630 lines
38 KiB
Plaintext
630 lines
38 KiB
Plaintext
|
|
+-+ +-+ +-+
|
|
+-+--+-+--+-+ VOLUME FOUR NUMBER TWO
|
|
| | ==========================================
|
|
+___________+ FFFFF SSS FFFFF N N EEEEE TTTTT
|
|
| ++ | F S F NN N E T
|
|
| ++ | FFF SSS FFF N N N EEE T
|
|
| | F S F N NN E T
|
|
|_________| F SSS F N N EEEEE T
|
|
/___________\ ==========================================
|
|
| | BITNET Fantasy-Science Fiction Fanzine
|
|
___|___________|___ X-Edited by 'Orny' Liscomb <CSDAVE@MAINE>
|
|
|
|
<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
|
|
|
|
CONTENTS
|
|
X-Editorial Orny
|
|
Deep Trouble Jim Owens
|
|
The Essence of Ur-Baal Roman Olynyk
|
|
|
|
Date: 030286 Dist: 121
|
|
<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
|
|
|
|
X-Editorial
|
|
Well, folks, here's the second batch of Dargon stories. The
|
|
response to the first ish was, as we downeasterners say, "wicked
|
|
massive". In fact, when I told one reader that my head was swelling
|
|
and that I'd start charging for FSFnet, he came back saying that
|
|
he'd pay for it! Well, for now we'll just keep cranking out the
|
|
stuff for free, but I won't refuse contributions...
|
|
I'd like to thank Chris Condon for keeping FSFnet in BITLIST,
|
|
and all the new readers who responded to BITLIST or the note I sent
|
|
out last month. Readership is better than ever, but we all know
|
|
there are more people out there who would be interested in this sort
|
|
of fanzine, so spread the word, send issues around, and coerce
|
|
people if necessary to make them sign up! The more the merrier, right?
|
|
Finally, for all you back-issue freaks, FSFNET INDEX, a list of
|
|
back issues and their contents is available from mine truly. Feel
|
|
free to ask for it, and any back issues, but remember that such
|
|
requests often go several weeks before being fulfilled, since issues
|
|
before 4-1 are kept on magnetic tape in my living room.
|
|
Well, that's all the news from the north, on to the two newest
|
|
Dargon stories...
|
|
-Orny <CSDAVE @ MAINE>
|
|
|
|
<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
|
|
|
|
Deep Trouble
|
|
The day was sunlit, although there were still clouds in the sky,
|
|
and rain still came down occasionally. The wind was no longer cold,
|
|
as it had been, though, so Levy and Mattan Barel shed their cloaks
|
|
as they passed through the great wooden gates of Dargon. All around
|
|
them men carried heavy crates and barrels of food and goods, setting
|
|
up their booths for the Festival.
|
|
Levy and Mattan made their way through the streets to the home
|
|
of Cavendish the Scribe. Levy had spent a few years with Cavendish
|
|
learning several scholarly languages, and every year, when the
|
|
Festival came, Levy made it a point to spend a few days in Dargon
|
|
with his teacher and friend.
|
|
When they arrived, Cavendish's son Dale made their horses
|
|
comfortable while Cavendish personally saw to the comforts of his
|
|
guests. After several hours of "catching up" on old times and
|
|
equally generous amounts of food and good beer, the household
|
|
settled down for the night.
|
|
Levy was jolted out of a sound rest by the sound of loud
|
|
knocking on the outside doors. As he rolled over, he heard Cavendish
|
|
making his way to the door, unbolting it and greeting his early
|
|
morning guests.
|
|
"We would speak with Levy Barel. We know he is lodging here."
|
|
The voice was not harsh, but there was no mistaking the
|
|
authority behind it. By the time Cavendish reached the door to
|
|
Levy's room, both Levy and Mattan were in their trousers. Levy saw
|
|
the apprehension in Cavendish's eyes as he stepped into the room.
|
|
"There are some men here to see you. Lord's Guards."
|
|
Levy stepped into his boots and walked out into the main room,
|
|
followed by Mattan. As he did he breathed a quick prayer. Standing
|
|
in the doorway were three large men, all wearing swords at their
|
|
sides, undrawn. Levy approached them.
|
|
"How can I help you?" Levy's tone was carefully chosen, not
|
|
arrogant, but not fearful either.
|
|
"Lord Dargon wishes to see you. Immediately." Although there was
|
|
no threat in the man's voice, it was obvious that he would not leave
|
|
without Levy.
|
|
While taking in the situation, Levy noticed his brother's face.
|
|
It had a curious expression on it, as if he were sizing up the
|
|
opposition, a look Levy knew well. The three guards, on the other
|
|
hand, anxiously watched Levy and Mattan. Levy turned to his brother.
