From: murthesage@aol.com (Mur the Sage)
Date: 05 Aug 2003 21:21:47 EDT
It was late Monday/early Tuesday when Mur arrived back on the isle. He entered his shop, pushing his way past the silent goblin flesh golems inside. A large sack dropped out of his hands, hitting the floor with an impossibly loud thud. He took a deep breath as he spotted Chris's bat on the counter. Sitting down next to it, he rolled it back and forth before picking it up and inspecting it like it was fine art. Finally he took a few swings with it before returning it to the counter with a sigh. He had not bothered to tell Chris that he had virtually no experience in enchanting things, especially baseball bats. He had never needed to, since his abilities were innate.
He scratched his head softly as he looked down at the sack on the floor.
"Ok. Stand back now," he ordered to the little golems. They moved to the very edge of the shop quietly in response.
"Books!" he exclaimed as the sack burst open suddenly, releasing a hundred or so heavy volumes into the cramped quarters of the shop.
He looked down thoughtfully at what he had accumulated. Picking one up, he began sifting through its contents. The contents showed swords, both short and long. There were also spears, axes, flails, but no baseball bats.
"Find out how to enchant this bat!" he shouted impatiently to the golems. Slowly and methodically they began to sift through the mountain of literature surrounding them.
"Shields, helmets, boots, gowns. But where are the bats?" he said quietly to nobody in particular. In the meantime, one of the golems had stopped its search and was quietly holding a book out in front of itself.
"What's that you got?" Mur said as he motioned for it to come closer.
"Clubs? Bah. Keep going."
Mur turned back to continue his own search before spinning around. Picking up the book, he read the title aloud.
"Enchanted Clubs."
He gleefully placed the book on the counter before turning back to the golems.
"No, stop going. Both of you," he said softly. The golems dropped their books thoughtlessly, and resumed their inaction. Moving to the counter, he began to sift through the book. Various enchanted clubs and their respective enhancements were described, but no method was given. Mur tossed the book in the pile and leaned back against the counter. It was then that he spotted the book he was really looking for. Right where the other book had landed was a book detailing how to enchant anything in the span of one day.
"Yes!" he exclaimed as he grabbed both books and headed outside the shop, floating up to the top of his pillar. He spent the night laboring over the bat. To the few goblins that ventured out that night, they witnessed an impressive display of magical energy that consumed the top of the pillar. Every few minutes, dazzling bursts of it shot down from the twilit sky and encased Mur and the bat in a deep blue and white hue.
As morning broke, Mur finished the final work and then hopped down from the pillar. Every once in a while, the bat would sparkle with the same blue/white hue as it flew easily through the air. Mur went about happily, smashing a few things with the bat. He was content with the heavy impact it was creating now as well as the feel of balance and lightness he imparted. He looked down in dismay at the small crack that appeared at the end. He had screwed up the durability enhancement. Leaning on the bat, his chest heaved as he let out a deep sigh. He knew Chris wouldn't pay him for a superbat that cracks, and he still needed to make it a focus object for arcane dueling. Both would mean more work and possibly more screwups.
He looked up to the sky and smiled when he spotted the crackling energies of the celestial tower. He knew Tim held the energy of isle as archmage. He wouldn't screw up this bat. Rising up carefully to avoid harm, he penned a note in flames outside the tower that would stay until Tim found it. After that, he penned a note on paper that disappeared and was well on its journey to find Klytus. Figuring both could help with the enchanting, he went back in the shop. He left the bat outside of the door so it could be found and then slumped tiredly in a chair inside the emporium.
Enchanted baseball bats (Mur)
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From: murthesage@aol.com (Mur the Sage)
Date: 08 Aug 2003 23:45:03 EDT
It was a few days later that Mur returned to the isle. Finding the bat missing, he turned and glanced at the celestial tower for a moment. He was sure that Tim had found his message, and hoped that the cracking and chipping problem could be solved quickly.
