THE VADOSE ZONE

The dulcet tones of the ice caves of the Vadose Zone (VZ) were a respite for those looking to drown out the bustle of the Universe at large. Frost Feather, the winged solo artist who called the VZ his home, created Castleguard from the elements around him. Dripping liquid, echoing sighs, cacophonous waves, it lived and breathed all around him, waiting to be organized in a coherent structure. Somewhat protective of his home, Frost Feather took it upon himself to be the driving force in keeping the serenity of the VZ alive. His quest was to turn the area into a Universal Landmark, thereby protecting its longevity as well as bringing in much-needed funds to preserve wildlife and the other creatures who had kept decay (and too many tourists) at bay. The success of his pitch hinged on Castleguard, the definitive recording of the ice caves. However, an Intergalactic Cenator had other plans. IC Brungdon, a thick-bellied, leather-skinned brute, wanted the VZ for his own personal gwolf course. Gwolf, the official game of long-dead kings, was a popular sport among the elite, an activity for which there was little athleticism needed, and imbibing was critical to positive scoring. After bribes, assassination attempts, and the temporary disappearance of Frost Feather and his album, Castleguard saw the light of day after a daring rescue by renowned smuggler (and sometimes hero) Zuko, and their trusty wolf companion Zev. The events of the thrilling rescue would be cataloged in a follow-up album, Lock & Key, to which the somber tones of Castleguard fell to the wayside in favor of bombastic, action-oriented stadium pleasers (though, this is not to say it is not a classic album in its own right). In the end, IC Brungdon was defeated (and sentenced to 752 years of hard labor in the sulfur mines for corruption), and The Vadose Zone received its protections, ensuring that peace and solitude would accompany its journey. For those who could not make the trip, however, Castleguard was more than enough to reset their batteries and gently warm them in the shadows of even the coldest of caves.