Part One Marginalia

<br>Consists of three separate pages: <br>Page 1: <br>"Part One Marginalia. A ballpoint-pen sketch in blue ink. A small, squashy, marshmallowy wizard cartoon character named Mervin approaches a large wooden building labeled 'Wizard Shop.' Inside the shop, Mervin sees a tall sales-wizard who has a flowing beard. The tall wizard gestures toward a wall full of different wizarding staffs. Nearby stands a squat wizard with a floofy beard and a nose so big it obscures his eyes. The squat wizard is clearly unenthused, but Mervin looks giddy. The tall sales-wizard demonstrates with a pointy hat that has a fang-filled mouth it uses to belch fire. Mervin is started when the tall sales-wizard uses a pricey wizard staff to zap lightning around the room. Then the tall sales-wizard shows off a row of potions, selecting one labeled with an arrow-pierced heart. He winks suggestively to Mervin, who seems bemused. Mervin picks out a bottled potion with a healer's cross on it." <br>Page 2: <br>"The tall sales-wizard grins and shows Mervin a display that shows a small silhouette growing into a slightly larger one, then a larger one, and finally a detailed drawing of a large, muscley figure. Mervin isn't won over. He likes being squashy and marshmallowy. Then the tall sales-wizard whips out a complicated backpack device with antennae and a distillation apparatus. An adorable kitten with huge, endearing eyes accompanies the pack. Mervin is more convinced, probably by the kitten's cuteness. The kitten dons the backpack and grows enormous, with a build so bulging that the backpack can barely stay on. Its huge eyes are now bloodshot with rage, and its mouth is a mess of unnatural teeth and unnervingly stretchy saliva. Mervin's marshmallow head is practically exploding in fear. The pack device is removed and placed near Mervin, and the sales-wizard shoots Mervin some encouraging finger-guns. Mervin straps the device to a strawberry. The strawberry grows to many times his size, but he eats a good chunk out of it and dozes happily, cradling his pleasantly round belly." <br>Page 3: <br>"Mervin waves to get the attention of the sales-wizard. He has a sack with his healing potion inside, and he points toward a round portal. The portal has esoteric runes around the rim, and the inside is full of swirling lines. Beside the portal are four signs that say 'Dimensional Portal,' 'Guaranteed Adventure,' 'Perfectly safe!*,' and 'No Refunds.' Mervin lifts a bag half as big as he is. The bag has a dollar symbol on it. The squat wizard from earlier stops Mervin from entering the portal. A sign nearby says 'Beards Required.' The squat wizard grumpily points to his own floofy beard. The tall sales-wizard appears, an idea lightbulb above his head. He sneaks up behind a person dressed like Santa Claus who is ringing a bell. The sales-wizard raises a staff to strike the Santa Claus. Later, the tall wizard appears with a beard-and-mustache getup. Mervin puts it on, but it's so big that the mustache is more like a wig and the beard covers him from neck to toe." <br>(Alt-text description from the epub source)