[Continued from Part I] Keldorn: (upon hearing a knock at the door) Enter. Rimli: Oy, Keldorn. Keldorn: (nods magnanimously, not at all troubled by Rimli's overly- familiar tone, and looks up from his runepaper) Rimli. Rimli: Me cous'n an' I 'ave some treasures we 'ave acquir'd tha' we can nae figure. Could y' be so kin' as t' implore the Keeper o' Secrets as t' th' purpose o' 'ese 'ere items? (he displays the items he showed to Tasencia, minus the armor) Keldorn: Hmm... perhaps the loremasters in the Hall of Murmurs would be more suited to this task than I. Rimli: I nae ken if ye've 'eard o' this axe, but Durig th' Reaper used it 'n bat'le, an' 'tis said tha' it 'elped 'is skills consid'rably-- they say 'e could strike two blows f'r e'ery one 'is enemies could. Keldorn: (examining the weapon) This is clearly the mark of Clangeddin, Father of Battle.... (he flips the blade over and reads the runes inscribed thereon) "Barak-Nor"-- Shield's Bane. And here the runes read "The Blood of the Oerth." The "blood of the Oerth," of course, is gold, but what does this signify? Interesting. Rimli: Aye, tha' much I alrea'y ken, m'self, but I've nae been able t' use it like ol' Durig could. Keldorn: I understand your frustration. I will have someone escort you to the Hall of Murmurs, with a letter stating your purpose there. (he thinks a moment) I will open this invitation to the human woman, as well. She seemed to have expressed some interest in it several days ago. Alas, the landslide of Fate swept us along with it, and such trivialities have been sadly ignored as of late. Hopefully, things will return to a more ordered state soon. (he sits down and starts scribbling out a letter) Less than an hour later, Rimli and Autumn, escorted by a dwarf, arrive at an imposing set of high double-doors deep within the Stonehammer stronghold-- deeper, even, than the dungeons. The huge stone portal swings silently open to reveal a dimly-lit, domed chamber whose vaulted ceiling is nearly lost in the shadows. Inside sit seven dwarves in a circle, muttering and murmuring incessantly in Dwarvish. A few others, probably guards or servants, stand around the room. Rimli: (whispering) Och! Th' 'All o' Murmurs! Autumn: (to Rimli) What's going on here? Rimli: 'Ese are th' loremast'rs o' Clan Stone'ammer-- th' eldest an' most learn'd dwarves in th' clan. They sit down 'ere, r'peatin' dwarvish 'istory an' lore t' each oth'r so tha' it's nae f'rgotten. Autumn: Huh. Oral tradition. So this is like a dwarvish library, then? Rimli: Aye, more 'r less. Autumn: (listens to their "conversation" for a bit) I wish I knew Dwarvish better. I could really learn a lot just sitting here. dwarf: (approaches the two) Why come you to the Hall of Murmurs? Rimli: (hands him the letter Keldorn wrote) dwarf: (quickly reads it) You will speak to Grysygonth. Come with me. (he leads them to one side of the room, then approaches an ancient dwarf in the circle to whom he speaks in low tones) Rimli: (looking at the old dwarf) Tha's a longbeard if e'er I saw 'un! ancient dwarf: (rises and walks slowly over to Rimli and Autumn) I am Grysygronth Stonehammer. Keldorn sent you? Rimli: Aye. (he jerks a thumb in Autumn's direction) An' 'er as well. Grysygronth: (looks moderately surprised) A human in the Hall of Murmurs? He must think highly of you. Autumn: (blushes slightly) Well, I don't like to brag, but.... Grysygronth: What is it you require, Rimli? Rimli: We've a few art'facts tha' we'd like t' ken a bit more abou'. (he holds up the items, one by one) 'Is 'elmet, 'is axe, an' 'is suit o' arm'r. 'Ey're all o' dwarvish make. Grysygronth: Give me the armor. (he examines Ajax's suit of studded leather, turning it over and around in his hands several times) This is of derro manufacture-- where on Oerth did you get it? Rimli: Off a derro, af'er I killed 'im. Grysygronth: Ah. It is well-made, but devoid of any runes or markings that would indicate that it has any special properties. (he takes the helmet) This, on the other hand.... Rimli: Yes? Autumn: (trying to be helpful) I found some little lenses of some kind that snap into place, here. (she slides the hidden lenses into place) Grysygronth: This was fashioned to make the chaotic waters of the world a little more bearable. (he looks at Autumn) You may or may not be aware that the Stout Folk are not overly fond of water. Rimli: I've 'ad enough wat'r t' last me a lifetime! Grysygronth: (he scutinizes the helmet's many runes and designs inscribed on its surface) This allows its wearer to breath underwater. Rimli: Och! I wish I 'ad tha' when th' dam broke! Grysygronth: The dam broke? Autumn: You _really_ need to get out more. What about the lenses? Grysygronth: When the lenses are in place over the wearer's eyes, his vision is unhindered by the water, and he can see as if on dry land... where he