Prospectus Logs #31: Lions and Lions and Lions, Oh My! +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Of lions and how they may cause problems. It's not easy being red. | | Also, how rituals may be used to turn a river to flame and how swords | | may be used to turn it back. Finally, the proper punishment for | | diabolists. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Dramatis Personae: Albus Magus of Tytalus (Shannon Appel) Catorse Magus of Quaesitor (Kevin Wong) Frangere Magus of Tremere (Eric Fulton) Fraxima the Faerie Flambeau Maga of Flambeau (Donald Kubasak) Lorum Magus of Merinita (Bill Filios) Risus Magus of Criamon (Dave Woo) Aubrin Elder Magus of Merinita Drake Elder Magus of Bjornaer Francis Grog Hufar Grog Jean-Patrice Grog Julian Grog Michelle Grog Roger-Tien Grog Vincent Grog Demonatrix Evil Demon Isaac of Badjoz Jewish Rabbi Monya of Matmata Jewish Sorceress Remus Mouse Story Guide: Eric Rowe +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | A CHRONOLOGY: The Stone Lions of Prospectus Locus | | | | * April 15, 1215 - Stone lions seen perched atop regio of the tower | | at Prospectus Locus, representing the tower as it once was, long | | ago. (Prospectus Logs #11, "A Gathering of Fay") | | | | * May 26, 1216 - First lion statue discovered, under water near | | Prospectus Locus. (Prospectus Logs #18, "Ex Miscellanea") | | | | * June 19, 1216 - Two more lion statues discovered, held prisoner by | | mud men hiding under Prospectus Locus. | | | | * June 28, 1216 - Lions finally imprisoned when Drake discovers they | | can be held by water. (Prospectus Logs #20, "Vengeance Screams the | | Chicken Mage") | | | | * October 25, 1217 - A stone lion is given to Lord Thom. (Prospectus | | Logs #25, "Ignorance is Bliss") | | | | * November 25, 1217 - After the covenant's aura drops, an expedition | | is sent to recover the lion given to Thom. (Prospectus Logs #26, | | "A Fox Amidst the Ducks") | | | | * December 27, 1217 - Final two stone lions seemingly purchased in | | Valencia. | | | | * December 31, 1217 - Last two lions bounce off of covenant's aegis. | | (Prospectus Logs #27, "Demons, Demons Everywhere, and Not a Chance | | to Think") | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - The Memoirs of Aubrin the Evil May 12, 1218 Drake stopped by my lab this afternoon to report his findings on our newest two lions, having studied them now for a full season. Unfortunately, his investigation was quite non-conclusive and he was unable to determine any of the powers that might be contained in the two new lions. This is of some suspicion, for with the old lions Drake was at least able to discover their matter of locomotion. For now we have decided to leave the new lions as they are, outside the covenant, waiting until the end of the year when we recast our Aegis. - * - Albus' Dialogues May 31, 1218 Late Afternoon My studies of Jewish Lore are done. Two seasons gone. I am no nearer knowing how to banish Her. Isaac says that with just a few more years work I will begin to learn the basics of the basics. Too long. I have thanked Isaac for his time and he makes his preparations to leave. A letter has gone off to Monya to see if she can offer any aid in banishing my Evil Angel. I suspect this route is a dead end however. - * - Drake's Diary 1 June, 1218 AD Today is a curious day, for there have been curious happenings surrounding our two newest curious lions. Somehow they invaded our covenant today, like the Heathen into the Holy Lands, despite the fact that once our Aegis had warded them. And, yes, we have checked and our Aegis still holds strong. I save the worst for last, but I must mention it now lest the day be incomplete: once the lions were inside our covenant there were multiple duckacides! Our home has been heavy with ducks since I was returned to myself last year--something to do with Liminals and duck storms; I have been afraid to ask all the details. This morning many of my fine fowled friends were dead. Foul play, one might say. The lions are the obvious culprits of course, them or the butler. I have ordered pits dug for these new lions, and that those pits be filled with water. Note to myself: warn all ducks that cats eat birds. Duh. