Book 4: “Alone Into The Underwyrld!” Page 11
BRYAN GETS BEAT WHILE BRAGOT GETS THE SHAFT
or
SLEEPING ON THE JOB!
Greetings most honored reader!
It would seem that the tide has quickly turned in favor of the “bad guys.” Poor Bryan. Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. So maybe he should have done what Seth did and go back to bed!?
Bryan has a valid complaint: “Where was our backup!?” Seth’s strength would have come in quite handy in this situation.
The wizards of the Cognescentii (especially Berp-Orthup!) have long studied monsters in their native habitats. Oftentimes, in the nameless depths of the forests and swamps of the Wyrld, these monsters have clashed, even such powerful creatures as Ogres, Trolls, and Swamp-Men. Generally, Swamp-Men, as strong as they are, are weaker than Ogres (who, in turn, are weaker than Trolls), but Seth—as mentioned ad infinitum—is not your average Swamp-Man just as Bryan and Nikki are not your average Dwarf and Elf, respectively. Indeed, Seth has shown himself to be even more powerful than Ogres (as seen HERE).
But how would Seth match up against a Man-Beast? Ah, that is the question… So, turning once again to my dog-eared copy of the illustrious Berp-Orthup’s Bounteous Bestiary of the Wyrld, worn and beat up, (especially those pages dealing with the Dryads and Nymphs of the Southwest Great Swamp Estuary), I looked carefully in the index under “Man-Beasts,” “Relations/conflicts with other races,” turned dutifully to the page number and found—nothing! At least nothing touching upon conflicts with Swamp-Men. Apparently even the great Berp-Orthup never recorded such an encounter.
Thus, though misery loves company (and Bryan certainly seems miserable in today’s transmission, doesn’t he?), it’s not really clear whether the Prince of Rejivyk’s presence would have necessarily turned the tide of battle in this little skirmish. It is generally thought that these Man-Beasts are stronger than even Ogres (or most Ogres), but then Seth represents the pinnacle of Swamp-Man physical perfection (and combined with his own exquisite skill with the sword he becomes even more dangerous). However, what must also be remembered is that Man-Beasts are not only physically powerful; they also have high-order intelligence and unknown powers of the mind—and lately!–have even begun to master the mystic arts! Thus, we’ve only seen a fraction of what Magorious could really do.
More concerning should be the behavior of our great young prince. Sleeping on the job!? Especially when his friends had need of him? Even if he didn’t care for them as he did, who would want to listen to the braying and nagging of Bryan, or even worse, the browbeating of the Iron Dragon himself?
What could explain this inexplicable need to take a nap at perhaps the most inopportune of times? Please join me next time, most honored reader, to find an answer!
Until then, may the bounteous blessings of the Cognescentii rain gently upon you!
~The Traveller