Eric Thursley
Contents
Eric Thursley
Demonologist-for-hire
N Male Human Conjurer 3/ Master Specialist 2/ Malconvoker 2
The title of one the most (in)famous books on the subject is Mallificarum Sumpta Diabolicite Occularis Singularum, the Book of Ultimate Control. It is relatively well known among practitioners of the arcane, although wizards rarely bother with it.
This might seem odd, because if there is one thing a wizard would trade his grandmother for, it is power. But it isn’t all that strange, as any wizard bright enough to breathe unassisted for five minutes is also bright enough to realize that if there is any power in demonology, than it lies with the demons. Attempting to use it for your own purposes would be like trying to beat mice to death with an aggravated rattlesnake.
- Archchancellor Marificious – (three days before his mysterious disappearance from his private office, leaving soot-covered walls and a lingering trace of brimstone.)
First impression
An air of preoccupation is what most people notice first about Mr. Eric Thursley. He looks harmless enough alright, a slightly built man in his late twenties with disheveled hair and a scruffy beard. A typical bookworm, some might say, one of nature’s banking clerks or assistant librarians. However, if one happened to ask Mr. Thursley about the subject of his research, his normally wandering eyes would likely fix into a stare of unexpected intensity. A driven man this Eric would turn out to be, obsessed even, with what he calls ‘the study of extra-dimensional, or inter-planar, entities’. It might take a moment to realize that he is, in all seriousness, holding forth about the lore of demons. This with a passion and fervor commonly associated with the more radical of religious zealots. If one were to actually pay attention to his ramblings, which would already be more than most are like to do, one would notice his habitual references to his great-grandfather, supposedly the renowned Dr. Faustus himself. Eric seems determined to prove his ancestors’ theories and hypothesis, which seem to revolve around the belief that the school of Conjuration is the purest and thus most deserving to be recognized as the highest of Magics.
In spite of, or more correctly, because of this very same motivation, Mr. Thursley has his uses in the private sector. He does seem to have an natural aptitude in dealing with these so-called inter-planar entities, walking a fine line between brilliance and madness. His tendency to barely distinguish between employers and willingness to work for- and with virtually anyone in order to further his own studies, makes him an interesting associate for any number of organizations.
Journal
Preface
A firm hypothesis is emerging. For the past eighteen months or so I have tracked down and consulted a great number of libraries' and similar institutions' collected works, both public and private, regarding the wide variety of inter-planar entities. If one considers the whole scope of documented sightings and encounters, a number of clear trends can be identified. I have started incorporating these trends in an integrated system of classification. Using a typology that distinguishes between Magical beasts, Elementals and Outsiders as a starting point, I have begun design of a definite set of protocols for the calling and directing of said entities. It is my belief that, as once my pressed-toad collection was the envy of my peers during childhood, this system will set the standard for future developments within this most exciting field of Conjuration.
Session I - A break in routine. [16/07/08]
I found myself to have been teleported somehow to a location unknown. Truly dreadfully inconvenient this was as it happened while en route to the university city of Baralthof where I had hoped to peruse their chronology of spontaneous apparitions, or more commonly known as demonic visitations. My new location turned out to be a 10-by10ft room with some basic furnishings. A distinctly short and slight-statured individual, who I can only presume to have been the previous occupant, was in the process of being evicted by an ogre-sized beast sheathed in full plate armor. Something about this feller struck a sense of recognition, possibly in relation to something I'd read about in my research, which suggested I might no longer be on the primary Material plane. After a momentarily flash of disquiet about this development, I realized the worth of this opportunity to gather first-hand data on the local inhabitants. On a side note, I seemed to have misplaced my satchel with travel necessities. I'll make sure to tell my host to have someone look for it, as my notes and modest selection of spells are of vital importance for the continuation of my work. Speaking of which, before ending up here, I was considering some possible improvements with regard to the use of inward facing magic circles in conjunction with a dimensional anchor as an aid in directing the stronger kinds of entities. Luckily the floor in this room is flat and even enough for some preliminary sketches, with only the clamor and shouting in the distance proving somewhat of a distraction. That ogre-feller interrupted me at a most critical moment of design, babbling something about an audience with his master or similar. At this point I firmly told him to come back later, having agreed to no such appointment with anyone. Unbelievable, how downright rude some people can get when they’re only concerned with their own interests. Some minutes later, I did remember having received a letter some weeks ago from someone requesting a meeting. The message seemed to be quite urgent and was clearly of great importance to the writer. Alas, I was unable to pay any attention to it at the time, as I was in the middle of a breakthrough on extending the duration of called entities. I considered looking for my host and finding out his intentions, only to find out that the door seemed to have no latch on the inside. To make matters more complicated, a quick cantrip seemed to confirm that magic is somehow suppressed in this room, and maybe the rest of this environment. As I went back to refining the magic circle design, I once more found myself distracted by the noise. It almost sounded like a number of animals fighting, quite inappropriate to the contemplative mindset I required. If this were to keep up any longer I felt I might be forced to make some complaint.
