March 19, 1033
Xanda and I took the day off together and went down town… much to the dismay of Madam Samanda, who doesn’t approve of canceling classes. We had a lovely bright and sunny day for our trip. The spring is upon us with a vengeance these days, the hillsides sprouting green shoots like mad. On days like this I’m sorry I won’t get to see the wildflowers of summer dusting the roadsides, crowding out everything else with their little blue faces. The earth was still damp from the rains yesterday, and my slippers got quite saturated with mud and road grime. I don’t think they’ll ever be the same, but Xanda swears she has a secret spell to take out any mud stain in existence. She’s calling it Earth to Water. I hope it works.
In any case, I purchased a lovely explorer’s outfit. A tight pair of brown cotton pants, a nice, loose blue silk shirt with many hidden pockets, and a beautifully well made doublet of cotton brocade and leather with more pockets. I got a plain brown pair of boots too, with extra thick soles for many years of wear, and a brown leather belt to hook all my necessaries to. I went a little overboard and got myself a new pouch for all my spell components, too. It’s plain now, but I intend to embroider it with flames per my newest spell: Fireball. I don’t know that I ever would have gone with something quite so skin tight had Xanda not been along, but we had so much fun trying everything in the store, and the blue brocade was so perfect that I really felt I needed it. Some days I wish I could take that elf girl with me. She says she wouldn’t leave the temple for all the world, though; content to sit in the barren hills and teach little ones for the rest of her life.
While in town, I asked about transport to Brindol. There’s a group of folks all leaving for the Brindol Craft Fair on the 23, and they will give me a lift on one of their wagons so long as I provide my own food and drink, and don’t mind sitting in the back with the cargo. I think I’ll mind a little bit, being tossed about with the cargo around me, but to get where I’m going I’m willing to be quite uncomfortable at times. It’s strange to think that I only have 4 days left in this place. I’ll miss the quiet life of the temple, I think, but I’ll be trading it for a much more exciting existence.
I’m quite curious about this Annandale, too. I wonder what sort of person he is, and if we’ll get along. I don’t know what I’ll do if we don’t see eye to eye, for it will be quite impossible for me to return to the Temple of Boccob permanently, if only for pride’s sake. I’m leaving a friendly place behind me, and sometimes I think that friendly should have been enough for me, that I’m crazy to seek more than I have right now. But then I feel the powerful glee that surges up inside me when I channel the elements within my soul, and I know I’m right to crave a better understanding of my power.
March 22, 1033
They had a lovely little ceremony for me at dinner tonight. My class presented me with a beautiful brass holy symbol of Boccob to take to my new place, and Madam Samanda made a nice speech about wishing me well in my endeavors. I cried like a baby, but I’m feeling rather excited for tomorrow in spite of my tears. Is this the last night I shall ever sleep under this roof? And where shall I be sleeping in the future?
Casey E. Hamilton 