I am Acolyte Valnis Almavir, a forest elf and scholar who lives at the Sanctuary in Lateriel. I came here over five years ago to serve the deity Ensil, commonly known as the patron of elven learning. In the old myths of the earliest times, it is said Ensil taught us how to use magic. He was also a great teller of stories, and his fables preserve the lineages of our most ancient houses. They also explain how our people survived the arrival of the giants, the orcs, humans, and other threats since the time of the First Elves, before there were libraries and books.
While Ensil is not the most powerful or popular deity of the Elven pantheon, he has many followers. One can find a Sanctuary of Ensil in most places where elves are predominant. In the city of Ilgamir, for example, there is a large Sanctuary almost wholly dedicated to the pursuit of the magical arts. Nearly all the greatest mages of elvenkind either lived or studied there, and many non-elven mages of renown go there to become apprentices and seek counsel.
The Ensilite Sanctuary at Lateriel, where I have chosen to study, is dedicated to the pursuit of worldly knowledge. Founded in the year 7539 of the Elven Standard, almost 950 years ago, it has seen thousands of students cross the threshold into its Great Library, which holds the written works of all scholars who served there. Like other Ensilite establishments, the Sanctuary at Lateriel is open to any who seek to learn and share their knowledge. It is, however, more difficult to reach than most. It is hidden in an isolated community located deep in The Wild, the great forest that is home to many elves of this world.
Students who wish to serve the Sanctuary must undergo a rite of passage known as a Wandering. It is a journey of half a year or more, during which the student must keep a Journal about their chosen area of inquiry. Some acolytes choose to write about specific topics, such as the various flowers in a region, or the behavior of specific kinds of beasts, or the noble houses of a city. Many Journals are written by acolytes who choose to strike out on their own, traveling to new or familiar locations and writing about the people, places, and events they encounter.
One might ask if we have covered every corner of the world, and whether there is any subject left to study after nearly 950 years of existence. The students at Lateriel would say it does not matter how many times a location or topic is revisited. The world is a constantly changing place. If we have five Journals about the districts in the city of Jarish over the span of seven centuries, so much the better. Scholars will be able to compare them, learn how the city has changed, and possibly gain new insights into Jarish's history and culture.
Once an acolyte has completed their Journal of Wandering, they submit it to the teachers and scholars at the Sanctuary. If it is accepted and placed in the Great Library, the acolyte gains the title of Teacher and may live at the Sanctuary as long as they wish. They must also assist in the business of the Sanctuary, which can include tasks as diverse as assisting visitors, copying texts, mentoring acolytes, and managing the Library's collections, among other duties. Teachers may undertake additional wanderings as they see fit, and produce additional Journals for the benefit of the Sanctuary. The most productive and respected Teachers can earn the title of Scholar, which is the highest honor one can receive at Lateriel.
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The teachers and scholars of Lateriel recently declared me ready to undertake a wandering. The most captivating Journals I have read come from travels to exotic and fantastic places, such as to the Iron Kingdoms of humankind far away over the seas, or even to the Dream Realm where the fae-kind live. If I were not a poor acolyte, I would have chosen such a destination for my first Wandering.
I've chosen instead to travel the length and breadth of The Wild. Such a journey will be easier on my purse and should afford me chances to find patrons, adventurers, or other scholars who might support my future travels. Furthermore, it is not lost on me that one of the Sanctuary's greatest students, Scholar Dabin Kilarnivir, also traveled The Wild for his first wandering. The Old Wanderer, as he is now known, later traveled to some of the most unusual places and established some of the most enduring traditions in writing Journals. I hope that by retracing his first steps I might forge a path parallel to his.
Scholar Kilarnivir made an impressive first Wandering Journal. Many scions of the Sanctuary have recognized its originality, though they stop short of encouraging acolytes to emulate it. Kilarnivir faithfully documented the necessary elements: the quality of the roads, the condition of settlements, and the historic events of the time. In the eyes of many, what made his work remarkable was the judicious inclusion of everyday things he fancied. There were biographies of local characters and stories told by innkeepers, for example. He also had a way of including small details that were evocative of a place.
Other aspects of Kilarnivir's Journals were not as well received. He was known for writing about his own thoughts and internal struggles. He witnessed some terrible things on his wanderings, and confessed he found it difficult to integrate all the precepts of Ensil into his life. Some find this aspect of his work scandalous, and call those passages a stain on the purity of a Journal. They say the sole purpose of a Journal is to convey a picture of the world, not of the scholar who observes it.
Such condemnations seem shortsighted. As I see them, Kilarnivir's candor and admissions of fallibility provide valuable lessons that can help us overcome our own shortcomings. By recording his inner struggles, he revealed how he developed the wisdom and intellect he displayed in his later years. This is why I told my superiors my Journal will document my own growth as well as the people, places, and events I encounter during my sojourn through The Wild.
I was heartened when the leaders of the academy let that statement of intent pass without comment or criticism. Still, I could tell it raised concerns. My mentor, Teacher Gilaran, warned that it is fine to admire the Old Wanderer, but I must not try to become him. Then he admonished me further, saying, "do not spend exactly two days here or three hours there because Kilarnivir did. When you meet the first person who treats you poorly, do not write an essay about how emotions affect observations, just because he did that too."
I assured him I would not slavishly mimic anyone, that I wholeheartedly intend to experience the world as it occurs, and that I want to create a useful and original Journal for the Order. I also explained that, by writing about my own thoughts and struggles, I hoped I could more deliberately develop greater self awareness. Only then would I become a Teacher as wise and considerate as him. At this he smiled and wished me a fair and productive journey.
