Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1998 13:07:01 -1000
Subject: [ffml] Re: [MW] A Druidic Axe

From: The Druidess Kaitlin <druidkaitlin@juno.com>

>	"We also found these items," said Kaitlin. She indicated some
>objects and the heroes discussed their importance.

	Kaitlin sat silently away from the others.  
	She held the axe-blade carefully in her hands, noting its sharp edges and keeping her 
small hands from being sliced off by them.  
	Studying the material of the blade with a magnifying lens, Kaitlin began deciphering 
the complex lacework of elements and minerals, and within those the spell-weave that had 
lasted so long.  It was most complex, more like an amalgam of different spells.  Old spells. 
Kaitlin leaned closer suspiciously.  . . . Druid Spells.  Kaitlin absent-mindedly massaged 
her leg . . . it seemed to have gone numb in the position she was sitting in.
	Druid Spells.  It was true, wasn't it?  She touched the blade carefully.  She could 
tell an enchanted weapon by touch, but there was something more here.  The Druidess sniffed 
the blade curiously.  Yes, it was familiar.  Not that she had ever been around this 
particular blade before, but it certainly was in keeping with what she had studied in the 
vault at Paranor so long ago.  But how could it have gotten to *this* world?
	Kaitlin felt her Elfstones pulse gently where they rested in her pocket.  "There they 
go again," she muttered aloud, and pulled them out with a sigh.  Never before had the 
Elfstones been so active.  Dumping them out of their leather pouch into the palm of her hand
after setting the axe blade on the ground, she stared into their depths.  "So, Stones, what 
can you tell me?"  
	The Elfstones shimmered, and that was all.  
	"Hrm.  Darn."  She placed them back in the pouch and stuffed them hurriedly back into 
her pocket.  She picked up the axe again, and once again she felt the Elfstones pulse 
insistantly.  "Well, fine!"  She dropped the axe in front of her, yanked the Elfstones out 
of her pocket, and held them before her once again.  Their redness sparkled even more 
brightly.  She extended her arms.  
	The two artifacts connected in a continuous stream of crimson lightening, and she 
could smell sulfur.  It didn't hurt, but it flowed through her and she froze for a moment, 
and she made all her senses aware.
	She could hear the magic whispering to her, telling her its secrets in the Druid 
tongue.  The OLD Druid tongue, before they adopted the tongue of the common people.  It 
spoke quickly, and Kaitlin strained to pick up everything it was trying to tell her.
	Then it was over.  Kaitlin calmly put the Elfstones back in her robe pocket.  She 
felt a bit feverish.  She mulled over what she had learned.  It seemed that she had been 
right about her initial suspicions of panic-induction in perceived enemies.  There was 
something else though. . . it had a way of addicting the user to its magic, giving the user
even more power, but also at a price.  Used too much, whoever weilded it would *want* to use
it so much, that he or she might turn on others.  That could be dangerous . . . but in 
keeping with old Druid ways of teaching how to use weapons wisely.  She had been instructed 
with a few of these types of weapons herself, and the Elfstones were also like this.   But 
she was sure the axe would be very much an aid in the war, and she trusted Bacca would 
listen to her warnings about its use.  
	Now all she really had to do was get it fitted for a shaft, and perhaps attempt to 
solve the mystery as to WHY the Druid weapon was here, in South Figaro of all places.  How 
could such things be thrown across a galaxy?
	"Oh well," Kaitlin said, and stood, hefting the blade.  She blinked surprisedly as her
hand went numb and she dropped it.  She stared at the Druid blade where it lay unharmed on 
the ground, and held her hand out in front of her.  It tingled a little, and came back to 
life.  "Rats," she said, and gritted her teeth.  "That's what I get for getting too close to
a ghost."
	She picked up the Druid axe again.
	The Druidess looked around for Bacca, finally finding him talking to another soldier.
After the soldier left, she approached and explained what she had discovered--the side 
effects of using such a weapon.  "Please be careful," she stressed.  "It's very important 
you don't let the magic take over."
	She looked to Bacca to see what he had to say--she had to make sure her advice was 
heeded.