Elfsong - Elaine Cunningham [67]
Wyn and Danilo exchanged puzzled glances. "Unriddling can be yet another form of magic," Vartain informed them "Solve the riddle, and you will very likely unseal the scroll."
"By all means," the Harper urged him. The answer," Vartain said without hesitation, "is the letter E."
Even as the riddlemaster spoke, the wax dissolved into red mist and disappeared. Vartain unrolled the scroll. After a moment's study, he laid it out before the Harper.
The scroll contained only a few lines, written in the Common trade language. Danilo scanned the words. "This seems to be a single stanza of an unrhymed tale or ballad," the Harper noted. "The meter has a definite pattern. I have absolutely no idea what the words mean."
"The meaning has been carefully obscured," Vartain said. "These lines contain several small riddles, woven warp and weft like a cloth. If I am not mistaken, this verse is but a part of the entire puzzle." He read aloud several of the lines:
"First of seven now begins: Tread anew the forgotten path. Silent strings send out silvery webs To the music all will bend."
The riddlemaster stopped and looked up from the scroll. "The phrase 'first of seven' suggests that this stanza is but a part of a larger puzzle. 'Silent strings' is, I believe, another way of referring to a Harper pin, is it not?"
"Yes." Danilo agreed quietly. "That is not widely known."
"Indeed. I would therefore surmise that the author of thisis either a scholar, such as myself, or more likely a Harper. Or perhaps both, although that combination is exceedingly rare."
"No offense intended, of course," Morgalla said pleasantly.
Theriddlemaster pointed to the third line of text and continued with his explanation, showing a remarkable immunity to sarcasm. "Magic is oft referred to as a weave or a web. Perhaps the author is also a mage of some sort."
Danilo reclaimed the scroll and rolled it up. "I agree. I'm taking this to Khelben Arunsun at once, so that he can trace the spellcaster. Wyn, Morgalla, let's be off."
"'The horses need rest" the dwarf pointed out "and it's a mite far to walk."
The Harper touched a plain silver ring on his left hand. "This can magically transport up to three people and their mounts-quickly and painlessly, I assure you-to the courtyard of Blackstaff Tower."
Morgalla blanched. "Did I say it was too far to walk?"
"Take ease, dwarf. You're not leaving yet." Elaith's cold voice cut short Morgalla's protest.
Danilo turned, recoiling at the sight of the armed and ready mercenaries who had formed a close ring around them. Firelight glinted from their bared weapons. The Harper stood and confronted the grim-faced moon elf. "What is this about?"
"You and I had an agreement" Elaith said. "Until the end of the search, we are partners and will work together."
"But my search is complete; we have the scroll we sought."
"Maybe so. But our original agreement was that I would get a share of the dragon's hoard. According to Vartain, the author of that scroll possesses the treasure I seek."
"How do you come to that conclusion?" Wyn demanded.
"I think I can tell you that" Dan said slowly. "When we challenged Grimnosh, Vartain requested that the dragon turn over an elven artifact he'd taken from Taskerleigh. Grimnosh said that he'd already traded the item 'for a song,' and commented that we were the first to respond to it. Vartain has evidently concluded that the song the dragon mentioned was the Ballad of Grimnoshtadrano,the one that brought us to the High Forest. Since this ballad first appeared after the Silverymoon Spring Faire, I assume it was the handiwork of the spellcaster we seek."
"That is the logic behind my assumption," Vartain agreed.
"Obviously," Danilo continued, nodding toward Elaith, "our well-armed partner here does not wish us to take the scroll to Waterdeep. If Khelben tracks down the spellcaster, Elaith would not be likely to retrieve this mysterious treasure. He no doubt wishes to find the spellcaster himself." Danilo turned to the