|
|
"I'll go with them. It's all right." Levy knew that Mattan could
|
|
and would stop these men from taking him against his will. It was
|
|
always best to play things easy, though.
|
|
Levy grabbed his cloak and stepped outside to where the men
|
|
waited with four horses. The group rode silently through the
|
|
sleeping city to the central keep. There they dismounted, and
|
|
entered. Please let me see the outside of this castle again, Levy
|
|
breathed, uncertain. Once inside, the guard Levy had spoken with
|
|
turned to the other guards.
|
|
"You may return to your posts."
|
|
As the two guards saluted, and turned to leave, the third guard
|
|
turned towards Levy.
|
|
"Follow me. My Lord awaits."
|
|
They made their way into the center of the keep, which was
|
|
larger than any Levy had been in, and up to the top level. Levy was
|
|
surprised to note that every one they met saluted deferentially to
|
|
his guide, no matter how high their rank. Soon, they came to a short
|
|
hallway, in the center of which was a door with guards on both
|
|
sides. When they reached the door, the two guards blocked their
|
|
entry until the guide surrendered his sword.
|
|
Once inside Levy immediately recognized Lord Dargon, a young
|
|
man, straight and honest-looking. The Lord looked up almost as soon
|
|
as they stepped in.
|
|
"Bartol. You found him. Well done."
|
|
"Thank you, My Lord."
|
|
"Bartol is my bard. He sings for me when I hold public court.
|
|
What most people don't know is that he is also second in command of
|
|
my personal bodyguard, and one of my most valuable spies."
|
|
"Concerned citizens, Sire." The reply was accompanied with a grin.
|
|
"Forgive me. Concerned citizens. I would make him ruler of a
|
|
third of my lands if it weren't for the fact that then he would be
|
|
of no use to me anymore."
|
|
Levy infered from their talk that this was to be an informal
|
|
audience. Therefore, he got to the point as soon as possible.
|
|
"How can I be of assistance to you, Lord Dargon?"
|
|
"Allow me to explain; it is a short tale. I must, as all lords
|
|
in this country must, pay tithes to Baranur. Unlike most lords, I
|
|
have always paid them promptly, and without grudging. This year,
|
|
however, a problem has arisen. My financial adviser died this spring
|
|
of old age and left his eldest son, whom he had been training, in
|
|
his position. One of the first things his son did was to, how did he
|
|
say it, invest the tithe money overseas. It really was a good idea.
|
|
For every piece of gold I sent over, two have come back. Further,
|
|
because of their increased trade with us, several of our long time
|
|
enemies would not dare invade us, for fear of loosing a good
|
|
customer.The only problem arose when the tithe collector from
|
|
Baranur came. The ship carrying the tithe was late, so we had to put
|
|
him off for two weeks. He was not happy. When the ship finally did
|
|
arrive, it arrived during a storm, and sank just outside of the
|
|
harbor. The tithe collector grew suspicious, and returned to Baranur
|
|
despite anything I could do. Now, we don't have enough gold in
|
|
Dargon to pay the tithe, and Baranur has sent me this."
|
|
Lord Dargon handed Levy a scroll, which he opened. Out of it
|
|
rolled a dead scorpion. With shaking hands Levy read the scroll.
|
|
"Be it known! The hand of Baranur is long and heavy! Tithes must
|
|
be paid in full by the full moon, or the next messenger will not be
|
|
a dead one!"
|
|
Levy looked up at Lord Dargon.
|
|
"The moon is full tonight."
|
|
"Yes, but the letter did not arrive until yesterday. Baranur is
|
|
impatient, but not unrealistic. It would take two days for the money
|
|
just to reach Baranur. No, we have until the next full moon to pay
|
|
the tithe."
|
|
"I see. Just what part do I play in this little game, Lord Dargon?"
|
|
"I am trying to raise the money by other means. There is little
|
|
hope of doing it, but perhaps we could buy some time with a partial
|
|
payment. What I want you to do is raise that ship. I know of the
|
|
legends concerning the first Barel, how he saved this land by his
|
|
engineering skills. I also know that you follow in his footsteps.
|
|
Now I am hiring you to help me. Raise that ship. and you will walk
|
|
away with a tithe of it's holdings."
|
|
Levy paused.
|
|
"And if I don't?"
|
|
Lord Dargon looked Levy straight in the eye.
|
|
"I will not threaten a guest to my city, nor will I threaten
|
|
someone I wish to hire. But I will not take no for an answer. And if
|
|
you don't raise the ship in time, you and your brother will be here
|
|
in the city when Baranur comes to claim it's due."
|
|
|
|
Dawn found Mattan Barel and Cavendish asleep in chairs, with
|
|
half empty cups of strong herb tea in front of them. They had been
|
|
waiting a long time for Levy to come back. They awoke and sprang to
|
|
their feet when Levy opened the door and stepped in.
