"Kurtz, Katherine - Deryni Archives" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

A Del Rey Book
Published by Ballantine Books
Copyright (c) 1986 by Katherine Kurtz
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States of America by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 86-90861
ISBN 0-345-32678-4
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition: August 1986 Sixth Printing: October 1988
Cover Art by Darrell K. Sweet
Map by Shelley Shapiro


Acknowledgments


"Catalyst," copyright (c) 1985 by Katherine Kurtz. First published in Moonsinger's Friends (Bluejay Books, 1985).
"Healer's Song," copyright (c) 1982 by Katherine Kurtz.First published in Fantasy Book, August 1982.
"Vocation," copyright (c) 1983 by Katherine Kurtz. First published in Nine Visions (Seabury Press, 1983).
"Bethane," copyright (c) 1982 by Katherine Kurtz. First published in Hecate's Cauldron (DAW Books, 1982).
"Legacy," copyright (c) 1983 by Katherine Kurtz. First published in Fantasy Book, February 1983.


CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1
I Catalyst (Fall, 888) 10
II Healer's Song (August 1, 914) 28
III Vocation (December 24, 977) 45
IV Bethane (Summer, 1100) 77
V The Priesting of Arilan 99 (August 1, 1104-February 2, 1105)
VI Legacy (June 21, 1105) 158
VII The Knighting of Derry (May, 1115) 173
VIII Trial (Spring, 1118) 205
APPENDIX I: INDEX OF CHARACTERS 232
APPENDIX II: INDEX OF PLACE NAMES 241
APPENDIX III: A PARTIAL CHRONOLOGY FOR THE ELEVEN KINGDOMS 244
APPENDIX IV: LITERARY ORIGINS OF THE DERYNI 254

KINGDOM OF GWYNEDD (MAP)

Introduction
Welcome to Gwynedd and the universe of the Deryni. Whether or not you've been here before, you'll likely find it at least somewhat familiar, for Gwynedd and its neighboring kingdoms are roughly parallel to our own tenth, eleventh, and twelfth century England, Wales, and Scotland in terms of culture, level of technology, similarity of social structure, and influence of a powerful medieval Church that extends its machinations into the lives of nearly everyone, highborn or low. The major difference, aside from historical personalities and places, is that magic works; for the Deryni are a race of sorcerers.
In a sense, the term "magic" is almost a misnomer to describe Deryni capabilities, because much of what the Deryni can do falls under the general category of what we would call extrasensory perception or ESP. Telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, and other "paranormal" phenomena are functions we are now beginning to suspect may be far more normal than we had dreamed, as we approach the threshold of the twenty-first century and science continues to expand our understanding of human potential. In fact, much of what we consider science today would have been magic to the feudal, superstitious, non-technological folk of the Middle Ages. (They would have scoffed at the notion that invisible animalcules called "germs" could cause disease, for everyone knew that evil humors made people sick-or, sometimes, the wrath of God.)
Of course, not all "magical" phenomena can be explained, even by modern science. Complicating matters in Gwynedd is the fact that the Deryni themselves cannot always distinguish between the various forms of these phenomena. First there are the natural Deryni abilities, ESP-type functions. Then there is the grey area of ritual procedures which, when performed with suitable mental focus, concentrate the operator's own power to produce certain predictable results. And finally, there are supernatural connections that even the Deryni would regard as magical, which tap into unknown power sources in unknown ways, at unknown cost to the well-being of one's immortal soul-the certain existence of which is also unknown. The latter is a realm that has always been of profound interest to those engaged in philosophical pursuits, whether those of science, organized religion, or more esoteric disciplines. (And if we define magic as the art of causing change in conformity with will, then perhaps all Deryni powers are magical. Denis Arilan will have some thoughts on supernatural agents in the story bearing his name.)
The Deryni, then, have abilities and power connections that are not accessible to most people-though Deryni are not omnipotent. At their best, the Deryni might represent the ideal of perfected humankind- what all of us might be, if we could learn to rise above our earthbound limitations and fulfill our highest destinies. One would like to think that there is at least a little Deryni in all of us.
With few exceptions, the use of one's Deryni abilities must be learned, like any other skill; and some Deryni are more skilled and stronger than others. Primary proficiencies have to do with balances-physical, psychic, and spiritual-and mastering one's own body and perceptions. Even without formal instruction, most Deryni can learn to banish fatigue, at least for a while, to block physical pain, and to induce sleep- skills that can be applied to oneself or to others, Deryni or not, with or (often) without the conscious cooperation of the subject, especially a human one.
Healing is another highly useful Deryni talent, though rare and requiring very specialized training for optimum use. A properly qualified Healer, provided he has time to engage healing rapport before his patient expires, can deal successfully with almost any physical injury. Treatment of illnesses is necessarily more limited, confined mainly to dealing with symptoms, since medieval medicine has yet to understand disease mechanisms. (Physicians, both human and Deryni, have made the connection between cleanliness and decreased likelihood of infection, but lack the technology to discover why this is so.)
Few would take exception to the abilities we have just outlined-other than sleep-induction, perhaps, if it were used to the detriment of a subject unable to resist. What is far more threatening to non-Deryni is the potential use of Deryni powers outside a healing context. For Deryni can read minds, often without the knowledge or consent of a human subject; and they can impose their will on others. Some exceptionally competent Deryni have even been known to take on the shape of another person.