Day one, part one.The Morgon,

The first day of their journey Mika and Bjorn crossed the sea shore to the falls at the southern edge of the sea. They camped here, in no hurry to move on, since both were tired from their long walk. Here the forest came to an abrupt end and the rocky coast line was lost in a mist of water, building rainbows across the horizon. 1

“There, ahead are the Morgon falls, Mika explained. We will descend them tomorrow early before the heat of the day, since we’ll want to be in the grass lands before that time. To be caught out on the rocky plains before the grass sea is not favored by anyone of human strength. Only the Kellon Elves do not fear the terrific heat that builds up along the rocks there.” Mika said with such assurance Bjorn knew he must have traveled this way before. And, indeed, he would learn this was the truth.2

Sleep that night was easy to come by. Mika made a stew of grain and small loper hares he’d trapped and Bjorn was surprised at how delicious the simple meal was. Mika, it turned out was a very good cook, and he heated rocks and made some flat bread with more of the grain, which he ground between two flat stones till it was rough flour. After dinner he brought out a bottle of some sort of liquor, also made of grain from the grass sea, flavored with herbs and cigars he’d rolled from plants nearby. Bjorn had never smoke before, but didn’t want to embarrass his host, so he tried a few puffs. Almost instantly, he became drowsy. Mika told him the cigars had a soothing herb which acted somewhat like a narcotic. It was true. Soon he could barely keep his eyes open. Mika built up the fire and they dropped off to sleep under a parade of brightly shining stars. All seemed to have been never better. And, that night Bjorn’s dreams were all of traveling through the grass sea and seeing many incredible things. 3

Early the next morning, he woke to find Mika had made tea and baked more bread. They had breakfast and moved on. When they came to the falls, Bjorn could hardly believe what he saw. The Morgon falls tumbled thousands of feet down the sheer face of the rock, into the ever circling mists, which totally shrouded the falls. 4

“How will we ever get down those falls, Mika?” Bjorn asked.5

“We won’t my friend.” Mika replied. “We’ll be taken down by the Morgon. And, he led the way to a cave entrance which was so cleverly hidden behind the tumbling falls Bjorn 6

knew he would never have found it himself. Mika approached the cave entrance and stopped, waving his arms about in a ritual of some sort. Twice he lifted his arms and crossed them, then swung both down and crossed them below. An odd thing happened. The rocks seemed to fall away and a wide doorway led inward. 7

“Come Bjorn, we must be hurrying along, if we are to make the grasslands by mid day.” Mika shouted over the thundering of the falls, and led the way in.8

In no time at all, the two men were before a platform and an interesting sight. Hundreds of people, from several different tribes stood about as if waiting for something. A small, gnomish looking fellow was beckoning them on to the platform. Bjorn and Mika took their place on the platform with the rest and, before he could ask, or Mika had opportunity to explain, Bjorn felt the platform begin to sink, and the edge of the cave shot above them. He realized they were in some sort of shaft which went straight down, but could not fathom how this contraption worked. 9

Looking to Mika for explanation, he received a reassuring smile and Mika related to him the story of the Morgon. 10

“This is a water elevator, Bjorn.” Mika explained. “The Morgon have long controlled the falls. They place these platforms over holes they bore into the cave floors and deep into the rock. These bore holes go all the way down to the grass sea through solid rock. They channel the water from the falls into smaller bore holes and allow the water to pass from them into this large one. When the water rises, the platform rises. When the Mogon want the platforms to descend, they simply open other doors and let the water out. By doing so they can carry large amounts of cargo and passengers up and down the cliff side.”11

Bjorn was fascinated instantly. “And, these people the Morgon, make their living this way, do we pay them? He reached for his bag of coins. 12

“Ah, there is no need Bjorn. The platform was being lowered to be refilled with cargo. The ride down is free,” Mika laughed, in his unassuming way.13

Bjorn’s excitement grew as the platform reached the bottom and he wandered about the enormous caverns where the elevator dropped them off. Here there were all manner of thing being carried up from the grass sea, by traders in huge stockpiles. Buyers and sellers bickered over prices, in this underground warehouse and the elevator operator called for more cargo to be loaded. The action had no break and as soon as they were off the platform, along with the many other riders, the warehousemen began to refill the platform for the return trip.14

“Come Bjorn, we must move along,” Mika urged him. “We can talk as we go along.”15

And Bjorn nodded, stepping in beside Mika for the tunnel out of the caves.16