"The gods I know of," Roland wrote, "seem to lack what mortals would call conscious will. Even their oracles are vague to the point of abstraction, and never once do they converse directly with their followers.1

"Those who have tried—whether believers or magicians seeking to glimpse or commune with such beings—have without exception gone mad. Are these gods so exalted that the mortal soul simply cannot bear the emanations of their presence?0

"So I thought, what if I could find a god who does possess consciousness, one capable of communication? Samuel is the most fitting candidate. As the Flamewarden, he has sealed himself within his library. To the outside world, he is known only by his title; few remember the name Samuel Hayden.0

"The Watcher is said to be the successor of the God of Knowledge. That god did not perish in the Battle of the Abyssal Depths, but instead took upon himself the sacred duty of preserving civilization's fire, guarding its spark even in defeat, so that the legacy of wisdom would never be extinguished....0