01 - Rogue Mage

Ages - Age of Magic - Path of Heroes

Again, magic takes another turn, this time in the USA. The talents investigated in this series center around mystic powers, the ability to mind-speak (telepathy)and to control people's minds with illusions, delusions, and allusions. Unfortunately, it's the evil people who are in power with this ability. However Payetta, a young farm girl, is developing a form of Nature magic that will be able to circumvent their powers. She has learned, and is learning to control the minds of the beasts, thereby developing her mental control powers in a mind-to-mind setting. And they've gotten stronger in the last two years.

In Rogue Mage she defeats Titannus, and will be going after Smith and others, with the help of Justen, Daeken and Shepherd.

An Incident

POH 01/1

Payetta, watching through the eyes of a sparrow, sees three men approaching, armed, bows and knife. Titannus’s men, raiders. Now watching through eyes of a hare, then a badger, she tracked their progress. They were dividing up their captures already, the fruit tree farm, the vegetable farm. One of them had to urinate, so, as he was lowering his trousers, (the badger which she controlled), took a significant bite, and the fight was one. Justen, her husband ran from the woods toward the three, as she lost control of the badger, because she had been attacked where she was kneeling, immersed in her projections, by two more raiders she had missed seeing. She head-butted one, then used her magic azure blaze blue wooden sword to take down the othe. She Grunts, her skunk, helping by “grunting” the first man’s face when he was down. Payetta dispatches the other, as Justen comes, after dispatching the other two and ½.

The Stranger

POH 01/2; POH 01/8, 9

Daeken Zee Walton, traveling the Dead Grey Road for five months, came upon two men at their campfire, (sword and ax), cooking their dinner. Not brutals, but ravers, at least half-mad, cooking human ribs for dinner. (Ravers notorious for desire for man meat.) Discovered Zarrith Smith was name of local mage, who had decimated the ravers group 3-4 years ago. Daeken fought with one of the men who was taking of human flesh. Killed him, told his friend that now he had plenty to eat.

Daeken saw smoke over the hills, and went to see what was happening. He came upon Titannus’s men attacking the Meadows people, and joined the fight. It was the same sight he’d glimpsed months ago—like a memory reborn—the day he’d returned to his own home from a three-day hunt only to find his neighbors’ homes burning alongside his own. Daeken kills Titannus’ Elderhost, leader of the battle there, and Titannus makes a note of it, but is too intent on capturing Hargstead to do anything.

Heroes Brigade

POH 01/3, 4, 5

North Meadow Volunteer Heroes Brigade has struck again. Five dead, will bury them under trees using her magic to dig holes, use roots to pull down bodies. More than five years since a larger party of Titannus’ men had been there. Increasing harassment? Tell Mayor Brundig, so that Meadowlands can be prepared? Will go into town (Hargstead) to talk to Mayor. Tells Mayor Titannus planning more, Mayor says they’ll be OK.

Zarrith Smith

POH 01/5

Zarrith checks with Titannus (mind-speaking over distances possible), as to whether he is ready to attack Hargstead. Yes, but men had failed to return, so worried Meadowlanders may know of intentions. Zarrith was Titannus’ mentor, taught him magecraft) Instructs Titannus. If an impure mage exists there, every effort must be made to hunt them down. Kill them if they do not convert. We do not want them spreading their diseased magic to others. Justen and Payetta go out for the evening to visit graves they have neglected. (Her and his Parents’. Buried after an attack by Titannus killed all.

The Attack

POH 01/7 - 30

A dog awakes Payetta the next morning, and she “sees” Titannus’ men, 200 strong, on way to attack Hargstead. Send message to Ferren (dog), to alert the village. Ferren does, then comes up to Meadows to fight alongside Payetta. Justen Takes an arrow in shoulder. Daeken sees smoke, comes to area, joins in on attack to help Payetta, Justen.

Payetta and crew try to save a young farmer and wife, Payetta even turning the farm’s bull on the raiders. Beaten off for the moment.

Daeken shows up at one of the farms closer to town, tries to stop raiders from murdering family, does some, but is controlled by Titannus as he was fighting. As Titannus was about to behead him, the huge bill came charging at Titannus, causing him to lose his mental control of Daeken, and Daeken slipped away with the boy, 4 – 5 years old, a special child, named Shepherd.

Payetta goes to meet Titannus, as a mage, fighting with magic. Titannus tries to mind-speak with her, she rips him out of her head, realized he has sent an illusion of himself for others to fight, as he deals with her I a more private position. He tries to suggest her and coerce her into joining his group. No. He energies exhausted, she was almost overtaken, but Justen noticed that she was fighting nothing, and surmised an illusion and an invisible image, so came to fight the invisible Titannus. Titannus leaves, killing Kirk on the way.

Daeken talks to Shepherd, but the boy does not answer. Daeken cannot tell in what way the boy is special. Needs a place for him for safe-keeping.

Hargstead has only 32 men and 40 women left in the fight. Percy and Mayor fighting over what might have been done. Titannus anticipating a lengthy siege. Sent over half of troops w conquer South Meadows, kept some, plus Jethri (full control, body and mind), with him. Is sending patrol, plus Jethri (like he was there himself!). Titannus mentally (mind control) attacked archers on city walls, killing several.

