"Of Mages & Pages" Wizards

PG2

for magical skill. She feared his journey would lead to his demise. But she couldn’t bear to tell him and break his spirit. So instead she thought of another way to help him. Using her alchemy, Fiddle created two pouches. Whatever was placed in one would magically be transported to the other. If nothing else, Fiddle and Norbit could use these pouches to communicate. And in a pinch Fiddle could send Norbit pre-mixed ingredients that he could use to perform spells.
After packing a bag for his long journey and once again saying goodbye to his beloved wife, Norbit left Pollywoggle Harbor, not intending to return until he could wield magic. He first set out in search of the mysterious Pegasus King. Fiddle once had a brief encounter with the Pegasus King in which he predicted she would discover a new branch of magic: alchemy. So Norbit’s first stop was the very field where this fateful meeting occurred. Norbit set up camp in the field and waited for months, only leaving to gather food and water. But the Pegasus King never showed himself and eventually Norbit decided to move on and find other teachers.
While studying at the Elf School, Norbit had learned about several distinguished magicians throughout Midieville. Most highly regarded were the five wise mages: Fiddle and The High Elf of Magic, whom Norbit had already tried to learn under, The Pegasus King, The Sprite King, and Aju the dragon. Norbit had already learned that the Pegasus King was one of the most elusive beings in Midieville, but he also dreaded the process of even trying to reach Aju as it would mean a dangerous climb into the Dragon Mountains. Norbit thought that he would exhaust his other options before attempting this trek.
In addition to the five wise mages, however, there were still many other magicians who were viewed in high esteem. One of them was Klatch the Greckle. Norbit had met Klatch while studying under the High Elf of Magic and respected him as one of the High Elf’s best pupils. Klatch intrigued Norbit because, while many races are known for their magical abilities, Greckles, much like Pollywoggles, typically have no magical skill. Norbit hoped that Klatch might know secrets to teaching magical ways to those without a natural inclination.
Norbit learned that Klatch, being gentle and compassionate compared to other Greckles, had taken up residence in the Forbidden Caves so he could be apart from his people while still keeping an eye on them. So Norbit began a long journey across Midieville and found him. But Klatch was reluctant to train the young Pollywoggle. Many years before, another Pollywoggle, Ribbit T. Jibbit, had traveled to Greckle Keep to train with the Greckles. His intentions were pure, to rescue his people from the ferocious dragon Branclo, but in the end he became a conqueror as well. Klatch wondered if being trained by Greckles had warped Ribbit’s mind, so he refused to train Norbit.
But Norbit was persistent. He camped in front of Klatch’s cave for months and pleaded with the Greckle every morning, and every morning Klatch sternly told him to go away, sometimes even chasing him off. Klatch was gentle for a Greckle, but Norbit quickly found he was still gruff compared to most other creatures. Finally one day Norbit began to tell Klatch his full story. He revealed to him that he had been enslaved by both Branclo and Ribbit, and that Ribbit had tortured him and left him to die. Norbit reasoned that he understood the suffering brought on by tyrants and therefore he could never become one. Unfortunately Klatch did not believe Norbit’s story. Those events had

