"The water source!" Hycanthus paused in his contemplative pacing and punctuated the air with a triumphant finger as the last piece of the puzzle fell into place with his exclamtion.

For some months now the more neighbourly of Sapience's inhabitants had been seeking out and luring gargoyles back to the wizard's home in the Vashnar mountains, slowly filling a sturdy crate with their struggling and scratching bodies. Thankfully, aside from one strange beast that decided to make a lofty perch of the crate, the creatures had been relatively well-behaved.

Hycanthus had been struggling to envision just how the cure was to be spread; if it were imbibed or taken by choice there would surely be a small few afflicted who fell through the cracks, and then in a matter of years the dark sky boon would be a problem once more. But the rivers, these were to be the key.

Purest water from the northern Saoghal mixed to a strange grey hue with the fine dust extracted from the collected gargoyles, and the overwhelming power of a lightning storm's strike galvanised the mixture into the solution required.

It was with thanks to Laniara and Elstan Vorondil, Reydan Ancyrion, Skye Anchors, and Sunny Ashaela that Hycanthus was able to depart to write up his findings. The notable Cyrenians slipped the cure into the source of Sapience's rivers to filter to the afflicted via their remedies, their recipes, their drinks, even in the humidity of the air they breathed. This cure was to be inescapable.

One final bucket was poured over Diron, the gargoyle who stood in New Thera. As the crumbling stonework sluiced from the vintner's form, he swore never to rest until Doctor Kortoxian lay at his feet, paying for his 'trick of a treat' with his life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Summary: With thanks to Elstan, Laniara, Reydan, Skye, and Sunny, Hycanthus was able to effect a cure for Doctor Kortoxian's unfortunate gargoyle test.


Penned by My hand on the 1st of Ero, in the year 698 AF.