Autumn Sarn

UP: Lake Superior

    It turns out this tale was a bit more complicated than the tale being presented. Several weeks ago Lady Temesa, noted Professor of the Lycaeum, was kidnapped before a routine field trip with her class. After week and a half and several related arrests of various parties, she was located and rescued in a violent battle that claimed many casualties and wounded parties, including the Professor herself. By permission of the courts, many interested parties gathered to help the tormented plight of her kidnapper who claimed to be under the influence of an evil mage named Kelrot. After a rocky start with a few unstable gates and creatures interfering, they gathered at the reflective pool within the hedge maze to discuss their options. The stillness did not last long as Kelrot manifested to smirk and jeer at the well-meaning group.

With the appearance of Kelrot, the assembled guard of the OSS, RsP, and SIM (plus other unaffiliated members in attendance) stood helplessly as he first taunted various old enemies and created new ones in the process. He tormented Lady Temesa of Moonglow by dangling her necklace ("Cat's Eye") just out of reach. The necklace disappeared several weeks ago and was not returned when Professor Temesa was released from her kidnapper's hiding place. Having the full attention of the crowd, he demanded they bring him the legendary "Books of Sin" several people in attendance held. Kelrot gave them a timer of ten minutes and vanished.

With violent explosions and arcane mumblings, the books upon the altar incinerated into ashes and disappeared. When the group demanded the return of the necklace, he mocked them and snapped his fingers, causing the necklace to disappear. After a few more comments, Kelrot disappeared then returned for a moment only to vanish, taking a captive with him. A race against time and evil was set into motion. A small group led by Lord Jamie and Lord Hunter led a small contingent of the OSS guarding Lady Temesa. This group followed up on a cryptic comment pointing them to the temple of spiders in hopes of retrieving the necklace. Many more at the same time journeyed to the center to find Kelrot's captive bound to the pentagram on the tower. According to one witness, he jeered and taunted them, even claiming to have killed Lady Temesa and her group, as those in the middle of the maze fought wave upon wave of creatures around them. His boasts were in proven to be in jest as minutes later the once separated group stormed up the stairs. The group was clearly alive, well, and in possession of "Cat's Eye".

Unable to control his fury any longer, he launched a vicious attack upon Lady Temesa as she firmly clutched the necklace. When the dust settled, two souls had been released with the death of Kelrot and several "Books of Sin" had been destroyed. Many spider and creature corpses lay strewn through the hedge maze. "Cat's Eye", the exquisite silver necklace that had gone missing with Lady Temesa's kidnapping several weeks ago, once again rested safely upon the owner's neck. Having unmistakably proven this kidnapping and other actions of recent past were performed under direct control of Kelrot, the charges against Lord Animal were quickly dropped on the spot by Lord Jamie, High Justicar of the Courts. All cheered, some wept with joy, most were exhausted, and others traveled off to have a round of ale.

It has been rumored there is in existence a "Tomes of Virtue" to combat the tide of misfortune connected to the "Books of Sin". However, when asked directly about this, Professor Temesa commented, "While I have no doubt of the existence of many books and dissertations that speak upon the topic of Virtue, clearly one can see the only power of the virtues stems from that within ourselves. They may indeed exist. But holding any power? Not in the slightest. Destroying a few "Books of Sin" was merely a symbolic gesture. Books do not make people act, only people make themselves act."

"An excellent observation, Professor. May I ask what thy plans are now, m'lady?"

"To return to teaching, naturally," she said with a smile.

Professor Temesa's first Lycaeum series, "Philosophy 1A" is nearly complete, but we here at BNN will be sure to report on the ones to be held in the future as soon as they are announced.

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Thursday, April 20th 2000