PG3

occurred at least a century earlier and Pollywoggles rarely live more than 80 years. Norbit, who appeared somewhat youthful, couldn’t possibly have been alive at that time.
This left Norbit no choice but to confide the rest of his story to Klatch. He explained how Fiddle D. Jibbit, whom he later married, saved him with a potion that granted him long life through slow aging. He lamented about how he was destined to lose his mind to senility and his body to age generations before he would ever die.
Feeling sorry for Norbit, Klatch finally agreed to try to train him. Klatch began by telling his story to Norbit. All Greckles are made of rock, he explained, but not the same type of rock. Some are much bigger or denser than others. Klatch, while still quite large compared to Norbit, was small for a Greckle, and brittle in comparison to the greatest Greckle warriors. Thus he learned quite early in his life that he would not survive long if he subscribed to the violent ways of his people. Instead, Klatch dedicated himself to all forms of knowledge and wisdom. In his quest for knowledge he stumbled into magic and only then did he seek out training from two of the wise mages: Aju and the High Elf of Magic. Klatch believed that Norbit’s problem was that he was searching in the wrong place. Instead of pursuing magic itself Klatch told him to pursue knowledge and let magic come to him in its own time.
Under Klatch Norbit studied the history of all of the lands of Midieville, including the lost lands. He learned all about the various creatures and races, vegetation, and geology of the land. He researched science, government, agriculture, medicine, and countless other subjects. Occasionally Norbit would ask if he was any closer to learning magic, and every time Klatch would tell him to be patient and wait. For years Klatch taught Norbit until one day the Greckle told him that he had no more information to share. Klatch said that it was time for him to leave Greckle Keep and expand his own knowledge and welcomed Norbit to join him.
The two traveled together for many weeks. But then it dawned on Norbit that they were heading toward Pollywoggle Harbor. When he confronted Klatch with this information, Klatch admitted that he was hoping to train under Fiddle D. Jibbit and learn of one of the few subjects he knew nothing about. He confessed that he did not believe he could ever teach Norbit magic, and instead urged him to return home and spend as many of his youthful years as he could with his wife.
Norbit agreed to return to Pollywoggle Harbor with Klatch, but the next night as Klatch slept, Norbit quietly packed up his things and fled. He had made a vow not to return home without learning magic and he did not intend to break it. Instead, he took out the magic pouch Fiddle had given him and he used it for the first time. He sent his wife a note saying he loved her but that his quest was not over. He also asked her to take on Klatch as a student and to tell the Greckle he was sorry for abandoning him. A few moments later Fiddle sent a note back expressing her love and agreeing to his request.
Going off of the knowledge he’d learned under Klatch, Norbit decided to explore the Woodlands of Mystery. He hoped that these enchanted woods might harbor secrets about magic – especially since so many magically adept creatures lived within. But after many weeks of exploring the only thing he found was that it was an easy place to get lost. Even with Klatch’s extensive teaching about the forest Norbit could not find his way out. The poor Pollywoggle had all but given up hope when suddenly he saw a great, sparkling light coming down from the cloud. “It’s the Pegasus King!” he thought,

PG4

remembering that the fabled horse had visited Fiddle only in her moment of greatest need. But as the light descended he realized that it wasn’t just one big light, but thousands of tiny lights. In fact, the lights were pixies, and they were carrying another creature: a dwarf. As soon as the dwarf reached the ground he said thank you and the pixies dissipated in a flash. Norbit approached the dwarf, who introduced himself and Emlirn, hoping that anyone who could ride on a bed of pixies must be a truly great sorcerer.
It turned out that Emlirn indeed was a powerful magician. But he refused to train Norbit, and something about his tone made Norbit understand that, unlike Klatch, the dwarf would not eventually change his mind. Emlirn explained to Norbit that he was on a mission to help all of the creatures of Midieville and that he did not have time to train an apprentice. But he offered to let Norbit join him and help however he could, and if he happened to pick up any magic along the way then so be it. Where Klatch thought the secret to magic was knowledge, Emlirn believed that it was actually kindness and compassion. While Emlirn believed that Norbit was a genuinely good Pollywoggle, he felt that his intentions for learning magic were too selfish and that perhaps if he focused on helping others he might develop a care for others that would make him worthy of magical ability.
And so Norbit traveled with Emlirn for many years, seeking out anyone in need of help. It was quickly evident to Norbit that Emlirn was quite possibly the most powerful magician he had ever seen. Whatever the situation called for it seemed Emlirn had a spell that he could perform with ease. And what truly fascinated Norbit was that no matter how great or how small the task, Emlirn was willing to jump in and help. He was equally eager to assist a peasant as he was a king. Soon Norbit started to understand why Emlirn believed the secret to magic was compassion.
As Emlirn’s fame grew, more and more students of magic sought him out. He refused to take on any as apprentices, but he allowed any to join him who simply wished to help. Most turned away saddened at Emlirn’s offer, but slowly their party grew. The first to join was a unicorn named Mirah, soon others followed. Even Klatch joined their team, and Norbit was quite thankful to learn the Greckle had fully forgiven him. The band of wandering helpers traveled through Midieville for many years, and while Norbit didn’t learn any magic in the process, he did learn compassion.
One day while traveling from the Gold City, Norbit’s greatest wish came true. With no warning, a great winged horse swooped down out of the sky and stood before the group of adventurers. It was the Pegasus King. He pulled Emlirn aside and whispered something to him. Norbit couldn’t tell what was said, but based on the look on Emlirn’s face it appeared to be quite serious. Then just as quickly as the Pegasus King arrived he vanished again. “We have been invited to the Pegaus Kingdom,” Emlirn said, “and we must go quickly!”
Norbit was ecstatic. Surely the Pegasus King would finally teach him magic! But his hopes were quickly squashed when Emlirn asked to speak privately with him. He told the hopeful Pollywoggle that only the magical beings on the team were allowed to enter the Pegasus Kingdom and he ordered Norbit to leave the group because he wasn’t allowed to know where the entrance to the kingdom was. Norbit was crushed. His greatest hope of ever learning magic had been denied him.

