We continued our exploration of the shrine of Zhethou today. There were no windows, nor would windows be necessary when the light of a Lunari filled the structure. Most of the structure, while intricately constructed, is sparsely furnished. It wasn’t until we reached the final chamber of the structure that we found something that made the entire journey thus far worthwhile.
A large table and several chairs made entirely of glass with very meticulous etchings were in the room. The furnishings alone are worth a fortune, no doubt designed and created by the finest artisans, but are worthless compared to what we discovered on the table. A map of the world, exquisitely detailed with colored paints on the whitest parchment, covered the table. There is no finer map in the entire world. Locked in this room and unseen for over three and a half millennia, it depicted the world during the time when Akmetan was a flourishing city. I was most interested in the part of the map depicting Etnyben. An intricate system of roads marked at intermittent points to show marker stones linked the various cities. Considering the number of cities marked on the map, there must be ruins all throughout Etnyben.
Elendra’Tel also noticed something of interest to her on the map. She saw the location of Lajolaine with the ruins of seven Barbidon cities throughout its core. Krista’Mil claims she always knew where the fabled Seven Cities of Lajolaine were located, but none of the rest of us even knew about the land.
Pelmarco wasn’t as intrigued about the map as the rest of us. He’s traveled throughout Etnyben much of his lifetime, although never quite this far west. The item that drew his attention was a strip of red cloth draped over a chair at the far end of the table. As he reached to touch it, a Lunari appeared in the room, blinding us with its light.
The four of us immediately bowed, although Pelmarco was somewhat slow in his old age. Zhethou welcomed us to her shrine, but said she needed to talk to Elendra’Tel and Krista’Mil in private. Pelmarco and I are now stuck outside, with the door locked. Rar should return tomorrow.