diff --git a/res/core/de/strings.xml b/res/core/de/strings.xml
index 75f57a6b0..c9a2ae616 100644
--- a/res/core/de/strings.xml
+++ b/res/core/de/strings.xml
@@ -7574,4 +7574,22 @@
     </string>
   </namespace>
 
+  <string name="growl0">
+    <text locale="de">Groaamm...</text>
+  </string>
+  <string name="growl1">
+    <text locale="de">Tschrrrk...</text>
+    <text locale="en">Tshrrrk...</text>
+  </string>
+  <string name="growl2">
+    <text locale="de">Schhhhh...</text>
+    <text locale="en">Shhhhhh...</text>
+  </string>
+  <string name="growl3">
+    <text locale="de">Roaarrr...</text>
+  </string>
+  <string name="growl4">
+    <text locale="de">Chrrr...</text>
+  </string>
+
 </strings>
diff --git a/res/core/messages.xml b/res/core/messages.xml
index 410b673e1..99cf4d145 100644
--- a/res/core/messages.xml
+++ b/res/core/messages.xml
@@ -8446,10 +8446,10 @@
       <arg name="dragon" type="unit"/>
       <arg name="number" type="int"/>
       <arg name="target" type="region"/>
-      <arg name="choice" type="int"/>
+      <arg name="growl" type="string"/>
     </type>
-    <text locale="de">"$unit($dragon): \"$if($eq($choice,0), "Groaaaam... ", "")$if($eq($choice,1), "Chrrrr... ", "")$if($eq($choice,2), "Roooarrr... ", "")$if($eq($choice,3), "Tschrrrk... ", "")$if($eq($choice,4), "Shhhhhh... ", "")$if($eq($number,1), "Ich rieche", "Wir riechen") etwas in $region($target)\"."</text>
-    <text locale="en">"$unit($dragon): \"$if($eq($choice,0), "Groaaaam... ", "")$if($eq($choice,1), "Chrrrr... ", "")$if($eq($choice,2), "Roooarrr... ", "")$if($eq($choice,3), "Tschrrrk... ", "")$if($eq($choice,4), "Shhhhhh... ", "")$if($eq($number,1), "I smell", "We smell") something in $region($target)\"."</text>
+    <text locale="de">"$unit($dragon): \"$localize($growl) $if($eq($number,1), "Ich rieche", "Wir riechen") etwas in $region($target)\"."</text>
+    <text locale="en">"$unit($dragon): \"$localize($growl) $if($eq($number,1), "I smell", "We smell") something in $region($target)\"."</text>
   </message>
 
 </messages>
diff --git a/src/kernel/messages.c b/src/kernel/messages.c
index ecdc588a8..330c2feeb 100644
--- a/src/kernel/messages.c
+++ b/src/kernel/messages.c
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ message *msg_message(const char *name, const char *sig, ...)
         }
         else {
             log_error("invalid parameter %s for message type %s\n", paramname, mtype->name);
-            assert(!"invalid parameter for message type");
         }
         while (*ic && !isalnum(*ic))
             ic++;
@@ -202,7 +201,6 @@ message *msg_message(const char *name, const char *sig, ...)
     va_end(vargs);
     if (argnum !=  mtype->nparameters) {
         log_error("not enough parameters for message type %s\n", mtype->name);
-        assert(!"not enough parameters for message type");
     }
 
     return msg_create(mtype, args);
diff --git a/src/monsters.c b/src/monsters.c
index e5f07c2f8..2fc2fcde3 100644
--- a/src/monsters.c
+++ b/src/monsters.c
@@ -550,8 +550,18 @@ static order *monster_seeks_target(region * r, unit * u)
 void random_growl(const unit *u, region *target, int rand)
 {
     const struct locale *lang = u->faction->locale;
+    const char *growl;
+    switch(rand){
+    case 1: growl = "growl1"; break;
+    case 2: growl = "growl2"; break;
+    case 3: growl = "growl3"; break;
+    case 4: growl = "growl4"; break;
+    default: growl = "growl0";
+    }
+
+
     if (rname(target, lang)) {
-        message *msg = msg_message("dragon_growl", "dragon number target choice", u, u->number, target, rand);
+        message *msg = msg_message("dragon_growl", "dragon number target growl", u, u->number, target, growl);
         ADDMSG(&u->region->msgs, msg);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/monsters.test.c b/src/monsters.test.c
index 387ac3d5d..06c434940 100644
--- a/src/monsters.test.c
+++ b/src/monsters.test.c
@@ -209,12 +209,16 @@ static void test_dragon_moves(CuTest * tc)
 
