Trek to Kraggen-Cor

by McKiernan, Dennis L. , 1932-

  Durek held up his hand, and when silence fell he said to Pern- and Cotton, "You have each been named Chdk-Sol before the Council of Captains. So it was said; so shall it be." And Durek called a herald to the Council circle and proclaimed, "Let all the Host know that henceforth Peregrin Fairhill and Cotton Buckleburr, Waerans of the Boskydells, are each Chdk-Sol. 1, Durek, King of the Host, declare it so."

  Again the Council circle was filled with a low murmur, with the somber Dwarvish scowls of most Captains being replaced by brief smiles and curt nods to the \arrows. Though neither Perry nor Cotton knew it, to be named Dwarf-Fnend was a signal honor shared by a rare few in past ages, and it was tantamount to being adopted as Dwarf-kith. It meant that the \arrows were privy to the secrets, councils, and counsels of all Dwarves of Durek's Kin.

  Again Durek held up his hand for quiet; then he spoke to Perry: "Our campaign ahead is filled with many unknowns, but you can bring light into much of this darkness, for you have the knowledge of the last trek through lost Kraggen-cor Only those of you who journeyed from the Boskydells have heard the full account of the Deevewalkers' flight through the caverns, none of the rest of us here know other than fragments of that tale. Tell us of the journev through the Chakkaholt of our ancestors, and then tell of the Brega Path."

  Pern had not known that he would be speaking before the assembly, but

  though he was taken by surprise, he was undaunted, for he had narrated that tale to Bosky folk many times and knew it well. Perry started at the point where the Four had failed in their attempt to cross the Quadran at Mount Coron, known as Ravenor by the Dwarves and Stormhelm by Men; and Perry's tale ended with the escape of the Deevewalkers onto the Pitch. Though he told it from memory, it was nearly as accurate as if he had been reading it from The Raven Book itself. The Dwarves sat enthralled, for Perry was a natural storyteller: they growled at mention of the Warder in the Dark Mere; and bitterly shook their heads at the blocking of Dusk-Door; they grunted at each mention of some legendary feature of Kraggen-cor; and cast hoods over their heads at the telling of the finding of Braggi's Stand; they groaned at the collapse of the Gravenarch; and scowled at the naming of the Gargon; and muttered at the burning of the bridge over the Great Deep.

  After telling of the flight of the survivors onto the Pitch, Perry spoke on the important meeting between Tuckerby and Brega, and the recording of the Brega Scroll. Cotton had fetched Perry's pack from the nearby campsite, and from it Perry took copies of the Scroll out of a waterproof pouch; they had been wrapped around a section of broomstick and tied with a- ribbon; each copy was made on fine linen paper, and all of them together took up little space. Perry passed one copy to Durek, and the others to the Captains, and Borin assured the Council of the accuracy of the duplicates. They all studied the scrolls carefully, those in the back rows peering over the shoulders of those in front. The scrolls were passed from Captain to Captain til all had seen Brega's record.

  Then Perry again addressed the Council: "The Brega Path is long and complex, being some six and forty miles from Dusk-Door to Dawn-Gate, with thousands of places to go wrong." Agreement muttered throughout the circle. "But I am prepared to guide you through, for I know the Brega Path by heart. It seems to me, however, that you will be able to plan the War more easily by seeing an overall picture of the Brega Path." And Perry again rummaged in his pack and then drew forth another paper. "This map is only my crude representation of that tortuous path and leaves out much, in fact most, of the detail of Brega's instructions, but it may be of aid in planning our strategy." And Perry passed the sketch to Durek.

  Durek eagerly accepted the drawing and studied it long and hard, and then passed it to the Captains, who also scanned it carefully. A low swell of commentary rose up among the Dwarves as the map slowly made its way around the Council circle.

  Neither Anval nor Borin nor Kian had seen this map til now. Perry had only remembered it the evening he had been tested by Anval and Borin, and the buccan had brought it along only as an afterthought. In truth he had not thought that the map was very useful, for it contained only the broadest detail of the Brega Scroll, and Perry had made it only to amuse himself some time after he had discovered the Scroll. But he could see that here, in the

  Council of Captains, the map could be of some use in planning the broad strategy of the coming campaign; and so, what originally had been a scholar's diversion became an important tool in the planning of a War.

