052ąTHE TERROR OF CASTLE CAMELOT 15 by Merlyn & LoreKeeper / The Magic Guild ±a1 31Mighty towers all but blotted out the skyline. Slim, graceful spires topped with gay-coloured banners stretched like pine trees towards the skies. The grand castle on the hill-top dominated the view for miles around. It certainly dominated the trio, who trudged up the dusty road towards Castle Camelot. "Did I ever tell you about the incident of Sir Gawain & The Green Knight?" The eldest of the three, a tall, though slightly stooped man, obviously connected to the magical arts, adressed his youngest companion. Like his elder, the youth was dressed in a wizard's garb. Tall, pointed, as yet unadorned hat, wide cloak & a fussilade of magical artifacts & implements strapped on his back. The last member of the party, especially gaily clad, carried a small harp on top of his haversack. Thus easily recognised as a bard. "I seem to recall a tale involving a beautiful damsel in distress", ventured the youth whose name was Meegosh. "Aye! A safe bet where our noble Sir Gawain is concerned", snorted the old mage,"his metier is damsels in distress. More often than not the poor creatures are far more distressed after Gawain's galant rescues of them!!" "Pardon me, noble Sires!", interrupted the bard Elminster, "but I think there's someone who desires a word or two with us." indicating a knight on a magnificent warhorse, who was galloping pell-mell towards the trio. Reining in his horse in a veritable storm-cloud of dust & sand, inches from the magical trio, the knight sprang from the saddle & clasped the old wizard in a bear-hug. "Merlyn, oh my dear Merlyn!! At last you're back!!" Holding the wizard at arm's length the knight shook Merlyn vigorously. His eyes sparkled through the slits in his face-covering, great helmet. Teeth rattling & pointed hat askew, Merlyn glared at the horseman! "Ye-ye... yes!", he stottered, "ENOUGH! Remember I'm an old man, Arthur!!" "Arthur?.... King Arthur?!!", Meegosh stared at the knight & abruptly dropped to an knee, in the graceful, age-old gesture of reverence. Elminster quickly followed suit, lowering his eyes respectfully. The renowned king Arthur! From birth in the care of the wizard Merlyn at the castle of Sir Hector. Mighty deeds in the battles against King Lot of Orkneys, tales of The Round Table, the dreaded sorceress Morgana le Fey, the gallant Sir Lancelot & the beautiful Queen Guinevere flooded the minds of Merlyn's two young fellow-travellers. Bowing courtiously to the duo, King Arthur turned, grabbed hold of Merlyn once more & heaved his old mentor onto his white, proud stallion. Frantically grabbing hold of the steed's mane, Merlyn clung on for dear life, as the quartet made their way towards Castle Camelot. As the sun dipped below the castle's buttresses, the company found them- selves in the great throne-room of Castle Camelot. Immidiately in front of King Arthur's throne, resided the famous Round Table. Several of the king's honored knights were seated at their respective places, their chairs bearing plaques engraved with their names. Merlyn nodded knowingly to Sir Gawain, Sir Lancelot, Sir Mordred & Sir Galahad. The thronehall was stuffed with dignitaries, ambassadors from foreign realms, dogs & parrots, knights, damsels, pots & pans. In short the usual riff raff constituting ordinary medieval courtlife. Dinner well over, it was time for entertainment. Various artists of varying professions & qualities having performed, Elmister entered the stage. His magical songs brought thunderous applause as well as the usual amount of cat calls & untimely whistles & raspberries. As the din died down & Elminster had resumed his seat among the king's most honorary guests, a wizard carrying his magical wand approached their table. Merlyn raised his eyes questioningly at the stranger. "Please excuse my forwardly manners, noble Sires", the wizard said, "but I am a wizard. My name is Cronos & I seek audience with the mighty Archmage Merlyn. Pray who in this esteemed company bear that name?" King Arthur gestured to his old mentor, sitting on his right side. Silently awaiting the stranger's request, Merlyn let his eyes roam over the wizard's attire, noting its foreign cut. "I'm from the Southern Domains", Cronos continued, "& I seek admission in the famous Magic Guild." Merlyn rose to his feet & with a gesture indicated an interview in more private quarters. In the topmost tower of Castle Camelot, Merlyn had his private rooms. Mumbling an order to the guardsman on post, Merlyn closed the heavy oakdoor firmly. Whatever discussions, tests & topics were performed in the rooms, will have to await another tale. Enough to say that as the morning-mist shrouded the castle, the two wizards re-appeared in the throne hall. Elminster & Meegosh were among the few revellers still awake. Merlyn hastened over to their table. Praising Cronos' fabulous skills as a wizard as well as performing some newly aquired spells, Merlyn introduced Cronos to his two fellow TMGs. Warm handshakes & merry conversations were interrupted by the enterance of a huge, tawny cat, which weaved its lumbersome way among the pots & pans littering the table. A spikestudded gauntlet wizzed past Meegosh' ear & hit the poor feline squarely in the face. The unforseen contact sent the squealing creature spinning through the air! Hissing & spitting the cat left the room in a hurry as the gauntlet's mate sought its target. "Cor!!", exclaimed Merlyn, "I thought that incident was dead & buried!" "Dead & buried was what that blasted Caspar should have been!!", roared King Arthur as he hurried off in search of his valued war-gauntlets. Casting puzzled glances at Merlyn, his fellow wizards obviously desired an explanation for the King's all too obvious wrath. Huffing his shoulders, Merlyn looked ruefully at the King's retreating back & launched into the following tale; "The feline you just caught a glimse of, is Queen Guinevere's infamous male cat Caspar", he began. "Caspar used to terrorize the entire county, stalking whatever as long as whatever moved! It was the axe for him, however when he caught & molested King Arthur's prize hunting falcon. Or rather the knife! King Arthur shows queer strains of querky nature sometimes. He had Cas- par castrated on the spot, so to speak! Caspar's newfound lamentable lifestyle didnt lay the poor creature open for abuse by all & sundry, though. He was & still is Queen Guinevere's most favoured pet! My familiar, the owl Archimedes, having an ingrained disrespect for highly placed personae (as long as they dont spawn wings!), found a new hobby though. Whenever Caspar lays down to contemplate his dire destiny, Archimedes'll swoop down on him & call in a high-pitched voice; "Kiri, kiri, kiri!!"" Despite the tale's sad contents, Meegosh couldnt withhold a burst of laughter. Uproarious laughter soon echoed among the roof-beams high above the heads of the four TMGs, as the other three follow suit. Thus ends the tale of Cronos' entry into The Magic Guild. Laying down my quill for now. ×