"You said you had a map I should see," you prompt.
"Of course," says Matthais. "Not everyone wants to hear stories of the Eight, and I respect that. I just think you should know how this place came to be. The Eight are very real, you see, and their power is evident. Follow me, and I'll show you what I mean."
Matthais gets up from his chair, and you follow him to the table at the center of the room, upon which rests a simple wooden goblet, and beside it, a small bottle, its color indistinguishable in the gloom.
"The Water of Urud," says Matthais, picking up the bottle. "The greatest discovery of the Eight, and their greatest gift to us. This is how the Dominion of the Eight came to be."
Matthais unstoppers the bottle and tilts it into the goblet. The liquid that emerges is black, and you can see that the goblet's interior is covered with dark, ring-like stains. "One who drinks enough of the Water of Urud," says Matthais, "has no need of food or drink, and does not fall prey to ill health. It is through this gift that we survive, here in the snow where nothing grows, and we must remember to be thankful for it."
Next