairs open up into a room 20'x 20'. No one has been in here since we left. Thick dust covers everything. Looks like we never took anything from this room. When I can I would like to get this place back and restore my family's honor. This workshop would prove useful. Looking around I see the book they are talking about. It is a book on the summoning and controlling elementals. I have seen books at the Academae refer to this as a very good source. Placing the book into my pack I take one last look around. There are a few items of interest here. Took big for me to take back unfortunately.
Heading up the stairs I see that it is almost night. Guess I'm not going back now. Too dark and not that safe to be alone on the road. I'll put my horse in the old stables and then go back to the workshop. Might as well take a good look around. On the way back I see shapes moving around the house. Oh dear... they're orcs. If I can make it back to the workshop and shut the door I should be safe. I hope they don't find my horse (fat chance there).
Getting back into the workshop is easy. The door closing is another thing. Just my luck it seems to be a bit stuck. Examining it closely reveals a rock jammed. My sword proves to be effective in getting it out. Dad would never approve of this I'm sure. The door slowly grinds close as I hear the gutteral voices of the orcs coming down the stairs.