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Maybe they're trojan lions." | | -Fraxima, on clever and cunning plots | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - The Council Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal June 3, 1218 In attendence: Albus, Aubrin, Berengarius, Catorse, Drake, Fabricarious, Forticulus, Frangere, Fraxima, Larissa, Lorum, Risus, and Xanti; also myself, Lucindia the Seneschal. Absent: Viator, in Rome seeking to get the holy artifact removed from our nearby monastery. Points of Information: * DRAKE asked that the meeting be called so that he could make the covenant aware of two problems, related to our newest stone lions. First, Drake stated that some force seems to be causing misunderstandings within our covenant. For example, when Drake asked that the lions be put in pits filled with water, the grogs heard "filled with ladders"; the lions easily climbed out. There was also the incident of all of our water being salted due to a misspoken request. Second, Drake said that these new lions seem impossible to ward. Last night he was actually able to confine them to water-filled pits, but they still climbed out and committed havoc, stalking ducks and tearing up flowers. Points of Debate: * RISUS suggested that the lions be thrown back out of our covenant. This issue passed. - * - Other Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal June 4, 1218 This day Frangere and Fraxima fought a certamen, initiated by Frangere. He was the victor and as a result Fraxima must now admit that magic auras are better than faerie auras. - * - The Council Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal June 4, 1218 In attendence: Albus, Aubrin, Berengarius, Catorse, Drake, Fabricarious, Forticulus, Frangere, Fraxima, Larissa, Lorum, Risus, and Xanti; also myself, Lucindia the Seneschal. Absent: Viator, in Rome seeking to get the holy artifact removed from our nearby monastery. Points of Information: * DRAKE noted that after they were banished last night the new lions proceeded to stalk about Bercula looking for things to destroy. Points of Debate: * DRAKE suggested we put all five of our lions into a big pit, and watch the new troublemakers and the old lions fight it out. This issue passed. At Drake's request, the two new lions will be painted red so that we can distinguish them. - * - Albus' Dialogues June 4, 1218 Late, Late Evening I was uninterested in this lion issue until today. Then the council came up with the idea of a battle. It was superb. A contest to see who was the best! A fight to the finish! A gala event! The idea should have been mine. Alas, it was a severe disappointment. We dropped all five lions into a huge pit we had the grogs dig. Out in our garden. All five awoke right on schedule. The old lions started trying to dig their way out. The red lions feigned sleep. I eventually got bored and went back to my lab. - * - Albus' Dialogues June 4, 1218 Late, Late, Late Evening More on those stupid, stupid lions. The old ones got out and were allowed to stalk around. Then the red lions climbed out. They tried to sneak into our main lab structure. But, Frangere was keeping watch and they froze up when he started yelling. When he woke us ALL up. Lorum is sure the lions were out to get him. Something about the lions not liking faeries. We're posting grogs in all the labs in my building. - * - Albus' Dialogues June 5, 1218 Late, Late Evening It looks like the lions were actually after Risus. I was woken tonight by the grogs over in his lab screaming "Demon!" I jogged over there and the grogs were still yelling. Something about an demonic imp they had seen. Risus' door was open. Looking out I saw one of the red lions down in the garden. It was lying upside down and looked like it had fallen from a great height. Say, from the balcony outside Risus' door. There must be a council meeting tomorrow. Demons can not be allowed to attack our covenant. There is no doubt that these new "lions" are demons in disguise. - * - The Council Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal June 6, 1218 In attendence: Albus, Aubrin, Berengarius, Catorse, Drake, Fabricarious, Forticulus, Frangere, Fraxima, Larissa, Lorum, Risus, and Xanti; also myself, Lucindia the Seneschal. Absent: Viator, in Rome seeking to get the holy artifact removed from our nearby monastery. Points of Information: * RISUS and ALBUS wished to bring up the possibility that our two new lions are demonic. They offered four facts as proof. First, the new lions are red. (Yes, we painted them that color.) Second, words around our covenant have been distorted since the lions appeared. Third, Drake was unable to investigate these new lions, and befuddling Intellego magic is a power of demons. Fourth, a red imp appeared in Risus' lab last night, then a new lion was found nearby shortly afterward. Points of Debate: * LORUM suggested that we "destroy the demonic lions". This issue passed. * BERENGARIUS suggested that we instead only destroy their ability to move about, with Perdo magics. This issue failed. - * - Albus' Dialogues June 6, 1218 Noon Demonic lions destroyed. We offered to give Catorse the rubble. He collects that type of thing. - * - Albus' Dialogues June 9, 1218 Maybe I should not have sent Isaac away. Demons suddenly overrun our covenant. Early this morning a priest came by and "blessed" our covenant. I don't know what was up there. Lorum was pretty upset. Risus and I tried to track him down without success. Later on a mouse showed up at the covenant with his family. The mouse's name was Remus and he was clearly magical. Here's the disturbing bit: he walked straight through our Aegis. We all investigated and found our Aegis had somehow been taken down. We're sure it was there a few days ago when the lions entered. No longer. Fraxima thinks it's been dropping slowly. I disagree and suspect the "priest". He chanted weird latin. He fingered his rosary beads, a likely source of vis. I think I'm going to go by the monastery tomorrow to see if I can find him. