Rolf rubbed his sweat drenched palms off on the underside of his chair, a sturdy, oaken slab on four legs that was so unyielding it that had already put his right buttock to sleep.

The morning had been exhilarating and stressful to the extreme, which was something remarkable considering there had really had been nothing asked of Rolf as of yet.  Still, every moment seemed to build towards a single possibility, a future where in Rolf was a full member of the mage's guild.

It had all started a month ago when Dorn, the healer and mage who had apprenticed Rolf years ago, had first informed the aspiring mage that he had nominated Rolf for full membership.  It was a possibility which came with expanded access to learning, not to mention vast potential for employment above and beyond his mere apprenticeship.  While working with Dorn had led Rolf to some of the greatest troves of knowledge in his lifetime, it had become clear to both to both of them that Rolf was ready for more challenging roles...

And thus started the long wait, the announcement of the trials of membership and the building anticipation of the day.  The guild itself seemed guarded as to what challenges lay in store and Dorn seemed little interested in filling in any details of his own knowledge.

Even this morning, when Guildmaster Dehogue had stepped before the small audience of twelve little had been divulged on what the group would actually have to do.  What the guildmaster had said however, had stuck quite forcefully in Rolf's mind.

"Congratulations!  For the fact that you are sitting here before me is quite evidence enough of your already considerable achievements!  But today marks an opportunity for even greater things.  You are here to test your suitability to join the mages guild, not with apprenticeship status, but as a full journeyman member!  Of course, our guild is limited in the number of journeymen we can accept, and for this year we are limited to only a single vacancy.  How will we choose among you?  Well!"

Dehogue's snow white beard reflected the warm glow of his smile, his arms and hands gesturing expansively as he walked back and forth along the line of nominees.

"We have arranged several tests to prove your magic, your mettle, your intuition and your might!  The first will be just beyond those doors - the one of you which performs these tasks the fastest, the best, or the most efficiently will be our selection to join our ranks!"

And so began the process.  The elders of the guild had left, through the doorway and the first of their number had been called back only a few minutes later.  Rolf had been left here, his hands beginning to sweat and the slow pins and needles creeping down from his butt into his hamstring.

Three others had gone back, some taking mere minutes, while a young girl, perhaps only fourteen, had been a half an hour or more by herself before the next of them had been called.  An hour or so in, Rolf himself was summoned.

Standing up from his chair, Rolf walked slowly through the door...

The room beyond is wide, with line of twelve chairs lined up along the left side.  Rolf notices immediately that of the four that had gone before him, only two still sit here, an older man in his thirties and the young girl, black marks of soot on her face and looking thoroughly exhausted.  Along the right side, the row of elders sits at a long and narrow table.

At the end of the room, there is a six foot high bonfire, perhaps nine feet wide, that seems to have engulfed the floor and the air above, sending plumes of wispy grey smoke upwards that curl into nothingness before hitting the roof above.  Despite his best efforts, Rolf cannot determine anything within the flames, not even the smallest bit of wood to feed the raging flame.

"In the fire is an item which holds information needed for you to move on with your trials."  Guildmaster Dehogue smiles from behind the judges table.  "This is a test of your magic and problem solving abilities.  You may use any spell within your power, though no one in this room is allowed to assist you in any way, so I advise not to make the attempt."

OOC:  It is 0930 on the April 21st.  This is the exclusive thread for Rolf Erikson.  Note that you do not have your entire inventory on your person.  Your backpack, sword, shield, and crossbow (along with the bolts) have been left at home, making your encumbrance none by about a pound.

As Rolf watches the others seeking to take the Guild orders test, he can't help but reflect on his life so far and how lucky he is to be at the footsteps of such an important milestone.

It wasn't long ago that he was a penniless orphan with no father or mother.  His future was bleak and uncertain at best.  He fought as best he could to survive, but the odds were stacked against him and he knew it.  If if weren't for that fateful day when he met Dorn, he knows he'd likely be dead.  Overall maybe it was luck he survived.  Or maybe it was the result of perseverance, hard work, pluck and natural ability that brought him here.  Or maybe it was all those things plus his good nature, not yet corrupted by the world around him.