PG5

Distraught and alone, Norbit wandered the lands of Midieville as a vagrant, no longer seeking to help others or to learn magic. One afternoon Norbit sat wasting the day away at a pub in Sphinx City when in walked a small gnome and a pig-centaur. The two sat at a table adjacent to Norbit and he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were watching him. Finally in frustration Norbit yelled at them, “What do you want!?” The centaur stood up and snorted, but the gnome slowly crept toward Norbit and quietly said, “Are you Norbit A. Bibble?”
Norbit didn’t recognize either of the creatures and he couldn’t understand how they knew him so in his bitterness he simply lashed out at the two and told them to leave him alone. The centaur seemed agitated and kept saying, “It isn’t time yet,” but the gnome seemed genuinely concerned and kept babbling on to the centaur as the pair started to make their way out of the pub. It was only when the gnome used the words “great sorcerer” and “Norbit” in the same sentence that the Pollywoggle perked up and tried to listen. Norbit chased them down and tried to ask the gnome what he was talking about, but the centaur said, “Not now,” insisted they had to leave, and pushed Norbit back inside. As the door closed the gnome shouted, “Please don’t give up on your quest!” Norbit immediately opened the door back up the pair was gone.
At first Norbit wondered if he’d hallucinated the whole thing or if it was just his imagination. But as days went by he couldn’t shake the encounter. Suddenly he had a new twinge of hope and he resolved to seek out the last option he felt he had left for learning magic: Aju the dragon, the one remaining mage for Norbit to try to learn from.
Just getting to the Dragon Mountains was a long and perilous journey, beginning in the desert and moving through the golden lands. Then Norbit had to climb through seemingly endless peaks and valleys just to reach the base of Aju’s mountain. The path up the mountain was treacherous. Norbit had to traverse razor sharp rocks, scale tall cliffs that were as smooth as glass with almost nowhere to hold on, and brave ferocious winds and bitter cold temperatures. But he pressed on in the hope that the determination to complete the journey would be the secret to learning magic.
Finally, after days of climbing, Norbit reached the summit and caught a glimpse of Aju’s temple. Parched, hungry, and exhausted, Norbit slowly crawled to the entrance and looked upon the aged, wise dragon. The Pollywoggle had no more than opened his mouth to ask if he could be trained when Aju raised his arm, pointed toward the exit, and said, “Go. You are not worthy.”
Norbit was stunned and angry, but he knew better than to argue with the revered mage. He had no choice but to leave. And not only that, but also to admit defeat. He couldn’t even fathom how long his quest to learn magic had lasted him, perhaps it had been centuries since he’d first left Pollywoggle Harbor, and here he had nothing to show for it. Norbit wanted to use his magic pouch to ask Fiddle for food and water, but he didn’t have any paper to write a note on. So as a latch ditch effort he put the opening of the bag up to his mouth and said, “Help!”
It worked. And sensing the desperation in her husband’s voice, not only did Fiddle send back a canteen and a loaf of bread, but also something that looked like a smooth black rock. Then Fiddle spoke into her pouch, “Think of home, throw the stone at the ground, and it will transport you back.”
Norbit ate the bread and water and thought all about Pollywoggle Harbor. But in addition to fond memories of his home and his wife, Norbit also felt shame and he didn’t

