Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!xlink.net!rz.uni-karlsruhe.de!stepsun.uni-kl.de!sun.rhrk.uni-kl.de!physik.uni-kl.de!kring From: kring@physik.uni-kl.de (Thomas Kettenring) Subject: [Welcome] BT: Miscellaneous New Aspects Part 1 of 2 Message-ID: <1993Aug18.233509.12798@rhrk.uni-kl.de> Sender: news@rhrk.uni-kl.de Organization: FB Physik, Universitaet Kaiserslautern, Germany Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 23:35:09 GMT Lines: 197 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bakr's Tales: Miscellaneous New Aspects Part 1 of 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- When I returned from the loot-dividing, my teacher Zondragon was quite agitated. "Are you four mad? Why did you not think a bit before joining those dragon hunters? You will never survive! You can hardly survive a fight with an *orc*!" "It's a *young* dragon." "You could as well go fighting an army single-handedly. A *small* army." "But we are not alone!" "Yes, there are an alcoholic and an invalid to help you. Suicidal I call that!" "And some locals, and heroes from Ikonium." "Ah. You think that changes it? *You are not competent enough to fight dragons*. Got that?" "Ormgwen has a heat protection pendant." "Great. The dragon will have to eat him raw. So what?" "You mean we should bail out?" "That would be the sensible thing to do. Of course you would have to leave Chryseia. Sensible and honorable are two different things." "Hm. So dragons are that bad news?" "They are the worst news indigenous to this plane. They are big and strong. They have sharp bits on every end. And they have lots of ends. They can breathe fire. They can use magic. They can fly. They can talk." "Talking is not dangerous." "That is what you think. Listen to Periandros some time. He can convince you to do things you would not dream of doing now." "That's the philosopher in the Council, right? What's 'hypotenuse'?" "Part of a triangle. Periandros found a Proposition about them. Something with sums of squares. But we were talking about dragons, not geometry." "What's 'geometry'?" "I give you this advice: Do not go to Eraton. When you reach Baros's smithy, go East, to the village of Telmos. There you can get a boat. Go to Moravod, or Alba, or whatever." "I'll talk to my companions about it." "Good." "Uh..." "What now?" "Someone said that Periandros is a son of Wredelin, the god of Wisdom. Surely that's a metaphor?" "Not quite. There are quite a few Chryseians who claim to be sons of Wredelin. In fact, he is the most popular father among the gods." "So he's not his father?" "I do not know. But I guess not. Look - when young girls get pregnant and have problems with naming a father, a god is a good choice. Especially Wredelin, who understands the difficulties humans face. Obilon, the sea god, sometimes objects to such misuse of his name." "Aha. I have one more question." "Out with it." "Do you have experience with dragons? Your name has 'dragon' in it." "Good Wredelin, no. You are right that 'Zondragon' is not my real name, but I chose it for the sound of it. It does not mean anything." "What is your real name, if I may ask?" He sighed. "I guess I can tell you. It is Platypus." "Flat Foot?" "Right. I always had flat feet, and my father was into sports and called me that. I was a disappointment for him. Of course my peers ridiculed me because of it. That is why I changed the name, and it is why I became a mage. Nowadays nobody derides me. 'Anything for a laugh' normally doesn't include fireballs." ----- The next day, it was drizzling without a pause, but it was warm enough that nothing stayed wet for long if it wasn't outside. Around midday a messenger from the City Hall visited Zondragon and told him that Chairman Hippotas wanted to speak to him. It was important, he said. I accompanied them to the Agora, where the City Hall is, and when we reached the Chairman's door, my teacher asked me to wait there and went in. Nobody was around. Only statues. So I tried my new spell - hearing through walls - on the Chairman's room. Zondragon wouldn't object. He wouldn't have placed me there if he didn't want me to listen. So I concentrated, put my ear to the wall, and heard as clearly as I would have had I been in the room. "What is the matter Hip?" "The whole Council is in chaos! This morning I hear that Aristodemos has for some time suspected his deputy of embezzling money out of the city treasury. So he let the guard search Battos's house without consulting anyone else." "So?" "Found nothing. Of course Aristodemos resigned his post. He said he was sure that the money was there. Probably he'll be exiled, and Battos will become the new treasurer." "Hm. Not bad. Periandros's fraction will shrink to five." "That's what you think! There is another, much more important thing. The Classic Chronicles of the City have disappeared." "WHAT?" "A