From the teachings of
Talkhenta,
Inthiar of central Harn,
1070 SA
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From the teachings of |
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Q: Where did the world come from?
Q: What of the other gods?
Tell me the truth about...
| Agrik | Halea | Ilvir | Larani | Morgath | Naveh | Peoni | Sarajin | Save K'nor |
Q: Where did the world come from?
A: In the beginning, there was simply the One, The All. There was no space, for all resided in the same space. There was no time, for all existed at the same time; an eternal moment. The One was unchanging and still. Then something stirred. The One became conscious of itself. To find meaning, it looked inward. All realities; all beings, objects and happenings as we know them were contained within the All, the One. As the One looked deep within itself, it began to separate its consciousness to view the myriad of possibilities contained within the All. These newly separated consciousnesses manifested as the great primal forces. They realized difference for the first time, and struggled amongst each other for dominance. These primal forces are what the uninitiated call the First Gods. The First Gods then manifested a second wave of consciousnesses to serve them in their struggles. These beings the uninitiated call the Lesser Gods. Great wars were fought, the likes of which the mind can hardly comprehend. The Lesser Gods manifested still other waves of consciousness to serve in smaller ways. The universe became alive as realities sprang into being and faded, lost in the warping of the First God's conflicts. Eventually, the First Gods made peace and the realities known as Kelestia came into being. Their servants were released, but knowing no other way, continued fighting amongst each other. They still quarrel to this day; they have forgotten who they are. Only Siem truly remembers.
A: In a way, you have always been. You are a part of the Great All, the one totality that is Kelestia. All things have the propensity for consciousness, for all things are part of the Great Dream of the One. You are a very special part of the One. Awaken within the dream and remember who you truly are. The Lord of the Azure Bowl can show you the way. Peace and understanding will then be yours.
A: You are here because you are a necessary being. All that is exists because it must exist to express the totality of the All. You are acting out an integral part of the great Dream-Story that will be read at the end of time. You are, of course, free to play the part as you wish; to be a Hero or a Villain, Wise man or Fool. But why would one wish to be a Villain or a Fool? We can play our parts well if we try to understand the story as a whole. There is great virtue in contemplation. Those who really try are rewarded with vision. But rest assured that whatever part we play, it shall be remembered within the eternal memory, long after the All is still once more. Awaken within the Dream, remember who you truly are and forget what you have learned. A paradox, you say? Still your racing mind and look deeper...
A: The soul survives the physical death and is set free. Those who aspired to serve the other gods go to their respective realms on Yashain, and continue to serve. Those who have achieved enlightenment, however, pass into the Blessed Realm and participate in the Forever Dream, where all things are possible. It is said that somewhere in the Blessed Realm, in a place known only to the King of the Uttermost West, is a gateway to a place "Beyond the Beyond"; a place where time and space have no meaning. It is also said that this place may be the final destination of all things at the end of time.
Q: What of the other gods? Tell me the truth about...
A: Agrik- Agrik is the embodiment of rage. Cruel and vengeful, filled with raw destructive power, Agrik is perhaps the mightiest being in all the worlds as far as pure brute force is concerned. However, his lack of vision and impatience makes him his own worst enemy. While Larani embodies some of the best elements of humanity, Agrik embodies some of the worst. His hatred of the "weak" knows no bounds, and he never forgives. The same can be said for his adherents. Perhaps some day he will burn himself out of his rage and remember, but don't expect it anytime soon. His followers are the most easily provoked into violence and care little for contemplation. Avoid them if you can or be prepared to do battle.
Halea- Lost she is. She and her followers are like children in a dream, taking pleasure from each momentary experience, but forgetting all as soon as the next pleasure comes. Never do they seek to understand the Dream as a whole. They should be pitied, for they waste their time and efforts on the transient.
Ilvir- Some say that Ilvir is mad. Though his ways may seem incomprehensible to us at times, their is some method to his madness. It is known that the DreamKing and Ilvir had some dealings in the past and that the Lord of the Uttermost West has, at times, spoke fondly of him. His knowledge of the cycles of life and death are rivaled only by Peoni and Siem himself. Consequently, we should accord him and his followers respect (at a distance).