|
|
"What happened? Where have you been? What did they want?" Mattan
|
|
was relieved to see his older brother in one piece, but now his
|
|
curiosity was aroused.
|
|
"It seems I'm not going to get to see much of the Festival after
|
|
all. Lord Dargon has a minor engineering miracle he wants me to
|
|
perform for him."
|
|
Cavendish and Mattan sat back down as Levy removed his cloak and
|
|
took a free chair. Cavendish leaned forward with a knowing look on
|
|
his face.
|
|
"Was it about the ship that sank?"
|
|
"I'm not allowed to tell any more than what I have, but I will
|
|
say he's willing to pay me very well. You might say, a lord's
|
|
ransom. And he won't take no for an answer." Levy sat back, grinning
|
|
at the expression on Cavendish's face. "I would ask you not let
|
|
anyone know of this. Not even your family. Mattan, I may need your
|
|
help later. For now, though, you can have your fun at the Festival.
|
|
And don't worry about saving enough money for the trip home. We
|
|
won't be needing to worry about that." One way or another, Levy
|
|
added, as a silent afterthought.
|
|
After breakfast, Levy rode across the city to the docks. Once
|
|
there he rode up to the largest ship he could find. Naturally, it
|
|
was one of the Lord's own. It was a trading vessel, the Heavenly
|
|
Walls. Levy tied up his horse, and strode on board. He found the
|
|
captain, one John Largo, directing the loading of the first part of
|
|
his cargo. Levy approached him.
|
|
"I really hate to say this, but I'm afraid you're going to have
|
|
to unload that cargo."
|
|
Largo, and everyone else who heard, froze. They all turned to
|
|
look at Levy. There was a long pause. Largo looked around at all his
|
|
men, then back to Levy.
|
|
"And why would that be? Who are you to be telling me these things?"
|
|
Levy pulled his hand from where he had been concealing it in his
|
|
cloak. He held it up, palm in.
|
|
"Who am I? I'm the man who wears this ring."
|
|
Captain Largo looked at the ring. His eyes sprang wide open, and
|
|
he immediately doffed his hat and dropped to one knee.
|
|
"Please! Pardon me! I had no idea!" He turned to the crew. "He
|
|
wears Lord Dargon's ring!"
|
|
The entire crew immediately dropped what they were doing and
|
|
presented a hasty salute. Levy had not asked for the ring, but now
|
|
he was glad it had been given. He realized now that it would make
|
|
things much easier, for while he wore it, he had, for many if not
|
|
all intents and purposes, as much authority as Lord Dargon himself.
|
|
"Rise. Lord Dargon has asked that I use this vessel. He thought
|
|
it to be the best one for my needs, and my needs are going to be
|
|
great. Can you fulfil them, captain?" Levy knew that no man in the
|
|
captain's position could allow his competency to be so questioned.
|
|
"Name it, and we will have it done yesterday!" The crew gave a
|
|
shout, and when Levy smiled and motioned for the captain to lead the
|
|
way to the cabin, they broke into cheering.
|
|
|
|
A week later Levy stood on the deck of the ship, frowning at the
|
|
grey waves. Voices behind him drew his attention. He turned and
|
|
walked across the deck to where three seamen were pulling a drag
|
|
rope on deck One of the men stopped, and leaned over the side. A
|
|
moment later he straightened up, pulling a diver on deck. Levy
|
|
approached the diver.
|
|
"What can you see down there?"
|
|
"Nothing. The ship is down there, but we can't get close enough
|
|
to see it. It's too deep, and the water's too cold, and there are
|
|
too many sharks."
|
|
"What about that sack I gave you? The one with the shark poison
|
|
in it."
|
|
The man gave a wry smile.
|
|
"A shark made a pass at me, and I dropped it. The shark doubled
|
|
back, and ate it."
|
|
Levy vented a sigh, and turned back to the cabin, He stepped
|
|
inside, grateful to be in out of the cold wind. The cabin was
|
|
surprisingly warm, heated by a large cooking stove. The cabin was
|
|
the living quarters for the whole crew. Two men were presently
|
|
playing dice in the far corner. One had had his leg broken when a
|
|
drag line had snapped and thrown him against some tackle. The other
|
|
was a diver who had been mauled by a shark.
|
|
The rest of the crew was on deck, busily trying either to put
|
|
off marker buoys to mark the wreck, or helping the divers in their
|
|
attempts to reach the wreck. So far the only success had been the
|
|
initial find of the ship, and even that had taken three days. The
|
|
grab lines had not been able to haul anything up. No divers had been
|
|
able to reach the wreck, and at least one other diver had been
|
|
injured by the sharks, although not severely. The captain had asked
|
|
to be allowed to take the injured men back to shore, and Levy had
|
|
agreed. He was secretly glad, as he needed time to plan his next
|
|
move. He had hoped that the divers he had found at the Festival
|
|
would help, but they were foiled by the deep, the dark, the cold,
|
|
and the sharks. He had spent much time petitioning his God for
|
|
another idea, but none had come yet.
