Margaret Weis - The Seventh Gate

The problems of spiritual essence were not confined to the realms of rune magic alone but were also reflected in the lesser magicks of the mensch as well. The Kenkari elf practice of trapping the souls of their ancestors [17] The Hand of Chaos , vol. 5 of The Death Gate Cycle . See also Dragon Wing , vol. 1 of The Death Gate Cycle . for the enhancement of their own crude magicks touched on this spiritual world beyond. They, too, had no context in which to put their discoveries and, like both the Sartan and the Patryns, covered their ignorance with cobbled-together theory that either masked or excused the truth.

The Sundering, in the light of the knowledge we have gained since that time, was an arrogant folly of unparalleled proportions. In structuring the complex runes to sunder creation into the realms, we had supposed that the magic would be perfect in all its detail. Yet the magic was coarse even in its finest detail when it came to the Uncertainty Barrier. Its magic had no choice but to extend itself beyond that boundary and into the spiritual realms. In doing so, the Wave corrected as best it could to such a catastrophic inclusion.

Part of that correction, I believe, involved the rune structures that gave name to “Death’s Gate.” Imperfect as it was and heavily intrusive into the realms of the finer spiritual structures, the calling of Death’s Gate into reality was more apt than the original designers had supposed.

Death may well be a gate: a spiritual gate through which our finer selves pass on to other realms and other realities. Indeed, I am left to ponder if we truly exist more in that spirit state than in this physical one. Who is to say which is real and which is ephemeral?

When the Sundering opened Death’s Gate in the physical, coarse reality, I believe it closed the spiritual gate beyond the Uncertainty Barrier. Our actions not only brought suffering and horror in the physical realms but damned the souls of our countless dead as well, cutting us off from whatever higher existence we would have beyond this physical realm as well as from other spirits that may already exist in that finer place.

Yet we were not entirely cut off, for the Wave continued to correct itself. We may have upset the boat, but the waves of our foolishness subside and the pond again becomes placid and at peace.

Who or what observes the Wave in the realms beyond? Are there gods of the spirit with powers higher than our own? Were the mensch far wiser in this than we with all our power?

I believe now that there is an existence beyond the physical whose purpose we can only now guess at. It is in that realm of the spirit that the greatest power of all is found, somewhere in the correcting Wave. If there is something or someone out there beyond this life, I know I shall find it when the time is come. We have closed the physical gate; the spirit gate is now open once again.

Only in closing the gate on our prison are we now truly free.

Closing the Seventh Gate

Directions in the Labyrinth are based on the “gates,” those markers which indicate how far one has progressed through the Labyrinth. The first gate is the Vortex. The city of Abri is between the first and second gates. Since the Labyrinth’s innumerable gates are scattered around randomly, directions are based on where one is at the time in relation to the next gate.

Those familiar with the dragons of Pryan will recall that they are described as wingless. One can only guess that, like their enemies the dragon-snakes, the Pyran dragons can assume whatever form suits their needs.

Some confusion has arisen over this term. If Death’s Gate has not previously been open, how have Haplo and Alfred traveled through it? Imagine a room with seven doors leading out of it. On his first journey, Haplo opens the door from the Nexus, shuts it behind him, travels across the room to the door of Arianus, enters. The door shuts behind him. Thus he travels from one place to another, but all other doors remain closed.

Samah, entering the room, causes the doors to open wide, and they remain open, providing ease of travel between the worlds, but also giving access to those who might otherwise have found it difficult or impossible to gain access. The only way to shut the doors now is through the Seventh Gate.

The leadership of the Council is not hereditary, just as membership on the Council is not hereditary. The seven chosen to serve on the Council, the governing body of the Sartan, elect one of themselves to serve as leader. Just how the seven themselves were chosen in those early days is not known, was kept secret by the Sartan, who undoubtedly feared some Patryn might attempt to influence the decision.

Ramu was servitor to the Council—a position required before one can become a member. Either Ramu was promoted to full Council member during the emergency period when the mensch flooded the city or he took over his exiled mother’s Council post.

If a headman dies during battle, another member of the tribe may take over for the duration of the emergency. Usha is technically headman, but may not lay claim to the title, which can only be awarded by the tribal council. At that time, any challenges to the new headman’s rule are accepted.

Sartan and Patryn magic can replicate already existing food supplies. This can be done quite easily, merely by advancing the possibility that one sack of grain is twenty sacks of grain. Certain powerful magic-users are able to alter the possibilities to produce food out of objects not normally edible, such as changing stone into bread. Or they might change one food substance into another—turn a fish into a beefsteak. Alfred could undoubtedly perform such magic, but it would require a tremendous expenditure of will and energy.

See Appendix I, “Being a Concise History of the Seventh Gate . . .”

I make the distinction—first Patryn—because the Sartan known as Zifnab apparently managed to escape the Labyrinth and enter the Nexus. He claims to have written a large portion of the manuscripts and books which Xar found in the Nexus. These works are mostly lost to us now, having been destroyed in the fire set by the serpents—one reason that Haplo and I are working to replace them.

No one (including Zifnab himself!) is quite certain how he managed to leave the Nexus. During his more lucid moments, he claims that the good dragons of Pryan traveled to the Nexus and found him there. Impressed with his abilities as a great and powerful wizard, they turned to him for leadership and guidance.

The dragons of Pryan tell quite a different story, one which I refrain from repeating, since it might unnecessarily hurt the old man’s feelings.

Dragon Wing , vol. 1 of The Death Gate Cycle , Appendix titled “I in the Sundered Realms: Excerpt from a Sartan’s Musings,” for detailed explanation of the Wave and the basic principles of nine, magic.

Elven Star , vol. 2 of The Death Gate Cycle , Appendix titled “I Runes and the Variability of Magic.” See text under heading “Rune Magic: Theory and Practice.”

Ibid . See text under heading Grain of Magic and Variability.

Fire Sea , vol. 3 of The Death Gate Cycle , Appendix titled “Necromancy.” See text under heading Material as Coarse Existence Structure.