Bartholomew Lorewise (a.k.a. The Bard King)
Bartholomew Lorewise is a famous bard, poet, historian, taxonomist and cartographer. His true identity is unknown and the name is believed to be a pen name combining the works of many individuals fleeing from the Empire of Ader during the First Inquisition due to the vast scope and versatility of the writing. Some bards, especially those of the College of Whispers considers Bartholomew and their patron, claiming that together with his he ascended from the material planes to spin the Wheel.
Mental characteristics
Accomplishments & Achievements
Bartholomew's earliest work, 'The Towers', was published around the year 450 and describes in vague details the mechanics of the mortal realm. His last book, 'Tales of the Navigators' was published in 1143, almost 700 yeas later. Both books were on display in Grand Library of Vintia but where lost during the Ponderer's Escape
While some of Bartholomew's writing is amazingly accurate, most of it is considered pure myths or theories as it is almost impossible to verify his claims. Many academics have tried to follow his footsteps and experiments only to fail or even die in the process.
Bartholomew was notorious in creating only a few copies of each one of his book. Each copy was numbered and serialized. Some theorize that is was done to deter forgeries while others are believing it was done due to his writing being exclusive to a certain group. Either way since his third book, Arguments on Mortality, rose to popularity, more then a thousand books, scrolls, poems and other variations of the written word have been found singed by him as the author. Almost all of them, save for a very rare few, have been proven as fake, written by ordinary bards and scholars who hope to capitalize on the famous name or heretics who hoped to remain hidden behind his namesake.
Famous Books
While extremely prone to forgery, the following publications where considered authentic by the Grand Library of Vintia prior to its destruction. Despite the library is no more, the books are considered magical and might have survived as other artefacts have, but simply never found.
The Towers
(Circa 450)The book describes the mortal realm as a construct operated by 'Towers', focal points of energy that keep it and its laws together. The books describes in great length the inner workings of the Towers and dives into theories of their purpose and nature. The book is considered a marvel of story-telling but no evidence of such 'Towers' was ever found. Two of the four copies that where made were ever found, both were kept in the Grand Library of Vintia and are now unacounted for.
Worlds of Unknown
(Circa 522)A taxonomy and cartography collection of many different realms and planes of existence with beautiful and colorful pictures of the different flora and fauna inhabiting them. Much of the material plane flora and fauna are documented in great detail. Mages that traversed the Feywild and other relatively close planes have confirmed some of the examples shown in the book but also note that those planes (especially the Feywild) often reflect ones mind so any encounter in them is to be questioned. Most other writings and illustrations are considered theory, myths or have never been encountered. Only two copies are known to ever be made. The only one to survive was kept in the Grand Library of Vintia and is now unacounted for.
Arguments On Mortality
Arguments On Mortality in Writings of Bartholomew Lorewise(Circa 756)
Bartholomew's best known work. The book is written as a theater play about a man, presumably human, who have an amusing afternoon conversation with his God about the meaning of life and the necessity of death. Its writing is considered very critical and forward thinking for the time, almost to the point of heresy. The play was adopted by many circuses and traveling bards and has become well known. Out of the sixteen original copies made, six are accounted for in private collections, one is the Cathedral Archive in Ammand and one was in the library of Vintia and is now unaccounted for.
The Royalty
(Circa 902)The book comprised of various fictional short stories about different fictional people in different periods of time, from distant past to the far future. Each protagonist is searching for immortality for himself or for another and for different reasons but all of them end with their own death. Except for one, who becomes an undead lich, cursed to gather more and more knowledge until he forgets his own name. The book is written in extremely melancholic language as the author goes out of his way to describe the failure and dire consequences of one actions, more often then not leaving the protagonist and his friends and loved ones worse then they were have they not chosen to to seek out immortality. Only one copy from the original seven is left, it was kept in the Grand Library of Vintia and is now unacounted for.
Tale of the Navigators
(Circa 1143)The book describe the experience of two unknown creatures who navigate their ship through the Ether between 'shards', self contained cosmoses, in search for new home since their original one has been destroyed by some cataclysmic event.
There are eighth copies of the book, one in Vintia, one in Ader, one belongs to The Conclave of Magi and is kept on the Isle of Darseras, the rest are in private collections.
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