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My travels along the north bank of the Kadarin have been enlightening. What beautiful vistas! Much of the land along the river’s edge is unspoiled. Just east of the town of Glaekirk is a waterfall; how beautiful to see the spray glowing in the crimson light of the sun. The weather has been outstanding, an unusually warm spring. I have had no snow throughout the journey.
Glaekirk is one of those new industrial towns that sprung up on Darkover after the World Wreckers episode. Begun toward the end of the era of Regis Hastur, Glaekirk specializes in glass manufacturing. The Kadarin takes a gentle bend near the town and as a result, there is a large sand bank, a useful commodity in the production of glass. The major product, of course, is window glass. With so many greenhouses on Darkover and with the large amount of breakage due to the weather, replacement panes account for a large part of the industry. However, there is a thriving art glass community, and hand-etched Darkovan art glass is gradually becoming an important export item. Since the planet is metal poor, much of the trace metals have to be imported from off-world. But the rainbow of magnificent colors makes it all worth it.
The downside is the impact on the environment. Near the riverbed, where anealing ovens lie in neat rows, there are mounds of slag. The air is often thick from the smoke and fumes that accompany the high heat of the glass-making process. Still, the town is prosperous, with well-kept homes and a charming town square. I checked into a local inn and then walked along the streets in the center of town. Many shops sell local glassware, and one item caught my eye. It was a Renunciate’s earring in blue iridescent glass set in a gold hoop. I thought it would be a nice peace offering for Leisha n’ha Ursula, so I bought it and put it in my pack. If I ever see Leisha again, I will give it to her, sort of as a remembrance of the time we crossed the Hellers together.
Before supper, I visited an artist’s studio and was taken aback by what I saw. A young woman, copper-tressed, was hard at work etching glass. But her method! She was using a matrix! I engaged her in conversation and found that she was a distant relative through my MacAran line. Our great grandfathers were cousins. Her name is Marissa MacAran and she has lived in Glaekirk all her life except for a short time training at Arilinn as a girl. Her glass studio is one of the most profitable in the town, and she credits that to her ability to cut costs by using matrix science to do her etching.
I bought a few small pieces for friends. When I see Eduin Alton again, I have a set of etched green cuff buttons for him, a magnificent etched ruby glass pendant for Domna Marilla, a glass profile of a bunny’s head for Jorik, and a wrist band imbedded in multicolored etched beads for Piedro. They are all wrapped carefully and put in my travel pack. I bid my cousin goodbye and went back to the inn. Tomorrow I set out again, hoping to reach the coast of the sea by next week.
Read Entry #6: At Dalereuth Tower
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