/\/\ist Phantom was flying high over the ocean on the back of a summoned drake, searching for the islands he had found around here a year ago. After about an hour of flying over the sea, he noticed an island up ahead. He directed the drake to fly lower so he could get a better look. As he flew over the island, he noticed that it was covered in a thick forest canopy that obscured view of the surface. A little further ahead was another medium-sized island, obscured by a large, thick cloud of fog. /\/\ist could see another medium-sized island further ahead, just barely visible. He knew that a little further beyond that was a bunch of smaller islands, and about another hour's flight from there was a large, mysterious island floating in the sky. He decided to give his drake a rest and explore one of the two nearest islands first. He decided to check out the fog-shrouded island first because it seemed unusual and a little more likely to have some secrets upon it. He could swear that he sensed something peculiar about it, but couldn't place it. He directed the drake to go down and land on the island.

As the drake descended into the fog, /\/\ist noticed that fog seemed to thin out some the closer they got to the surface. Once they were only about ten feet from the ground it was clear enough to see fairly well, and he found a clear spot to land. After giving the drake a few moments rest, he unsummoned it and looked around. There were a few tropical trees here, with plenty of clear ground between each. There were some rock formations and some small hills here and there, but otherwise nothing else of note. It seemed eery to him, as he could hear no noise from anything, not even birds or insects. He walked around for a little while, not finding anything different. There were many ferns and bushes around, but no creatures. Strangely, the plants hadn't grown wildly and unchecked, otherwise there wouldn't have been any clear ground. This didn't make much sense for a tropical area with no animals to eat the plants or anything. /\/\ist explored for a little while longer until he noticed a small stone hut in the distance.

As he approached it, he noticed a small stone tower about twenty feet from the hut, and another strange stone building near that. When he reached the hut, he didn't notice any more buildings but those three. It wasn't a village like he had thought. Oh well. At least it meant there might be someone living here. He didn't hear any noise coming from the hut, so he approached the tower. Then he heard some noise coming from inside the tower and decided to go in and see what it was. He tried to walk through the wooden door, but found it repelled him. That was strange. It must be magical if I can't pass through it in my ethereal form. He clasped the doorknob with his hands and tried hard to open it, and gladly found that he could manipulate it. He opened the door and found a man inside, with his back to the door, hunched over a desk. He was working with some alchemical equipment, pouring a vial of something into a strangely-shaped flask and then sprinkling some yellow, powdery stuff into the flask, then putting the flask onto a burner. The man then took off his goggles and gloves, setting them on the desk, and turned to face /\/\ist Phantom.

"Why hello there my friend! I was wondering when you would show up. It's been nearly a year since I last sensed your presence nearby. I thought then that you would come visit me, but was dissapointed when you just passed by overhead and left. Oh, you're probably wondering just who I am and why I recognize you. Well, don't worry, you don't amnesia or anything. You've never met me before, but I've seen you in my scrying pool. That's how I recognize you. I'm a seer, you know. Yup. That's what I am, it is. Always has been, yep. Well, anyways, how are you?" the strange old man said.

/\/\ist Phantom was bewildered, only managing to mutter out a "Uh, eh, um, ah, I, I'm confused now." Then the old man smiled and continued.

"Well, you are at that. Huh. Well, how about we go back to my little cottage and talk then, ok?" he asked, not even waiting for a reply and just grabbing /\/\ist Phantom by the shoulder and leading him out of the tower and into the hut. /\/\ist wondered briefly how the man could touch him without his hand just passing through, but then they were in the hut and sitting down in some old chairs. 'Everything here must be enchanted', /\/\ist thought, 'even this old man'. Then the old man began to speak to him again.

"Yep, I've been here for a long time, I have. In fact, I can't even remember when it was I left my old house and came here, it musta been some five hundred years ago, I's thinkin'. Of course, I haven't been here here all this time, no. It was only maybe five or ten years ago that I came to this here plane. Don't know how I got heres either, ya know. But I gots heres and decided to make the most of it since I didn't know hows to get back, ya know? So found me a suitable place to build me a new house and came to this here island. Then I built me this here hut and my tower and workshop, ya know, lookin' just like the ones I left behind when I gots here. So..... Errh, what was I sayin'? Ah well." the old man mumbled. He got up and paced the room for a few minutes before saying 'oh yeah' and sitting back down.

"Now I remembers. I was gonna introduce myself to ya, that's right. Well, I'm Asmodius, and I'm a...a...eh, what was I? Ooooh, yeah, that's right. I'm a seer, ya know. And a wizard, too, yup. When I built my hut an' stuff here, I cast a spell to shroud the island with lotsa fog so no one'd bother me, yep. Now, ya see over there, in the corner? That there is scrying pool, yup. It lets me see things from far away, ya know. And it's a right handy device, yep. Well, anyway, a coupla years ago I saw somebody in me scrying pool, and he was a young lad from somewheres far away. And then I see him again, but as a wraithen-person. And then I sees him appear here, on Phaema; that's what they call this place, ya know. This strange world here, yup. I saw other things in my pool too, ya know. Many things, yes. And that's how I knew to expect you and how I know why you're here, yup. So I's gonna teach you some magicky-stuff, a'right? The pool says it's important, ya see. I don't know why, but it does. It tells me lotsa things, it does. But it's smart, yep. So, let's go back to the lab in my tower and get started teachin' you some stuff, right?" he finished. /\/\ist Phantom was still thoroughly confused by this strange old man who claimed to be a seer. Maybe after seeing so many strange visions, it drove the old coot insane? Oh well. For now /\/\ist decided to go along with him and see if this old guy knew what he was talking about. Maybe he really was right and maybe /\/\ist could learn some magic from this guy. He sighed as the old man dragged him out of his chair and back outside again to the tower.

(OOC: Sorry if this post seems kinda stupid or wierd, I'm a little tired from not getting enough sleep lately and my brain's not feeling like working at full capacity right now. End OOC.)

~ /\/\ist Phantom ~
§hard, Sword Mage
/\/ecronis, Lord of Undead
Traug, Troll Mage