Entity: Campfire Chronicler

May contain spoilers from Convocation

Source Rival Academies pg. 34

You follow in the footsteps of Isthralei, an old god of Sarkoris dedicated to protecting and assisting travelers in return for a story of their journey. Though tales of Isthralei himself are scarce, his gifts are still sometimes given to those who protect travelers and collect their stories.

This tradition of chronicling, relearned from the ghost of a Sarkorian storyteller, has flourished at the Academy of the Reclamation. Many students who enter the Sarkoris Scar now travel under Isthralei’s name, both believing in the god’s purpose and using his rediscovery as a symbol of the Reclamation’s successes. Even that may be too small a scope, however, as travelers’ tales come from far and wide. Many campfire chroniclers collect stories of other students who have returned to Sarkoris from afar, along with the stories of their families who were scattered following the opening of the Worldwound.

The mysterious benefactor accepts all stories with a listening ear, leading to many late night discussions among students about what truths might be hidden in tall tales and outright fabrications. Although Isthralei accepts falsehoods without comment, he places no requirement on the chroniclers to do the same. In fact, Isthralei has yet to provide guidance beyond the comforting warmth of his protection after stories are offered.

Although Sarkorian traditions don’t place importance on dividing their gods by power level or origin, some at the Academy of the Reclamation have begun to dig deeper into each of the gods’ individual circumstances. The question of where Isthralei came from has become a particularly popular one among students who hope that a god who so loves the stories of travelers wouldn’t take offense at his own story being exposed.

Students prying into these matters have found some success using magical sources of information. Most recently, Cobyslarni’s Echo Repository has revealed several tales of travelers and explorers who encountered a smiling figure far from any habitation. The reoccurring theme of weary travelers being offered a space next to the campfire in exchange for their tales has led several students to suggest that the wanderer is actually Isthralei. Unfortunately, the sightings are so vastly spread—occurring between continents, in the First World of the fey, or even on elemental planes—that they’ve provided little illumination of the god’s origins.

At the academy, Isthralei’s philosophy has expanded to include tenets to protect travelers’ freedom of movement, be generous to others when possible, and seek wisdom in the experience of others. Although these aren’t strictly necessary to gain or keep Isthralei’s favor, it’s difficult to find a teacher among the Academy of the Reclamation without agreeing to these tenets.

This philosophy of protecting travelers is generally seen to include the Convocation’s guests in Nerosyan. Isthralei’s campfire chroniclers are among the most obvious representatives of their academy and the Convocation as a whole. Although surviving tales of the old god inspire campfire conversations on the exhibit grounds, his followers also listen to stories in bars, cafes, and the schools’ lodgings.