The story of Nagual the war wizard.

[WorldTraveler]

An older drow elf stands silently, watching his student from the doorway of the
library. A smile creases his face.

"Master?", Nagual asks, turning from his seated, lotus position of the floor of the chamber.

"I see you've been practicing your meditation techniques. That was your astral
body I saw walking past the doorto my chamber just now." The words were not
a question.

Nagual smiles himself, standing up. "I didn't mean to disturb you sir."

"Nonsense," the old wizard assures his student. "I shall expect you to do so from
time to time when you reach Stormreach."

The younger drow looks pensive for a moment and is silent. He looks up and finally
says, "I'm not sure I want to go. Why shouldn't I stay? I've learned so much from
you. In my sparring session with the armsmaster the other day, I summoned the
mists sucessfully. You should've seen his face when I put my rapier to the back
of his neck."

"We've spoken of this before." The master's tone brook's no discussion. "You
know the schemes and intrigues of the clans and how they grind up any who
might be a threat to them. I didn't spend all this time teaching you to see you
die in their endless squabbles."

Seeing the look on Nagual's face, his master places his hand on his shoulder.
"Nagual, you're not like the others. There is good in you, and much potential."

"That's not even my name," complains the bitter student.

"It is from this day forth," responds the master. "You must never speak or write
your true name outside this place. Come with me. I want to show you something.
The armsmaster meant to do it, but it seems you shook him up quite a bit. I
understand why now."

Nagual follows his master outside and to a field by the grasslands. Seeing and
recognizing the place, a tone of concern creeps into his voice. "Master, these are
the grasslands where the deadly snakes hunt."

"Fear not, my pupil. You did study that charm spell like I asked, didn't you?" queries
the master. "Besides," he continues, "I've some anti-venom. No, we've not come to see the cobra hunt, but rather to teach you an important lesson. Watch over there.
It usually comes out to feed this time of day."

After a wait, Nagual sees a mongoose saunter into the fields, sniffing the air and
walking about. Involuntarily, he is startled at the sudden appearance of one of
the poisonous beasts rising up above the grass. Fearless, the mongoose rushes
nimbly forward, almost dancing. It strikes, but the mongoose dodges easily. A
second time and a second miss, and it strikes a third time. This time, impossibly
fast, the mongoose dodges and bites the snake behind the neck, killing it.

As it wanders back into the woods, its meal in its mouth, the master speaks. "The
armsmaster wanted you to see this because he says you were lamenting your lack
of strength as though this is the only weapon a warrior has. You're not only very
bright my young friend, you are healthy and as nimble as that creature out there.
I have taught you all you need to continue your studies on your own. You must
learn to use magic and steel together, like you did with the armsmaster. Remember,
a warrior's best weapon is the same one a wizard needs, his mind."

"What does it mean anyway?", asks the student. "My new name that is."

This time the master smiles enigmatically. "It is an ancient term from the dead
language of a tribal people no longer around. They came to understand that the
world of the rational was only part of reality. Beyond it and all things you might
say constitute the ego, beyond the artifice we are taught to construct and live
in from birth as the everyday world, there lies the nagual. It was also used as a
term to describe those who managed to achieve the second attention I've taught
you for spell casting. They were the equivalent of sorcerers and wizards among
those people. You cannot describe it with words. It must be experienced."

"I think I understand," declares the young drow.

The old wizard claps his student on the back. "I know you do. Try not to worry
too much. You're just nervous about striking out into the unknown. All young
people are. You will do far better than you think now. Shall we get our own meal?
You've got a boat to catch tomorrow."

[Nevthial]

I like it! Characters with a background are much more real to me.