Payetta, Daeken and Brigade plan on next moves. Payetta KNOWS she can kill Titannus, but need more men for regular fighters. Need to recruit fighters. And they need to fight for the right reasons. We go out to the villages in groups of two or three. Give them the call to fight. We tell them that if they don’t make their stand now, Titannus and his raiders will find them, and by then, it will be too late Tell them we meet before sundown here, at Ferren’s house.”

Justen, Daeken and Shepherd go to nearby town, Sumarice, to recruit. Tell of existence and strength of Krolan, the supermage, above smith, who is trying to take over all lands. We are the barrier between what's out there and civilization. Can anyone offer Shepherd safety until fight is over? Justen goes back to camp to get things straightened out with Payetta. Might come back skunked.

Payetta was practicing multiple controlled animals, when The Stump Hill wild dogs tell her that the raiders were at her Honey Hideout. Whole rest of the chapter is a DETAILED SUMMARY of Daeken Walton, his history, the history of his family, etc. (pgs 116 – 119) IMPORTANT FOR ANYONE writing about this family!

Payetta comes to the raid, sees one of them holding Cluckruck out towards the flames, laughing. She and Titannus spar, Titannus winning until Daeken kills Jethri, the pawn Titannus was using. Daeken reads her the riot act about being a one-woman brigade. Use the help! ! You can’t fight Titannus alone!

If the Meadowlands could overcome this assault, if they could rally around a leader that had the power to fight against the mages and their heartless raiders, then the tide of unruly darkness sweeping over the land might be halted. Payetta was the one, and it was his job to shape her into a legend. A difficult task, but the call of it pounded in his chest.

Smith will send Keith and fifty Brutals to help Titannus overcome Payetta et al. Payetta needs to encourage the farmers to stay and fight, so turns up at meeting with hundreds of wild animals with her, proving she has mage powers.

Percy is awaiting a long shot at Titannus. Titannus takes over his mind. Payetta and group going to Hargstead to assess situation, plan further. At all costs, Protect Payetta!

Titannus takes over Percy’s body, goes to Village gate, opens it. Escapes, to find that all of his men were being attacked bu hosts of small mice and vermin, and couldn’t fight the Brigade!

Needs his own body back. Sends some of his men for it.

Payetta sees Titannus being carried to his men, runs after the group, intending to kill his body. “Percy” shows up, kneeling to Payetta, apologizing!

Payetta gains control of the farmhouse Titannus’ guards had taken his body to, and was about to kill it. “Percy” attacked her, stabbing her through the chest. Titannus relinquishes Perry, stabs Payetta through the chest, and gets away.

The Granite Ridge wild dog pack arrived at the farmhouse, upset about something. Without Payetta, Justen can’t tell. Justen sends Daeken with the pack, to find out.

Titannus gives new orders to kill all, all farmers, families, ALL. He vowed to kill Payetta himself.

Justen and the dog pack take on the 50 Brutals, and the raiders coming to Titannus’ aid

As Payetta lay healing, she could mind-control a mouse , which she used to find Titannus crouched below the window of the farmhouse. Just as she recognized him, he reached out, caught the mouse, and started squeezing!

Titannus enters farmhouse, creates an illusion so that Justen and the Brigade will rush off to fight it, leaving her alone with him. Daeken awakes to the Brutals, and Tanner Morgan, the man who had killed his Grandmother and stolen her journals. Keeth is winning.

Titannus still squeezing the life from her, while maintaining the illusion for the Brigade. Ordered Percy to come over and put his hand on her mouth, to suffocate her. Punched Titannus instead, allowing Payetta to roll out from under him, escape to outside, as She Grunts sprayed Titannus’ face at close range.

Payetta escaping into the forest nearby, Titannus following.

Just as Keeth was about to deliver the death blow to Daeken, he stopped, and was halted by magic – by Shepherd’s magic.

Daeken then managed to knock out Keeth, and cut his head off. Daeken and shepherd went back to Payetta the Brigade.

Titannus and Payetta stumble towards the woods, or better, to an oak tree where Payetta could recharge, if she got there. She wasn’t going to make it, and so turned and kicked Titannus in the face, knocking him down. But he pulled her down with him, and pulled a knife he had with him, aiming it for her neck. She reached up and held him for a few seconds, knowing she couldn’t for long. Justin shot an arrow at Tutannus, but it hit a force field, and turned straight up, which Payetta turned straight down into Titannus’ right eye, piercing it to the back of his brain.

After the Battles

POH 01/31

Payetta strides intotown with Tinnatus’ head on a stick, with Daeken with Keeth’s head on another stick.

Ayr shows up with the North Meadow Farmers, to fight, and all of the raider back down.

Payetta and Justen go to take mudbaths for a week, not to be disturbed.

Daeken agrees to stay in Hargstead, farm, join their Brigade.

She Grunts finds herself a log full of juice beetle larvae, and, as she snacks away on them, cogitates on the complicated incomprehensible actions of humans.