The Illusionist [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

The Illusionist is a standalone short story, part of the free Pathfinder web fiction available here.  Written by Elaine Cunningham, it's a fantastic, gripping look at what life is like for a new student in Korvosa's famed school of magic, the Acadamae.  It's hard to say much else without spoilers, so I'll just say here that the artwork that accompanies the story is also great and that the story makes a perfect introduction to life in the Acadamae (or perhaps Korvosa more generally).

SPOILERS

Bonali Kwazeel, an apprentice magician from the Mwangi Expanse, has come to the Acadamae at the behest of his master in order to expand his horizons.  Kwazeel's roommate, Jamang, persuades him to attend another student's attempt to summon a minor devil, and when things go wrong and that student is killed, everyone suspects sabotage!   There's a twist so clever (and ultimately so petty) that explains perfectly how cutthroat the Acadamae is that I don't want to ruin it here.  Suffice it to say that this little story packs a punch and is definitely worth reading.