  The Sun moved slowly down the sky while all in turn looked on this unique chart, studying it with care, seeing for the first time a plan showing some of the arrangement of the halls and chambers of mighty Kraggen-cor. After a long while the map came full circle back to lie before Durek alongside the copies of Brega's complex instructions. Durek held up his hand and gradually the babble died down.

  "Now we have all heard the full tale and have seen the record of Brega, Bekki's son, and have looked upon the map of Friend Perry. Are there questions on these or upon the tale of the Four Who Strode Kraggen-cor, or upon Lord Kian's account? For on this evidence we must base our strategy."

  To Durek's right, up stood a red-bearded Dwarf: Barak Hammerhand, doormaker and Gatemaster, Mastercrafter of the secret stone doorways and Dwarf portals into the mountain strongholds, one of Durek's Chief Captains. "Friend Perry, was the Dusken Door destroyed by the Monster of the Mere?" His question brought grunts of approval from the assembly, for it was a crucial point: if the Army was to invade by the western door, they must pass through the portal, and its condition would count heavily in any plan.

  Perry answered: "The Raven Book says only that the creature had enormous strength and wrenched at the doors; Brega closed them and guessed from the sounds he heard that the Krakenward had torn down the great flanking pillars, and that the edifice collapsed, blocking the Door. They could all hear thunderous booming, as if the Monster were hurling great rocks against the Loom. In any event, the portal would not reopen, though when Brega attempted it, the doors seemed to tremble as if trying; on the other hand, the doors could have been trembling from the impact of stone being hurled by the Krakenward. Hence, the Door either may be blocked, or broken, or both. No one to my knowledge has actually seen the portal since that time, so I know not whether it can be reopened."

  Barak was still standing at the end of Perry's answer, and again Durek nodded at the Gatemaster. "Friend Perry," Barak spoke up, "say again what your Raven Book tells us of the Great Deop at the eastern gate." Once more Barak's question brought forth a low mutter of comment, for the state of that entrance would bear heavily in any invasion plan. Barak had put his finger on the two most critical points.

  "The gulf is virtually bottomless," answered Perry, "and at least fifty feet across. The only span, the drawbridge, was destroyed—burned—and fell into the depths, leaving no way to pass over."

  Barak sat down and a white-bearded Dwarf across the circle stood. It was Turin Stonesplitter, Minemaster, delf shaper, chief of the tunnelmakers. "I also have two questions: Does the Krakenward still live? What know we of the foul Grg numbers now in stolen Kraggen-cor?"

  Again Perry spoke: "As to your first question, I do not know if the Dusk-Door is still warded by the creature, for the Raven Book says nothing more of it. And since we are not certain of the Monster's origins, we have little to go on, little that might indicate its subsequent fate. Yet this we know: Gildor said that five hundred years before the Winter War, the Lian Guardians for weeks watched two mighty Trolls mine great stone slabs from the top of the Loom and cast them down into the vale below. And the Ogrus used these slabs to dam up the Duskrill, and slowly a black lake came into being.

  "And when the Dark Mere had formed behind the Troll-dam, the Dragon Skail winged through the dark night, bearing a writhing burden, and dropped it in the old Gatemoat at the Dusk-Door. We now know that it was the Krakenward, a creature of power; but though the Krakenward had power, and the Dragon had power, just think of the hideously overwhelming force Modru need have wielde
d to cause such an evil thing to occur! Yet occur it did.

  "The next day the Elves saw that the Dusk-Door had been sealed shut, by Spaunen hand, for now the Dark Mere with its Monster warded the west entrance.

  "It was only after the Monster's attack upon the four Deevewalkers that Gildor pieced together all of the story, deducing that it was Modru's handiwork, preparing for the coming of the Winter War— five hundred years in advance. . . . Nay! more than a thousand years, for the Evil One had previously used his art to have the Gargon set free long before! For you see, Drimmen-deeve was to be the fortress from which would be launched Modru's conquest of Darda Galion.

  "Yet I stray from your question: whence came the Monster of the Dark Mere, none can say, though Gildor did guess that it was a Helarms from the Great Maelstrom in the Boreal Sea."