PG6

know if he could show his face there again. So he shifted his mind to thoughts of the Golden City and then threw the stone at his feet. It exploded in a cloud of thick, black smoke, and when the smoke cleared Norbit was standing at the gate of the Golden City. A few people screamed at his sudden appearance and a young boy shouted, “Look, mommy, a magician!” Norbit almost corrected the child, but then he got an idea: if he couldn’t learn magic himself, perhaps he could borrow magic from Fiddle.
Norbit spoke into the pouch that he had one more idea for learning magic and couldn’t return home until he’d tried, and then he asked Fiddle for a levitation spell. Soon he received a relic that allowed him to float several feet above the ground and he used it to walk on air to the center of the marketplace. All eyes were on Norbit as he asked for more and more items and started to put on a show. He threw small pebbles in the air that turned into delicious fruit when people caught them, he dropped a lump of clay onto the ground that made all animals nearby come to him and obey any order he gave them, he splashed a liquid toward the booth of a merchant selling instruments that made the instruments play a song, and for his grand finale he smashed two rocked together that turned into a ball of fire that slowly rose just over the tops of the buildings, and then exploded into an incredible fireworks display. Then Norbit floated to the ground to greet the crowd of enamored spectators. Some simply wanted a better look at the exciting magician while others asked him for help that Norbit gladly agreed to provide for a small fee.
Meanwhile Fiddle sat in her chamber at her school of alchemy, knowing deep down that Norbit couldn’t possibly be using the concoctions she was sending him with pure intentions. But out of pity for her husband, and perhaps guilt for giving him the potion that had resigned him to a terrible fate one day, she lied to herself that Norbit truly needed these things and continued to send him whatever he asked for. Though in hopes of bringing Norbit home, Fiddle sent him another teleportation stone, promised it would be the only one she’d ever send, and told him to use it to one day when he was ready to come back.
Enjoying his newfound fame, and the wealth that came with it, Norbit was content to let this arrangement continue for as long as Fiddle would allow it. And so he traveled the lands for many years, putting on shows, tricking people into believing he was a magician, and selling his magical services to the highest bidders.
The kindness and compassion that Norbit had learned many years earlier while traveling with Emlirn was still there weighing on his conscience, but for a long time he managed to ignore it. Over time Norbit became racked with shame for tricking people and using Fiddle’s magic for his own selfish ends. Initially the guilt of being a fraud was far outweighed by the fear of being exposed as one. But after many years that guilt began to build and Norbit felt like a shell of who he used to be. He knew he couldn’t continue deceiving and taking advantage of others, but he also felt like he could never return home and face Fiddle either. So Norbit took the small teleportation stone out of his pocket, thought about a remote part of the Lava Lands, threw the stone and vanished.
As soon as Norbit arrived in the oppressively hot land he pulled his magical pouch out of his pocket, whispered “I love you” into it, and then turned the pouch inside out. By pushing the pouch through its own opening, it transported itself into Fiddle’s pouch. For the first time in centuries Norbit was truly alone. He set up a home for himself in a cave