little while ago, Periandros and Kalchas visit the registrar and pretend to have a difference of opinion regarding the history of the city." "Ridiculous. Kalchas never had an opinion other than that of Periandros." "Kedalion should look it up in the Chronicles to settle the dispute. He goes down into the archive - the book has gone." "Obviously a pretext. Periandros knew that the Chronicles were not there, and he wanted it discovered." "Yes. Probably he stole it himself. Kedalion resigned too. You know who has the best chances to get his job?" "Kalchas." "Exactly. Periandros continues filling the Council with his puppets. Fortunately his other intrigue failed, and we got rid of Aristodemos." "You think Periandros contrived that too?" "Battos is an honest man. I surmise that Aristodemos tried to put money in his house, and it didn't work." "Possible. But maybe you get paranoid." "Is it a wonder? With that megalomaniac philosopher at the heels?" "Anything else you wanted to tell me?" "Nothing important. Periklymenos was here." "Selling stools?" "No, he's giving up his business." "Oh. So he finally realized that the market in Mythros is saturated." "He's going to Ikonium. Had one of his little queers with him." "Little what?" "Didn't you know that? Periklymenos favors men." "I am thunderstruck! That is why he is running after the boys training in the gymnasium!" "Would you please explain that remark?" "The other day my pupil comes home and asks me about Periklymenos. Claims that he is following some friend of his. I could not think of a reason why that harmless carpenter should do something like that. I assumed that they just have the same way by chance, but now the whole thing looks a bit different." "Hm. Mythros without Periklymenos... but his stools will stay for a few centuries." "Yes." "Hm." "What will we do regarding the Chronicles?" "Can you use magic to find out who stole it?" (I almost dropped my spell.) "I fear that will not be of much use. Periandros probably hired foreigners again, and the trace will end there." (Phew!) "Then we'll have to swallow the bitter pill and make Kalchas the new registrar." "How about Butes as rival candidate?" "Can't pass him through. Ukalegon doesn't like him, and Periandros has more followers in the Council." "Not if at that time there is a successor for Battos who is on our side. Someone whom Ukalegon likes..." "That means we have to delay the election of the new registrar and hasten the election of the new deputy treasurer." "Right. That should be no problem for you. I will go now, my pupil is waiting." I removed my ear from the wall, stopped the spell, and started waiting. When he came out of the door, he grinned and asked me, "Well, what do you say now?" Later that day I learned a few new words from him, including "homophile" and "homophobe", "paranoid" and "megalomaniac". I decided I was neither. ----- We met at the Oinoion. Our training was finished now, and after I had recounted Zondragon's conversation with the Chairman, Ormgwen mentioned that he had seen Garamas, the one with the moustache, at the carpenter's shop putting lots of stools on a cart. Compass had new information too. "He told me he's going to Ikonium by ship. He hired as a seaman, and maybe he'll settle in Ikonium. I hope he and Periklymenos will be happy together." "Did he mention that he goes with Periklymenos?" "No, but that should be clear now, or not? I've got more news. Perieres is wanted by the guards." "The thief?" "Yes. Dead or alive." "I wished those Chryseians wouldn't all begin their names with 'Peri'. It's so confusing." "I hope they won't find him." "At least not while we're here. He could squeal on us." Then we talked about the upcoming journey. "Iapyx said he was proud of me," said Ormgwen. "And that I'd be able to kill the dragon even if I was alone." "Iapyx is even more stupid than you are," was Compass's comment. "Oh, I wouldn't say so," said Ormgwen. "Iapyx is one of the teachers at the gymnasium, right?" I intercepted. "Right. He's into two-handed swords and lances. Can't talk softer than a thunderstorm." "Zondragon says we shouldn't go to Eraton but to Telmos. The first part of the way is the same. He thinks we're not strong enough for even a young dragon." "Nikostratos doesn't like it either. He says we should rather go to Ikonium with Garamas." "Xenos was against it too. He suggested we should at least have a few talismans made if we go," added Tarik. "Are they good against dragons?" "There are ones against fire magic. Chthonios's magic shop makes them. We should go there now, for it takes time to make a talisman." "But if we don't go to Eraton, we won't need them!" "Well, maybe we'll go, maybe not. Better be on the safe side." "Hm. Sounds reasonable." "I won't need one, I've got a heat protection pendant!" -- Bakr ibn Ja'far ibn Musa al Mekneshi, apprentice mage aka Thomas Kettenring