should be in the first place. Rimli: Wha' I really want t' ken, Grys'gront', is wha' 'ese 'ere runes on me axe mean. (he holds up his axe) I 'eard tha' Durig-- Grysygronth: --the Reaper used this battle-axe against the barbarian hordes attacking his homeland, yes... this is quite a find. Rimli: Aye, 'tis a bonny axe, bu' as I unnerstan' it, Durig used it a migh' bett'r 'an I 'ave. I 'eard tell tha' th' axe let 'im figh' wi' amazin' speed. Grysygronth: Correct. That is why the symbol of Clangeddin has been wrought here, on the axe head. Durig was able to call on Clangeddin, once each day, to act with incredible swiftness for a short period of time. Rimli: (excited) 'Ow'd 'e do it? Grysygronth: He simply held the weapon aloft and shouted Clangeddin's name. The Father of Battle did the rest. Rimli: 'At's f'ntastic! Wha' abou' 'ese runes, 'ere-- "th' Blood o' th' Oert'"? Grysygronth: Gold, of course. Durig made great use of this rune to locate nearby concentrations of gold. Autumn: Better keep that out of Eagle's hands. Rimli: An' 'ow did Durig use th' rune? Grysygronth: Invoke the name of the Keeper of Secrets who wove the veins of gold into the Oerth, and ask him to reveal the Blood to you. Rimli: Ah.... Grysygronth: (after a moment) Try it. Rimli: (holds the axe before him and concentrates) Dumathoin, xoth xunder glar-olor! (he closes his eyes, then immediately opens them wide in surprise) Bloo'y 'ells! Autumn, ye've gold in y'r pouch... tha' dwarf sittin' o'er there 's wearin' two gold'n rings on one 'and an' three on th' oth'r... there's gold twenny feet b'low us...! Autumn: (dumbfounded) Rimli: Clangeddin's beard! It bleedin' _works_! Grysygronth: (straight-faced) Yes, I'm very happy for you. Now, if there's nothing else.... (he starts backing away towards his empty seat) Autumn: Actually, I was wondering if you could spare a little time. See, I'm very interested in dwarven history-- Grysygronth: (suddenly attentive) Really? Autumn: --and I thought that, if you had the time, maybe you could teach me a bit of what you know. Of course, I know that I couldn't hope to learn even a thousandth of the knowledge you possess within my lifetime, but.... Grysygronth: By all means! So very few surface dwellers care to learn about dwarves these days. (he pauses) At least, that was the case the last time I was _on_ the surface. Things may have changed. Autumn: Thanks very much, Grysygronth. I appreciate it. Grysygronth: Not at all. To tell you the truth, after one hundred and thirty-seven years of this, I could use a break. Rimli: (too absorbed by his axe's recently-divulged properties to pay much attention to them at all) Meanwhile, the rest of you occupy yourselves as you may, maintaining equipment, studying texts, updating personal maps, or simply resting up for the journey to come. Hours pass, and finally, late in the afternoon, Keldorn summons you all, including Rori, to his study once more. Keldorn: (looking tired) Tasencia: You're looking tired, Keldorn. Keldorn: Communing with gods is exhausting work. Fortunately, it is also quite rewarding. Eagle: Reward? Ajax: (to Eagle) Settle down, you. What did you find out, m'Lord? Keldorn: When Ozzy teleported himself from this stronghold, he arrived some distance away... and the exact location makes your task that much more difficult. Alenniel: How far away is he? Keldorn: It is not so much the distance that concerns me, Wanderer. He arrived in the Gull Cliffs, on the east coast of the Great Kingdom of the Aerdi. Tasencia: The Great Kingdom...? Keldorn: Aye. Greythur: But that's.... (he produces a map of the Flanaess from some- where and unrolls it) We have to pass through the rest of the Rakers, the Bone March, the North Province of the Great Kingdom, and down into the the heartland of the Overking's realm! Alenniel: (looks at the map for a moment) That's if we were to go in a straight line. Eagle: That's the fastest way. Alenniel: But probably not the safest. What about travelling south through the Rakers, through the Flinty Hills, through Almor, and into the Adri Forest? That way we might avoid the humanoid hordes of the Bone March... and we get to go through a forest, too. Autumn: But we still have to go through the Great Kingdom, and almost right through the capital, to get to the Cliffs. What about following the Harp River down to Relmor Bay and sticking to waterways down through Sunndi, then up the Flanmi? That brings us almost right to the Cliffs, by the looks of this map. It would take a lot longer, but it might be worth it. Rori: (to himself) Th' Grea' King'm.... Tasencia: Clearly, there are many ways to proceed. This will require further thought and discussion.... Keldorn: Whatever your decision, the way will not be easy. Ivid V rules a cruel and powerful kingdom. I fear your companion may be in more danger than ever before.