Entering his shop, he stepped on over to the counter but stopped midway when he found a note near the door. He bent over to pick it up with a grin which faded quickly as he read it. After he finished reading the dismissive reply, he tossed it on the ground on stomped on it. Klytus had refused to help with the most important part of the enchantment. After hurling a slew of curses and insults out into the air, he turned and looked out a window at the celestial tower. He hoped the next step in the work could be completed soon, or he wouldn't make his deadline.
Lighting his pipe, he began poring over the books again angrily. There was little time and much research to be done, and all he could think about were the funny green bills he liked so much and would not get if he were to fail to complete this work.
Date: 08 Aug 2003 23:45:03 EDT
It was a few days later that Mur returned to the isle. Finding the bat missing, he turned and glanced at the celestial tower for a moment. He was sure that Tim had found his message, and hoped that the cracking and chipping problem could be solved quickly.
Entering his shop, he stepped on over to the counter but stopped midway when he found a note near the door. He bent over to pick it up with a grin which faded quickly as he read it. After he finished reading the dismissive reply, he tossed it on the ground on stomped on it. Klytus had refused to help with the most important part of the enchantment. After hurling a slew of curses and insults out into the air, he turned and looked out a window at the celestial tower. He hoped the next step in the work could be completed soon, or he wouldn't make his deadline.
Lighting his pipe, he began poring over the books again angrily. There was little time and much research to be done, and all he could think about were the funny green bills he liked so much and would not get if he were to fail to complete this work.
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From: murthesage@aol.com (Mur the Sage)
Date: 11 Aug 2003 17:16:32 EDT
Mur slowly opened his eyes on Monday morning, rolling away from Kat and sitting on the edge of their bed looking out through the window. Mur smiled softly as he watched the birds dance about the other palace towers that surrounded their own. Suddenly it dawned on him.
"Monday! Urhh...." he exclaimed as he jumped out of bed, dressing as he hurled himself out the window. He finished drawing a large portal on the ground just in time, falling through it and landing amidst the sand of the isle.
Spitting out some sand, he rose to his feet and began the short trek to his shop. As he neared it, he spotted a note tacked to the door and Chris's bat beside it. Picking both up, he read the note silently with a smile.
"Done. And just in time," Mur shouted. Spinning around and dropping the note, he pointed the bat out randomly. A few small firebolts erupted, and then Mur swung it at the stone base of his shop. A few small pieces of the stone chipped away, but the bat remained fully intact. He gleefully went to pen a note to Chris inside the shop, leaving the bat in the hands of one of the golems.
He returned a few minutes later, the note slowly fading in his hands as it started its journey.
"Move by the pillar and only release the bat to Chris Graziano," Mur articulated slowly to the expressionless golem.
With everything ready, he disappeared from the isle that morning to return home.
Date: 11 Aug 2003 17:16:32 EDT
Mur slowly opened his eyes on Monday morning, rolling away from Kat and sitting on the edge of their bed looking out through the window. Mur smiled softly as he watched the birds dance about the other palace towers that surrounded their own. Suddenly it dawned on him.
"Monday! Urhh...." he exclaimed as he jumped out of bed, dressing as he hurled himself out the window. He finished drawing a large portal on the ground just in time, falling through it and landing amidst the sand of the isle.
Spitting out some sand, he rose to his feet and began the short trek to his shop. As he neared it, he spotted a note tacked to the door and Chris's bat beside it. Picking both up, he read the note silently with a smile.
"Done. And just in time," Mur shouted. Spinning around and dropping the note, he pointed the bat out randomly. A few small firebolts erupted, and then Mur swung it at the stone base of his shop. A few small pieces of the stone chipped away, but the bat remained fully intact. He gleefully went to pen a note to Chris inside the shop, leaving the bat in the hands of one of the golems.
He returned a few minutes later, the note slowly fading in his hands as it started its journey.
"Move by the pillar and only release the bat to Chris Graziano," Mur articulated slowly to the expressionless golem.
With everything ready, he disappeared from the isle that morning to return home.