PG7

on a summit that was high enough to escape the deadly heat and fumes of the lava below, although it was still an incredibly uncomfortable existence.
Among the Pyroclasts in the land there began to develop rumors of a crazy old sorcerer who lived at the top of one of the mountains, though none of them dared to check and see if the rumors were true for fear that the magician would harm them. But then one day the curiosity of a young Pyroclast named Pensh’te got the better of him and he searched the mountains and found Norbit. Pensh’te sheepishly asked Norbit if he would train him in the ways of magic. Seeing the fear in the would-be pupil’s face, Norbit realized that he had a chance to try and set himself on the right path again by offering help to another person. So Norbit admitted the truth to Pensh’te that he didn’t know any magic, but he offered to take him to someone who could.
With the eager Pensh’te at his side, Norbit finally left his cave and began yet another journey across Midieville. They traveled all the way back to the Dragon Mountains that he’d visited so long ago, and then made the perilous climb up the mountain of Aju’s temple. Whether it was because he knew the way better, or because he had a companion to help him, Norbit found the trek much easier the second time. When they reached the top it saddened Norbit to hear Aju welcome Pensh’te as an apprentice. Though Aju still did not accept Norbit as a pupil, he did seem to look upon him with compassion as the Pollywoggle turned to make his way back down the mountain.
After leaving the Dragon Mountains, Norbit back to the marketplace of the Gold City. He felt good about helping someone again, and suddenly it seemed the weight of his guilt had been lifted off of him. He was still ashamed of how he’d taken advantage of Fiddle, but he felt foolish to believe that she wouldn’t forgive him. So finally, after countless years away from Pollywoggle Harbor, Norbit decided to return home. Except as soon as he had taken one step in that direction, two creatures suddenly appeared right in front of him. It was the gnome and the pig centaur he’d met years earlier, and by the looks of things they’d hardly aged a day. They introduced themselves as Hajko and Mubap.
“Now it’s time!” Mubap said, and Hajko began to explain that Norbit was vitally important for a quest that would determine the fate of Midieville. Norbit explained that he wasn’t a real sorcerer, that he’d spent his entire life trying to learn magic with no success, and that he’d eventually used his wife’s powers to trick people into thinking he was a great magician. He reasoned that Fiddle was actually the Pollywoggle they needed for their mission, but Mubap insisted that it had to be Norbit. Then Hajko began to tell his own story. He spoke of being timid, despite his great magical ability, how he allowed his fear to stop him from trying to save his friends, and how as a result an evil sorceress named Iniquity was able to defeat the High Elf of Magic and begin a reign of terror over all of the lands of Midieville. But then Hajko told Norbit how he’d finally discovered the courage to stand up to Iniquity, and that it was courage, not magical skill, that would ultimately defeat her.
Norbit couldn’t believe that during the years he spent hiding in the Lava Lands a sorceress was able to rise to power and harm so many people. He wondered if he would have been able to do anything to stop her if he hadn’t been so absorbed in self-pity. After all, he was able to help a great many people during his years traveling with Emlirn even though he couldn’t use magic.

PG8

So Norbit agreed to go with Hajko and Mubap under the condition that they first stop at Pollywoggle Harbor so he could apologize to Fiddle and say goodbye to her, possibly for the last time should their mission not go well. In a flash, Mubap transported the three to Fiddle’s school of alchemy and Norbit was overcome with emotion when his wife immediately ran up and hugged him. They went into Fiddle’s private chamber and spoke for hours. They joked about how old they were both starting to look, and Norbit couldn’t help but notice how aloof Fiddle acted. It seemed as though a bit of dementia had set in. Norbit feared that Fiddle worrying about his safety and whereabouts over the years might have taken a toll on his wife’s mind. Finally, it was time for Norbit to say goodbye, but before he left Fiddle gave him back his magical pouch and they vowed that as long as both of them lived they wouldn’t be completely apart again.
Norbit, Hajko and Mubap left Pollywoggle Harbor and met up with ten other sorcerers, among them were Klatch, Emlirn, Mirah, and Pensh’te. In fact, Norbit recognized almost all of the other magicians from his years of traveling through Midieville. The leader of the party, Equity, explained their plan to defeat Iniquity, and the most dangerous job of all fell to Norbit. He would have to confront her face to face and use his skills of showmanship to distract her with the real magicians used their combined powers to stop her. Norbit thought it was just that the very tactics he’d used to deceive others in the past he would now have to use to help the whole world, and that in the process they would most likely get him killed.
But in the end Norbit managed to survive, along with all 12 of the magicians, and Iniquity was defeated. In the aftermath of the battle, Equity brought the magicians together, granted them with additional powers, and set up the Wizard Council to govern all of magic and reality itself. As Equity began the process of bestowing these powers to the sorcerers, Norbit, believing he did not fit in with such a powerful team, thought he would quietly exit and return home. But Equity stopped him and explained that while for Norbit knowledge, compassion, determination, and adventuring weren’t the secrets to learning magic, in his case perseverance was. Then Equity gave Norbit a new name: Fred the Yellow Wizard. Equity handed him a staff and a bowl of light that told him to pour over himself. When he did, he felt a wave of power sweep through every fiber of his being. Norbit, or rather Fred, had finally learned magic, and he vowed that this time he would never use it for selfish gain.