'Change is a good thing most of the time, ain't it? At least that's what folk keep telling me. I must admit that when I change a potion and gives it more flavour people seem to like it. Maybe not the extra I charge for the new one though. I always like to check out anything new that pops up in the city and sometimes I have to admit that the change has improved things. But not all changes are good.
When the old Guardian stood down most people sighed and said about time too. He was getting on a bit, even from my perspective. His speeches were so rambling no-one could make 'ead nor tail of 'em. And he'd taken to wandering about at night wearing nowt but a robe and a silly grin. Poor old soul was deserving of his retirement. The city deserved it too, in my opinion. A new broom, we all said, needs to sweep through the Citadel and shake stuff up. Well, that's certainly happened and I'm not sure it's made things much better.
For many weeks the Elders debated who would make the best Guardian. I heard that their 'debates' were mainly arguments but so many of them are in my experience. In the end there were two candidates left. One was Theobald, one of the Elders who had been living in the Citadel for more years than anyone could remember. Truth is, he was much older than anyone else in the Citadel so no-one knew for sure how long it had been. I remember Mother mentioning doing business with him so he is certainly the oldest person I know living in Lunecaster. Everyone I spoke to couldn't see the wisdom in replacing one old fool with an even older one. As luck would have it the other candidate was Randall who I think I told you was a childhood friend of Edmund the storyteller.
After a public vote Edmund was elected. The citizens loved his fresh young energy and the passionate way he promised that Lunecaster would never be second best. The youths in particular loved that, they always want to feel superior. And since his election Randall has been changing things, improving most of them to give him his due. But, according to Edmund, he's not feeling very secure in his position. Apparently some reports came out of Grimwise that the new Dark Lord was planning to take advantage of the new Guardian's inexperience. Edmund told me that nothing more specific than that was in the reports but Randall felt threatened and sent spies into Grimwise to find out what was planned. Only a few managed to get reports back to the Citadel, most vanished without trace and at least one escaped and was killed in the attempt to get back to the city. That was the last straw for Randall and hence the ban on magic.
Don't make much sense to me. That magic was used over in Grimwise, no link to us in Lunecaster. But that's where we are so that's how it is. Edmund warned me that Randall was unpredictable and that I should keep my head down and just concentrate on mixing a few harmless potions and delivering babies.
Don't know me very well, do 'e?'
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