  Helarms? Maelstrom? A muttering again swelled up around the Council circle, but slowly subsided as Durek held up a hand for silence and Perry continued: "But as for now, the creature may still live and be in the lake, or may live elsewhere, or it may have perished with the lifting of the Dim-mendark. I cannot say."

  Lord Kian answered Turin's second question: "Little is known of the number of Spaunen dwelling in Drimmen-deeve, but there must be many, for the raids are frequent and in force. The captured Rukh questioned by King Darion said that his people were as numberless as the midges of the Great Swamp—the Gwasp—but that claim may have been spurred by false bravado to put fear into our hearts. The Rukh also spoke of Trolls in Drimmen-deeve, but that, too, may be a falsehood."

  At the naming of Ogrus, fell looks came over the faces of the Captains, for they knew that the presence of these dire creatures would seriously affect the outcome of any battle. The Captains spoke in low, hushed voices at this revelation; many grimly fingered their axes. After a while Durek again held

  up his hand for silence. "War not with the Trolls until they stand before you, for to do otherwise is to battle with phantoms of rumor."

  Brytta of Valon then spoke up: "I know not how to deal with Ogrus, but spies and ambushes along the way are my concern: what of the lands between here and the Black Hole; do enemies lurk therein?"

  "As to that, I cannot say for certain," answered Lord Kian. "Trie Yrm raid east and south of the Pitch, along the rivers Rothro and Quadrill and Cel-lener to the banks of the Argon; they ravage my countrymen's holts in that southwest limit of Riamon, and raid beyond the River Nith and down the Great Escarpment into the camps and settlements of the North Reach in your Land of Valon, Brytta, as you well know, for it is your demesne they despoil.

  "Yet I think the Spawn are not north of Darda Galion—the Larkenwald— for the land twixt here and there is nearly deserted, thus empty of plunder; and so, if we journey down this eastern side of the Grimwall Mountains, perhaps we will be unobserved and safe until we are nigh upon the Pitch, where we must at last encounter the Yrm raiders and patrols.

  "As to the west side of the range, Spaunen may have crossed through Quadran Gap—yet we have no news of ravers in the Land of Rell, for that realm, too, is nearly abandoned, and Yrm would find little to carry back to Gnar's coffers. Hence, I think they come not down the western slopes, and should we march through the Crestan Pass and down that side of the mountains, we should reach unseen the very Doors of Dusk, the western gate.

  "Even so, Brytta, by either route your scouts must ever be on the alert for signs of Spawn passage or spying eyes or ambush—even here in the north, especially in and near the mountains—for we know not for certain how far this canker has spread."

  Again there was a mutter of agreement within the circle, and Durek let it run its course. Then he asked, "Are there other questions concerning the Raven Book, the Brega Path, or King Darion's information? No? Then let us consider our courses of action."

  In the hours that followed much was said and many clever and not-so-clever courses were proposed, examined, and accepted or rejected. Often the map was referred to, and many actions were proffered based on distances between chambers and the sizes of halls. Nearly all was debated, and the Sun sank low and disappeared. A fire was kindled and still the deliberations continued. Many plans and counterplans were settled on, all depending upon the way the Host entered Kraggen-cor and the numbers and kinds of enemy encountered. Finally Durek rose to speak:

  "We have before us two strike-plans which seem sound, but both abound with unknown risks, and by these risks may fail:

  "First, we can invade by the eastern Daun Gate and try to cross over the bottomless gulf. The thieving Grg must now have some sort of bridge over

  the chasm, for they issue in force from the Daun Gate and withdraw through that same portal, and thus must have a way of passing over the Great Deop. But it is certain that this bridge is constructed to foil invaders: perchance it is a drawbridge; for aught one knows it could be a span set to fall if the Squam vermin take certain actions. So we cannot count on capturing this overcross-ing. Hence, to attack through this entrance we need construct invasion bridges of great span—mayhap building them in Blackwood—and haul them through the Daun Gate and to the Deop. This portal is certain to be heavily guarded, and Grg parties crawl all over the land betwixt Kraggen-cor and the Argon River—to launch an unexpected attack this way is unlikely. Aye, we can expect the entire Squam army to be waiting for us on the far side of the gulf; and to cross that rift in the teeth of a prepared enemy will be hard— perchance impossible—for no assailing force has ever won across the Great Deop in a War, though many have tried.

