Vardian Log #39: Another Brick in the Wall -- "Can't throw a rock without hitting a God's Little Creature." --Arridere "I have this thing against abominations." --Arridere "You're a very cute abomination." --Arridere "I am so a bug!" --Bolo "I'm a millipede, simpleton." --Bolo [to Acutus] -- Season: Summer, 1210 Dramatis Personae: Acutus Gladius of Ex. Misc. Magus (DougO) Angus of Bonisagus Magus (Don) Arridere of Jerbiton Magus (Dave) Bolo Warrior (Dave) Certusaguson Magus Foder Archeologist Fortukiton Magus Franco Lad Geraldo Shapechanger (DougL) Giovanni Grog Grog One Grog Grog Two Grog Grog Three Grog Iago Grog Luigi Grog Marcelo Grog Captain Rol Faerie Bear Samo Grog Sophia Faerie Companion Squeaky Mouse Tremoror Magus Varanor Wizard Verdan of Bonisagus Magus (Shannon) ** ** From the Epic of Luigi It was about two weeks into Summer, in the year 1210, that that fool Arridere demanded that I go on an expedition with him. It seems that Arridere's toy, Franco, had gone missing, and when Arridere had asked around, he had learned that Sophia had helped Rol the Faerie Bear to retrieve him. Thus, Arridere was planning an expedition to go and retrieve France by force. Giovanni and I were unlucky enough to have to go and help in this fool's quest. The only good thing about the whole fiasco was that Rol's cave was in my valley, and thus I got to visit my beautiful home, and all of my friends there. I really am going to have to convince Certus to let me return there soon. It shouldn't be too hard; he's a sucker for us grogs. When we got to Rol's cave, Franco confronted us, wearing toy armor, and wielding a wooden sword. He yelled that he wouldn't be taken alive, and waved his weapon threateningly at the magus. Still, Arridere was too dumb to realize that Franco really didn't want to leave Rol, and so he started casting spells to try and take the boy by force. At about that time, Rol emerged from the woods. I was quite astounded, for Rol didn't just bite Arridere's head right off. Rather, he talked rationally for a while with the idiot. As they spoke, other creatures of the forest came to the edges of clearing, showing their support for the bear. As I backed away from Arridere, I saw squirrels, birds, wolves, and even a blue speckled raved. However, Arridere was not daunted. He ordered Giovanni and me to fight off the scores of beasts, and then turned back to the spell of sleep that he had been working on Franco. When the beasts advanced, I took off. I'd never liked Arridere anyways, and he was acting suicidal besides. Giovanni stayed and fought, and I felt real bad about that. I almost turned around to try and save him, but finally decided that if he was stupid enough to listen to Arridere, he deserved what he got. What's really amazing is that Giovanni and Arridere both survived. While I was sitting just over the hill, making up stories to tell Certus, they emerged, carrying Franco with them. Apparently, Arridere managed to kill Rol, and the rest of the creatures fled shortly afterwards. When we got back to the Tomb, Arridere went to Certus and got me thrown out of the position of grog captain. Of course, Marcelo is the new grog captain, and that means that I will really hold the position. Still, I am so upset at Arridere that I'd just love to sneak into his room at night and cut his throat. Lucky for him, Becki won't let me. ** ** From the Diary of Verdan of Bonisagus It was about five weeks into Summer that a special Council Meeting was called by Certus. When all of the younger magi had arrived, he told of a strange encounter that Foder has recently had. Apparently, Foder had been down by the lake when he saw five stones, stacked into the start of a wall. The walls were directly between our Covenant and the Lake, so Foder investigated. Suddenly, he passed out. When he awoke, he saw a sixth stone upon the wall, and a large group of field mice (no doubt the same which had terrorized the Covenant until recently) drinking from the lake. Foder ran all the way back to Certus, to tell the story. I was quite intrigued by the story, so when Certus asked for people to investigate this occurence, I was happy to go. So were Acutus and Angus. We gathered Bolo, Geraldo, Giovanni, Iago, Marcelo and Samo (for the Lake is a very dangerous place) and set forth. At the Lake, we found that the wall had grown to a size of eight stones. As Acutus was ascertaining that the rocks were not magical, Bolo and I investigated a scratching sound that we had heard. We were quite surprised to see several hundred field mice digging a rock out of the ground. As we watched, they finished their excavation and began to carry the rock to the wall. When the mice saw us, they began to flee. Fortunately, Geraldo was nearby, and he quickly turned into a cat and caught a mouse for me. Angus tried to talk to the mouse for a while, but couldn't figure out why the mouse had been building a wall. Finally, we let it go. As we walked around the lake a bit more, however, we found the true source of our problems. It was a magus named Varanor. He spoke of an evil magus named Flambeau, and how Flambeau had destroyed his coven of wizards, and was now coming for him. Varanor had the mice building the wall so that he would be protected from Flambeau. For a bit, we were all utterly confused. Finally, though, I tried to arm wrestle with Varanor, and my hand passed right through him. I realized that the poor magus had been killed centuries ago, and was still trying to deny his death. For a time, I tried to convince