Log

I returned to Cambridge without incident and met with Lord Uhtred. He was as perplexed by the pigs' heads as Lork and I, but he speculated a magical dimension to the issue (as Lork and I had) and suggested we talk to Brida. Naturally, Brida knew nothing about pigs' heads. Apparently, there are trivial spells that require a bit of dried sow's ear, but that didn't sound like cause for secrecy and security. Certainly more than 100 pigs' heads on ice didn't fit the bill.

Although she was baffled, she knew of a non-guild mage, named Gargoon, who was something of a scholar and might have more info. Gargoon is a Loki follower and reclusive (though her house was in Arlington), and Brida cautioned me that she might be a few apples short of a bushel. Fine. I decided to take Mishmi with me, thinking she might be useful.

Before we departed, Uhtred asked me (since we were headed North, anyway) to speak with Leofric, who was organizing Aethelflaed's army. "And bring Lork with you -- Leofric may need him." So Mishmi, Lork, and I traveled North to Arlington. I decided to speak with Leofric first, but it turned out he was in an advanced position in Amesborough, guarding the mountain pass to Cnut's territory. Gargoon first, then.

Gargoon's house wasn't difficult to find -- a constable pointed us in the right direction. Gaining access was another story. A voice inside said, "Go away! I serve Sif, now! I'm a servant of Sif!"

I replied, "That doesn't concern us. We need assistance understanding a particular arcane magic."

"You cops?" she sniffed. An eye appeared at a hole in the door. "You look like cops."

Mishmi, as I surmised, was the right person to have with me. She handed me a note with a partial poem on it that I read aloud:

In this path does madness lie
Presented to the lesser mind's eye
This knowledge we do not disdain

There was a giggle inside, followed by, "Great Lord Loki, make us sane."