View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
Tumunzahar makes Menegroth look like a contract project. Which, the Dwarves assure her, it was. The stonework is astonishingly careful and beautiful, silky to the touch up close while from a distance it gives the impression of stretching on forever above, a sky of stone with crystals for stars. Vast natural cave systems are connected by dozens of perfectly smooth, gently sloped broad stone pathways from which the fall, if she fell, would be several miles down. There are handrails. "We use those to move materials carts," someone explains to her, "we're not going to be reckless."
There's an amphitheater, a place where a hundred of the stone walkways twine around to create space for a hundred thousand people to sit in close proximity, and someone is giving a lecture or a demonstration at the base of it, the seats closest to him filled with eager, tiny, bearded Dwarf-children.
And they spiral down, and down, and down, past waterfalls and egg-sized gemstones left half in the rock and halls of crystal. Everything grows gradually more ornate and more perfectly maintained and the clang of hammers fades behind them. "People say," her guide says, "that we only have a council instead of a single King because there were nine winners of the competition to design the throne so we couldn't just select one person to sit it." And they push open the doors to reveal, indeed, nine thrones so elaborate it would be hard to choose between them, and nine squat bearded people sitting them.
+ Show First Post
purposeful_glory
Well, I introduced them to reading, so they can write it down for later.
They are also very impulsive.
purposeful_glory
They might decide later they have a compelling reason to divert a river. Rivers eventually change course anyway; perhaps they could just ask you to put it where they want it, and then they wouldn't be tempted to try damming or anything like that?
Yes, good. If they desire to change the river they should ask me and I will evaluate whether it can be done and how to minimize harm.
I walk up and down the river from the source to the ocean.
purposeful_glory
Maybe they could put a message in a bottle? Would you notice that; do you read? Men are in a hurry all the time; they have to be, they don't live very long.
I would certainly notice someone putting a message in a bottle in my river. They had better not do it often.
I can fish Men's things out of the river once each time it freezes. More than that will be very distracting.
purposeful_glory
Okay, so up to once annually they can send you river-related requests, which you will consider?
Yes.
purposeful_glory
Thank you. Would you like to make up a name so they have something to call you other than 'river Maia'?
I will think on it. Names are very serious things.
If I agree with what they want to do I will do it.
I won't do it, and they shouldn't either.
purposeful_glory
But perhaps you could tell them what the problem is, and then they'd be able to think of other ways to get what they need and propose a revision the following year.
Talking with incarnates is very hard. You're all right. Most of them don't understand me at all.
Elves. Dwarves. Cats. Deer.
purposeful_glory
...Will you in fact be able to read the Men's language when they send messages?
Thuringwethil can, I will owe her a favor.
purposeful_glory
And when did Thuringwethil pick it up. And what kind of favor. I could try teaching you now, if you like. She was around when the written language was invented and can probably get through basic vocabulary with only intermittent Allspeak use.