"We hunt it here, We hunt it there. It hunts us everywhere."
(A chorus to 'A Chaos Hunt, with references to Corex', by Lirra, the Mad Poet)
Sometimes one shines forth especially brightly, becoming the centre of attention in the sky. Then all around it others shine out in competition, circling it and each other, in and out, back and forth, round and around, until the whole kaleidoscope of colour bursts in a great flash of brilliance, and dies away. Yet still the image lingers, even if the watcher closes his eyes.
The next bright star to go out was Toban of Normeikl, Director of the A.M.V. According to Ichixal, High Priest and Representative of CAERULAS on Earth, Toban was turned to gold and abducted from his own garden, together with Brizat (a Priest of CAERULAS), by one Yvonne. Ichixal escaped to the Temple of Peace on Earth, where he offered rewards of 1,000GP for the return of Brizat, with safe conduct and no questions asked, and 12,000GP for the body of Yvonne, freshly dead, in any number of pieces (so long as they were all there). This was 6 Aval.
In the power struggle that followed the disappearance of Toban, Delron of Satril (younger brother of Stirros III, Champion of Satril and Director of the I.D.S.) took the Directorship of the A.M.V., and held it against a challenge by Gerrain of Normeikl, the White Wizard. Now the I.D.S. and the A.M.V. were able to resolve their differences, and it was established that the responsibility for enforcing the new Elemental Licensing and Teleporting laws lies with the I.D.S.
Other bright stars came close to being put out on 7 Aval. At the double wedding of Harrek Dragonhelm, Lord Protector of the North, to the White Lady, Sabrina, and of Chalek, Duke of Hubrael and Earl of Lassaed, to Robyn of Kyr, the beams of Destruction struck at them three times through the roof of Bjarmigen Cathedral. But no-one was hit, and Harrek calmed the guests and moved the ceremonies to a private chapel. Outside afterwards he publicly decried these actions of WAGREN as "squalid, useless, and totally inaccurate".
It seemed the star of Destruction was in the descendant. The star of Peace, on the other hand, seemed to be in the ascendant. That night FIDAR, WACON and Servants made an appearance in Heaven, and Peaced and confiscated WAGREN's Destruction Machine, which They erected at the TPE site as a monument to the folly of War, and to the memory of the Servant of WACON Destroyed in the raid, of the Servant of FIDAR Destroyed at the near-massacre of Hotif, and of all other souls so Destroyed.
A bright star fell 11 Aval, when Arril, Champion of Tarm, duelled the Emperor Kostof I of Normeikl for the Lion Throne of Valdrea. Suddenly appearing behind Kostof I, Arril beheaded him with the Sword of Tarm. As the former Emperor regenerated his head, Arril I prayed publicly for the soul of Prince Kostof II, who had died on that very spot. When he was recovered, Kostof I announced his retirement as Champion of Normeikl, and that he would be taking up the post of Head of House (as ex-Emperors traditionally do).
At the Temple of Peace on Earth 15 Aval the albino Olak-Ksirrin preached the good tidings of Peace which he had brought from the far North, where the Icemen have realised the futility of War, and Good and Evil have peacefully co-existed for over a thousand years. As a mark of FIDAR's goodwill to all, and to show what Peace can achieve, he would truthfully answer one personal question from each of his audience who asked, but only one question in a lifetime for anyone. He soon acquired a reputation for being oracular in his answers, but also a reputation as a peacemaker. Through his offices, it is said, Ichixal and Yvonne resolved their differences, and Ichixal resigned as High Priest in repentance for desecrating a Temple of MIRIMI. He then went with Olak-Ksirrin to preach Peace around the World, with impressive shows of Light.
Still at the centre of attention shines Corex. Olak-Ksirrin and Ichixal have called a meeting of the brightest stars circling him at the Temple of FIDAR on Earth at Sunrise of 26 Aval, to discuss the threat to the World from Chaos.
In Rockholme, around Corex, and elsewhere the Friends of Chaos disport themselves with increasing randomness: from Kuntax, where the Pirates raided the harbour and sank a half dozen ships, to Bjarmigen, where a sharp increase in the number of Chaotic incidents in late Aval led to the Gods of Peace on Earth placing the Temple of MIRIMI on Earth and all its members in "protective quarantine" and sending Clerics into the streets to arrest members of a Chaotic "League of Friends". This action was necessary, They said, to "restore stability".
Doubtless other stars move in the darkness, perhaps soon to shine forth. These are uncertain times indeed.
Your orders are requested for the month of Destri 2501.
© P.R. Wild, 13 November 1983
Check the Headlines again
Read the previous News
Read the next News
Back to Temple of DALA