Novgorod Log #2: Trolling for Vis +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Of the search for power, and the troubles that such quests bring. How | | the many tales of a magical field all differ. A first meeting with a | | Roman older than the Order himself. Of a battle, proving ground for | | the magi of Nature's Teeth. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Dramatis Personae: Adriana of Ex Miscellanea Maga (Matt Seidl) Auditor of Mercere Magus (Kevin Wong) Carmen of Bjornaer Maga (Donald Kubasak) Felix of Flambeau Magus (Dave Pickering) Pacifer of Tytalus Magus (Shannon Appel) Turpis Merchant (Dave Pickering) Big Claus Nordic Grog Jarl Nordic Grog Lars Nordic Grog Little Claus Nordic Grog Skald Nordic Grog Jalson Nordic Elder Master of Beasts Shaman Nick Troll Old Marcus Ancient Roman Peter Troll +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "If you don't stop hitting me, that kid's gonna die." | | -Felix (to Adriana) | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Aeons ago, the Norse laid claim to the frozen lands of the North. Sanctifying it in the names of Odin, Thor and Freyr, they made it their own. Still, beyond the towns and villages, there were the unknown lands, the lands of myth, the places of legend. When Man stayed huddled in his hut, he thought he was safe. The creatures of legend, from beyond the fields and grazelands, were little more than terrifying tales, told to misbehaving youngsters. On occasion, though, the monsters of myth passed into the very world of Man, into the havens once thought safe. In the footsteps of these creatures, only terror and sadness followed. - * - The Book of Nature's Teeth as Chronicled by Pacifer of Tytalus February 16, 1201 This eve, we are in Visby, a small village on Gotland, east of our new home. It was here that Ballisto suggested we begin our hunt for sources of vis. Upon arriving in Visby, we headed straight to the residence of Turpis. He is the merchant that has agreed to help supply funds for our covenant. We hope that he can provide us with information as well. Unfortunately, his home is truly a boring place, and he has been too busy to see us this far. I may go crazy before the morn. Perhaps, Turpis will tell us of flights of dragons, of armies made of ice, of the hidden folk. Meeting such and wresting their magical power from them would be a story worth singing of. - * - The Book of Nature's Teeth as Chronicled by Pacifer of Tytalus February 17, 1201 A field and an old man! I dreamed of dragons, and the merchant told us of a field and an old man! True, they are objects of legendary proportions. The field is said to be utterly barren, a place where nothing ever grows. The old man is said to be an ancient sage, once a Roman centurion. But, they do not represent the epic that I had yearned for. Perhaps we shall beat the field into submission? Torture the old man until he cracks? I think not. At the least, we might gain the sources of vis that we desire. Perhaps the time for epics is still to come. - * - The Book of Nature's Teeth as Chronicled by Pacifer of Tytalus February 20, 1201 For nearly two full days, we stomped along the length and breadth of Southern Gotland, looking for the Sowyer's Field. I was beginning to believe that Turpis had misled us, and had begun planning final retribution upon him. Then, we stumbled upon the village which contained the place of legend that we sought. A man named Jalson greeted us. He was quite an arrogant fellow, and I took an immediate dislike to him. He spoke proudly of his father, who he said had trapped all of the evil spirits of the island within the Sowyer's Field. Happy for all of the attention, he promised to show it to us in the morning. And, he did so today, speaking happily of his accomplishments, and the accomplishments of his family the whole time. Finally, when he had said his fill, we bade him leave. Only then were we able to investigate the field in peace. As we had expected, it did contain vis. Ignem and Auram. Unfortunately, none of us are able to cast the spell which would draw the vis forth from the ground. As my friends meandered around, trying to decide what to do, I volunteered to invent the spell. It will take many months of work, and I think I will have to ask Ballisto for aid. After learning all we could from the field, we wandered about the village, talking to the peasants. We quickly realised that no one truly knew the nature of the field, Jalson's arrogance aside. One villager said that the field controlled the weather, while another said that it was barren because a great shaman had been killed there. A third said that a long dead villager had played with magic, and so God had struck him down. All of the stories only agreed in one aspect. The villagers all said that every Spring, lightning hit the field. It is our belief that it is that lightning which transmits the Auram and Ignem vis into the field. Before we left, Carmen managed to ingratiate us with the peasants. She offered to season the food of the peasants whenever we came here. So, now there shall be a yearly feast in this nameless village, to celebrate our collection of vis. Tomorrow, we will be leaving at first dawn. Our next stop will be Vastervik, where the Sage Marcus is said to live. Hopefully, the Roman will put up a bit more resistance. - * - From The Diary of Carmen of Bjornaer 24 February, AD 1201 Yesterday we met Old Marcus, a man who claims to be over a thousand years old. The locals hold him to be a shaman of great power, and great he must be to have lived so long! Marcus has agreed to give us a faerie device that creates vis in payment for destroying some beasts. He called them Killing Beasts, and said that they have been terrorizing a local village under the direction of a pair of trolls. We are now searching for their lair. What theses beasts may be, I do not know, but Old Marcus said they were made by an evil wizard as killers. I fear a fierce