T'was the Year of Shadows, 1358 in the month of Kythorn when the world changed. In the city of Suzail, capitol of Corymr the priestess's of Tymora were much troubled. Will the fall of the gods be permenant, will magic fail forever, what are the portents for the future? Divination prayers are going unanswered. It was decided by the High Priestess that a delegation must make the dangerous trip to Arabel to consult with Sage/mage Mellomir. A group of 4 priestess, 3 acolytes, 5 temple staff, 1 paladin and 15 warriors would make the trip using horses as the fastest and safest means to get there.

Amber Rose a halfling acolyte had the dubious pleasure of being one of those chosen acolytes. Their duties would be to wait on the priestess's, act as scribes for any meetings and general all around 'gophers'.

One days ride from Arabel, Amber had the courage to ask what category of knowledge Mellomir was experienced in.

"Why child! Haven't your religious studies taught you that?" ask the astonished Priestess Telara.

::I am NOT a child! I'm 25 years old!:: Amber screams in her head indignantly, forgetting she looks like a child.

"No Lady Telara. We were to study current living beings next week." Amber replied outloud in a humble tone.

"Well, I see I will have to give you some instruction during our journey."

Amber groans to herself for she'd thought this trip would be a great adventure and adventurers never have to 'learn' stuff.

"We will start now. Mellomir is famous throughout Faerun and whom many regard as the foremost living authority on the prophecies and divination practices of humankind. He predicted the fall of Bhall and that just happened recently, Myrkul and the reappearance of the fabled Ring of Winter are another prediction that hasn't happened yet but I am certain he is correct. [writer insert: they did happen during the Time of Troubles.] He's survived several kidnappings and single-handedly destroyed an entire Westgate family after it deemed him a foe and tried repeatedly to assassinate him. He and the notable mages Jestra, Myschanta and Theavos all give advice and aid to Myrmeen Lhal, the king's lord of Arabel." she pauses for a moment, "Mind you, if we should meet with her, be sure to call her lord, not m'lady! Though with the troubling times that are going on now I doubt even I will see her, she is much too busy." The rest of the day passes with more talks about Corymr.

There are not many traveling the road into the city as they approach the southern gates. Suddenly they have to move off the road as 60 Purple Dragon warriors ride pellmell to the east. At the gate, when asked, one of the guards checking incoming beings tells the clerical party that a large caravan was attacked by a maurading band of orcs, many were captured. Only 3 managed to escape to bring word. As the ride into the city continues snippets of conversation bring foreboding news. This is the 5th caravan in two weeks to be attacked, the border guards in the Stonelands to the north are reporting no scrimaches at all and THAT means something is brewing from the Zhentarim...again.

Finally the Tymora temple is reached where the group will stay while they consult the sage. The priestess's are met on the steps [which was not a normal occurance] and hurried away while everyone else is told to unpack, stay in their rooms till furthur notice.

"Hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait." Amber mutters and the other two acolytes snicker as they shift their burdens and drop them onto the alcove floor leading to the bedchambers. To pass the time the put everything away in the chests provided and then sit and gossip.

Time passes and finally the priests return. They look stunned and a bit weak in the knees but they straighten up and ignore questioned looks from their lessers.

"You will stay here during the night, you are not to roam, if you feel the urge, use a chamber pot. During the day when we do not need you, you are to go to the end of the hallway and practice your weaponry with the instructor there. Follow the prayer times, speak to no one unless spoken to first. Meals will be taken in the refactory, no talking there either until furthur notice." with those instructions ringing in their ears everyone turns in, Amber and the others sleeping on rugs on the floor in the alcove.

The next morning an appointment is made to visit Mellomir. On the way back news of a mob of goblins wiping out the troops patroling to the north spreads throughout the city.

Back at the temple one of the acolytes whispers to Amber that he'd heard Lady Luck herself was staying at the temple!

"Oh go on now. Gods don't go slumming Bestero. Why would she come here?" Amber says.

"But I heard it from one of the servants who works in the kitchen! He said The Lady complimented the cook about one of his sauces he put on a fish dish yesterday!" the halfelf protests.

"Do gods need to eat? Come now, someone is trying to play a trick on us, just to see how gullible we are." Amber finishes cleaning some boots and starts on sharpening some quills to use for pens. "Best you get to work and stop gossiping."

Only a snort and murmured, "I know what I know." is heard as he too starts his chores.

A week passes and even Amber begins to believe the rumors are true. Especially when the city comes under attack from within. A strange women was seen walking amongst the wounded and dieing and as she past them, they were healed! When those by Her were attacked by a mage and a group of men dressed in black, the mages magic was turned back on himself and he ended up a rather messy red puddle and the men turned into horses! Horses commandeered by the Baron Thomdor, who heads the Army of the East for the city.

