on a ridge far from Shadowdale. The bright morning sun cast long shadows from the stunted trees and brush around them. As far as the eye could see, rolling wilderness stretched out, untouched by the hands of man. “We must be halfway to Kara-Tur by now.” The Old Mage scratched his nose. “Farther,” he replied with seeming innocence, “and 'here' because one we seek is close-at-hand.” As he spoke, a man appeared out of thin air and floated in front of them. The horses snorted and shifted in surprise. Elminster frowned. The man stood on nothing, booted feet far above the ground. Midnight eyes glowered down out of a thin, cruel white face. He towered impressively over them, clad in a dark and splendid tabard adorned with glowing mystic signs and topped with an upthrust high collar. A carved, gem-adorned staff winked and pulsed in one of his many-ringed hands. “Challenge!” He addressed them with cold, formal dignity, raising his empty hand in a gesture that barred the way. “Speak, or pass not!” “Elminster of Shadowdale,” the Old Mage replied mildly, “and guest.” The man's eyes narrowed, and he said even more coldly, “Prove yourself.” “Ye doubt me?” Elminster asked slowly. “Why, Dhaerivus, I recall my first magefair!” He nodded in reflection and added dryly, “Ye made a most fetching toad.” Dhaerivus flushed. “You know the rule,” he said harshly, waving the staff. Lights began to race along its length, brightening the crystal sphere that topped it. With slow menace, the floating man brought that glowing end down to point at the Old Mage. “Aye,” Elminster replied. Then he wagged a finger back and forth and announced lightly, “Nice-ly!” The staff that menaced them snapped back upright, forced away by the power of Elminster's sorcery. The sentinel who held it gaped at them in astonishment and fear before the muscles of his face rippled and lost their struggle against another dose of the Old Mage's spellcasting. The magic made Dhaerivus giggle involuntarily for a few moments, then released him. His grin turned rapidly into a scowl of dark anger. Elminster took no notice. “There ye go,” he said jovially to the shaken sentinel as he urged his mount onward. “Happy magic!” Storm looked back at the furious man as they topped the next ridge. The staff was flashing and flickering like a lightning storm at sea, and the sentinel was snarling and stamping angrily on the empty air. Storm glanced at Elminster and asked wonderingly, “You cast a cantrip’? Making him giggle is 'proving yourself?” Elminster nodded. “A wizard must prove to a magefair sentinel only that he can work magic. Er, to keep the rabble out” He rolled his eyes to show what he thought of that attitude and calmly urged his horse down through a tumble of boulders and long grass. "Guests like thee are exempt from the testing, but each mage is limited to only one such
compatriot. No mage can avoid the test and be allowed into the fair. Generally, young bucks cast powerful explosions and the like, or exquisite and-ahem- voluptuous illusions, but in this case I, ah, well, ah ... meant it as an insult“ Storm wrinkled her brow. ”I see,“ she observed carefully. ”I'm going to have to be very careful at this fair.“ Elminster waved a hand. ”Ah, nay, nay,“ he replied. ”I must merely get a certain magical key from someone who isn't expected to be insane enough to bring it here-or to have anything at all to do with it-and then have a bit of fun. Certain Harpers asked me to come here to protect this friend I must meet. No doubt ye were asked to come along too-to keep a certain Old Mage out of trouble.“ He favored her with a level look. Storm smiled and nodded ruefully. The Old Mage chuckled. ”These magefairs are private little gatherings. I haven't been to one in years, and we're far enough from home that my face won't be well known. Certain rules govern those who attend, rules meant to keep things from sinking into a general spell-brawl, but ye'd do well to keep in mind that most everyone here can wield magic-quite well. Walk softly. Drink things that are offered to ye only if I am present and