In the beginning Sadim and Goldbird ruled their Domain in equal measure although Sadim surely harboured notions of grandeur even then. The two rulers inhabited a castle set between two ale houses in the field to the South. In the castle there were Lofty Thinkers who occupied apartments close to the Sky and these thinkers swore their main allegiance to Sadim. Closer to the Earth were the Practical People who mostly owed their main allegiance to Goldbird but there were no divisions and the days were fairly harmonious. For this reason the alliance of the Lofty Thinkers and the Practical People was known as the Unit of Sky and Earth.

At this time of harmony the Guru came from the North to join the Unit of Sky and Earth and for many passings of the Moon and opening hours there was pleasant happiness.

The Guru learned of a place to the far South known as the Village of Fire and Water which was not part of Sadim and Goldbird’s Kingdom and so, one day the Guru set forth to seek out this place and try to claim it in the name of the Unit of Sky and Earth. The Guru came to the Village of Fire and Water but the people were cautious of strangers and were a little hostile towards the Guru. However, the Guru persisted for many months and brought gifts to the Village and gave them much support. Eventually he won them over and was able to bring output taxes to the Unit of Sky and Earth.

One day the Practical People set forth on a great adventure and experiment. Goldbird, Notpodes, Guru and the Merchant set out to launch the The Great Game of Knowledge on the Superhighway. The game was a great success and the people of the Village of Fire and Water were victorious over the team of Tee Blaagh in his House of the Dark Bull. Word of this great adventure spread and the reputation of all Practical People, particularly the Guru was much enhanced. This may have caused some problems for Sadim the Envious because the surely the Earth was meant to be beneath the Sky. For all we know Sadim may have made an oath to destroy all the Practical People who drank from the cup of respect and dined from the plate of admiration that were his alone to partake of. We shall see in the coming chapters whether Goldbird, Notpodes, Guru and the Merchant survive this envy.

In any event the Merchant very soon fled the Kingdom, taking flight moments before a dagger was drawn.

Perhaps the Mechant was a sacrifice that poured oil on troubled waters because peace soon settled on the Unit of Sky and Earth once more. However, word was spreading throughout the land of The Great Game of Knowledge on the Superhighway and the prowess of the people from The Village of Fire and Water.

The Guru was called upon to visit many places in the Land to discuss with others about Tee Blaagh's latest big idea for the Superhighway. On one of these journeys he met a man known as the Bicycle Man of Derbyshire. Bicycle Man clearly thought Guru to be a quite uncouth and rough fellow but he was muchly interested in the Game of Knowledge on the Superhighway. After some discussions many things happened. Others across the Nation participated in a larger Game of Knowledge on the Superhighway and then the Bicycle Man arranged to take them all, including the Guru, the peoples from the Village of Fire and Water and the people from the House of the Dark Bull on an adventure to foreign lands riding the Iron Horse that goes Beneath the Sea.

Later people from throughout the land descended on the Village of Fire and Water to learn of these things and the word spread throughout all the Kingdoms culminating in the Wizard and the Guru travelling to the City of the Lady Godiva for the casting of the web spell.

Such notariety was unlikely to escape the notice of Sadim and he sought to apply his opinions upon the Game of Knowledge on the Superhighway. As he had himself played Games of Knowledge in the middle class ale houses of his country retreat he thought himself something of an authority on this. That his poncey goings on had little or no synergy at all with the people of the Village of Fire and Water was impossible to explain to the uncomprehending Sadim and it seemed that the Sky and the Earth of the Unit were poles apart and sure to split asunder.

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