On April 25th, 2001, your Dragonmaster recorded the original version of "Why New York Needs Wizards" for WNYE-FM Radio and the Teachers' and Writers' Collaborative of New York, Inc., Nancy Larson Shapiro, Executive Director, and producer/supervisor Mr. Irwin Gonshak. The resulting broadcast originally aired Tuesday afternoon, September 4th, 2001, on WNYE as part of the Collaborative's "Anything Goes!" series. One week later, of course, as the world already knows, 9/11 changed the world forever. Now, nearly three years later, your Dragonmaster is honored to once again share this epic commentary with everyone --- only this time, I do so as leader of the Council of the Wise, for whom these remarks, newly re-edited and revamped, will henceforth serve as our Official Manifesto. For we, the Wizards who will form this Council, believe that the days are coming when the future of all Mankind will be decided through the actions of certain Mortals lacking not only proper imagination, but also simple and honest responsibility. And so, let me now share with you my hopefully sensible thoughts on the subject of.......

"Why the World Needs Wizards"

reetings, Mortals! By now, thou hast seen mine website a good many times across the Aeons, so I suspect 'tis common knowledge to each and all that I, Blackwolf the Dragonmaster, Duke of Talisker --- Master Mage and Sorcerer in the Service of Her Majesty, Margaret, Queen of Scotland and the Isles --- continue to refer to myself as "New York City's first and only Unofficial Wizard." Much hath occured since the years that I first materialized hither within thy Shire of the Hatted Man, as Milord Oberon, King of the Faeries, would call mine adopted metropolis; even now, a good many of you listening hither remain confused as to why ye Byg Appyl, as you so legendarily call this place, should have a Mage of its very own.

To explain that question, I must recall a letter written by one of Earth's more desperate Mortals, as printed in that portion of the chronicle known unto ye as the New York Daily News --- the portion, to be more exact, bearing the designation 'Voice of the People': "Isn't anyone happy anymore? Why has the Voice of the People column become an obnoxious, cats-in-an-alley, nails-on-a-chalkboard, car-alarm-at-five-o'clock-in-the-morning (Where in thunder is that noise coming from?!) rant? Life is not all that bad, people. Sing a song, or something......"

Would that I could convince the author of that letter (whose comments, by the way, I very much approved of!) that indeed there might yet be a means whereby Happiness could be restored not simply unto the City, County and State of New York, but unto all the countries and nations of the World! In the three short years that have passed since the dark events of 11th September 2001, Mortal-reckoning, it remains apparent to this foolish old beetlehead of a Wizard that New Yorkers --- indeed, all sentient beings, as a rule, and regardless of whether they cast their lot in the name of good or in the name of evil, share a common, albeit somewhat curable, affliction:

Theirs has been an environment permeated across countless centuries by constant surfeits of cynicism, pessimism and just plain old everyday bad manners! Many incidents such as these have plagued Mankind for far even more millenia than I myself would dare to count; frankly, I do not expect such traditions to change any time soon.

And yet, since I happen to be a charter member of that fraternity of do-gooders known as the Masters of Good Magic --- those would be the various Wizards, Witches, Warlocks, Mages and Sorcerers throught the Greater Multiverse who have devoted their lives --- and powers --- to fighting eternally for the virtues of Justice, Wisdom, Honor, Compassion, Loyalty and Mercy --- I have a vested interest in seeing to it that the Terran Solar System is rescued from the abyss of eternal doubt; and so, to achieve that purpose, I have taken quill in hand --- OK, make that keystroke in fingertip --- that I might address my thoughts with regard to answering the question: "Why does the world need Wizards?"

One of my most favorite sayings reads as follows: "I've lived long enough to have learned that, no matter how nice you are, there will always be times when the world will find a way to break your heart --- but only if you let it do so. Never let it do so." I think --- and you must note that I am, after all, speaking strictly for myself at this point --- that the Planet Earth should have someone who, among other things, can remind the populace of this kindly philosophy on a daily basis. Oh, 'tis true that such a person need not necessarily be of Mortal-born stock, but I would again remind you goodly gentles that it was our own Exalted Brother, the wise, powerful and incredibly fabulous Merlin --- he who is sometimes called "the Father of all Mages" --- who regularly took on such baggage without so much as contemplating even the consequences of his every action.

Indeed, as King Arthur's staunchest, noblest ally, Merlin did his level best to symbolize the very conscience of Camelot. And that, I think, is what has separated us Wizards from you Mortals over the aeons: whereas we Wizards have long reminded ourselves each and every day of what our consciences represent for all of us, sadly, you Mortals have forgotten what your consciences represent. How else, then, do you explain that mindless garbage which you ever so often dismiss with the epithet "reality television"?

In a world where anything --- even, to some extent, Magecraft itself! --- can be exploited for personal gain, 'tis enough to case even this Mage to cringe in utter horror, especially when one considers the toll that such exploitations can often take upon our very spirits!