|
|
Three days later Levy was back at the wreck, only this time with
|
|
two ships. The first was the Heavenly Walls. The other was a trader,
|
|
the Green Squid. It's captain was a man called Itoh Carran Tchock.
|
|
They were the largest ships available, and they had on deck the
|
|
largest winches Levy could find, ones like those used to raise the
|
|
drawbridge leading into Dargon Keep. At the moment the two ships
|
|
were about two hundred feet apart with a thick hawser slung between
|
|
them. At an order from Levy, the line was played out, until Levy
|
|
figured that enough had been let out that it was now resting on the
|
|
bottom. Levy then motioned to Capt. Largo. He bellowed an order to
|
|
his men, and the ship started moving. He then motioned to Capt.
|
|
Tchock on the other ship, and it moved forward as well. As the ships
|
|
moved through the water, the hawser followed. Occasionally it would
|
|
grow taut, only to slacken as the obstacle was overcome. Then, after
|
|
about half a minute, it grew taut and did not relax. Both ships
|
|
stopped. Levy then turned to Capt. Largo.
|
|
"Launch the boat!"
|
|
Five men lowered the ship's boat into the water and climbed into
|
|
it. Another hawser was passed to them, and they started for the
|
|
Green Squid. When they reached it, the line was passed up to it's
|
|
crew, who made it fast to the winch on board. The boat crew then
|
|
rowed back towards their ship. They stopped half way, and fished the
|
|
hawser out of the water. Then, as Levy watched, more line was let
|
|
out. The boat rowed forward, pulling the hawser out, until the
|
|
weight of the extended line was ready to swamp the little boat. Then
|
|
the crew dropped the line, which disappeared underwater. Capt. Largo
|
|
turned to Levy, but Levy just stood there, watching. After a long
|
|
moment, Levy turned to Largo.
|
|
"It should be down there by now. Make it fast, and start pulling
|
|
it in."
|
|
The crew scrambled to fulfil the command. The line was attached
|
|
to the winch as the first was, and then teams started laboriously
|
|
turning the spool. Onboard the other ship the crew did the same. The
|
|
two ships drifted together. As soon as a line could be tossed
|
|
across, the two ships were drawn together. Wooden beams were placed
|
|
across the gap between the ships, and lashed to the two decks,
|
|
binding the two ships together solidly.
|
|
Levy's plan was easy to understand. It had come to him as he
|
|
stood on the pier and watched the waves pushing anchor lines around.
|
|
He didn't know if it was divinely inspired, but it was better than
|
|
no idea. The first hawser had been dragged along the bottom until it
|
|
had caught on the bow of the sunken ship. A second had then been
|
|
sunk around the stern of the wreck. The ships had then been lashed
|
|
together, so that they could try to winch the wreck to the surface
|
|
without worrying about capsizing.
|
|
All through the day the crews turned the big spools. Inch by
|
|
inch the wet rope wound around the drums. Levy did not plan to
|
|
totally raise the ship, only get it high enough so that it could be
|
|
hauled to shallow water.
|
|
As the sun drew towards the horizon, the wind picked up. With it
|
|
came rougher seas. Levy told the captain to start to make for shore.
|
|
The men who were not cranking the winches raised the sails. They had
|
|
gotten them half up when the two ships lurched. The beams between
|
|
the two ships snapped, and both ships rose suddenly higher in the
|
|
water. Levy fell to the deck, as did just about everyone. He got up
|
|
and ran to the winch. He didn't even need to ask what had happened.
|
|
Both cables were limp.
|
|
Levy had been there for only a moment when both ships shuddered
|
|
again. This time the ships rolled away from each other. One man fell
|
|
overboard. The air was filled with horrible thumps as each ship was
|
|
struck several times. When things quieted down, both crews ran to
|
|
the side of the ship, and were astonished to see the man who had
|
|
fallen over standing, apparently on top of the water.
|
|
It didn't take long for Levy to realize that the sunken ship had
|
|
surfaced, and was now floating on it's own. It wasn't for a few
|
|
minutes that Levy realized that the ship was now in two pieces, the
|
|
stern and the bow. After that it was only a moment before the real
|
|
impact of what had happened hit him. The reason the wreck hadn't
|
|
floated before was that it was weighted down with it's golden cargo.
|
|
If it floated now, it was only because the gold had all poured out
|
|
when the ship had broken in half.
