BNN: Wyrms Search for Worm-Eaten Tome!
Simon the Scribe Dec 17 2000 6:10PM
For the second time in mere weeks, a seemingly uninteresting book on zoology has become the center of an intense flurry of activity, this time involving aged scribes, treasonous apprentices and, once again, dragons.
Some of our readers may be aware of the first incident that occurred a few weeks back. At the behest of the apprentice scribe Dorian, a band of brave adventurers rescued the old scribe Adhemar from an attack by a great red dragon, who sought to obtain the scribe's centuries-old book, "Ye Fauna of Sosaria's Fens". They were successful in repelling the dragon's conjured fire and air elementals, and bringing the scribe to a tearful reunion with the beloved apprentice.
It seems rejoicing might have been a bit premature, however. The 'beloved apprentice' turned out to be less than trustworthy, when she made off from the Lycaeum with the book. Adhemar once again called on the people of the realm to help him.
The search was arduous, and Dorian was elusive, but in the end the searchers did catch her; but by then, she had been badly wounded and, alas, she had lost the book. It had been taken by a black dragon! Dorian also revealed that she'd been hired by yet another dragon, Kemarok, to retrieve the book for him. Apparently this dragon is a rival of the red wyrm.
As the searchers absorbed this information, Kemarok, a wyrm of whitish color, appeared and demanded that his employee give him the book. He seemed to refuse to accept that the thief did not have it, and conjured a number of earth and water elementals in anger. In the confusion of the battle that ensued, Dorian managed to escape inside the Lycaeum.
The battle against the furious dragon's minions ended only when a black wyrm, presumably the one described by Dorian, flew past the scene, not pausing in the slightest. Kemarok was heard to mumble the word, "Mother", before taking wing to follow, utterly forgetting about the adventurers. The dragons were seen flying off the isle.
The adventurers returned to Adhemar in the Lycaeum, where they explained to him what had transpired. They very cleverly reasoned that Dorian was still within the hallowed halls of the library, and after a short search, brought her to Adhemar. A rancorous discussion followed about the trust betrayed by Dorian. Despite an escape attempt made, thanks to the cover of an invisibility spell cast by an unknown wizard, Dorian did not elude her pursuers again and was taken away by a guard.
Yet a mystery remains. Neither Adhemar nor Dorian could offer any explanation as to why three dragons were so interested in an ancient tome about zoology. Perhaps some clever soul in our readership can find a relationship, or some later clue will reveal itself. Or maybe dragons share a terribly competitive interest in age-old animals?