  Hideout of Moog & Slye  |
Having been born with her mother’s form, the stout Moog was one of the ugliest of all women. One of her only friends since childhood had been Slye; a constant companion. They commonly met together at their childhood hideout, where the two hoodlums would prepare magical escapades that involved little more than tricks played on their friends. Regardless, she found Slye to be a good accomplice, always willing to do the dirty work.
As an adult, Moog heard about Althea, an ailing old woman who lived all alone in her house on the outskirts of Accardi-by-the-Sea. Moog became her nurse originally for the intention of earning money to pay for magic school, but right from the start knew that Althea was hiding something, as the old woman would not leave her alone for a second.
After Moog earned her diploma from the Frobozz Magic Magic Correspondence School (where she learned Zizbit runes and took a course in road sign changing, and Getting Out of a Pitch, amongst others), she plotted a dastardly crime. Using tricks learned from her classes, she approached Althea’s house one night in the mid-tenth century (c. 957-966 GUE). The ugly woman magically created a ladder to gain access to the old woman’s upstairs bedroom. There she stole Althea’s Zizbit spellbook right from under her nose. Moog knew that the book would give her power beyond her wildest dreams.
Moog met with Slye at their childhood hideout, where the two hoodlums still spent a significant amount of time at. Although Moog and Slye both showed magical aptitude, she was the more skilled of the two. She ringled Slye into helping her break the magic circle around the ruins of Pheebor. Then the Zizbit’s treasure would be theirs.
By morning, Moog and Slye neared the crumbling ruins of Pheebor, standing guard over the conflux of the Rivers Phee and Bor. The Temple of Zizbit, standing on the high plateay rising from the ruined city, contained the wealth. The ruins were guarded by a protective spell cast by the wizards as the city fell. Using the Protective Circle Undo spell found in the book, Moog removed the ward, allowing them to ascend the grand stairway to the sacred temple.
Much to their dismay, there was no treasure to be found within the temple. It was bare save a glowing pool. Moog opened the book in order to read the runes (she had learned the runes from the Frobozz Magic Correspondence School). The following prophecy was set before her:
Six eyes and six hands for the Triax,
Inscribing the arc spell in the sand.
The runes foretell the fate of Quendor:
A reign of darkness upon the land.
Two eyes, two hands have mother’s form,
Two hands and eyes were backwards born.
The last pair for one skilled in sorcery,
Who, imprisoned by mage, by that mage is set free.
When these three twos join at Phee and Bor,
The Triax will rule from shore to shore.
And:
In crystal ball, magician trapped
Avoids for now intended death.
His vile soul at random spills,
And taints the air with dire breath.
Seven spills of power, then all is sapped.
Seven bursts count the fatal trend.
For if not yet freed from his prison –
The mage then meets his end.
When she was finished, a light began to dawn. She was the one with her mother’s form, and Slye had been born feet first. Unknown to them, the magician who had been imprisoned by another magician was Radnor, who had been recently imprisoned in a crystal ball by Frobwit the Fair.
Moog believed it would be fun to rule the kingdom. She would show everyone else that she was boss. She would be rich and free from all drudgery. While the Zizbit spell book called both the Triax and the trapped magician evil, Moog had no desire to be evil. She just desired the riches and power she deserved. Now she had to steal and fight for that wealth and power. But as ruler of Quendor, it would all be hers! The details could be worried about later, but now the seedy witch was determined to form the evil triumvirate. As she wondered how to find this magician, an image began to form in the pool—it showed a caravan which had been driven by Gurthark the Stout, guarded by Ryker, and with them were the passengers Frobwit and Acia. The crystal ball rested in the back of the wagon. Moog was determined to get the crystal before the seven spells were used up.
Hoping to force the caravan towards Pheebor, Moog Incanted a road sign changing spell into the rippling waters of the pool. Before their eyes, the sign was altered to read “Borphee” instead of “Pheebor.” Although those of the caravan suspected the sign was incorrect, they were deceived into trekking the road towards Pheebor.
Watching the travelers through the oracle, the first peril was released from Radnor’s crystal ball. A flock of giant corbies descended upon the caravan. While Ryker was able to slay them, one dragged the Frobwit away from the caravan. Moog knew that she had to keep the wizard alive so he could release Radnor’s essence. Summoning every iota of her fledgling powers, she cast a handy spell into the oracle. The image dissolved before Moog saw the results, but Frobwit had been transformed into a porcupine (the corbie dropped him and he fell through the roof of Gumboz’s house).
Slye was sent out on a mission to find Frobwit, leaving Moog to observe the traveler’s process alone. The next morning Moog saw that the crystal ball sent out another deadly burst of evil. This time Acia was infected with a deadly illness. Later, an image of Slye shimmered into view, but as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared.
Late that night, see saw the crystal ball glowing with a fiery brilliance. The third burst of evil from the crystal ball set fire to the silken coverlets in the back of the wagon. Forcing herself to stay awake throughout the night, shadowy figures began to flicker overhead.
As dawn broke over the ruined city, she saw that Slye was with the wizard. Then she saw that the caravan had bordered a ferry which was gliding smoothly along the Borphee River (although she presumed it to be the Bor River). That was when the fourth burst of evil happened. A sea serpent dragged Gurthark off the ferry into the swift waters.
Through the day and into her fourth sleepless night, Moog watched the pool. She admired the handsome Ryker and wished that she could be as lucky as Acia was. As if in answer to her wish, a strange rumbling came from deep inside the oracle. The rumbling grew louder, as though some dread being was struggling to the surface. An enormous bubble appeared in the pool. It heaved menacingly and shot right out of the oracle, forming an immense luminous mass. The mass transmogrified into a cloaked figure. The apparition hovered before her. When it inquired who Moog was, she lied, stating that she was sent to guard the temple. But the phantom was not fooled. In fear, Moog fled the temple, where she waited outside for the rest of the chilly night.
The next day, Moog fell asleep beneath the warmth of the sun. It was not until night that she reawakened. The Zizbit phantoms had returned to their resting place and she ventured back into the temple. She arrived just in time to see an image shimmering in the oracle of Slye, smiling with the wizard as though they were old chums. Little did she know but Frobwit had befriended Slye. Afterwards, she checked up on the caravan and the crystal ball only to find that it showed Althea’s house where she had stolen the spell book (for the crystal ball has since been brought there). Moog, of course, had no idea what was going on, nor how many more bursts of evil were left for the crystal ball to release before the time for the Triax dissipated. In panic, she consulted the ancient runes of the Zibit spell book and cast the mirror spell upon the wizard. This forced Frobwit to unwillingly utter a reversal of the essence-entrapping spell, releasing Radnor from his imprisonment.
The time had come to fullfil the Zizbit prophecy. Moog hurried out of the temple and down the long flight of steps that encircled the plateau. Her destination was the sandy shore at the junction of the Phee and Bor Rivers. She artfully inscribed the arc spell into the sand.
Suddenly, creation summoned forth all its fury in response to Moog’s call for the forming of the Triax. Slye materialized and took his place alongside Moog as the second member of the Triax. Then Radnor, freed from his crystal prison, took his place. He was ready and eager. Moog was ecstatic. The prophecy was fulfilled. Combining their powers together, the Triax began its reign of darkness. The rivers and the seas turned to blood, as the charred land gave up its nurturing spirit. Although the records of this period are wanting, this grim tyranny would take many seasons and much valor to undo.