|
|
|
|
Levy stood in an open field. Three weeks ago the Festival had
|
|
started in Dargon, and three days ago the sunken ship had broken in
|
|
half as Levy and the crew of the Heavenly Walls had tried to raise
|
|
it. Since then an effort had been made to dredge the gold off the
|
|
sea floor, but to no avail. The bottom was rough and craggy, unlike
|
|
the smooth floor of the harbor. Attempts to dive down to the gold
|
|
had almost gotten a diver eaten.
|
|
Levy looked around him. The sun was hot, a welcome change to the
|
|
cool sea air. Levy had decided to take a break and practice the
|
|
archery his young twin brother had taught him. He had set up a
|
|
target in the center of the grassy field, and had walked back to
|
|
where his bow lay. Now he bent and picked it up, along with an
|
|
arrow. He had only brought three, as Mattan had wanted to go hunting.
|
|
As Levy stood there he thought. Where in the world am I going to
|
|
come up with a way to raise that ship? In this field? He laughed
|
|
quietly at that thought. I'll never be able to find the solution to
|
|
this problem. It'll take a miracle. And that wouldn't be a bad idea,
|
|
he concluded, aiming that last thought skyward.
|
|
He raised the bow and shot. The arrow struck the target at the
|
|
base. He drew and fired again. This time he hit to one side. Once
|
|
more he shot. The arrow struck the very top of the target and
|
|
glanced off in high, arching flight.
|
|
Levy groaned. His aim this morning certainly wasn't inspired. He
|
|
dropped the bow and jogged out to where he thought the arrow had
|
|
landed. Past the target he found a small stream, and a tiny pool,
|
|
and his arrow, sticking out of the water in the center of the pool.
|
|
Levy squatted on the edge of the pool, staring at the brightly
|
|
colored bolt as it pointed upward, unwilling to muddy the water by
|
|
wading in to retrieve the shaft. As he sat there a movement caught
|
|
his attention. A spider scurried along the edge of the pool. It
|
|
reached a fallen branch that extended out into the pool, and turned
|
|
out along it.
|
|
Be careful, little spider, or you'll get wet, Levy thought. To
|
|
his surprise, the spider turned down a side branch, and crawled
|
|
right under the water.
|
|
Levy leaned closer. He had heard of spiders that lived
|
|
underwater, but he had never seen one. He watched as the small
|
|
creature clung to the twig, a bubble of air cloaking its abdomen in
|
|
silver. As he watched the spider, another movement caught his eye. A
|
|
fish, rather large for such a small pool, swam by. The spider
|
|
paused, and as it did the fish saw it. With a movement of it's tail,
|
|
the fish darted after the spider. Before the fish could reach it,
|
|
however, the spider squeezed between two twigs. The fish bumped it's
|
|
snout against the twigs, unable to reach the tasty morsel behind
|
|
them. It hung there for a moment, then swam off, puzzled.
|
|
Fooled him, you did, Levy thought, safe in your little wooden
|
|
cage. Then Levy stiffened. Cage!
|
|
|
|
Three days later Levy was once again on the deck of the Heavenly
|
|
Walls, looking at the red marker buoys bobbing in the water. This
|
|
time he had brought something else along. It had once hung from a
|
|
gibbet, holding a criminal's body. Now it hung from a derrick, ready
|
|
to be swung over the side of the ship. It was a large iron cage,
|
|
just big enough for a man to stand in. A large, clear glass jar,
|
|
which Levy had managed to talk the local glass blower into making,
|
|
was wedged into the top. While the crew watched, Levy climbed in and
|
|
shut the door. He had decided that he wasn't going to risk someone
|
|
else's life on one of his ideas unless he was willing to risk his
|
|
own life first. He motioned for Captain Largo to come near.
|
|
"When I want up, I'll pull the rope. I'm no diver, and there
|
|
isn't going to much air in this thing."
|
|
Captain Largo nodded, and steadied the cage as his men swung the
|
|
derrick around. Levy hung there a moment, then the cage dropped into
|
|
the water.
|
|
The shock of the water was muted by the woolen clothing Levy
|
|
wore, but it was still great. He was overjoyed to see how well he
|
|
could see through the glass. The sea around him was easily visible.
|
|
He sank down quickly, the men above allowing the winch to run almost
|
|
free. Soon the second part of Levy's idea was tested. A large shape
|
|
swam up. Levy didn't see it until it circled around the cage.
|
|
Immediately Levy tensed, and immediately the great fish sensed his
|
|
nervousness. The shark turned toward Levy, and with a audible snap
|
|
of it's tail it slammed into the cage. Levy and the cage swung like
|
|
a pendulum, but the cage held firm. Just as the fish had done, the
|
|
shark hung there for a moment, then swam off in search of softer game.
