The fate of Magnus - at least one of many

This was firstly supposed to be a post in rroyo's "What if...." thread (where at a certain point the canon place for the Living One and Magnus was being considered), but it turned out to be too long and to offtopic becoming pretty much a rough fanfic, so it fits here more anyway.

I was thinking a little about the matter lately. Firstly, I'll quote myself to start the thought without having to refer to another thread:

If a canon would be considered, it would be best if Magnus have found his missing clan, yet I realised, that if he doesn't team up with the Living One, he will never do so (since there is practically no way for him to get the glass key from the Caladon Panarii Temple). I though how that problem could be solved, and it ended in a little speculation on Magnus' possible fate.

1. Living One's first encounter with Magnus - as said above. They meet outside Schuylers, talk, team up for the Schuyler part and split up after all with it is done.

2. Living One's second encounter with Magnus - LO encounters Magnus wearing a dwarven chain(or plate)mail outside of the widow Misk's residence.

"Magnus? is that you?"
"Huh? <he gives you a hard look> Well, if it isn't the wandering outlander! <Magnus smiles warmly> Hah! What are you doing here, my friend?"

They both tak about their adventures from the time of their first encounter. Magnus reveals how short time after splitting with the living One he encountered a merchant from the Wheel Clan, which agreed to have Magnus travel with him on his way back, since the clan's location is no big secret for a dwarf, and-

"-besides, I never refuse a additional *free* security offer on my travels!"

At the Wheel Clan, Magnus wanted to receive audience with King Loghaire, however he was "unavailable" at the moment (Magnus was in the Wheel Clan much sooner than the Living One convinced Loghaire to return on the throne), and Randver, after hearing about Magnus' situation and having no idea about the symbol on his gauntlets, suggested that he should talk with Erick Obsidian.

"He calls himself a historician. He is an old dwarf, but a very wise one, and if anyone of us can help you with finding a clan, it would be him and only him".

Erick was quite suprised after talking with Magnus.

"Life is so full of suprises. You see, I've spend most of my life - and it wasn't a short one, mind you - on finding anything connected with that symbol you ask about, with no results. And now, I have four different items with the symbol on it in my very own chamber. Your grandfathers gauntlets, your bracelet, this ancient axe which was recently found in the old mines, and a schematic which was in it's hollow handle. And now, tell me young Magnus, have you ever heard about the Iron Clan?"

Before Magnus left, he talked with the merchant with which he traveled.

"Mithril Ore? Sure I have some right here. What, how much? Take it, and don't even mention it. I am a merchant at profession but a dwarf at heart, and I know you need it more that anyone else will ever need. I thank you again for your escort and wish you luck on your travels. What? Ah, I see. As for the heartstone you need, well, that's quite a story. You see, I heard about this strange tribe of lizards living on the far north..."

And so Magnus left the wheel clan with a copy of the schamatic, and a promise to return to Erick if he ever finds an item called the Durin Stone and headed for a place just a little south of the fearsome Bangellian Deeps.

"So, you met the talking lizards yourself?" Magnus asked, while talking to the Living One. "Well, so you know what a bunch of strange creatures they are. And how suprised were they to see me! As if they didn't ever see a dwarf in their whole life!"

Magnus had no problems in creating the iron key with his smith skills, but the key was all he had. He returned to Tarant to continue his searchings.
There he could find a similar bracelet as his own, in posession of a merchant or a noble, and hear that it was originally found in the Lair of Bellerogrim. To learn anything new about the Bellerogrim he visited the Tarantian Zoological Society, only to find an interesting object - a safe, said to be unopened for centuries, while his iron Key seemed to do just the trick.
Magnus headed to the Place of Lost Voices with the map and mechanical parts found in the iron safe.

"I barery survived those damned arachnids!!"

Nonetheless, he was now on a quest to find the Book of Durin's Truth. On his way back to Tarant he wandered to the lair of Bellerogrim, only to find it empty and plundered (the Living One was the first one there). It was only a matter of time, checking the Library and hearing local gossips before he knew, that there is a strange book collector in Caladon who may have that book. "May" was enough for Magnus to book a ship to the capital of Arland.
However, all this wandering over Arcanum was quite expensive and Magnus was a little low on funds at Caladon, so the price widow Misk offered for the book was way too high for him. Dissapointed, he left her residence, only to bump into the Living One.
Magnus asked if he could borrow some money, since he is so close to finding about his lost clan and really needs the funds. The Living One accepts to help his dwarven friend. Magnus soon leaves the Misk residence with the Book of Durin's Truth in his hands,

"Thank you my friend, i will never forget your help. You want to read it? What if you stain it I-I-I mean it propably won't be too interesting for you, jut some dwarven stories which surely won't be too interesting for an outlander and, um, well, It was nice seeting you but I'm afraid i've got to go and, well, see you around!"

Magnus gives a greedy look at the book and disappears in a second.

"I didn't like him in the first place. After this, don't even try telling my I was wrong", Virgil said.

It is no secret, that Magnus traveled to the iron Clan location for many days, only to find how very important is the glass key mentioned.

3. Living One's third encounter with Magnus - The living One has already been in T'sen Ang and has the company of Loghaire Thunderstone and Raven, searching for Nasrudin at the Caladon Panarii Temple. He has revealed the mistification behind Nasrudin's remains, gained the trust of Hadrian, and leaves the temple with the Eye of Kraka-Tur, the Finger of Mannox and a strange glass device in his backpack, only to encounter a strangely familiar robed cultist outside.

"<giggles to himself> Magnus, is that you?"
"Huh? What? No, you had to have mistaken me with someone, my name is brother Melchior. <Magnus whispers> Keep your voice down, will ya? I'm trying not to attract attention here and you're not really helping me."
All in all, Magnus disguise was because he tried to get as close to the glass key as possible to steal it when the opportunity arises.
"Well, you won't get it from the temple."
"Oh, and why is that?"
"Because I have it right here"<the Living One waves to Magnus with the glass key>
"What?!"
<some more talk, after which the Living One gives Magnus the glass key>
"So Magnus, do you want us to acompany you on your quest to the iron Clan? I'm sure King Loghaire will be quite interested in what we may find there."
"K-King Loghaire..?"
<and so magnus learned that king Loghaire was with the living One all the time>
Loghaire speaks "So you are Magnus. I have heard about you, from both my son and our friend here. It seems you have quite a journey behind you. Yet, it still doesn't make a dwarf look good in robes. You remind me of a dwarf named Jormund... -by Alberich, take that off, please. It makes me nauseous just be looking at you."

They wander to the Iron Clan, Magnus is announced king. They split, LO and the bunch continuing with the quest, Magnus returning to the Wheel Clan with the Durin Stone. The end.






"King or not, I still don't like him, not one bit", Virgil grubled.

 

As I recall, you automatically fucking die if you turn down Magnus' request to travel with you.

 

Ah yes, that one. I consider it some kind of bizarre glitch, in which the game for some completely random reason engages the Falcon Ache script. I don't believe that was intended to happen.
Still, I think there was a way to say "no" to Magnus without being lifequenched (?!). If not, you can always say "goodbye" after agreeing to continue traveling (lets say the living One wanted to be humorous), or say "goodbye" before Magnus even has the chance to start his little speach. It's all a matter of strange game mechanics, and in the first post I was feeling a little flexible with those in the first place, concentrating more on the plot behind them.

 

This is pretty cool. Thanks for sharing it.