the Chronicles from Under the World: Chapter 10 The Office of Mappers
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 5914
|
Fred knew that if he were to succeed in this new mission he would need to
know the exact layout of the Southern Caves. He knew that they were much
larger than ever before imagined. He wondered why his father who had been
the hero of the last skirmish with the wyrm [#14] never spoke of the
caverns...he had said, and it was reported all throughout the Great
Kingdom, that he had entered into the cavern's heart and there sliced off
one toe of its mighty claw. He had returned after four months, nearly mad
from exhaustion and blood-loss. He had carried one arcane ligament and a
strange digit hanging therefrom. To this day it was enshrined in the
King's demesne. That had garnered him much fame and fortune and favor;
yet it was now his son Fred who began to doubt some of his father's grand
tales.
Indeed, Fred was amazed at where his life had taken him: he was born a nobleman, Lord Frederigo of the clan D'Honaire, and now he was King of the Southern Caves under the Mountains of the Shreken. Yet this 'kingship' would not last long if he could not control the myriad passageways of the dead dragon's realm. He had set up the Office of Mappers and called forth the DragonGuard (for they were the hardiest of the dragon's minions). He had consulted with the abundant servant-slaves and discovered that they carried tales of strange beings and monsters that lurked in ill-lighted halls and watery ways and the in the deep, deep recesses of the Caves. They had never before bothered the Dragon because the Dragon was all-powerful and ingenious. The only reason Fred was able to kill it was due to the riddle of Master Alexander d'Honaire of Bridle (his great-uncle) and luck. Fred knew this all too well. "All right you Mappers," said Fred in his most inspiring of tones. "We've heard tell of monsters and rubbish, of undead things that drink men dry and of wrapped carcasses that walk as if alive, I've been told that there are Mysts that corrode the eyes and worms that pierce through platemail; I've even heard that there is one room far below us where a Scythe is entombed in unholy splendour. And all I have to say is poppycock! We are going to map these here caverns and passageways and tunnels. We are going to find out their secrets and I can honestly tell you I don't believe for one minute that there is the mummified corpse of the Revered Dux Ba'landes hiding in wait for the unsuspecting to come barreling through. For crying out loud fellows, this is the Southern Caves not the House of Hammer! Now, don't let superstitions frighten you nor let the darkness be your terror, you all have torches and we shall be fastening spigot-rails to the earthen walls to support an entire interconnected web of light! And if you do happen across any monstrosities, well, you ARE DragonGuards! Use your steel and show your strength! Any questions?" There were none from the thirty-six guards who remained. "Good!" said Fred. "Let the mapping begin."
|
YY
11/27/1999 6:45:27 PM
21461676 episodes viewed since 9/30/2002 1:22:06 PM.