Tales from the Windswept Peaks: Sight

Smoke swirls around a fire with meat roasting above it. A young girl sitting upon the lap of a shaman wearing beaded leathers asks, “Where does your glowing light come from?” as she points at a small sphere of light circling around his head. With a smile, he replies to her.

“The Dwarves long ago taught us this secret of the star-stones. Perhaps they can tell you more of it.” He then half-turns towards a stout figure who has appeared at the edge of the camp. Only the glint of the firelight off the figure’s eyes is visible.

A deep voice issues from the figure, “Indeed… it be the dark sight, also known as the ‘Mikrik Sokis’ in the tongue o’ my people. I ken be tellin’ you tha lore o’ it right enough.” He then steps closer into the firelight, drawing his hood back to reveal his brown hair and long braided beard. Sitting before the fire, he tears free a piece of meat from the spit then reaches into his pack and tosses a peach to the young girl before gesturing her closer.

She walks over, unafraid, and settles down in his lap. With a chuckle he eats the piece of meat before gazing into the sky and pointing at blazing white star upon the northern horizon. “Long ago, Kertigen crafted a fantastic topaz, as clear as a diamond. It was so brilliant that the light of his forge was caught and purified from its ruddy glare to a bright yellow light. There it glowed for many a year, absorbing and casting out the light.”

“One day, he decided to see what else this gem could do. So he took it out into the skies, and let it absorb the sun’s light. He then returned to his forge and forgot about it. That eve, he heard a commotion and stepped outside to see what it could be. To his surprise, the gem was floating above the ground, and glowing as pure a white as Berengaria’s soul. However, its light soon faded.”

“Pondering this, Kertigen returned to his forge, where he crafted a marvelous silver chain and a peg of gold so pure it was white. He then returned to the gem, only to find that Katamaba’s shadow had caused them gem to go completely black. Muttering, he set aside the chain and peg and went to bed.”

“Well, he had hardly put his head down upon his pillow, before one of his ravens let out a mighty ruckus. Cursing, he stepped outside to see the topaz clutched in its beak, but the raven could not let go. With a swift movement, Kertigen’s hand flashed out and snatched the darkened stone from its beak. As he held it out to the side the light of Xibar and Yavash flowed into the gem, combining to produce a pure light white, similar to what happened when the sun’s rays struck it.”

The girl grins widely at this, her chin covered in juice from the peach.

“Not wanting to lose the light, he quickly took up the peg and chain, and flew into the heavens. There, along the northern horizon he attached the gem. However, he placed to so high in his joy at finding the light again, that it is only visible during the nights after the sun has been long and high in the sky.” The dwarf’s voice fades as he finishes the tale, winking at the shaman.

Frowning, the girl looks up at the dwarf, “But you didn’t say how the stone thing makes light!”

“Right you are lass.” He then chuckles heartily, “Jest makin’ sure you be payin’ attention.”

“Now, long ago in the ancient dwarven fortress of High Hold, dwarves mined the mountains for their wealth, using torches to light the way. In a peaceful time between conflicts, some degree of trade occurred between the Albarians in the distant south, and my peoples in the Hiimarhand Shel. Through this they came into contact with several astrologers who taught them new techniques for scribing astrological symbols onto items.”

“One day, a promising young dwarf, recalled the story of the topaz, and embarked upon the task of seeing if she could replicate to some extent what Kertigen had done. This was not in pride, but in honor to what he had done. The task took her the lifetimes of many humans to complete, some two hundred years.”

“However, it resulted in a topaz that could shed light in dark places, created almost entirely in the same manner as Kertigen’s accidental creation had done. First, a suitable topaz was selected and prepared. Then the symbol of the Shardstar was scribed upon it, allowing it to change light like Kertigen’s gem had. Then it had the sigil of the sun scribed upon it then empowered with magic so it could absorb and hold light. A mage then focuses light into the gem until it is so full of energy that not one more iota can be poured into it.”

“Finally, in order to seal the light in, the dark moon is scribed upon the gem and sealed into place. This then holds the light until it is ready to be used. When the user is ready, they merely have to raise the sokis into the air, and the bindings of Katamba fill fade, allowing the light to pour out. The gem will then follow whoever raised it until its energies are snuffed and the gem fails, the light spent.”

Looking down, the girl has fallen asleep. With a gentle smile, the dwarf picks her up and carries her to a tent where he settles her amongst the furs. Returning to the shaman, he nods before resting a hand upon his shoulder and walking back into the night.