It was a simple act of kindness that caught his benefactor's attention.  At least from what he can ascertain.  A passing of a crust of bread to another dirty half starved street urchin like himself caught Dorn's eye as he made his way through Craine.  Rolf remembers the day well, he was starving and had just gotten lucky.  He was given decent unspoilt food for some sweeping he did for a baker.  In hindsight the baker was likely taking pity on him, but at the time he neither cared or bothered to consider the possibility.

Flush with his bounty, Rolf was on his way to one of several secret spots he liked to go to be alone.  Whenever he had something of good quality to eat he always made sure to break his fast where he would not be spotted.  But the boy gave him pause.  A lad younger than himself sat curled in an alley, and he knew all too well the sting of an empty stomach.  In fact he felt it now.  The boy needed his help that was plain.  As he reached into his stained sack to give him a full loaf, he was unaware Dorn saw the entire exchange.

"You." he said sternly.  "Come here."

Rolf froze and was tempted to run by instinct, but something seemed different in his demeanor and he sensed the man meant him no harm.

"Yes." he said innocently as he stepped closer the man.

"Why did you feed him?" Dorn said with a pointed finger.  "Do you know the boy?"

"No. Never met him." Rolf replied with a shrug, forgetting the lad he just gave bread to.  Who even as the two spoke was now busy furiously tearing into the hard crust and making quite the racket.

"Come with me.  I want to show you something." Dorn said simply as he turned and walked away.  Not sure what to do or what was going on, Rolf followed.  He was intrigued and wanted to see where this went.  Despite the growling in his stomach, he decided he could eat later.

Dorn offered Rolf a place to stay for the night.  It wasn't much more than a bedroll on a thin pad, but to Rolf it was heaven.

One day turned into two, and two to three, and a week before he knew it.  Over the coming days and weeks Dorn found Rolf to be quite intelligent, but in a raw way owing to his lack of schooling.  And genuinely grew found of him.

It wasn't long before Dorn found Rolf had a special gift given to a rare few that with his guidance shaped the boy into who he is now.  A green, but talented mage of some considerable skill.  A label Rolf doesn't quite enjoy being called.  At least not yet.

He can cast quite a few spells, but the activity is extremely draining.  Dorn said it gets easier over time, but he's not so sure he believes him.  Better to keep his spells a secret and cast only if he has to.  Especially since magic can go awry and with unpredictable consequences.

It is with this in mind he looks over the room and the two mages that he thinks are failing the test.  Though one is covered in soot, he still isn't entirely convinced the flames are real.

He stands and moves over the wall of flame and raises his hand somewhat closely to see if he feels any heat, and in fact if they are what they purport themselves to be.

OOC: Move close to the flames and test for heat with an open palm.  I'm looking to see if the flames are an illusion.  Rolf will also try to see if he can smell any burning flesh or hair lingering in the room.

With slow feet, Rolf steps his way forward, his palms raised and facing towards the flame as he approaches, circling slightly around to the left to get a better view of the whole of the fire.  Immediately, Rolf can feel the warmth on his palms, radiating onward to his face and making him turn his head just slightly in discomfort.

The fire proves to be some eight feet wide from each direction, a nearly perfect collumn of flame rising up from nothing but the ground itself.

Rolf's first thought, that the flames could be nothing more than an illusion, proves to be either wrong or such a good illusion that the point is moot.  Though he stands three feet away from the blaze, beads of sweat have already started to prickle on his forehead, his clothing is already heated to a level of discomfort, stinging just so slightly against his skin.

As Rolf steps forward, determined to look within the blaze, he feels the heat blasting over his face like an exposed kiln.  He raises his arm to shield his eyes and cheek and the effort proves worth it.  For as he leans forward, he can just make out a small box, perhaps six inches in each dimension sitting upon the floor at the center of the blaze.

Unable to take the heat any longer, Rolf steps back several paces from the fire.  The hard leather of his armor still stings with heat against his skin and Rolf has a hard time fathoming that the smell of singed hair on his hand could be entirely imagined...