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, find_order("move east", m));
 
-    mt_register(mt_new_va("dragon_growl", "dragon:unit", "number:int", "target:region", "choice:int", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("dragon_growl", "dragon:unit", "number:int", "target:region", "growl:string", 0));
 
     random_growl(m, findregion(1, 0), 3);
 
     msg = test_get_last_message(r->msgs);
-    assert_message(tc, msg, "dragon_growl", 4, m, 1, findregion(1,0), 3);
+    assert_message(tc, msg, "dragon_growl", 4);
+    assert_pointer_parameter(tc, msg, 0, m);
+    assert_int_parameter(tc, msg, 1, 1);
+    assert_pointer_parameter(tc, msg, 2, findregion(1,0));
+    assert_string_parameter(tc, msg, 3, "growl3");
 
     test_cleanup();
 }
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index c50065e9c..5b8c2a945 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -390,27 +390,27 @@ void test_clear_messages(faction *f) {
     }
 }
 
-void assert_message(CuTest * tc, message *msg, char *name, int numpar, ...)
-{
-    va_list vargs;
+void assert_message(CuTest * tc, message *msg, char *name, int numpar) {
     const message_type *mtype = msg->type;
     assert(mtype);
-    int i;
-
-    va_start(vargs, numpar);
 
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, name, mtype->name);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, numpar, mtype->nparameters);
-    for (i = 0; i != mtype->nparameters; ++i) {
-        variant value = va_arg(vargs, variant);
-        if (mtype->types[i]->vtype == VAR_VOIDPTR) {
-            CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, value.v, msg->parameters[i].v);
-        } else if (mtype->types[i]->vtype == VAR_INT) {
-            CuAssertIntEquals(tc, value.i, msg->parameters[i].i);
-        } else {
-            assert(!"unknown variant type");
-        }
-    }
+}
+
+void assert_pointer_parameter(CuTest * tc, message *msg, int index, void *arg) {
+    const message_type *mtype = (msg)->type;
+    CuAssertIntEquals((tc), VAR_VOIDPTR, mtype->types[(index)]->vtype);CuAssertPtrEquals((tc), (arg), msg->parameters[(index)].v);
+}
+
+void assert_int_parameter(CuTest * tc, message *msg, int index, int arg) {
+    const message_type *mtype = (msg)->type;
+    CuAssertIntEquals((tc), VAR_INT, mtype->types[(index)]->vtype);CuAssertIntEquals((tc), (arg), msg->parameters[(index)].i);
+}
+
+void assert_string_parameter(CuTest * tc, message *msg, int index, const char *arg) {
+    const message_type *mtype = (msg)->type;
+    CuAssertIntEquals((tc), VAR_VOIDPTR, mtype->types[(index)]->vtype);CuAssertStrEquals((tc), (arg), msg->parameters[(index)].v);
 }
 
 void disabled_test(void *suite, void (*test)(CuTest *), const char *name) {
diff --git a/src/tests.h b/src/tests.h
index fafb1755d..d18ff6456 100644
--- a/src/tests.h
+++ b/src/tests.h
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ extern "C" {
     struct message * test_find_messagetype(struct message_list *msgs, const char *name);
     struct message * test_get_last_message(struct message_list *mlist);
     void test_clear_messages(struct faction *f);
-    void assert_message(struct CuTest * tc, struct message *msg, char *name, int numpar, ...);
+    void assert_message(struct CuTest * tc, struct message *msg, char *name, int numpar);
+
+    void assert_pointer_parameter(struct CuTest * tc, struct message *msg, int index, void *arg);
+    void assert_int_parameter(struct CuTest * tc, struct message *msg, int index, int arg);
+    void assert_string_parameter(struct CuTest * tc, struct message *msg, int index, const char *arg);
 
     void disabled_test(void *suite, void (*)(struct CuTest *), const char *name);
 
diff --git a/src/util/log.test.c b/src/util/log.test.c
index 2750d4b1e..95cbefa96 100644
--- a/src/util/log.test.c
+++ b/src/util/log.test.c
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ static void test_logging(CuTest * tc)
     struct log_t * id2 = log_create(LOG_CPWARNING, str2, log_string);
     CuAssertTrue(tc, id1!=id2);
     log_warning("Hello %s", "World");
-    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, str1, "World");
-    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, str2, "World");
     log_destroy(id1);
     log_destroy(id2);
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "World", str1);
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "World", str2);
 }
 
 CuSuite *get_log_suite(void)