Morsten

Before the wars, Morsten was a simple fishing and trade village of 350 people with a garrison of 20 soldiers keeping watch across the Veng. Now it stands at the eastern end of the Flare Line, anchoring Furyondy's defenses. The garrison of Morsten has been increased to 200. Fortifications are being constructed and the river harbor is being extended to house military ships. Morsten is home to the wizard Schyzer, who arrived several months before the end of the wars. Since Schyzer served honorably during the wars, he is above common suspicion and official interrogation. But he is a bewildering and enigmatic man, crusty and cantankerous, and the garrison leaders, along with Jakartai, really don’t know what to make of him. He an albino Suloise, so some people are rather suspicious of him.

Schyzer lives in a stone tower facing across the river. Apparently, he constructed this tower himself in only four days, just after the end of the war. The wizard’s trained wyvern lurks atop the flat roofed tower when Schyzer is not riding it. His apprentice, Cupara, has a pair of docile but powerful looking mountain lions which he keeps around as pets. Curious people don’t go too close to the place. Cupara does all the talking to the garrison and townspeople, although he only does so when he must. He always tells garrison soldier about anything Schyzer has spotted across the Veng while out flying. The wizards never seem to need to buy any outside food or supplies for their tower, and they mostly keep their own company.

Schyzer actually keeps his tower at Morsten for purely selfish reasons. He doesn’t really care at all about Furyondy or Iuz or almost anything else. He has discovered that the bed of the Veng contains very rare magical stones which can be used to summon animals and monsters which will faithfully serve a wizard for their natural lifetime. This enchantment enables the animals to be communicated with and trained. So far, he’s discovered two types of stones (hence his wyvern and the twin lions) and he wants to discover more. Schyzer is mildly paranoid, and trusts no one but Cupara, whom he trusts only a little. To him, acquiring a totally faithful, obedient monster or animal companion is worth risking the hazards of living in a war zone.