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" | | -Lucindia, on mice | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ In any case, we welcomed Remus and company. Lucindia hates them. I think Remus would make someone a great familiar. We're feeding them demonic carrots from last year. Here's the kicker: a certain tinsmith in Valencia sent these mice our way. The diabolist we failed to capture! We're going to send another warning to our friends there. I've decided to stay well away from these meese. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "So he's not a demonic mouse." | | "There's no proof." | | "He's not red!" | | -Albus, Catorse, and Lorum, on color-discrimination | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - Albus' Dialogues June 10, 1218 A tiring trip to the monastery and back today. The "priest" wasn't there. Further proof he was some magus causing us problems. I think Aubrin is going to bring up the whole issue of dropping Aegises at the next tribunal. Disturbing events upon my return. The grogs alerted me that little bits of flame were floating down the river. They were hot but contained no vis. I have assigned some grogs to track up the river and try to find the source of these flames. They have a week. - * - Albus' Dialogues June 17, 1218 The islands of flame continue to grow. They're appearing ever faster too. My grogs returned today with nothing of interest. The source of flames is at least half-a-week away. Aubrin and Frangere have decided to fly up the river to investigate further. - * - Albus' Dialogues June 22, 1218 It seems I'm going for a trip. Aubrin and Frangere returned today. There is some type of demonic ritual going on up near the source of the Ebro. Hundreds of miles away. Three days by flying. A whole group of us is going to go kill the demons and take their vis. Myself, Aubrin, Frangere, Catorse, Risus, Fraxima, Lorum. Grogs. I wish Viator weren't away. This flight is going to be annoying without his specialized spells. Nonetheless, we go. Die, demons, die. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "If only we had let that beaver build its dam." | | -Catorse, on cause and effect | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - Albus' Dialogues June 25, 1218 Other than having three days of flight ahead of us, all is well. We arrived today to find the demonic ritual still going on. As expected. Some slinky succubus was torturing a unicorn. The unicorn is of course a divine creature. It was trapped in a cage of fire. The unicorn's blood is what was causing the fire islands in the river. Apparently the whole river would have turned to fire if the ritual had been completed. The demonette was guarded by three black knights and three archers. We talked to them at first. Aubrin actually seemed to be negotiating with the demon! I had no choice but to order a charge. Later, Aubrin was most peeved about that. The battle was quick. The grogs paired up with the various warriors. So did Frangere, Fraxima, and I. Aubrin was surprising in his uselessness. He hid behind a wall of wood. I though much better of he. No doubt it was the surprise of battle. The demonette was cheering on her men, shouting for death. She was crazy. Catorse and Francis run up to the woman while all her guards were occupied. They cut her down with a pair of blows! After that her men were all happy to surrender. Most disturbingly, the demon left no vis behind. She must have been quite powerful--upon our world only in spirit. We still had to deal with the problem of the imprisoned unicorn. We managed to figure out that the cage was a special one. The unicorn could only be freed if someone took his place. And the flames would kill any of us. I felt Her presence, Her thought. I knew She would be most pleased if I sacrificed my life for this creature of God. Like Hell. Catorse, however, was a good Christian. He walked into the cage, offering up his life in sacrifice for the unicorn. The flames struck out at Catorse. Then the cage was gone and Catorse was unhurt. If only She would leave me for him! The unicorn made his gracious adieus then ran away. After that we just had to take our six diabolists to the local church. They are to be hung. No doubt there will be a big party of some such. We're heading home. Stupid demons. Stupid angels.