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From: timenralyte@aol.com (TimEnralyte)
Date: 05 Aug 2003 23:02:04 EDT
Awaking early Tuesday morning, the Archmage took his time rising from his bed, savoring the luxuries the Celestial Tower provided. He had never seen such lavish living quarters before, let alone been able to enjoy their comforts. Swinging his legs over the side of his pillowy mattress, Tim stood, arching his back as he did. He moved across the room, opening the silvery drapes to see the Isle, grinning at the peacefulness of it all.
Checking the water clock, as he always did, Tim found that he had arisen slightly earlier than expected. His sleep was always off lately, as the Isle did not bear witness to the normal rising and setting of the sun. Permanent twilight made for an intriguing setting, but it always left him feeling groggy. He rubbed his eyes, his vision blurring, then focusing once more, and it was then that he noticed the message hovering a few feet from the tower's main entrance.
Proceeding down a marble staircase, the Archmage moved to the main level of his home finding himself in complete darkness. Muttering an incantation, the walls themselves sprung to life, the marble becoming as clear as glass. The brief message, cleanly written in flames, then became visible. It spoke of Mur's troubles with a certain Graziano's bat, weapon enchantments of some kind. Thinking back to the previous night's events, he recalled Chris and Mur's chat about this matter. The bat was to be enchanted for speed, strength, and durability, as well as being imbued with arcane combat abilities.
A grin spread across his face at the prospect of being involved in the process. The Grazianos had always intrigued him, and meddling in their affairs would surely be amusing. Set on his decision to help in Mur's endeavors, he phased through the tower's exterior walls and made his way down to the Goblin Shop, finding the bat precisely where Mur had said it would be.
Taking the object from its resting place, he rolled the bat in his palms. The weapon had a nice weight to it on its own, but Chris had specified that next Thursday's challenge called for extra measures. Gripping the bat in one hand, he took a few swings this way and that, noting the colors streaking through the air as he did. The weapon would pack a definite punch, but as Mur said, durability was still a factor. Tim decided the matter could be researched over a bit of breakfast. He never did his best thinking on an empty stomach.
Bat in hand, he floated up into his home to do a bit of reading and more importantly, eating.
Date: 05 Aug 2003 23:02:04 EDT
Awaking early Tuesday morning, the Archmage took his time rising from his bed, savoring the luxuries the Celestial Tower provided. He had never seen such lavish living quarters before, let alone been able to enjoy their comforts. Swinging his legs over the side of his pillowy mattress, Tim stood, arching his back as he did. He moved across the room, opening the silvery drapes to see the Isle, grinning at the peacefulness of it all.
Checking the water clock, as he always did, Tim found that he had arisen slightly earlier than expected. His sleep was always off lately, as the Isle did not bear witness to the normal rising and setting of the sun. Permanent twilight made for an intriguing setting, but it always left him feeling groggy. He rubbed his eyes, his vision blurring, then focusing once more, and it was then that he noticed the message hovering a few feet from the tower's main entrance.
Proceeding down a marble staircase, the Archmage moved to the main level of his home finding himself in complete darkness. Muttering an incantation, the walls themselves sprung to life, the marble becoming as clear as glass. The brief message, cleanly written in flames, then became visible. It spoke of Mur's troubles with a certain Graziano's bat, weapon enchantments of some kind. Thinking back to the previous night's events, he recalled Chris and Mur's chat about this matter. The bat was to be enchanted for speed, strength, and durability, as well as being imbued with arcane combat abilities.
A grin spread across his face at the prospect of being involved in the process. The Grazianos had always intrigued him, and meddling in their affairs would surely be amusing. Set on his decision to help in Mur's endeavors, he phased through the tower's exterior walls and made his way down to the Goblin Shop, finding the bat precisely where Mur had said it would be.