Larani- A great and noble warrior, Larani represents some of the finer qualities of humanity. Although at times she is domineering, she has a clean heart and is full of courage and boundless energy. Like humanity, however, she is very rash and impatient. Although she has become somewhat lost in her vengeful battles with her self-proclaimed arch-nemesis Agrik, she will, when the time is right, remember who she truly is.
Morgath- No being in Kelestia has lost its way more so than the wreaker. The DreamKing offered the great gift of forgetfulness to Morgath when first he grasped the dark orb, but Morgath instead scorned him. Now he risks being lost forever; a slave to the diabolic Bukrai. His followers are often the most desperate and perverted of souls and should be pitied above all others, for they risk sharing their dark master's fate. Stay clear of them, for no good can come from the Shadow of the Bukrai.
Naveh- Naveh has, for reasons known only to himself, proclaimed himself the enemy of the DreamKing. Perhaps he is jealous, or perceives Siem as his rival. It is whispered that Siem and Naveh were on friendly terms once; long ago, before Naveh fell into the webs of despair and paranoia. It is known that there is a particular rivalry between Siem's servant Sweldre and Naveh's servant Krasula. Because of Naveh's attitude toward Siem and his folk, we must be ever vigilant against attacks made by Naveh's followers against us. They are crafty and sly, disciplined and single-minded in their pursuit of their master's goals. Perhaps someday we will be able to heal the wounds of enmity between us. This seems unlikely to happen soon, though, for Naveh sees all as potential enemies. His paranoia and willingness to do anything to accomplish his pointless goals do him no service, and only bury him deeper within the dream.
Peoni- It is said that before Siem closed the gates of the Blessed Realm to the unenlightened, he offered Peoni a place within it," For my sister, daughter of love itself; Thou alone amongst our kind is worthy of this place, this heaven of peace and hope. Come, teach with me, for thou hast much to offer the enlightened." To this peoni responded, " Dearest friend and brother, Master of the Waking Dream; I am honored by your kind words and offer. I must decline, however. There is much work to be done amongst those you call the unenlightened. Are not all worthy of our love? Are not all worthy of forgiveness? I must stay amongst the young peoples, for who would guide them were we both to leave?" To this response Siem merely smiled as a single tear ran down his face. And the gates closed... The followers of Peoni are a simple yet wise folk. Their attempts to emulate the Pure Lady is noble and courageous beyond measure. Treat them well. Aid them when the opportunity presents itself and remember the sacrifices they make in the name of love. Love is unity with the One. Though many may seem naive and unenlightened at times, remember that their wisdom comes from their hearts and not their heads and that they, of all, have the purest motives. Great king Daelda once remarked concerning Peoni, " Unharming, yet unharmable. Loving and forgiving beyond measure. Lucid, yet grounded by compassion for all. Ah, there is no greater jewel in all the worlds."
Sarajin- Sarajin is a wild spirit. While he delights in conflict, he does not revel in cruelty as Agrik does. He believes that conflict makes one strong, and in this he is not entirely wrong. As with many of the others, the Grey Slayer is lost in a dream of his own making; a world of eternal conflict and strife. He does not realize the true value of peace and harmony, and seeks to dominate his environment rather than be one with it. Still, his code of the Ljarl is at least an attempt at harmony (however lacking). We have little contact with his folk and followers, and would like to keep it that way.
Save K'nor- Wise he is. Very wise. Second only perhaps to our Friend and Guide. His followers are to be admired for their quest for knowledge, which is often driving. However, Save K'nor lacks knowledge of one very important aspect of reality; that of unity with the All. While he understands the concept of the dreaming, he does not feel it in his heart, and so is cut off from complete understanding of Kelestia. Remember that it was Siem who was first offered to hold the Illimitable Tome, but declined. Still, Save K'nor's knowledge of the empirical side of Nature is to be admired and respected. He is well qualified to hold the Illimitable Tome and be the chronicler of happenings in Kelestia. One day, perhaps, he will awaken within the Dream and complete his wisdom.
Original author was Scott A. Smith and James Chokey,
but has been edited by Avathar Valcana
for campaign reasons.