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〃Yes。 When you were only a toddler。 She said she had carried you unchanging； and nursed you； unchanging； all those long months never changing； so that you would have something real to know and love。 But the time had e for you to be schooled； and she preferred for some reason not to do that among Shifters。 I never knew exactly why； except that she felt you would learn more and be safer here。 So； she brought you here to me； in Mertyn's House； and I lied to everyone。 I said you were Festival…get I'd found wrapped in a blanket on the doorstep。 Then I tried never to think about you when there were Demons about。〃
〃And I never knew。 No one ever knew。〃
〃No。 I was a good liar。 But not a good Gamesman。 I couldn't keep you away from Mandor。〃
〃He beguiled me；〃 I mused。 〃Why me？ There were smarter boys； better…looking boys。〃
〃He was clever。 Perhaps he noticed something； some little indication of our relationship。 Well。 It doesn't matter now。 You're past all that。 Mandor is shut up in Bannerwell； and you want to find Mavin Manyshaped。 It will be difficult。 You'll have to go alone。〃
I had not considered that。 I had assumed Chance would go with me wherever I went。
〃No； you can't take Chance。 Mavin may make it somewhat easier for you to find her； but she will not trust anyone else。 Here；〃 he said and handed me a fold of parchment。 〃I've written out the directions。〃
Periplus of a city which fears the unborn。
Hear of a stupration incorporeal。
In that place a garment defiled
and an eyeless Seer。
Ask him the name of the place from which he came
and the way from it。
Go not that way。
Befriend the shadows and beware of friends。
Walk on fire but do not swim in water。
Seek Out sent…far's monument； but do not look upon it。
In looking away； find me。
〃It makes no sense；〃 I cried； outraged。 〃No sense at all！〃
〃Go to Havajor Dike；〃 he said soothingly。 〃Then north from there。 She would not have made the directions too difficult for either of us； Peter。 She does not want to be lost forever； only very difficult to find。 You'll be able to ravel it out； line by line。 There is only one caution I must give you。〃
He waited until he saw that he had my full attention； then made his warning； several times。 〃Do not go near Pfarb Durim。 If you go to the north or northwest； do not go near that place； nor near the place they call Poffle which is； in truth； known as Hell's Maw。〃 He patted me on the shoulder； and when I asked curious questions； as he must have known I would； said； 〃It is an evil place。 It has been evil for centuries。 We thought it might change when old Blourbast was gone； but it remains evil today。 Mavin would not send you near it…simply avoid it！〃 And that was all he would say about that。
We went down into the kitchens； sat there in the warmth of that familiar place； eating grole sausage and cheese with bread warm from the baking。 It was a forting time； a sweet time； and it lasted only a little while。 For Gervaise came bustling in； his iron…tipped staff making a clatter upon the stones。
〃An Elator has e； Mertyn；〃 he cried。 〃He demands to see you at once。 He es from the Bright Demesne。。。〃
So we went up as quickly as possible to find an Elator there； one I knew well； Himaggery's trusted messenger。
〃Gamesmaster；〃 he said； 〃the Wizard Himaggery and the old Seer； Windlow； have vanished。〃
〃Vanished？〃 It was an echo of my own voice saying that word； but this time we were not talking of Shifters。 Mertyn asked again； 〃What do you mean； vanished？〃
〃They went to Windlow's rooms after the evening meal； sir； asking that wine be sent to them there。 When the steward arrived； the room was disturbed but empty。 We searched the Demesne； but they are both gone
〃Why have you e first to me？〃
〃Gamesmaster； I was told by the Wizard some time since that if anything untoward should happen； I was to e to you。〃
〃Windlow told me；〃 I cried。 〃Just before I left。 That's what he meant when he said they would need your help soon。 That word would reach you。〃
〃I warned them；〃 Mertyn grated。 〃I warned them they might be next if they went on with it。〃
〃Next？〃 The word faltered in my throat。
〃Next to disappear。 Next to vanish。 Next to be gone； as too many of our colleagues and allies now are gone。〃
〃I might have stopped it；〃 I cried。 〃Himaggery told me he needed me； but I wouldn't listen。
He shook me； took me by my shoulders and shook me as though I had been seven or eight years old。 〃This is no time for dramatics； my boy； or flights of guilt。 Be still。 Let me think。〃
So I was still； but it was a guilty stillness。 If I had been there？ If I had been willing to take up the Gamesmen of Barish and use them； use the Talents？ Would Himaggery and Windlow still be there？ I wanted to cry； but Mertyn's grip on my shoulder did not loosen； so I stood silent and blamed myself for whatever it was that had happened。
The Skip…rope Chant
Mind's mistress； moon's wheel； cobweb Didir； shadow…steel。
Mighty wing； lord of sky； lofty Tamor。 hover high。
Night…dark。 dust…old； bony Dorn； grave…cold。
Flesh…queen； love…star； lust…pale； Trandilar。
Pain's maid； broken leaf； Dealpas； heart's grief。
Cheer's face； trust's clasp； far and strong is Wafnors grasp。
Far…eyed Sorah； worshipper； many gods who never were。
Here and gone； flashing fast。 Hat？or is Trusted last。
Chilly Shattnir； power's store； calling Game forevermore。
Fire and smoke； horn and bell。 messages of Buinel。
Shifted； fetched； sent…far； trickiest is Thandbar。
When all time is past； eleven first； eleven last。
The Gamesunen of Barish； their Talents。
Grandmother Didir； First Demon。 Talent； Telepathy。
Grandfather Tamor； First Armiger。 Talent； Levitation。
Dorn； First Necromancer。 Talent； Raising of Ghosts。
Trandilar； First Ruler。 Talent； Beguilement。
Dealpas； First Healer。 Talent； Healing。
Wafnor； First Tragamor。 Talent； Telekinesis。
Sorah。 First Seer。 Talent； Clairvoyance。
Hafnor； First Elator。 Talent； Teleportation。
Shattnir； First Sorcerer。 Talent； Power storage。
Buinel； First Sentinel。 Talent； Fire starting。
Thandbar； First Shifter。 Talent； Shapeshafting。
The eleven represent the pantheon of elders； the 〃respected ones〃 of the religion of Gameworld。
NOTE： There are short verses for every Gamesman in some issues of the Index of Gamesmen； over four thousand different titles。 In some areas； skip…rope petitions are held during which young men and women attempt the recitation of the entire Index。 The last person to plete this task successfully was Minery Mindcaster； in her eighteenth year； at the petition in Hilbervale。
2。 A City Which Fears the Unborn
At the end of the short time which followed； it was Mertyn who left me； not I who left him。 I had never seen him in this kind of flurry； this Kingly bustle with all the House at his mand and no nonsense about not using Talents in a Schooltown。 He simply ordered and it was done； a horse； packing； certain books from the library； foodstuffs； two Armigers and a young Demon to acpany him。 I did nothing but get in his way； each time trying to tell him that I would go back with him to the Bright Deme