"They will be put to good use, luckily we have need of horses." was heard by many nearby.

Many incidences like this happened during the next week and Amber, Bestero and Maylyn were kept busy helping bandage the wounded, comforting the bereaved families of the dead and even getting a few chances at fighting themselves. Finally the sage managed to find time for her superiors and they went off to consult him. The acolytes were told to take some time off as things had settled down a bit. Amber decided to go to the gardens. All this hurly burly of the city and temple was getting to her. In a little alcove she sat down under the shade of a willow tree and watched a butterfly flit from one flower to another a few feet from herself. The bubbling of a fountain on the other side of some sculpted shubbery could be heard nearby.

::Now this is more like it! I can just imagine myself walking along a path in the countryside and stopping for a bite to eat under the shade of a tree like this...." and she begins to daydream.

Suddenly the sounds of splashing and giggling can be heard on the otherside of the shrubs. Amber sits upright.

::Sounds like someone is playing in the sacred fountain! I hope it isn't one of our group! Maybe I'd better remind them so they don't get punished.:: and with that thought she gets up and hurries around the corner.

"You'r not supp..." her sentence goes unfinished as she beholds a tall, thin graceful lady with long, flowing, unbound, platinum blond hair sitting on the edge of the fountain with her feet splashing in the water. The lady's hair covers most of her face as she looks down into the water and giggles again as a fish nibbles at her toes. She looks up as Amber comes to a stop uncertain whether to scold the regal looking lady. The ladies smile calms the halfling and at a gesture Amber comes closer her eyes cast downward in respect.

"Yes child, I know this fountain is sacred." the lovely voice is gentle and kind sounding.

"I'm not a child...m'lady." looks up quickly and then down again. Her voice giving clue to how many times she has had to listen to that.

The lady's eyes twinkle, "But you must know that I have lived longer than you think and to me many people are children. How old do you think I am?"

"Lady, you are beautiful and young looking, I'd say your not a day over 26." which was just a year under Ambers age.

The tall lady laughs and her voice echos the sound of the falling water.

"Ahh, well then I guess I couldn't ask you to take off your boots and join me then, could I?" she asks.

Amber looks up with frightened eyes, "Oh I couldn't do that! The fountain would have to be reconsecrated and I'd be sent back to Suzail in disgrace!"

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to? It is kind of hot today and this water feels so cool."

"Well...I would like to but..." Amber hesitates.

"Come, sit by me. Share the water. If anyone spots you, they will have to contend with My displeasure." The voice is most compelling and to Amber's amazement she decides to be adventureous and do it. The water feels so good and she too giggles when a fish nibbles on the hairs of her feet.

"Now, tell me about yourself. What are you doing here?"

Somehow Amber found herself trusting this elegant lady and told her many things she'd not even told her closest friends. She spoke of wanting to go adventuring but it looked like she'd end up as a clergy helping in a temple in Suzail, her home town. The specialists called Luckbringers weren't her cup of tea for she disliked gambling. Too many times she had seen friends and aquaintences lose money to the gambling disease while their families starved or had to work for poor wages. Mind you the Luckbringers did a good job but sometimes they went over board. Adventurers went places and did things to help the realm and distribute hidden wealth. Many of them died for lack of medical care and prayers of aid.

"It just isn't fair." Amber pauses to watch a silver colored fish sneak up on a white and gold one and bite its tail. "Mind you, I realize adventuring is dangerous, or at least I gather that much from listening to the tales told in the inns and taverns by those who have survived. I'd like to help them." she sighs. "But, I guess I will have to make the most of what The Lady has given me and be thankful I can help those in need in Suzail."

"Well, that is something to think about child, err young lady. Thank you for keeping me company. But now I think you should go, I hear someone coming."

Amber climbs out of the pool grabbing her boots and socks. She bows her head to the lady.

"May Blessed Tymora shine upon you always."Amber says as she runs off, to the sound of delighted laughter in her ears.

Later that night Amber has trouble sleeping and she over hears conversation from the priestess bedroom.

"High Hand of the Lady, Daramos is getting awfully proud of himself now that Tymora has come to this temple to help the city. Do you know he ordered me to fetch his prayer book off from a table instead of going to get it himself!"

"The gall of the man!" the second voice said. "Did you go get it?"

"Of course not. I told him to go get it himself as he needed the exercise." the first voice replied with a slight snicker creeping in.

"Oh no! You didn't!"

"Yes, I did. You should have seen the look on his face. He knew he couldn't risk getting me angry. He needs our voice with the King Azoun too much."

"Shhh! We mustn't talk about this anymore. The very walls may have ears!" The sound of footsteps come to the alcove doorway and walk back.

"Good they're asleep. Have you spoken with Tymora yet? She is most beautiful."