him that he was dead, but finally gave up. When I return to the Covenant, I shall have to tell Luke of the poor fellow. Perhaps Luke will be able to help him. Well we were talking with Varanor, he mentioned a very interesting fact. According to him, there were other magi down in these caves, far below the Lake. We were all too curious not to investigate, and so we began downwards ago. Before we left, however, Acutus caused a wall of stone to grow where earlier the mice had been laboring. Varanor seemed quite pleased with this. Varanor had pointed out the passageway down which the other magi lived, and so it was easy to find them. A ways down, we came upon a troll carrying a great axe, and wearing plate mail. He was also carrying a huge stone which he momentarily set in a hole in the ground before declaring that he had lost. Finally looking up at us, he greeted us warmly and introduced himself as Grog Two. We walked with Grog Two for a while, and he explained that he and Grog Three had been playing a game. He went on to tell us various things about his Covenant, which contained three magi and three grogs. It seems that the Covenant was known as Varanor's Tomb, and that the three magi were named Certusaguson, Fortukiton and Tremoror. While we were digesting this strange information, we came upon Grog One. Grog One was a small fellow who dragged along a huge club. A bit later, we would realize that he was a Spriggan. When he told us that he was off to collect vis, we all decided to walk with him for a while, curious of what vis sources he might know of. Eventually, we came to a large room which contained three huge mushrooms. As Grog One began to harvest one, I examined another, to find how much vis it contained. They only weighed a pawn of vis each, so I decided not to bicker with the Grog over whether we should get some of them. While Grog One was gathering the mushrooms, one of those damned lizards came out of nowhere. I was scared half to death, and ran begind the warriors. Grog One seemed unconcerned. He turned around, quadrupled in size, and then beat the awful beast into a pulp. I was quite relieved, and am quite sure that I won't laugh any more because Grog One's club is so much bigger than he is. Grog One quickly claimed the body as his vis as well, and then began leading us back to his Covenant. When we arrived in the Meeting Room of Varanor's Tomb, it became quite clear that we were being parodied. Although the magi were faeries (dwarves truly), in all other ways, they seemed to be magi of my own Tomb. While Tremoror ran around offering us tea, Certusaguson raved about studying his piece of the skull, and Fortukiton kept talking of the beautiful statues that he made (he even gave me one, of a magus working in lab). Throughout the entire farce, there was constant conversation. They talking of quarreling and spying and certamening, and in their talk, we could see the Covenant that was our own. While we sat in the Meeting Room, we were introduced to a baby faerie. Tremoror said that it was still trying to decide upon a name, and I suggested Verdangus. Tremoror simply smiled, mentioned that the baby would chose his own name, and then added that we should teach him things. I was happy to expound upon my knowledge of magic theory, and Bolo taught him how to dance. In return, we were both given potions that Certusaguson had brewed in lab. After a bit more of the happy chaos of Varanor's Tomb, we decided that we had stayed there long enough. However, as we tried to make our excuses to leave, the Grogs asked us if we wanted to play cards. I would have said no if not for the fact that I had seen that their deck of cards was an exact duplicate of Taron's magical Taron deck. I was so intrigued that I could not resist a game. I soon learned that the Grog who I played against thought extrememly slowly. After a day of waiting for his first play, I asked Bolo to go retrieve the Intellego book that I had been studying. Acutus went with him. When the two returned only a few hours later, I was extremely surprised, for the Tomb was nearly two days above us. After discussing things a bit, we realized that time was passing much faster down in this Faerie covenant. I realized that I should leave at once, lest I waste centuries in this place, and so I began to make my excuses. The grog that I was playing cards with became angry, for our game was but started, but I refused to stay. Geraldo had also been playing cards, and he refused to leave. With some regret, we left him behind to finish his game. As we walked back up to our own Tomb, we spoke of many interesting things. One of the other magi mentioned how Taron had been missing for many years before his return to the Tomb, and said that during that time, he had not aged at all. He suggested that Taron might have spent a short time in this realm, where time passed by so quickly. I gave this theory some credulence, due to the similarity I had earlier noticed between the grog's game, and Taron's own magical deck. When we returned to the Covenant, I found that seventeen days had passed, and I was quite distressed. Now, I am sure that I will not have quite enough time to finish studying the Intellego that I had been working on, and that I shall have to research it again before I can teach an apprentice that art. Quite unfortunate. I should note that I did tell Luke about poor Varanor. He has promised to go talk with the fellow, and hopefully will be able to make his continued existance in this realm a bit more pleasant.