…And so it is written, “Merlin cast down the Great Beast of Avalon with an outstretched Staff, his Hat, tall of trunk and wide of brim, and flowing robe, black and grim.”
Wizard Albingurdle the Venerated writes:
> Merlin cast down the Great Beast of Avalon with, one, a Staff of Power, two a Hat of Wonder, three a Robe of Mystery.
>
> Three Vestment doth a Wizard make. Primary they are. And had not Merlin held his Staff or donned his Hat, or clothed himself in mystery, still would we be laid low by the Beast of Avalon.
Wizard Bombin the Studious continues:
> Three vestments. Not two not four. Three is the second prime. And two signifies the union of multiple into one. Sacred duality. From this we learn that, ALL the vestments doth make the wizard. And had Merlin donned only his Hat, or held only his staff, cast down the Beast wouldst not be.
But Wizard Mendisthal contests:
> Nay. We learn this not from sacred duality, nor from the Primary of Three. For it is written: One Outstretched, Two Tall, Three Wide, Four Flowing, Five Black, Six Grim.
>
> Six, not three. And Six primarily deconstructs to three and two. Thus we learn that together, Outstretched, Tall, Wide, Flowing, Black, and Grim, doth make the wizard.
>
> From Outstretched we derive action. From Tall we derive greatness. From Wide we derive influential. From Flowing we derive grace. From Black we derive Forthright. From Grim we derive Steadfast.
>
> If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
>
> Therefore a Wizard is not Wizard by vestment but Wizard by deed. Had not Merlin spurred to action. Had not the action been great and influential. Had not Merlin acted in befitting style, forthright and steadfast. Cast down the Beast wouldst not be.
Wizard Vorshuma and Wizard Maximilian elaborate:
> The Vestments bind the attributes:
>
> Outstretched is bound by Staff and stands alone.
>
> Tall and Wide are bound by Hat.
>
> Flowing and Black and Grim are bound by Robe.
Wizard Meliborbackus the Wanderer contests Wizards Mendisthal, Vorshuma, Maximilian, Bombin the Studious, and Albingurdle.
Wizard Meliborbackus writes:
> One: Outstretched, Two: Staff, Three: Hat, Four: Tall, Five: Wide, Six: Flowing, Seven: Robe, Eight: Black, Nine: Grim.
>
> From this we learn that it takes all combined. Action, Great and Influential deeds, befitting style, forthright and steadfast manner. Together with the proper vestments, Staff, Robe, and Hat, doth a Wizard make.
But the Conglomeration of Wizards retort:
> Nine. Nine is not primary. And carries fleeting significance. Even A triplicate of triples with the triples decomposed to the second prime doth not carry the existential weight to combine Attributes with Vestments.
Moreover, Wizard Methias writes:
> Nine decomposes into a triplicate of triplicates, while the triple devolves into the second prime. Nine therefore may be decomposed to a triplicate of two’s which equals six, and is therefore of little significance except, through additional derivation.
The Conglomeration disputes Wizard Methias’s analysis yet agrees with the result.
Yet Wizard Meliborbackus rejoins:
> Nay. For not shall the man himself be forgotten.
>
> Six Attributes. Three Vestments. One Wizard.
>
> Not nine but ten, and ne’er should Merlin himself be forgotten. For it was the Man who stood in the Wizardly Vestments. It was the Man who embodied the Wizardly Attributes.
>
> As it is written: “Merlin cast down the Great Beast of Avalon.” Not Merlin the Wizard, Nor the Wizard Merlin. Merlin the Man.
>
> Had not the man himself stood outside the gates of Avalon, cast down the Beast, wouldst not be.