Chapter 3
At the abbey, there was a council of war going on in Cavern Hole. There was a big discussion about what to do if the vermin horde should attack again. One of the creatures in attendance, a mouse, stood up to address the others. "Friends, we must prepare to face another onslaught from the vermin horde lest they attack again. I suggest that we post more sentries on the walls, and train even harder!"
This was followed by cheers from all those in attendance. Then the abbess raised a paw, knowing that she'd have her say, "Right, I say that this is a good idea. Meanwhile I will help with the infirmary and work on other things when I have the time. I hope that these vermin will retire and leave our abbey alone, but I'm also worried about that creature they kidnapped during the last battle. It's not known whether this creature is alive or not, but find it and bring it here! I have some questions to ask it when it gets here."
There was a quick curtsy by all those in attendance, and then they slowly filled out of Cavern Hole. Abbess Birch called Oak to her personal chamber after the meeting was over. Oak came in after knocking on her door. The abbess motioned for him to come over to her desk, where she was looking through some of the old records, and looking at the strange book, while she was doing this, she was scribbling something down on a piece of parchment. Noticing her friend she motioned for him to sit down. Oak did so, watching her as he did so. After awhile he decided that he just needed to know what he was called in for. Birch replied with an air of relevance, "I called you here because you are well versed in this abbey's history."
The otter gatekeeper suddenly brightened up, glad to be of use somewhere other than at the gatehouse. "I am mother abbess. Is there anything I can help ye with?"
The abbess replied, never looking up from what she was working on. "Yes, in fact, there is something you could help me with. Do you know of the records from before Trisscar Swordmaid came to our abbey?"
The gatekeeper nodded. The abbess smiled warmly. "Good! I'll need them. It's important that you get those records for me. I need them to translate something I found in this weird book."
The gatekeeper looked over Birch's shoulder, at the weird writing she was copying from the book. Then nodded. "Aye, I know exactly which records to get know that I know what you're looking for. I'll be back in no time!" And with that, Oak went off to find the records in his gatehouse.
About ten minutes later Oak returned with the required records. After giving them to Birch and stood behind her, watching what she was going to do next. Noticing the strange symbols in the book, Oak couldn't resist flexing out his knowledge a bit more. "Um, abbess, it looks to me as if the writing in the book is in two different languages." The abbess nodded, and Oak continued. "One looks like its ancient Riftguard, but the other, I don't know. What could it be?"
The abbess looked up from her studies at her friend. "It seems to be a language that only that strange creature knows. But here, on this page of this book, is a translation of the Riftguard alphabet, and what the letters mean in its language. Pretty soon, I'll get this book translated in its entirety. But guess what?" "What?" said the otter. "This book, it's called Triss!"
At the abbey, there was a council of war going on in Cavern Hole. There was a big discussion about what to do if the vermin horde should attack again. One of the creatures in attendance, a mouse, stood up to address the others. "Friends, we must prepare to face another onslaught from the vermin horde lest they attack again. I suggest that we post more sentries on the walls, and train even harder!"
This was followed by cheers from all those in attendance. Then the abbess raised a paw, knowing that she'd have her say, "Right, I say that this is a good idea. Meanwhile I will help with the infirmary and work on other things when I have the time. I hope that these vermin will retire and leave our abbey alone, but I'm also worried about that creature they kidnapped during the last battle. It's not known whether this creature is alive or not, but find it and bring it here! I have some questions to ask it when it gets here."
There was a quick curtsy by all those in attendance, and then they slowly filled out of Cavern Hole. Abbess Birch called Oak to her personal chamber after the meeting was over. Oak came in after knocking on her door. The abbess motioned for him to come over to her desk, where she was looking through some of the old records, and looking at the strange book, while she was doing this, she was scribbling something down on a piece of parchment. Noticing her friend she motioned for him to sit down. Oak did so, watching her as he did so. After awhile he decided that he just needed to know what he was called in for. Birch replied with an air of relevance, "I called you here because you are well versed in this abbey's history."
The otter gatekeeper suddenly brightened up, glad to be of use somewhere other than at the gatehouse. "I am mother abbess. Is there anything I can help ye with?"
The abbess replied, never looking up from what she was working on. "Yes, in fact, there is something you could help me with. Do you know of the records from before Trisscar Swordmaid came to our abbey?"
The gatekeeper nodded. The abbess smiled warmly. "Good! I'll need them. It's important that you get those records for me. I need them to translate something I found in this weird book."
The gatekeeper looked over Birch's shoulder, at the weird writing she was copying from the book. Then nodded. "Aye, I know exactly which records to get know that I know what you're looking for. I'll be back in no time!" And with that, Oak went off to find the records in his gatehouse.
About ten minutes later Oak returned with the required records. After giving them to Birch and stood behind her, watching what she was going to do next. Noticing the strange symbols in the book, Oak couldn't resist flexing out his knowledge a bit more. "Um, abbess, it looks to me as if the writing in the book is in two different languages." The abbess nodded, and Oak continued. "One looks like its ancient Riftguard, but the other, I don't know. What could it be?"
The abbess looked up from her studies at her friend. "It seems to be a language that only that strange creature knows. But here, on this page of this book, is a translation of the Riftguard alphabet, and what the letters mean in its language. Pretty soon, I'll get this book translated in its entirety. But guess what?" "What?" said the otter. "This book, it's called Triss!"