A Wizard!

"Ah, this question is actually quite simple," Earl Thorne said with an easy smile, his calm demeanor unwavering in the face of the tension filling the room.

As the lords exchanged uncertain glances, Thorne rose from his seat, clapped his hands sharply, and strode to the side of the room. "Rather than explaining it myself," he continued, turning to address the assembly, "I think it's better to let our 'master' explain things to you personally."

'Master?'

A ripple of confusion spread through the room. Lords and knights shifted uneasily in their chairs, their eyes following Thorne's gesture toward the far corner of the hall.

Moments later, a figure emerged from the shadows.