|
|
Levy watched it for a moment, and then he was at the bottom. He
|
|
scraped along a rock wall for a few seconds, and then thudded into a
|
|
surprisingly flat bottom. The dark was too thick to see through now,
|
|
so Levy opened a pouch at his side, and pulled out a small glass
|
|
jar. Inside was some foxfire he had gathered before setting out. It
|
|
glowed greenly in the gloom. By it's light Levy could see a metallic
|
|
glint from the seabed. Reaching through the bars of the cage, Levy
|
|
grabbed something hard and heavy. It was a gold coin. Joy flooded
|
|
Levy's mind. He silently shouted praise, his mind singing. He was so
|
|
happy at his success that he stared at the coin until his lungs
|
|
started burning, and he realized that the air in the jar was going
|
|
bad. He reached up, and yanked the cord.
|
|
|
|
Later that day Levy stood at the bow of the Heavenly Walls. Down
|
|
below divers were scooping gold from the ocean mud. Levy's mind was
|
|
not there though. He looked out across the waves. He was thinking of
|
|
what had happened down at the bottom of the sea. Just as the men
|
|
above started pulling him up, Levy slipped his jar of foxfire back
|
|
in it's pouch. But the sea around him stayed lit. He looked up, and
|
|
almost stopped breathing, for staring right at him were two large,
|
|
glowing eyes. As the cage rose, the eyes disappeared in the gloom.
|
|
For all of his life, Levy had always wondered at the marvels of
|
|
this great planet, this marvelous creation. Yet he now realized that
|
|
he had only seen a tiny part. There were other lands, other worlds
|
|
within the world. He knew now that he would not have seen anything
|
|
if he did not take the time, and look deeper.
|
|
-Jim Owens <J1O @ PSUVM>
|
|
|
|
<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
|
|
|
|
The Essence of Ur-Baal
|
|
Banewood smelled incense when he entered Aardvard Factotum's
|
|
home. As his eyes became accustomed to the darkness, he noticed
|
|
conspicuous details of wealth: polished wooden furniture from
|
|
Magnus; a paved floor topped with woven grass mats; and thick
|
|
tapestries, imported from distant Baranur, adorned the walls. The
|
|
richness of the furnishings attested to Factotum's success as a
|
|
local healer and surgeon -- a barber, in local parlance. The
|
|
peasants, those who could afford his services, paid dearly with
|
|
their cattle, which augmented what was already one of the largest
|
|
herds in the realm. Those who were rich, however, had rich diseases,
|
|
and they paid in gold for their treatment, preferably Baranur gold
|
|
marks. Many of them.
|
|
But Banewood wasn't looking for healing. And though he could
|
|
probably use a different type of barber, he hadn't come for a
|
|
surgical consultation. He was looking for magic and for anyone
|
|
willing to trade magic spells and potions.
|
|
When he had first arrived at Dargon, Banewood milled about the
|
|
docks and warehouses, casting about for information among the
|
|
sailors, longshoremen and merchants. It didn't take long. Beneath a
|
|
red and white canopy, a soup vendor called Simon had volunteered the
|
|
name of Aardvard Factotum, the physician, in barter for some exotic
|
|
seasonings brought by Banewood. This was not an age of
|
|
specialization -- a physician, especially one trained by an elder,
|
|
also dabbled in sorcery.
|
|
The apprentice shaman, ever on the search for new spells and new
|
|
knowledge, eagerly sought the physician's house and gave his
|
|
credentials to a haughty secretary. After about ten minutes --
|
|
Aardvard didn't wish to appear eager -- the secretary returned and
|
|
ushered Banewood into Factotum's richly appointed office.
|
|
"Hansen, go take a walk and leave us alone," said Aardvard to
|
|
his secretary. Hansen demurred at the order to leave his employer,
|
|
but he left obediently.
|
|
"Who's your instructor?" asked Aardvard. From behind thick lids,
|
|
his reddened eyes peered at the dusty Shaman. He drew a heavy puff
|
|
from a pipe. The pipe, made of whale ivory scrimshaw, was very rare.
|
|
"Ostap of Gorod," responded Banewood.
|
|
"Never heard of him," said the physician. He stifled a yawn. "I
|
|
presume you came here with something on your mind."
|
|
Banewood shifted his weight; he'd been on his feet all day.
|
|
"Yes. I'm a stranger to the kingdom of Baranur, having journeyed
|
|
through the forest from the east.
|
|
"More to this bumpkin than meets the eye," mused Aardvard to
|
|
himself. The eastern forests seldom admitted strangers. Ones who
|
|
passed that way may, indeed, have something to offer. "Go on..."
