Nigel D Findley.-.Earthdawn Bk6.-.Lost Kaer by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Format: epub
Published: 2013-07-04T00:00:00+00:00

Around its complete circumference, the frame was etched with runes and magical symbols, graven in lines often no thicker than a human hair. He gasped with wonder as he stared at the symbols, tracing with his eye the complex interlacings. Astounding, he thought. It was as though the whole frame was a single intricate symbol of unbelievable complexity, yet each glyph and rune comprising it was simultaneously independent. How many artisans worked for how many years to complete this?

And what in the name of the Passions was it?

"It's magical. Strongly magical." Karena said, and Delain turned to stare at her in surprise. The dwarf had set the base of her carry-stick down, and was gazing at the metal door, while her free hand toyed with the brooch holding her cloak in place.

He blinked in puzzlement. . .then in understanding. "A charmsense brooch?" he asked, and smiled at Karena's answering nod. "I didn't know you had that."

Karena shrugged. "It's hardly everyday wear," she admitted, "but I thought it might be useful today."

"It's useful, all right," Delain turned back to the door. "What's magical, though?" he mused. "The door itself, the locks.. .or maybe the frame?"

"All of it," the dwarf shot back. "Door, frame, locks.. .even the wall itself"—she tapped her brooch—"if this is any judge."

"What form does the enchantment take?"

Karena snorted. "You're expecting a little much from a chunk of jewelry, don't you think?" she asked sarcastically.

"Then what about the symbols around the frame?"

"They're magical, that's all I can tell you. Scourge it, you're the troubadour, the one who reads all the old quaalz. You tell me what it means."

Delain let his eyes trace the circumference of the frame once more. He could recognize many of the symbols and runes—ancient Throalic script, alchemical signs for the four true elements, combined with arcane glyphs from a dozen cultures and traditions, but as to the overall meaning, he couldn't even guess.

"Set the matter of the enchantment aside for a moment," Delain said slowly, voicing his thoughts as they came into his head. "Does the structure itself mean anything to either of you?"

"It's a door," Karena pointed out in the tone of voice she might use to communicate with a particularly dim-witted child.

Delain gave a long-suffering sigh. "Besides that." He shook his head. "There's something familiar about this," he muttered after a moment, "something I've seen before.. .no, not seen, heard about, or read about. It reminds me of something..."

Karena snorted. "It reminds me of a door, that's—" Her voice cut off in mid-sentence. In the glow of the light quartz, Delain saw her gray eyes widen suddenly. "A mining caisson." The words were the softest of whispers.

"Yes." Yes, that was it, Delain realized. A dwarven mining caisson. He'd never seen one, of course—there was no need for anything like that within Kaer Moar—but some of the old Throalic tales spoke of them. "Tell me about caissons," he said.

"Mining lore." Karena was still staring wide-eyed at the door. "Very old. Not often used, but still important.

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