Editing Xanderan the Wizard Slayer (section)

===Episode 2: Never Trust a Wizard===

'''Summary''': Looking to have a rare artifact, found on the body of the assassin in episode 1, identified, Eches and Xanderan come to Cymril. There they gain the services of a wizard-scholar by promising to help his student deliver a potent magical artifact from a find site to the capital, where it can be properly studied. On the way air pirates attack, and Xanderan must defend student and artifact alike.

'''Teaser''': Xanderan and Eches talk to a merchant guard about Cymril’s mastery of magic, and how wizards always want to get their hands on magical artifacts. They hear a story about powerful magical engines of the Time Before, and people dream about what they could do with that power. (Motifs: Road, ancient ruins)

'''First Conflict''': After getting a series of dead ends, the brothers are sent to a Wizard who works at the Academy of Magic. They go to find him, but meet his student-assistant instead. While they talk someone tries to steal a mcguffin from the office, and tries to kill the PCs when he’s spotted. After defeating him, the PCs make a deal with the student – he’ll get the Wiz to identify the artifact if they go help him bring an important artifact to a safe location, as she fears it may be stolen. (Motifs: Guilds, both of wizards and assassins)

'''Second Conflict''': After meeting the Wizard, a charming and personable older fellow, the PCs guard the treasure as it is put on an airship. On the short flight to the city they are attacked by two air-pirate ships and a group of bird men. The PCs have to fight an exciting aerial battle. Just as they are starting to win, an explosion rocks the ship and sets it on fire. The PCs save the ship, but the artifact is gone by the time they are done. (Motifs: Ancient ruins, flightless birdmen)

'''Third Conflict''': Finding the student injured by the blast that started the ship on fire, the PCs first think the Wizard was killed, but when they save the student’s life they find out that the Wizard caused the blast then fled. The student begs them to get the artifact back, assuring them if they do she will get someone else to identify the artifact. The PCs must then do leg work to find that the Wizard has a remote cabin in the woods, a place perfect to meet pirates. The PCs rush there and find the Wizard negotiating with the air pirates. If the PCs attack everyone thinks the other side betrayed them, and a three way fight breaks out. If the PCs don’t attack, things go poorly and the air-pirates and the Wizard start a fight that sweeps the PCs up. Either way, the Wizard casts a drowning spell on the house and grounds, leading to the PCs fighting their way through a mansion suddenly on the bottom of a lake. (Motifs: Gangs)

'''Final Scene''': The PCs catch up with the Wizard, and after a magical battle through a midnight wood, take him, the stolen artifact, and their information out of him. The student takes him to the authorities (if he’s alive), and tells the brothers to head through Kasmir to get to the trade route into the desert. (Motifs: The Road)