|
|
Banewood told Aardvard little of his adventure at the hut of
|
|
Baba Yaga or of his meeting with the little people who lived in the
|
|
dark forest which surrounded Gorod, his home. Nor did he mention
|
|
Baba Yaga's book of spells. Baba Yaga was an evil sorceress who died
|
|
centuries ago in the dark forest. Last summer, Banewood and his
|
|
companion, Sod the plowman, journeyed through the dark forest to
|
|
slay Kathryn, a monstrous sow believed by many to be the
|
|
reincarnation of Baba Yaga. Banewood found Baba Yaga's book of
|
|
spells within the ruins of her moldering hut. Books of any sort were
|
|
rare commodities in this dim age, and a book of sorcery was beyond
|
|
price -- more than one's life, at least. Banewood concentrated
|
|
instead on his quest for the greater knowledge, his euphemism for
|
|
the shaman's art.
|
|
Factotum was amused. Never before had someone sought him out to
|
|
exchange spells and potions.
|
|
"Let's play with this one a bit," Factotum thought to himself.
|
|
"Well, shaman, show me what you can do, and I'll see what I may have
|
|
to offer you... But I'm sorry, I'm forgetting my manners, aren't I?
|
|
Please sit and ease your feet."
|
|
Banewood nodded in thanks. Picking a stool, he sat down and did
|
|
little to suppress a weary sigh. He reached into his sack and
|
|
produced a wooden rod. He waved the rod over a small table in front
|
|
of him, muttered a few words and caused the table to rise about a
|
|
foot into the air. It floated about for a moment and then abruptly
|
|
settled back to earth.
|
|
Aardvard shrugged. "I'm afraid the table is the only thing to
|
|
get a rise from that old trick," he said with smugness. Thinking to
|
|
impress Banewood, he reached for a nearby urn and showed the shaman
|
|
that it was empty. Aardvard covered the urn with a fine cloth which
|
|
he pulled from a pocket in his robe. He produced his own wooden rod
|
|
and waved it over the container. With slight flourish, he produced a
|
|
little white squat-hen, your typical rabbit. He offered the
|
|
squat-hen to Banewood. "Something for your dinner, perhaps?"
|
|
Banewood smirked. "Is that all you can do? Squat-hen tricks?" He
|
|
reached again into his bag and this time pulled out one of his
|
|
favorites; it was a narrow vial filled with a dark green liquid. He
|
|
sipped once from the vial and placed it back in his pouch. Banewood
|
|
closed his eyes as if resting and appeared to go to sleep.
|
|
"Now what?" wondered the physician.
|
|
Several minutes went by. However, just as the physician was
|
|
thinking of offering Banewood a cup of tea or some other stimulant,
|
|
a raven flew up to the open window and perched on the sill. It
|
|
looked sideways at Aardvard, which is the way birds often look when
|
|
gazing directly at you, and croaked "Aar-vard! Aar-vard!"
|
|
"Is that all you can do? Bird imitations?" scoffed Aardvard
|
|
Factotum. But the physician had never seen this bit of sorcery
|
|
before. "Hmm... What else can you do with that potion?" He asked.
|
|
Once again, Banewood closed his eyes and appeared to sleep.
|
|
After about a minute, Banewood stirred; he opened his eyes and
|
|
beamed a knowing smile at Aardvard.
|
|
"You have twelve hundred gold marks hidden behind your hearth.
|
|
Don't you trust the banks in Baranur?" Banewood asked.
|
|
Factotum controlled an urge to jump out of his chair and
|
|
throttle Banewood. "You can do that with your potion?" he asked.
|
|
"What is it?"
|
|
Banewood replied "It's the Essence of Ur-Baal. It sets the mind
|
|
free of the body."
|
|
"Oh! I've got to try this essence. Let me try it, please?"
|
|
begged Factotum, going down a bit in Banewood's estimation.
|
|
"No, I don't think so," replied Banewood. "It's kind of
|
|
dangerous if you don't know what you're doing; you can easily get
|
|
lost and not find your way back to your body."
|
|
"I've never been lost a day in my life," retorted Aardvard.
|
|
"You mean you've used the essence of Ur-Baal before?"
|
|
"Yeah, sure. A long time ago." Aardvard lied.
|
|
"Well, in that case..." Banewood looked pensive, Aardvard looked
|
|
eager. "Okay." Banewood relented. He trickled a few drops of the
|
|
essence of Ur-Baal into a waiting glass. "But be careful and don't
|
|
stray too far," he warned.
|
|
"Don't worry, mother, this will be easy," said Aardvard Factotum
|
|
as he snarfed down a small mouthful of the dark green liquid.
|
|
Aardvard Factotum closed his eyes. He didn't feel any different
|
|
for about thirty seconds. Suddenly, he felt strange, like he was
|
|
having a giddy dream. The muscles in his neck felt extremely loose,
|
|
and then it felt as if the base of his skull was opening up. His
|
|
thoughts poured out -- literally. "Boy, this is neat," he thought.