conflict, but Felix seems as carefree as ever, and both Adriana and Pacifer seem eager for a fight. Pacifer seems always eager for a fight, however. Before we left Vastervik, he went so far as to counsel slaying Old Marcus. Fortunately, Felix and I convinced Pacifer that Marcus is a valuable source of information. Surely, Pacifer is as poorly named as Turpis is truly. - * - The Book of Nature's Teeth as Chronicled by Pacifer of Tytalus February 25, 1201 This morning, we shall confront the trolls and Killing Beasts that Marcus spoke of. We have travelled well into the hills South of Vastervik. If Marcus spoke truly, the cave that the beasts dwell in is just a few hours away. I am quite invigorated and looking forward to the conflict. For too long, every time I have been prepared to take action, I have been stifled by another speaking words of reason. This time, I am determined not to be stopped. Even better, Marcus has said that the hills are invested with many trolls. He seemed unconcerned with the others, stating that only the ones with Killing Beasts caused real troubles when they raided. The magi of Nature's Teeth are all true warriors, however. I am quite sure that when we have dealt with the first two, we shall then search for the rest. - * - The balance of the world has a way of correcting itself. The monsters of myth had passed into the world of man, but now man was travelling to the myth, determined to destroy it. Cosmic conspiracy or more mundane manipulation? The results would be the same. The warriors and wizards marched into the caves side by side. Big Claus and Little Claus marched in the front, but the mage Pacifer was there too, at their side. They had made their preparations. They thought they were ready. But, they were young and inexperienced, and they underestimated their foes. Thus, a simple excursion began a fight for life itself. The Killing Beasts were waiting just within the cave. When Pacifer and the Clauses entered, the Beasts pounced. But, they did not attack with claws and teeth. They attacked with magic. Both Big Claus and Pacifer fell at once, and the great black dogs were upon them without fail. Pacifer and Big Claus would have lost their lives that day if it were not for the great bonds of friendship that existed. Little Claus threw himself in front of Big Claus, while Jarl and Adriana ably defended Pacifer. For several moments, the battle raged back and forth, neither side gaining any real advantage. Then, Felix began to strike left and right with flames. Soon, the dogs had been reduced to smouldering ashes. Hearing the ruckus, the trolls had rushed forward. Fortunately, they were not nearly the threat that their beasts had been. Claus and Pacifer had recovered by that time, and they moved to meet the new foes. Again, the melee was little more than a holding action. While Auditor, Pacifer and several brave warriors faced the trolls, Carmen shot arrows into one, while Adriana threw darts of the purest crystal at the other. Felix continued throwing his spears of flame as well. Soon, both the trolls had fallen. And thus was the balance restored. No longer would these trolls and their beasts impose themselves upon the world of men. Yet somewhere, far away, there was one known as the Master of Beasts. The black dogs, mutated terribly, had been his creations. He smiled, as if he knew that two of his beasts had fallen. He could make more, many more. - * - The Book of Nature's Teeth as Chronicled by Pacifer of Tytalus February 25, 1201 I am embarassed by the battle that I fought this day. I shall do my best to learn from it, and perhaps grow stronger. I thought that my maul would be protection enough against the beasts that we faced. Unfortunately, the beasts attacked with magic, and I was easily felled. I would have willingly thrown myself to my death if Adriana had not been there, protecting me with her swift staff. I shall have to strengthen my Parma, and perhaps my Mentem skills as well, so that I do not fall as easily again. When the battle was done, we tried to search for more trolls, since Marcus had said the hills were rife with them. They must have known we were coming, for they all fled, and we were unable to find a one of them. At the least, we have destroyed the two who were a danger. Without Killing Beasts, the rest of the trolls are truly not even challenges worthy of our time. - * - From The Diary of Carmen of Bjornaer 26 February, AD 1201 Old Marcus was true to his word. When we returned, boasting of our victory, he gave us a bed of faerie construction. Marcus tells us that when one sleeps in the bed upon the date of their birth, flower petals shall form from their dreams and fall onto the bed. These petals are magical, full of vis. This is indeed a great prize. I was astonished to learn that many of my sodalis knew not the date of their birth (in fact, Adriana is not even sure of her age). Thus, we have decided that each shall sleep in the bed in turn, until the date of their birth is determined by the falling petals. Those of us who know our birthday, of course, shall use the bed appropriately. Pacifer has already volunteered to be the first to sleep in the bed, to prove his bravery no doubt. However, if his birthday has not yet arrived in September, when mine comes, he is crazy to think he shall share the bed with me. - * - The Book of Nature's Teeth as Chronicled by Pacifer of Tytalus February 28, 1201 We are finally ready to leave the town of Vastervik. Two full days we spent in this little town, hoping to learn more rumours of the arcane. Unfortunately, our continued investigation has been in vain. Still, our first expedition has been successful overall. As soon as I invent a spell to extract vis, the field in Southern Gotland should provide us with ample reward. Likewise, the bed will provide us with many pawns of vis once we have all discovered our birthdays. It is a good start. It is a good basis of power to wage the war from.