잊힌 도시 바린두르

테빈터 제국 횡단 여정의 보름째 되던 날, 우리의 상단은 거대하고 구불구불한 평원에 다다랐다. 흔들리는 수풀 속에서 숨어있던 새들이 날아오르자, 그 수가 태양을 가릴 정도였다. 길잡이는 바로 이곳이 고대세계의 불가사의이자, 영원한 젊음을 주는 샘물로 유명했던 도시 바린두르라고 말했다.

전설에 따르면, 바린두르의 대왕이었던 카리나투스가 동지 축제 기간에 듀맛 대제사장의 사신을 쫓아냈다고 한다. 제사장은 카리나투스에게 죄를 물어 처벌해줄 것을 자신의 신에게 청했고, 침묵의 용 옛 신이 그 기도에 응하였다.

몇 달이 지난 뒤, 바린두르 왕국에는 정적만이 감돌았다. 먼 곳의 민라투스에서는 라지케일의 성직자들이 불길한 징조를 나타내는 예지몽을 꾸었다. 카리나투스 대왕에게 혹독한 운명이 닥쳤음을 알려주는 신탁이었다. 결국, 겁에 질린 민라투스의 왕은 바린두르로 병사들을 보냈다.

병사들은 북부 평야를 가로지르던 도로가 갑작스럽게 끊겼다는 보고를 올렸다. 그들은 척박하고 텅 빈 바윗길을 따라 몇 리그를 걸었지만 바린두르 왕국이 있었던 곳에는 아무것도 남아 있지 않았다. 신의 손이 왕국의 모든 것을 이 세상에서 지워버린 것이다.

그곳에는 바린두르에 있던 돌멩이 한 조각조차 남아 있지 않았고, 한때 강력했던 도시의 모습은 지금까지도 발견되지 않았다. 이제 그곳의 존재는 알 길 없는 비밀로 남게 되었다.

—제니티비 수사의 저서, 지식을 찾아서: 성가회 학자의 여행기에서 발췌

 

On the fifteenth day of my journey across the Tevinter Imperium, our caravan reached a great rolling plain. Swaying grass hid flocks of birds so vast that when they took flight, their numbers blocked the sun. This, our guide informed us, was the great city of Barindur, wonder of the ancient world, famed for its fountains which were said to grant eternal youth.

 

Legend has it that during the celebration of the winter solstice, Carinatus, High King of Barindur, turned away an envoy from the High Priest of Dumat. The priest called upon his god to punish Carinatus for the offense, and the Dragon-God of Silence answered him.

 

Months passed. The Kingdom of Barindur fell silent. In distant Minrathous, the priests of Razikale dreamed of dark omens. Their oracles declared that a dire fate had befallen King Carinatus. Finally, the fearful High King of Minrathous sent a company of soldiers to Barindur.

 

The men reported that the road which led across the northern plains ended abruptly. They walked for leagues over barren, empty rock where the Kingdom of Barindur had once been. All of it swept from the face of the world by the hand of a god.

 

Not a single stone of Barindur remains, and nothing of the once-powerful city has ever been found. A secret now, that can never be told.

 

—From In Pursuit of Knowledge: Travels of a Chantry Scholar by Brother Genitivi