The first voice gets an awed sound to it. "Yes, yes she did today as a matter of fact. She asked a lot of questions about our city and the temple and how many adventurers we had coming thru the city and much more."

"How strange, I thought the gods would know everything." a third voice exclaims.

"Not so strange, I believe they do, perhaps I was being tested for honesty and accuracy."

"True, true. But now I think we should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

And sounds of bodies settling in for the night are heard. Amber goes over the conversation in her head and the meeting in the garden.

::I wonder..., nah! Why would she talk to me?:: Amber turns over and finally goes to sleep.

Two days later High Hand of the Lady, Daramos Lauthyr decided to pay a visit to Lord Myreen Lhal to give her the benefit of his advice and to ask for an increase in the temple tithes. While he was gone word went out amongst the rest of the temple that Lady Luck wanted all clergy, visiting or associated with this temple and whomever else could, to come to the main worship area. She had something of import to say.

Amber went with the group from Suzail and was sorely afraid when she realized the lady she had been talking her head off to was none other than Tymora, the goddess of luck! She wanted to crawl into a hole and pull the top over her. But, being the curious type she wiggled her way to an aisle side and looked to the front of the room.

Tymora's voice wasn't all that loud but somehow it seemed to carry clear to the back of the room.

"I have thought long and hard about something. I am the goddess of luck, gambling and adventurers, there are clerics who are generalists and there are specialists for gamblers, known as My Luckbringers. Here Me now and make it known, that there will now be another specialist group to be called Tymora's Favored. They will be wandering priests and priestess's going across the lands to follow my teachings, to aid adventurers and explorers where ever they can. Humans, halfelves and halflings may be Favored. They are to give aid to paladins, cavaliers and other dramatic warriors, and adventurers, wherever My Luck is needed. The Favored can wear any armour, weapon or clothing they desire and have the ability to use. No special clerical garb will be needed, only My symbol worn with pride and dignity. The Favored will be able to learn to tell directions easily and I suggest they learn the local histories of whatever area they plan on being in for any length of time, as well as riding, for that will enable them to travel faster and safely. The Favored will report to no special person of the church but myself and those they chose to. The Favored will be able to turn undead as my other clerics do. And I bestow upon them a special ability which will be known only to them and their teachers. This ability will have a counter measure to keep greed and pride from entering their hearts for my favors are not given lightly."

Then a large number of individuals in the temple hear in their minds Her Voice and as she speaks to each a silver column of light appears over each and when there is acceptance the light covers them for a moment and then disappears.

The first are asked to be instructors and given new prayers to add to those known already, the second are asked to start out now into the countryside as Tymora's first of the Favored for there is much need of them during these trying times and lastly eight are asked to start their studies to become one of the Favored.

Maylyn gasps as a silver column appears over Amber's and Bestero's heads

and they both hear in their heads,

"Will you accept?" "Will you be an adventurer young lady?" the gentle voice with the sound of a smile in it asks of Amber.

"Oh yes! Yes I accept Lady Luck!" Amber falls to her knees with head bowed tears streaming from her eyes as she is enveloped with the silver light feeling her goddess's touch on her forehead, not unlike the feeling she faguely recalls from her birthing but much stronger and then this feeling passes from memory.

"Rise my daughter, bend your knee to no one." the voice says and Amber gets up wonder and awe in her dazed, damp eyes.

Amber turns to her group and notices that Lady Telara also has that glazed look as do nine others in the party.

Tymora looks out over the crowd rises her hand and gives a blessing and disappears. As she fades a voice is heard in the whole Suzail party,

"Go now, leave the city and return home. Suzail will be my primary source of teachers for the Favored...for now."

While the rest of the crowds are murmuring, exclaiming and talking over the new events and what they might foretell, the Suzail group quickly makes its way back to their rooms and begin to pack.

"Amber, Bestero not a word about this until I give you leave. It must be reported back to those at home. The goddess has blessed you both, don't let it go to your heads, you still have much studing to do. Maylyn, no word from you either. I'm sorry you were not chosen but I do believe your talents will lead you to the Luckbringers eye so don't look so envious." Lady Malifant sternly admonishes each. "Now come, we must leave before the city gates are shut. Gather your things quickly."

Amber over hears Lady Malifant tell Lady Telara, "And I don't want to be here when Daramos hears what happened."

"True, and I am glad Doust Sulwood was chosen as a Favored teacher for this temple. He is quite popular and may be able to keep Dousts greed in check. As a member of the Knights of Myth Drannor, he will know what our new specialists will need to know about adventuring." one of the others answers.

With these last words the packing is finished and Amber and her group leave the city of Arabel and return home. Amber studies hard and after only four more years is ready to go out and explore on her own....

[Note: Many of the personages and events were taken from the book: Volo's Guide to Cormyr" by TSR.]