|
|
In his mind, he went to the kitchen and looked for his gold behind a
|
|
loose cobble stone near the hearth... "Yes, it's still there, all of
|
|
it." And while his body remained indoors, his mind perceived the
|
|
sky. He was moving... at least it felt like he was.
|
|
He took in the panorama of a dimming twilight sky -- it was
|
|
particularly beautiful -- and then perceived the smoke of a distant
|
|
cooking fire. Following the source of smoke, his mind flew down the
|
|
chimney and entered the living quarters of one of his tenant
|
|
farmers. A farmer and his stoutish wife were eating and talking
|
|
about the day's events. How odd! Aardvard didn't hear them, but he
|
|
FELT what they were saying. They were talking about the stranger who
|
|
had come to visit the physician, speculating as to what kind of
|
|
chicanery might be afoot.
|
|
"My secretary, Hansen, cannot resist passing on the latest
|
|
gossip," thought Aardvard. "So Hansen becomes a rumormonger when he
|
|
takes his little walks!"
|
|
He passed through a small open window and again flew over the
|
|
countryside with increasing exhilaration. Aardvard's disembodied
|
|
mind experienced elation as the sensations bombarded him through
|
|
numerous channels. Aardvard understood so many things. He sensed the
|
|
heartbeat of a barn swallow in flight, he felt an oak tree breathe,
|
|
and he felt the vastness of the earth and the sky surrounding it.
|
|
His mind flew upward and toward the Street of Travellers which
|
|
ran through the business district of Dargon, then over the wall of
|
|
Dargon Keep. The castle of Dargon Keep served as home to Lord
|
|
Clifton Dargon, for whose family the city below is named. Within the
|
|
keep also lived the lesser nobility and other courtiers.
|
|
Aardvard Factotum's mind now ran up and down the halls of Dargon
|
|
Keep. He entered the chamber of Griswald Brutsam, a
|
|
physician-sorcerer in the employ of Lord Dargon. Most potentates
|
|
kept court physician-sorcerers to ward off bad food and bad spells.
|
|
Clifton Dargon was no fool and, hence, no exception. And Griswald
|
|
was one of the best.
|
|
Someone else was in the room with Griswald. Normally, Aardvard
|
|
wouldn't have known who this man was, but his instinct said that it
|
|
was Lek Pyle, a leading shipping merchant from Baranur. Neither
|
|
Griswald nor Lek took notice of Factotum's entrance, though Griswald
|
|
did shift his eyes about as if he was about to impart something
|
|
important to the other visitor. Anything that Griswald had to say,
|
|
particularly to one of Baranur's leading merchants, was worth
|
|
listening in on. Aardvard decided to eavesdrop.
|
|
Griswald talked about Captain Markus and the return to port of
|
|
the Singing Mermaid. The Mermaid had gone further east than any
|
|
Baranur ship -- and it had managed to return.
|
|
"I know Lord Dargon's will in the matter of sending an army
|
|
against the island of Bichu," said Griswald. "He wouldn't risk it,
|
|
and I'm afraid he's also morally opposed to it. He figures that as
|
|
long as those people are already willing to trade with us, there's
|
|
no sense in fighting them. And I'm not sure I see the sense either."
|
|
"It doesn't matter what Griswald thinks of this matter," said
|
|
Lek. What's important is that Baranur has the exclusive right to
|
|
govern trade with Bichu."
|
|
"I still don't like it," rejoined Griswald, "but it looks like I
|
|
don't have any choice. Loyalty to Lord Dargon isn't worth my life."
|
|
Lek smiled a crooked grin, stood up and headed for the door.
|
|
"Still," continued Griswald, tugging absently at his ear and
|
|
rising from his seat, "I'm not sure of the best way to get Lord
|
|
Dargon out of the picture."
|
|
If the disembodied mind that was Factotum's could have choked at
|
|
this moment, it would have. "By the great gods!" thought Factotum.
|
|
"They're talking of assassination! I've got to go warn somebody..."
|
|
While Factotum watched mutely -- at least mutely as far as Lek
|
|
and Griswald were concerned -- both men quietly walked out of the
|
|
room and headed down the hall toward the stairs.
|
|
But when Aardvard Factotum tried to follow, he couldn't move. He
|
|
felt like a man trying to escape a nightmare beast; if he'd had
|
|
knees, they'd have turned to rubber right now. No, actually, the
|
|
feeling was more like standing in muck up to your chin, and knowing
|
|
that it was going to get higher. Aardvard felt the same sort of
|
|
panic that men felt when they were about to die, that is, his mind
|
|
seized up and refused to work. It was a sinking feeling.
|
|
-Roman (Mr. Fish) Olynyk <VM0BA9 @ WVNVM>
|
|
|
|
<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
|
|
|