Journal Entry

I knew it would be an interesting time to arrive in the Heart of Fortune. The immanent demise of a king is always a time of change and uncertainty, but these Grazians seem to be weathering it well. There’s great anticipation around the rise of Ignatius, the Crown Prince, to the throne. Though the Grazian Empire has an inflated sense of itself, this seems born out of ignorance of the distant corners of creation, and not arrogance. They assume that Ignatius will inherit a massive task, but there are bigger, less organized empires in this world which would present a much more daunting prospect.

I have been able to move through the city with relative ease. I’ve not had to call upon my gifts much to perpetrate my little rouses here. The mundane measures I’ve acquire have held up well. There are many tools in my disguise kit which are completely unknown here. All for the better, given the clandestine nature of my inquiry here. I would not go so far as to claim the Grazian are an easily deceived people, but they choose the see the best around them. Good for them that they should see through such rose-colored shades. It is not my intent to offend, but they are so well pacified by the wealth they harvest that they are far less suspicious of intentions than they might otherwise be. I hope they do not wake one day to find that faith abused and their lives ruined.

What I’ve observed of the Grazian military seems appropriate for the empire it oversees. Though I’ve not done an in-depth investigation, Grazian arms seem mostly mundane, with back up from mage cadres installed into some battalions. Their High Mage, a wielder of ice and cold, impressed me as powerful enough to deserve the title, though he appears to have done little to advance the development of magical talents in the city. Perhaps the Seabreaker kings see magic as a potential threat, and so do little to foster its development. Their conventional units appear well-drilled. If the master-at-arms who oversees Ignatius’ swordsmanship is an indication, Grazian soldiers are professionally trained and competent on their own. Ignatius may even have talent sufficient to graduate from our introductory program, where he one of our people.

As much fun as it has been to lackadaisically gather information, I believe it has come time to focus my research more intensely on the boy Patient Sail. He appears to be a candidate, and I must say that I approve of his mystique. It seems the boy knows that he does not truly belong among the mortal and mundane world of the Grazian empire and its trading wealth. His tutors are disappointed with his apparent lack of discipline for academics. He is dismissed as lacking the spark for leadership. He prefers to experience the world rather than to drive an agenda. I believe he is simply waiting for the right moment. I do not know what game he plays, but I can tell he is toying with his teachers and supervisors. There is a whimsy about his behavior. Many seem to feel this indicates that he lacks the seriousness required for rule. It is my hope that an emphasis on enjoyment will temper the boy’s relationship with power.

I suspect that I will have to apply my own gifts more strenuously, but it is time I began to observe the child more directly. I need to see just how his die has been cast.