So canst thou provide another reason, I can sense thee asking, as to why there should be Wizards walking the streets of the world?

Well, know ye this: we have long had a history across the Ages of making the rather frustrating error (as one is often wont to do) of taking on far too many burdens in various aspects of life, from the most simple and petty of household chores to even the boldest business ventures. These situations, I think, are best blamed 'pon the overwhelming obsession of the typical everyday Mortal to keep up with the world's ever-quickening pace. Now, none of us need be Merlin, let alone possess his far-seeing powers --- or even his knack for knowing practically everything about present-day trivia --- to sense that we have reached a crossroads whereby, more often than not, we have failed to keep an eye upon what is happening around us at all times.

Then again, of course, Merlin possessed those abilities in abundance!

Oh, you Mortals may laugh now, if you so choose, but I would ask thee to heed well the words of one of thy more popular eccentrics, one Dennis Miller by name: "These are merely mine own observations; if I have erred in making them, pray accept my humble apologies." English translation: "Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong."

Another of my reasons for the necessity of Wizardry on Earth concerns another of these same aforemention'd eccentrics for which your powerful planet is quite legendary. His name was Henry J. Stern, and he was responsible in time of yore for the stewardship of New York City's forests. That would be the responsibility you Mortals refer to as Parks Commissioner. I used to imagine how considerable an amount of stress might have gone with being Seneschal of..... er, how dost thou call it again? Oh yes, the New York City Parks Department. Anyway, in order to deviate from the apparent Sturm und Drang which accompanies ye aforenoted stress, Sir Henry, who often took the knightly name of Starquest, relieved himself by dressing up in some of the most outlandish costumes that I have ever seen!

Why, for several years, during our very own Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival --- which I myself have attended, clad in mine own full regalia --- this same Sir Henry dressed himself in the very trappings of Royalty. As I recall, I sort of disapproved of his "King Henry" outfit; I was quick to remind him that the members of Whittier, California's own Guild of St. Olaf at least bother to take their costumes extremely seriously, often triple-checking if necessary to ensure that every last fragment of their own, sometimes self-constructed, regalia is in fact historically accurate.

This, of course, is not to state that those who attend our Medieval Festival do not triple-check their costumes for historical accuracy; I did merely suggest that Sir Henry might follow the example of the St. Olaf Players, and dress himself as King Henry in a more befitting, more historically accurate costume. The Renaissance, I must own, has had a sizable amount of coverage on the History Channel; however, I think that if you are to become a proper part of the Renaissance, you should learn to dress though you were indeed an actual participant therein!

Having said thus, I hope that those of you who take part in, attend, and are otherwise involved in our Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival will provide a proper tribute one of these years to us Mages; given that we stand as the Shire's proverbial 'voices of reason and conscience,' I imagine that we are due for at least some form of recognition!

There is one final reason to make the case for our wizardly presence in this wondrous globe; and, sadly, that reason has its roots in a very simple truth: one never truly appreciates a good thing in New York until it is gone. Case in point: the stranger from Marysville, Kansas who, for a short time, was the very epitome of the true New York eccentric --- the composer, singer, poet, inventor, and occasional Viking warlord, Louis Thomas Hardin, also known as Moondog. In 1999, my Dark Chambers website joined the rest of the avant-garde classical music community in mourning Moondog's passing, at the age of 83, in his adopted country of Germany.

He had settled there, in the tiny village of Recklinghausen, in late 1974, after having spent over 20 years standing on the corner of 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan, selling his own recordings, poetry and other works. Though he was classified as being legally blind, the heavily-bearded Moondog made his name by mingling unexpectedly with some of the greatest Mortals in New York's celebrated legerdemain --- from Marlon Brando to Allen Ginsburg.....and even sitting in, during his first years spent hither in this City, with our own renowned New York Philharmonic!

During his years in Recklinghausen, Moondog first encountered the woman with whom he would spend the rest of his life: Ilona Goebel. Working as his business manager/translator, Ilona eventually coaxed Moondog into abandoning his trademark Viking costume, along with his trusty spear. From then on, he continued his composing-performing career --- and never looked back!

Moondog's last known public appearance occurred in Stuttgart, in the late summer of 1994, when he staged a 30-minute recital devoted solely to some of his finest compostions, as part of the annual Stuttgart International Jazz Festival. At the time of his passing a little over 4 1/2 years later, his New York Times obituary made reference to an unpublished biography of Hardin, which would have been titled The Viking of Sixth Avenue; to date, no more has been heard (at the very least, not to my knowledge, anyway!) of that particular book. Still, it would have been nice to have been able to locate that tome, that I might have the chance to look at Moondog's full story for myself, with a view toward exploring the Hardinian Valhalla in greater and more extended depth.

