Clueless Delver

"In other words, the intention of the pillar has never been to disqualify those not etched upon this pillar, but to better find the one the most appropriate to succeed the Cauldron..." "Now, do not lose hope and continue your endeavours! You may yet be chosen!"

After several moments the Narim-Imdar spoke. "Have one's name upon a surface of granite may not necessarily disqualify one from the later stage of the Tribulations, they indicate where the next stages will be held for each group, forming six separate groups that are tested through several trials before convening yet again according to the late Cauldron's arrangements."

The crowd parted, making way for the venerable headmaster to pass through until he reached the foot of the pillar and raised his head to look not at the bronze gilded face but at the adjacent rough stone face upon which considerably more names were inscribed.

But as though he had not heard anything before the elderly Narim-Imdar seemed to hover down the steps quietly and floayed toward the tall hexagonal pillar.

The hall was in uproar again as several shouted in fury at her blatant disrespect. "You fool! This is the great Narim-Imdar! Headmaster of the Academy of Gravel!" "This bumpkin is really in trouble now...!"

The appearance of this elderly man sank the hall into silence. But this silence was quickly shattered by the following words of the scrappy Imi-Adam. "Who's this old guy?"

"This Imi-Adam is right, if you have time to make a din here you are better off practicing for the next tincturing.," a clear, deep voice rang across the hall, unusually drowning out the noise of the hecklers whose eyes widened as they looked towards its source. Walking into the hall from behind was a short bald man in red robes with long curly beard that was groomed to bear a nearly perfect cylindrical shape.