The Pyromancer of Bannogallt Bluff

Two men, one young and one old, sit by the meager warmth of a fading fire in a high chamber of a cold stone tower. The old man takes a sip from his glass of claret to soothe his throat gone hoarse from the telling of his tale. He pulls his heavy robe tightly around his neck and leans forward to stir up the embers with a long handled poker. He turns back to the young man and continues. "My tale is almost at an end and what happens next is perhaps up to you. I told you that the Pyromancer of Bannogallt has taken up the search for this elf messenger but I have not explained the full weight of that statement. The Pyromancer was once much like myself a faithful acolyte of the Grand Seer and a believer in the mission of the college of wizards, that being to develop our arts and sciences to further the well-being and enlightenment of all men. In recent years, however, he has become increasingingly entangled in political affairs and has grown keen to expand the boundaries of his little barony. He has gathered a mercenary army which he commands through his flame adepts and employs in an attempt to extort fealty from his neighbors. These are the actions of a petty warlord and unbecoming of a wizard. Why this behavior is tolerated by the Grand Seer is unknown to me.

It worries me greatly that Pyromancer has been entrusted with the pursuit of this mysterious traveler from the White Isles. It is clear that the traveler has been making use of the ancient and mystical and thus far evading our agents thereby. The council of wizards recognizes that the power to navigate the elf-road is nearly as valuable as whatever other secret the messenger may carry with him.