Well, Mortals, there you have it --- our Exalted Father Merlin, Parks Commissioner Henry J. Stern, and the late composer Louis (Moondog) Hardin: three examples of why I believe that Earth is in desperate need of Wizardry. You see, these three entities have, in their own ways, symbolized the unique qualities of wonder that Imagination and Magic can sometimes accomplish when both are realized to their fullest potential. This is especially true whenever a child --- or perhaps a young adult --- decides that it is worth it to simply take matters into his or her own hands, and follow his or her own special star. Granted, there may yet be other reasons for the necessity of Magecraft hither in this unusual Metropolis; but in the end, if one were to learn, as that Daily News 'Voicer' had hoped, to sing a song; or take in the peace and comfort of our City's forests; or simply revel in the company of friends...... then maybe, just maybe, New York --- and more, the world with it! --- could indeed be free of the pessimism, the cynicism, and the bad manners which have plagued it so constantly for lo, these many aeons.

Still, I believe that --- and here, I speak as a New Yorker, as an Earthling, and as a Wizard --- there are those who will likely wonder if indeed New York and all the world can be rescued from all its cynics, its pessimists, and its naughty people. Well, in a larger sense, that is why I am here: to make certain that Mortals do not abandon their imaginations, as another of my colleagues, the brilliant author/artist Tony DiTerlizzi, reminds us in his three children's books (I've personally looked through them; and find them very imaginative indeed!); to inspire those with forward-thinking hearts to to believe in something far greater than themselves --- and, in accordance with mine own nom de plume (Heh-heh!) to remind at least one or two of ye out thither --- who are into noble Quests, Renaissance Faires and Festivals, and the like --- to only support (and believe in) the Good Dragons of the Multiverse.

Ah yes, 4897 years old I may be, but I'm a wise enough Mage to understand and speculate upon the destiny of those with whom I share this Planet. The problem is simply that there ought to be someone who, at least unofficially, should stand up and tell my fellow Earthlings what to go and do with themselves. And since no one's around to assume that mantle and take up the challenge, old Blackwolf figured..... well, as you Mortals so bluntly put it, if ye want something done, go do it yourself.

That said, know ye this, Mortals: thou and I art stuck with one another; and accordingly, as your Unofficial Wizard, I shall continue to do my level best to keep thee each and all upon ye straight and narrow. This, of course, is where I believe every Mortal belongs. And anyway, someone has to defend Mortalkind against the Forces of Evil in a straightforward, responsible, and meaningful manner.

And that, hopefully, is where I come in. Oh, I'm sure that to date I haven't made the history books (well, at least those that truly matter, anyway! Heh-heh!), but I will say, as I have always said across the aeons, that if I can contribute in some small, albeit unsung fashion, towards increasing Earth's continued prosperity, then I'm a happy Wizard, truth be told. Even if, at times, I end up getting the funniest looks from all my fellow Mortals ..... well, one must expect, and ultimately put up with, such things. Besides, hast thou truly seen a Mage of mine abilities and capabilities before? I think not! Hopefully, in the end, I trust that you will find me to become a very quick and most eager student.

Oh yes, we have much to teach one another, you and I. I'm sure that none of you have ever been known to keep a Dragon in thy bathtub wherever you are out thither; but please be aware that indeed there are Good Dragons in our Multiverse in general; and in mine adopted Realm of New York City in particular. And even though ye may not be able to see them (unless, of course, you are deep in the Realm of Dreams!), chances are, they might be watching you! And listening, too!

But you know, methinks that I have talked enough for now, for not even a Wizard can be made to ramble on for all time. So, before I take my leave of thee, let me invite ye to explore mine own humble homepage 'pon ye Aether. Thou shalt access my Dark Chambers at www.geocities.com/blackbeardian/Magecraft/bwolfmain2.html --- or, better still, ye may wish to e-mail me, at either pirate1_power@hotmail.com or blackwolfmmi@aol.com.

And now, if you'll all kindly excuse me, I must away to mine humble hovel, that I might yet partake of a well-earn'd nap. (We Wizards need our sleep, too, you know! [Yawn!]) And so, this is Blackwolf the Dragonmaster, New York City's first and only Unofficial Wizard, bidding thee safe journeys, each and all!

Well, Mortals, I hope you enjoyed this new transcription, Why the World Needs Wizards. I had a lot of fun working on it --- re-working it, as the case may be; and I'm sure that, three years after I first typed it up, it will still be inspiring enough to remind ye goodly gentles to re-awaken the Wizard within thine own secret heart! Anyway, if you wish to obtain any further information regarding the Teachers' & Writers' Collaborative, please consult their homepage, as shown above. If you prefer, you may e-mail them at info@twc.org; or write to them at 5 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003. You may also phone them at (212) 691-6590, or give them a toll-free call at 1-888-BOOKSTW.