Taking the object from its resting place, he rolled the bat in his palms. The weapon had a nice weight to it on its own, but Chris had specified that next Thursday's challenge called for extra measures. Gripping the bat in one hand, he took a few swings this way and that, noting the colors streaking through the air as he did. The weapon would pack a definite punch, but as Mur said, durability was still a factor. Tim decided the matter could be researched over a bit of breakfast. He never did his best thinking on an empty stomach.
Bat in hand, he floated up into his home to do a bit of reading and more importantly, eating.
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From: timenralyte@aol.com (TimEnralyte)
Date: 10 Aug 2003 21:32:28 EDT
He had spent the last few nights poring over his volumes of arcane study, rifling through many books that proved quite useful. The Archmage's personal enclave had its own library with texts featuring every aspect of magic. An entire wall was filled with enchantments alone.
Tim, having gathered what knowledge he needed from the bookshelves, found himself in the main living area of the Citadel. Its brilliant view of the Isle would enhance the perfect, serene atmosphere he needed to perform his magical workings tonight. The setting sun offered just the right amount of light to set the mood for the evening. Everything had been prepared, and if all went to plan, Chris' bat would surely be able to tackle any foe in its path.
The room was completely devoid of anything that could get in the way of his focus. No rugs covering the marble floors and no furniture cluttering up his space. There was only the transparent walls, revealing the Isle in complete stillness, life itself simply waiting for his workings to begin. The bat was hovering in the center of the circular room, and Tim stood before it, arms extended outwards, head tilted back ever so slightly, and the enchanting had begun.
The world around him faded from view. There was only him and the bat. As far as he was concerned, nothing else existed at the moment. Streams of white light extended from his chest, racing towards the bat. It was only a matter of seconds before the light was absorbed by the weapon, and all was revealed. In a blinding flash, the bat was filled with energy and exploded outward, splinters of wood screaming in all directions.
His muscles tensed, the energy before him tightening its hold on the weapon, relaxing time itself. The light faded to a dim glow, and his senses took in what was unfolding. Shards of oak were frozen in mid-air, revealing the ins and outs of the bat. Altering his perception, Tim also found various spells crafted into many of the splinters, no doubt the ones Mur had placed. He shook his head at the sight. Mur's lack of expertise in the subtle nuances of enchanting were blaringly visible.
A well known, but often overlooked fact stared him in the face. Living things can hold greater amounts of energy for longer periods of time. The foresty scent of oak trees filled the air as the splintered pieces sizzled and cracked. The wood was now alive, supported and maintained by his magic. Mur's former enchantments had bonded even stronger to the living material, and it was then that he realized another flaw. Only the exterior of the bat pulsated with foreign magic. Even to the untrained eye, it was clear that the shards from the inner portion of the bat lacked the certain magical signature every mage left on their work.
Reaching out with the white light again, he strengthened the core of the bat. Every fiber tingled with energy, the bat's speed and striking power increasing exponentially. Now, the weapon would land blows from the inside out, a very strong bat indeed. He dealt with durability next, gradually drawing the writhing pieces of wood back towards one another, binding them together with the living magic that existed within each splinter of oak. As long as the bat was properly maintained, no amount of use would alter its structure.
The final portion of his enchantment was next. A bat capable of casting the specific spells of the Isle would take months to complete, but Tim had found a simpler solution. Another stream of energy tore through the bat, becoming part of the other multitude of spells, but this stream lacked a mage's signature. It was pure energy of the Isle, a living force encased within another living structure. This pristinely untouched core of magic would not only ensure that the enchantments would last lifetimes, but it had other hidden properties as well. Energy without a point of origin acts as a magnet, pulling other energy toward it. From the moment Chris stepped on the Isle with his bat, energy would gradually be drawn to it, building up within the bat's core.
With the energy gathered by the bat, Chris could form any spell he wished. Due to the close companionship Chris had with his weapon, the energy from the bat would gladly obey him in his castings. No amount of focus or magical control would be required as long as the bond between man and bat was maintained, but may the gods help Chris if he ever disowned his weapon.
