Ninth Month of 1,265
Rough notes from first journey to Varlada.
- Each Weyr sent dragons to East Isle to deal with anybody following us if we came back fast.
- Benden sends P’dair of bronze Nydroth and Mistral Flight’s Gamma Wing.
- Fort sends K’ton of bronze Vacarth and Sapphire wing.
- High Reaches sends V’gor of bronze Brontith and Fortitude wing.
- Igen sends L’rad of bronze Chalkoth and Tempest wing.
- Ista sends B’ran of bronze Norolith and Belior wing.
- Telgar sends Z’ran of bronze Magnuseth and Umbra wing.
- Took 1 minute for most of us to go between – effects of hypothermia evident in both dragons and riders.
- Many trees, verdant craggy landscape with strong damp wind, rural settlements sprawling out below us. Land at open area closest to settlement from Book of Crossings. Tallest building seen is 6 stories.
- Greeted by 3 people: older woman, Mayor Izhora, leading 2 men with banners (one Carindas, other green with yellow gold lattice pattern (later identified as heraldry of Camben, city Woodgate is beholden to).
- Welcome us to Woodgate, ask if we’re from Lindley Observatory because we seem cold, must be a patrol? Lie, say yes, K’brin says we’re seeking counsel of LK Findmar. Accept invitation to dinner from Izhora after business with Findmar done. Get out of later on advice of Thydee.
- 4 of us brought to small structure with Harper blue door. Findmar in early-mid 30’s, academic, says “Eldritch” when looks at K’brin. Later says it’s a cuss, but sense he’s lying. Maybe related to eye color? K’brin has unusual eye coloring.
- Inside has beautiful timberwork, simple furnishings, glass lamps with flammable oil lighting room, glass windows, MANY books.
- Findmar beside himself when K’brin says Book of Crossings mentioned him as an ally, along with Thydee & Feth. They’re exiles, not allowed in Stronghold because not fit (Feth is blind). He calls us Sons of Caranath & Daughters of Faranth.
- Findmar – Shrine of Landarfal (name of settlement we thought we were looking for) in Bygruith Mountain has Zamruda stones. Explains a shrine is a place of rare cultural significance respected by all.
- LK’s are sages & historians, disseminate all information. There’s a secret order of LK’s called Oracles that keep knowledge of the BoC, lead by Haverdan. Regular LK’s don’t know about Oracles. There are also Sapphire Masters, who are LK’s that use Phrenium, have sense for each other, can store information in Antiquity Stones (Hynavith). More can sense vision than implant memory.
- Findmar – Zamruda stones are alchemical substance, not widely known about because of importance.
- Findmar knows of two Crossings.
- Lindley Obs. on Malven Peak, always cold, they observe & try to predict weather. Famous for specters (men made of shadow with halo of rainbow), bad omen to see them.
- Motto of Carindas: “Loyalty, Knowledge, Prosperity”
- Findmar – Strongholds are where dragons live, high up with lots of space, usually in old volcanoes. Only Carindas has strongholds. Balincor has graveyards, Galatia has dragon spires (pointy mountains), Kirengar has unassailable fortresses, Terenmor has palaces in hills.
- Findmar – there are tests to see if “worthy” to get through the tunnel to the Zamruda stones, failure means will die horribly within 1 year: hair falls out, nausea, waste away.
- Findmar – Sakaria used to be an empire with no dominions when S&S lead rebellion. Was over power, war ended when 5 sides agreed to stop fighting.
- Findmar meets dragons, who report they smell dragon fear (Feth), suggests we meet Thydee & Feth right away. She lives in small wood cabin up against mountain. Thydee in late 40’s, forced smile, nervous but good mental defenses.
- Discover problem when Feth coaxed out of ‘weyr’. Neck & back tail ridges different, hide less shiny, heavier claws, visible burns and claw scars, fangs shorter and rounder. The armor ridges are called skiutes, dragons on Sakaria generally develop them after 1 turn old, when fighting urge surfaces & they start hunting for themselves. Only very young or nobility don’t have them, so ours being 5 turns & having no skiutes, etc is suspicious. Thydee knows we’re “Children of Rebellion” because of this. Could say K’brin is Duke, excuse for why no skiutes.
- Impression: most candidates 16-18 turns old, eggs are reward to high ranks, lower levels VERY competitive… Thydee stabbed one and poisoned another to get Feth, showed how much she wanted her, must prove loyalty to liege lord. Horrific.
- Thydee agrees to go with us to Bygruith Mt., we set out, fly straight, camp a ways off & try not to draw attention of passing patrols.
- City —> Stronghold protecting it
- Adobria – Carstow
- Brygantia – Tolgarth
- Camben – Mirstone
- Corbrix – Valdrum
- Galandria – Athlemorie
- Renshire – Kinwick
- Vindis – Norseter (very laid back per Findmar)
- K’brin shows Findmar his blade, says hilt looks Kirengari and indicates state religion Satacam, which makes sense because K’brin’s features favor Kirengar, save his eyes. Sun goddess Shia, who created dragons, has fire to protect the land, queen riders are chosen ones. Religion is explained, as is what a god/goddess is.
- Balincor believes powers are in world, not gods, can do things if you understand these powers. There are secret good and bad powers there.
- Terenmor has sand demons, large sand tornado which you can appease, but also anger.
- Phrenium is from Kirengar, it must be imported.
- Discover no word for between in Sakaria, they call it the darkness.
- They spray gel on dragons, not oil, hence why hide feels different. Gel not flammable, good for dragon v dragon fights.
- Have long talk with K’brin about changes in Valenth’s behavior. He’s pushing him on purpose to be more bronze, step up and do what’s needed as a Wingleader. Am concerned.
- Findmar brought book, Hollow Things, which I read it while K’brin and others look at book of maps. Book has moral stories and features traps and things or horror… could be useful?
- Here, firelizards owned by important people… can’t trust others with them.