Beneath

The D’ni guarded their secrets well, despite them being gone and us having free reign of the cavern itself it has still proven difficult to find the information I have been seeking. It is only a matter of time before the supplies of Korteenea and ink run out, as I have mentioned numerous times. If we are to rebuild D’ni, if we are to Write new Ages we are going to need a supply of both. It has taken me years of researching of searching through any snippets of information I could find. Thankfully with the DRC releasing their backlog of Age projects to us my research took a huge leap forward. Finally after all this time, after the last few months of test after test I have succeeded in manufacturing my own supply of ink. But not only that but one of the Ages from the DRC archives has allowed me to take a good look at the formation of blank Books and I am convinced that I will be able to duplicate the process.

I have more tests to run with the Korteenea but it shouldn’t be much longer now. Now the question is, what do I do with this information?

I have been pondering the problem of Linking Book security in Fahets for some time. Originally I had left the Books out in the open but when I discovered that the Age held a native population I felt it prudent to secure the Books somehow.

At first I had debated a mechanism akin to the descriptions of Riven, the Fifth Age. A dome to protect the Books, as I drew up some ideas the more complicated the security system became. Instead of just a dome perhaps something that rises out of the ground? With some assistance we even managed to build one in the initial area of Fahets and as beautiful as it is I realized it is needlessly complicated.

Certainly I approve of the idea of something being hidden from view to distract from unwanted attention but it doesn’t need to be as vast as what we built in Fahets. This concept is further confounded by the mechanism to unlock said Book, we don’t want something that the natives can stumble upon by messing with it.
Then it came to me, why not tie the mechanism into the KI? KI’s are frankly hard to come across if you’re not in the cavern with access to Gahreesen so they would serve as a good locking mechanism.
Sophie and I spent several days pondering ideas and concepts and finally came up with what I call the KIstone, a nice play on words I think. Set within the Age the KIstone can look relatively unassuming but with the customary KI slot we are familiar with so that myself or others who visit the Age can place their hands in it and unlock the Book.

This weekend we plan on heading to Fahets to change the “Tokorlesa” (Sealed Book Place for lack of a better name) and construct the new mechanism and KIstone. If it goes well I shall implement the same on other Ages.

It’s been difficult juggling the various projects and studies I have on the go. I’m still sifting through all the information and Ages the DRC sent us trying to make sense of it all and compile various documents that will be required when the Ages are opened to the public.

I have managed to locate specimens of the beetles the D’ni used for the ink making process on one of the Ages passed over to our group. These specimens have been rehoused on Fahets in an enclosed environment as I do not wish to introduce a foreign entity into the Fahets wilderness as it could be disastrous. If I have learned anything from past issues it is that the Ages are about balance and harmony, it does not take much to cause disruption.
Sadly my luck with Korteenea and the properties that make up the books has not been so successful. There are still Ages to visit and perhaps I will find the answers I seek there.

Pirahnay… I just…wow…
We’ve been working on this Age, exploring it for months now…but this…

This explains Fehnir’s House. Why…how did I not piece this together sooner?

There must be more of them in the cavern.

I yearn to explain the discoveries we’ve made on this Age but I can’t, I shouldn’t. The others should learn for themselves they should have the satisfaction of it. I want to find others…