Content with his work, the Archmage allowed the world to fade back into view, smiling as the bat still hovered in the air before him, all in one piece. The wooden entity floated back into his hands, and Tim made ready to deliver it back to Mur's hut. When Mur returned home, he would find the bat in front of his hut and a note tacked to his door.
Date: 10 Aug 2003 21:32:28 EDT
He had spent the last few nights poring over his volumes of arcane study, rifling through many books that proved quite useful. The Archmage's personal enclave had its own library with texts featuring every aspect of magic. An entire wall was filled with enchantments alone.
Tim, having gathered what knowledge he needed from the bookshelves, found himself in the main living area of the Citadel. Its brilliant view of the Isle would enhance the perfect, serene atmosphere he needed to perform his magical workings tonight. The setting sun offered just the right amount of light to set the mood for the evening. Everything had been prepared, and if all went to plan, Chris' bat would surely be able to tackle any foe in its path.
The room was completely devoid of anything that could get in the way of his focus. No rugs covering the marble floors and no furniture cluttering up his space. There was only the transparent walls, revealing the Isle in complete stillness, life itself simply waiting for his workings to begin. The bat was hovering in the center of the circular room, and Tim stood before it, arms extended outwards, head tilted back ever so slightly, and the enchanting had begun.
The world around him faded from view. There was only him and the bat. As far as he was concerned, nothing else existed at the moment. Streams of white light extended from his chest, racing towards the bat. It was only a matter of seconds before the light was absorbed by the weapon, and all was revealed. In a blinding flash, the bat was filled with energy and exploded outward, splinters of wood screaming in all directions.
His muscles tensed, the energy before him tightening its hold on the weapon, relaxing time itself. The light faded to a dim glow, and his senses took in what was unfolding. Shards of oak were frozen in mid-air, revealing the ins and outs of the bat. Altering his perception, Tim also found various spells crafted into many of the splinters, no doubt the ones Mur had placed. He shook his head at the sight. Mur's lack of expertise in the subtle nuances of enchanting were blaringly visible.
A well known, but often overlooked fact stared him in the face. Living things can hold greater amounts of energy for longer periods of time. The foresty scent of oak trees filled the air as the splintered pieces sizzled and cracked. The wood was now alive, supported and maintained by his magic. Mur's former enchantments had bonded even stronger to the living material, and it was then that he realized another flaw. Only the exterior of the bat pulsated with foreign magic. Even to the untrained eye, it was clear that the shards from the inner portion of the bat lacked the certain magical signature every mage left on their work.
Reaching out with the white light again, he strengthened the core of the bat. Every fiber tingled with energy, the bat's speed and striking power increasing exponentially. Now, the weapon would land blows from the inside out, a very strong bat indeed. He dealt with durability next, gradually drawing the writhing pieces of wood back towards one another, binding them together with the living magic that existed within each splinter of oak. As long as the bat was properly maintained, no amount of use would alter its structure.
The final portion of his enchantment was next. A bat capable of casting the specific spells of the Isle would take months to complete, but Tim had found a simpler solution. Another stream of energy tore through the bat, becoming part of the other multitude of spells, but this stream lacked a mage's signature. It was pure energy of the Isle, a living force encased within another living structure. This pristinely untouched core of magic would not only ensure that the enchantments would last lifetimes, but it had other hidden properties as well. Energy without a point of origin acts as a magnet, pulling other energy toward it. From the moment Chris stepped on the Isle with his bat, energy would gradually be drawn to it, building up within the bat's core.
With the energy gathered by the bat, Chris could form any spell he wished. Due to the close companionship Chris had with his weapon, the energy from the bat would gladly obey him in his castings. No amount of focus or magical control would be required as long as the bond between man and bat was maintained, but may the gods help Chris if he ever disowned his weapon.
Content with his work, the Archmage allowed the world to fade back into view, smiling as the bat still hovered in the air before him, all in one piece. The wooden entity floated back into his hands, and Tim made ready to deliver it back to Mur's hut. When Mur returned home, he would find the bat in front of his hut and a note tacked to his door.