Book of Venoms: A Compendium of Escaria’s Venomous Animals - Prologue. Preface

by Parroleus of Willsden

Preface

It was never my intention to add the title of author to the brief, yet hopefully significant, list of my achievements. As an alchemist, I am far more suited to practical endeavours, be it in a laboratory or outside of it. My fingers are more accustomed to holding vials and beakers than a quill and parchment.

However, as I am sitting here on this dreary night in a small tavern in Alryne, far from my home in Thorodan, consuming the fifth cup of bitter ashdew tea, one thing has become painfully clear to me. My studies on venomous reptiles of central Escaria have become hindered as I have barely any good source material available around me. I’ve traveled here with the intention of studying the elusive reptiles inhabiting the rocky planes near Alryne, but it seems I must rely mainly on my own knowledge.

Even the old town library, which I’ve visited every day since I’ve arrived here, has proven to be quite barren. Aside from some rather old scrolls describing encounters with Cloud Lizards and Star-seeking Pythons, there wasn’t much useful information at all. Travelling back to my hometown of Willsden to consult my own manuscripts and notes would require another arduous, three-week journey.

Thus, I have decided to take it upon myself to start writing what I hope will become a comprehensive guide on the many venomous and poisonous animal species that inhabit Escaria. In this work, I intend to include all of my extensive knowledge on animals and the toxins they produce, their practical uses and any other information I deem relevant.

Seeing how any proper discussion on animals cannot be complete without also mentioning shifters, they will be another point of focus of this book.

I hope for my work to serve as a reference guide for generations of future alchemists. That being said, I sincerely hope my book is not overlooked by the ordinary man either, as it is my aim to make it not only useful in practice, but also to fill it with knowledge and tales that everyone can appreciate.