From: bdavis@cray.com (Brent G Davis)
Subject: Seawatch, Part 9
Date: 6 Oct 92 08:29:01 CDT

   With a strong pull, the seaguard was able to slow the marestasi's quick
pace enough to deliver his message.  "There's someone tailing us," he
whispered.  The Wyeriun stopped and turned to look at the guard.  Those
blind staring eyes sent tingles down his spine.

   "I don't care if we're being followed.  After you've led me back to my
house, you can deal with the situation.  Now let's go!"  The Wyeriun turned
and resumed his long strides, and it was all the seaguard could do just to
keep up.

   After a few more minutes, the pair arrived at The Wyeriun's home, a large,
but rather plain dwelling near the Tower of Kraken.  A narrow winding path
led from the front gate through a vegetable garden to the front door.  As the
Wyeriun approached, a short plump woman burst out of the doorway and embraced
him.

   "I've been so worried.  The guards were here all morning asking questions
about your disappearance.  I'm so glad you're all right."  The Wyeriun bent
down to kiss his wife, and then proceeded inside.  Meanwhile, the guard
turned and headed back towards the street in search of whoever had been
following them.

   He had nearly reached the front gate, when he collided with a swift
moving figure, knocking both to the ground.  With his free hand, the guard
pulled his dagger, and used the other to pin the man to the ground among a
patch of onions.  "Who..." he demanded as he put the sharp blade against the
man's throat.  Then pulled it back as he recognized who it was.  He helped
the fellow to his feet and dusted him off.  "Sorry about that."

   Lifilis Kloote wasn't pleased.  "I can't believe this.  I thought that
guard at Marlin tower was pushy, but you take the cake.  You seaguards
definitely need a lesson in manners."

   Knowing he'd made a mistake, the guard looked at the ground, just now
noticing several uprooted vegetables.  "Did you want to speak with him?,"
he asked in a very apologetic manner.

   "Yes.  Is he inside?"  The guard led Kloote to the door and knocked.
After a few moments, The Wyeriun's wife appeared.  "Can I help you gentlemen?"

   "This man would like to speak with your husband.  He's the one who rescued
The Wyeriun from the sea!"  The seaguard did his best to get Kloote admitted.

   "Come in, come in.  I'm so thankful you were able to save my husband.
Where are you from?  Are you married?  Any children?  Have you known my
husband long? ..."  The questions were coming so fast that Kloote had
difficulty just nodding and shaking his head at the right time.

   "So, I finally get to see that man that summoned me!," The Wyeriun
bellowed, as he entered from a side hallway.  His face was covered with
orange powder, and he was wiping his eyes with a small silver cloth.
"I'm pleased to make your acquaintance.  You must have followed us
straight from Marlin Tower."  

   "Ah, yes.  I tried to catch up, but you were too swift.  This guard
must have thought I was a menace.  I must admit he's got quick reflexes!"

   "I'm sorry about the misunderstanding."  The seaguard glanced nervously
at The Wyeriun, his wife and Kloote.

   "Just looking out for my well-being, I'm sure.  You can return to Marlin 
Tower."  The Wyeriun pointed at the door, and turned to speak with Kloote.  
"I'm actually glad you've come.  I may be able to provide you with an image 
of these other two men.  Just give me a few moments to get this medicine
wiped off.

   "Have you made plans for lunch?  We'd be glad to have you stay.  Is that
a dirt stain on your robe?  Let me get that for you."  The Wyeriun's wife
was on another roll.  Lifilis just sat back, letting her talk, hoping that
The Wyeriun would come back soon.  

   Finally, the marestasi returned bearing an ornate silver mirror, and a 
leather scroll tube.  His face was slightly reddish, probably a result of 
the powder he had applied to cure his eyesight.  After propping the mirror
on a small stand, he opened the tube and drew forth a piece of parchment.

   "I just contacted Leviathan Tower, and alerted them as to my intentions.
Hopefully, the spell on this scroll will show us the two men and allow you
to summon them.  But before you do that, I want to pinpoint this location 
on our magical Chart.  I will cast a small spell through the mirror that
will hopefully reveal their location."

   As The Wyeriun chanted the words written on the scroll, Lifilis drew out
his sketch pad.  The scroll flashed and vanished and the mirror glowed with
a bright green aura.  The Wyeriun seemed to have some difficulty getting the
mirror focused, although the image revealed two figures floating there in 
the water.

   "I don't know what is causing this interference.  I wonder if that same
disturbance is still in effect."  The Wyeriun was trying everything, even
turning and shaking the mirror, in attempts to improve the image.

   "I'm afraid it's too blurry to be of any use to me."  Kloote put down his
pad and pencil.  Without clear facial details, there was no telling who, or
what he might summon accidentally.

   The Wyeriun put the mirror back on the stand and chanted a few more 
strange words.  Finally, with his spell invoked, he whispered into the mirror,
"Ezrin, it's The Wyeriun.  We will try to recover you as soon as possible.
Are you and the stranger OK?"

   An almost inaudible whisper came back through the mirror.  "Wyeriu...
...andraf and da...er."  The words were choppy and distorted.  The inter-
ference had affected this spell as well.  

   The image on the mirror began to waver again, but something else was 
out there, something they hadn't been looking for.  Sharks.  A number of
tell-tale fins encircled the two men in the water.  As the image twisted
wildly, it appeared that the fins were closing in.  Suddenly, the mirror
began to tremble, turning a tarnished black, and ultimately cracking into
hundreds of tiny shards.
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ADMIN:  Thomas Kettering has allowed me to use his character, Lifilis
Kloote, for a few more Seawatch posts.  Thanks, Tom.

Spell Notes:  I'm basing the spells used by the Wyeriun on AD&D magic.
The Wyeriun cast Magic Mirror from the scroll, followed by a Message
spell, which he still had memorized.  The medicine used to cure his
blindness is a cure-all similar to Keoghtom's Ointment.

-- 
 /  bdavis@romulus.cray.com     Cray Research Inc.    Chippewa Falls, WI  \
(  Just another Engineer/Musician/AD&D'er multiclass with Internet access  )
 \ "I`m a zombie in the a.m., when it's just too early to wake the dead." /