Geis of the Gargoyle

Plot

Guardian Gary Gargoyle seeks a spell to restore the polluted river Swan Knee to purity. The Magician Humfrey tells Gary to find the philter. Instead of serving the usual one year, Gary must become a man with the help of Trent, who has gone into the brain coral's pool along with his wife Iris, and civilize a five-year-old child named Surprise. Iris joins the quest after taking a rejuvenation potion. Surprise possesses as many talents as there are thinkable, but can use only one at a time. After receiving direction, the group searches for the philter in the ruins of Stone Hinge, where madness is spreading. Iris recreates the past from stones Gary read, but illusions not of her making appear and communicate with the group. These illusions attempt to steal Gary's soul. The group discovers a demon is creating the illusions and is also the philter. To stop the madness and clean the rivers entering Xanth, the philter must be placed back into the Interface, an old spell used by the ancients of Stone Hinge to tame madness and separate Xanth from Mundania. The ancients believed the philter had entered the Interface, but it had hidden instead. After confusion, the philter is placed into the Interface. Surprise learns she can use each talent only once, becoming more mature. Gary no longer needs to purify Swan Knee.