On the other side of Bruning Bog, in the town of Vougn, lived a wise old sorcerer and his apprentice.  His apprentice was a curious sort, a young lad who, unlike his mentor, had no natural talent for magic. His name was Waghn Drinhg, he was average height with glasses and unruly hair.  In fact, Waghn spent much of his time swatting or blowing his hair out of his face.  Having no natural talent for magic he turned to books, scrolls and tomes and would forget to eat, sleep, or bathe.  This dedication is what caught the eye of Auron, the sorcerer.

The flowers were in full bloom and the town of Vougn was preparing for Wreathal.  Wreathal is a spectacular celebration where the citizens of Vougn pick the most beautiful of flowers and make wreaths which are hung up all over the town.  There was lots of music, dancing, and games but best of all were the free drinks. The town was covered in flowers of every color creating a visual masterpiece, such was the beauty that words could not even come close.  Such was the town of Vougn during Wreathal, a place of jovial celebration.

Auron addressed the citizens. “Welcome citizens of Vougn.  Today we kickoff the first day of Wreathal!” Cheers rang through the air “During this time we celebrate the Goddess of the Land, Mother Terra, and the beauty she has given our village”. He paused momentarily and then continued “Let the festivities begin!”. The sky exploded with bright flames of every color which garnered another bout of loud cheers. The festival was off to a beautiful start.

Music flowed from enchanted instruments while couples danced together in the square.  The cobblestone floors lit up and changed color with the rhythm of the music, Auron always put on a great show.  One peculiar instrument played a little off from the rest, about a millisecond too slow and slightly off key. A spectacle in and of itself the rogue instrument seemed oblivious to the fact that it did not fit in, very similar to the man who was trying his best to control it.

Waghn was focused on controlling one instrument, while Auron effortlessly managed the entire festival. Such was the disparity between the sorcerer and his apprentice. This tale, however, would not be worth sharing if something interesting did not happen next. The mighty Auron removed his ring and placed it on the pedestal.

“I almost forgot the ingredients for the finale.” Auron turned to Waghn “Keep the ring safe until I get back.”

Auron rushed off towards the tower, leaving Waghn alone.  The music played and the lights danced as if Auron had never left. The young man Waghn was intrigued. Was the ring the source of the sorcerer’s power? What could he achieve if he put it on?

“No! I must not!” Waghn spoke to himself “However, Auron did say to keep it safe…and there is no safer place than on my person.” After extensive back and forth dialog inside himself the young man did the unimaginable.

Placing the ring on his finger he felt the exhilarating power course through him. Then it stopped. The music, the lights, and the fire display in the sky. Panicking, Waghn waved to the instruments to start playing again.  Suddenly all instruments started playing, different notes, different rhythms, a medly of chaos.

“No, no ,noooo” Waghn waved his hand again. This time the floor lit up and started flashing colors, so fast that it was impossible to distinguish any single color.  This was followed by the sky erupting with explosion after explosion.

“Stop!” Waghn yelled. With that the instruments started to play even louder and more off key.  The lights were no longer contained to the floors but started flashing on the sides of buildings and even the flowers themselves. The fire in the sky became more erratic and the explosions more violent.

Desperately Waghn waved his arms trying to get it to stop, but with each wave it would get worse.  The music kept changing and the lights leaping from flower to flower, the townsfolk looked confused, surprised, and terrified all at once.

Then it happened, things went from bad to way worse. The explosions from the sky touched the ground, exploding through the flower stands and vendor stalls.  Townsfolk started running away in terror, screaming and cursing. The spectacle was quite interesting and unforgettable, it might have even been beautiful in its own way if not so terrifying.

With every desperate movement Waghn took the situation got worse and worse until suddenly everything stopped.  The instruments fell to the floor, the colors disappeared, and the explosions became silent.  Turning around nervously, but knowing what awaited him, Waghn saw Auron with his arms extended and a very disappointed look on his face.  With a flick of his hand the ring flew from Waghn’s hand back to Auron.

“I said to keep it safe!” said Auron disappointed.”

“But, I…” Waghn was cut off before he could continue.

“You put everyone at risk!” Auron looked away as if to assess the damage.

The village square was in flames, the flowers burnt to a crisp and the vendor stalls overturned.  Luckily none of the townsfolk had been hurt.  The damage could be repaired but it had become evident that it was too dangerous to keep Waghn around.

“I am sorry, but I can no longer teach you magic, for your safety and for that of the village.” Auron took a deep breath “If you wish to continue studying magic you must do so elsewhere.”

Completely defeated and ashamed of himself, Waghn wanted to say something, anything, to defend himself but no words came to mind. He loved the village but at the same time he couldn’t give up his magic. It had been his dream ever since he was a young lad to become a powerful wizard and he couldn’t give up on that dream now. He tried one more time to say something but stopped himself, hung his head and headed back to pack his belonging.

Auron fixed things up and the festival finished without a hitch and with no sign of Waghn. After drinking my fill, I, the Mystical Beard, decided it was time to move on to another town.  Thanking Auron for the spectacular show and hearing from the villagers that this would be a Wreathal for the history books, I left town.

I didn’t even make it to the Bruning Bog crossing when I spotted the young man waiting for me.  At least he was waiting for someone, and I just so happened to be the one to stumble by.  His face no longer defeated but full of resolve and determination.

“Sir, you seem well traveled. Would you happen to know where I can find the Library of the Arcane?” Waghn seemed so serious, but I couldn’t help and chuckle.  The Library of the Arcane has been sealed for centuries and no one knows of its whereabouts. That is not to mention that the tomes therein are rumored to contain the most complex and powerful magic known to all Nhoire. This young man who can barely control an out of tune instrument cannot truly hope to find the legendary library.

“The Library of the Arcane has been lost for hundreds of years and even if found is sealed with magic more powerful than all of Auron’s magic combined.” His face did not change and something in his determination intrigued me. “However I could use a companion for a time, I have a long road ahead of me.” A smile crossed Waghn’s face as he nodded. “Glad to have you along, even if you are a mishap magician.”