A Spark of Knowledge
Father Norman stood at the door of the tower of Boccob, a forlorn look on his face. “I shall miss you my young friend, but now it’s time for you to go to the finest school in all of Sealand.”
Percival looked at his teacher of the past five years. “I don’t want to Father Norman, why do I have to go some place else?”
“I have taught you all I can about the great Boccob, now it’s time for you to learn the craft you’re destined to have.” Shaking a finger at the boy in a fatherly way, he said, “Keep an open mind; learn everything you can. Headmaster Restford is the finest in the world. I have sent word to him at the Academy. You’ll feel right at home in no time.”
“Will you visit me?” Percy said with a sigh of resignation in his voice.
“Of course I will. I get into Shannon City at least once a year. He smiled at the frail fourteen-year-old. Then handed him a silver symbol of Boccob. Carry this wherever you go. It will keep you safe in dire times. Good luck in your new school.” Said the old priest, as he cupped the boys’ cheek.
Jonathan and Maribelle Wickenthal drove their cart laden with Aclole leaf and five of their eight children to Shannon City. The trip took eleven days. On the sixth day they reached the capital of Sealand, Gallion. There they sold the massive Aclole harvest they had brought with them, the five children helping to carry the sacks to the various venders.
“Hey Percy,” called Benny. “I bet you won’t miss this, going to that fancy school and all.”
“Yeah,” replied Percival. “But I will miss all of you.”
“Even Bert?” Benny said sarcastically.
“Yeah, even Bert. You know, if it not for her; I wouldn’t be going there at all.”
“Well, when you become the great mage Wickenthal, don’t forget us peasant farmers” he said with a smile.
“We are not Peasants,” came a voice from behind the two boys. Turning, the two of them saw their father looking down over them from the cart. “We happen to have the second largest Aclole farm in the Spryce district. I would appreciate a little respect from my offspring, if you don’t mind.” He said this with a smile on his broad ruddy face. “We need to get these deliveries made, then we can go to the inn and get some dinner and a bit of rest before we begin the second leg of our journey.”
Later that evening, at the dinner table, Flora sat next to her little brother and asked. “Are you going to become a priest Percival?”
“No, why would you think a thing like that?”
“Well, she said, it’s just that you have been talking about Boccob so much in the last four years that I thought maybe you decided to dedicate your life to his teachings.”
“Father Norman told me to keep an open mind and listen to my heart and the teachers at this new school. He also told me that the best teacher in the whole world of magic was there, and he would teach me to be the greatest mage of all time.” Percival propped himself up a bit in his chair as he said this.
“You’ll be the skinniest mage they ever produce, grinned Flora. Somehow I don’t think that will matter as much in school as it did on the farm.”
“Did Father Norman tell you much about the school?” asked his father.
“Yeah, he said that it was not only for magic users, that all kinds of students come there for training in weapon fighting and healing as well.”
“If you’re lucky, you may be able to overcome some of your physical weakness’ there.” His father added, “you may find that this school has some classes on how to strengthen the body.”
“Dad, I don’t want to be some muscle bound jerk like...”
“That will do young man,” said Maribelle. “You listen to your father and Father Norman, keep an open mind.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“We have one more stop before we get to Shannon City. There is a fishing town, about two days from here, I can never remember its name” said John. “We can sell at least eight sacks there.”
The road between Gallion and Shannon City are patrolled by the Sealand military. It is very safe to travel without worry of molestation. The family traveled to the fishing town, making good time. The town of Vaiutim is a medium sized village. The main attraction is its small port. The people catch and sell fish for their livelihood. When the family arrived, it was nearly dark. They went to the local inn and bedded down for the night. The next morning they sold and traded their wares to the local fisherman and the captain of a ship.
“We did very well here for such a small village,” said John. “We were lucky that the captain of that ship was still here. I was able to sell ten of our remaining sacks to him at twice the normal price. He told me he was headed to Farsall, and they don’t get good leaf there. Mary, we need to open that market and fast.”
“Opening the Jeppen market was hard enough John, she replied. I think we should not bite off more than we can chew; pardon the pun.”
“Mom,” Betty chimed in, “Benny and I are old enough now. We could set up the market in the west. Don’t you think so Benny?”
“Sure, I like new places, he answered, We could do it Dad.”
“That’s a long way away for the two of you, he said. I think your mother may be right, but we can talk about it when we get home. Let’s all get a good night sleep. Tomorrow we get going to Shannon City.”
Percival mused, “only three more days, then I never see you all for nearly a year.”
’Don’t say that, Flora chided. We can come and see you, can’t we Ma?”
“Of course we can, but it’s no easy trip as you can see. So Percy is closer to the facts than even I had thought. We will visit at least a few times a year however” she told her family.
Passing the Eneails-destri woods to the left, the family traveled in relative peace for the next two days. As they entered the Shannon district, they came to the stone bridge of Iffinglant. It was so named for the Great-grand father of the ruler of Shannon City. It was cut from sand stone of the Gantor hills. A great semicircle, it covers the two roads leading into the city from the north and east. Each slab was carried here by elephants of the Zeha desert. The Dwarves were employed in its construction. They used their great skill in both carving and magic to construct the mighty bridge. The bridge is ornamental, leading into the gate of the city. The city is at sea level, but the roads leading in were lowered to give the city the appearance of being higher in the air.
Crossing the bridge, the Wickenthals entered the city proper. They followed Father Normans’ directions to the School. A monolith near the center of the city, contains the mayor’s office. Across the street stands a Medieval stone structure with four large spires at the corners.
A large oak door with steel bands stood majestically before them. Inscribed upon them... THE SCHOOL OF MYSTIC ART, CRAFT AND WEAPON OF SHANNON CITY.