  "Our second course is to invade by the western Dusken Door. Here, mayhap there is a huge creature of great strength barring the way. And perchance the portal itself is buried under tons of rock. The very gates may be broken and no longer act—and Barak believes that such gates -can be repaired only from the inside. Yet the chambers and passageways at that end are likely unguarded; and if we can gain entry through the western doors, we will take Gnar and all of his forces unaware. Our chances for success are much higher—if we can get in."

  Durek stood in thought for a while, and silence reigned in the ring. All the Council waited. Cotton thought, It's as plain as a pikestaff. The only sure way to get in is through the Dawn-Gate and over the gulf — but not if the Spawn army is there; and the only safe way to get in is past the Dark Mere and through Dusk-Door — but not if the Krakenward is there, and only if the door can be opened.

  At last Durek spoke: 'This, then, I choose: we shall go by the Dusken Door." At these words, pent breaths were released; many in the Council relaxed: Durek had made his choice. The Dwarf King spoke on: "If we cannot get by the Warder, if it still lives and is there, or if we cannot open the doors, mayhap we can fare over the Quadran Gap and down the Quadran Run and invade by Daun Gate—though I deem that snow will have barred that way across the Mountains. If the Gap is closed, then we must march south, through Gunar Slot and the Gunarring Gap, passing near the Red Hills, where we may winter. If so, then we launch our Daun Gate invasion in the spring. Yet it is too soon to speak of failure, for we know not what awaits us at the Dusken Door." Durek then fell silent.

  Anval had spoken little for most of the council, only grunting now and again his approval or disapproval as the plans had been put forth. He had listened to Durek's decision, and he knew as well as all the others that success hinged upon whether or not the portals at the Dusken Door could be opened. If they were damaged, then repairs could be made only from the

  inside. When Durek fell silent, Anval stood and was recognized. "King Durek, that we can defeat a monster warding the Dusken Door, I do not doubt. And a Chakka army can clear tons of rubble with ease. But, as has been said here, if the doors do not open, then breaking them down or delving a new tunnel will cause enough sound to echo through the passages to alert the Grg forces, and they simply will pull the hidden linchpins—if the Squam have discovered that secret—and collapse the old tunnels, or at least delve and collapse them; and we will have to dig up an entire Mountain to get in: years of effor
t. Though we could then come at the eastern gate, all surprise would have been lost and the way well defended; and if we attack into an alerted enemy, it will be into their strength, and we will suffer high losses— perhaps too high. We could lay siege, but again that would take years of effort. Hence, what we need is a way to make certain that we can open the western doors; and for that I have a plan which, though it does not guarantee success, will give us a good chance at it:

  "What I now propose is that a small sneak force slip through the Daun Gate and follow the Brega Path backwards to the Dusken Door. A small force of no more than six or eight has a chance to reach the east entrance unseen and then pass undetected through the Mines and gain the western doors without alerting the Squam. Even if alerted, the foul usurpers would not connect the presence of such a small force to an impending invasion. But if undetected, we could put a crafter of Barak's skill at the Dusken Door, on the inside, to repair any damage and ensure that the doors will open to let the Army within. The gamble is great, but the stakes are high; yet he who dares, wins." And with these words, Anval sat back down.

  A rising tide of agreement swelled throughout the circle of Captains: Brytta approved of this planned swift stroke, for it suited his bold spirit to cleave straight through the core of the enemy; Kian and Rand saw it as a brilliant yet dangerous strategy to tip Fortune's scales in their favor; the Chakka agreed, for it was an unexpected masterstroke to surprise and whelm an ancient, hated enemy; even the Warrows admired its Dwarvish nature: bold, clever, perilous, secret. But Durek cut through to the heart of the plan and found waiting there the sharp-pointed horns of yet another dilemma— and Perry was deeply shaken by Durek's next words: "Well thought, Anval— but here is the rub of it: to succeed in this assay, Friend Perry would need guide you through the Mines along the Brega Path; and if he were delayed, captured, or slain, then there would be no guide for the Army if the Dusken Door is unbroken and we enter. Yet if the portal is broken, then you are right: to put Barak at the inside of the doors would all but assure victory." Durek then fell into deep thought, balancing the alternatives.