I've decided to post one of the most popular Worldbuilding posts from the archive for today - enjoy!
In yesterday’s Worldbuilding post, gave the meanings of the names of some of the different ‘good guys’. In another post about the Khalné, Khalvér and their students who have to choose who they want to follow and serve, one of the leading teachers – and spokesperson of the Khalvér at the occasion – wanted to ‘correct’ his equal on the Khalné’s side:
“Centuries ago when the world was still young, there were those with the Talent and they used it for the good of mankind and they were called the Khallahna. But on the day of the Battle of the Black Field there came a rent in the brotherhood of the Khallahna and the Khallahna was split into two groups. One, the Khalné, called the servants of Light. The other, the Khalvér, the servants of the Darkness.”
“I believe you mean ‘Servants of the Moon’,” Trialma interjected in the moment Parlegon paused for breath.
This name – Servants of the Moon – must be understood in the context of the world; which gives me a chance to go a bit into the symbolism of Airthai.
The sun, moon and stars
The Keepers’ signs all contain the four stars of the main constellation used for navigation. Stars, however, were also seen as a sign from the Creator that, even with the darkening of the world, with the people’s fall and the Sundering, there is always light and hope. The Creator is also sometimes referred to as the Light. While the sun is the obvious symbol of Light during the day, the moon is the symbol of Light during the night. Because of the perceived static nature of stars and the ever-changing moon, stars came to be considered a sign of never-wavering loyalty and Light.
The waxing and waning of the moon
Like the moon waxes and wanes, so the Khalvér believe that they will never be defeated, but will always return to grow to full power once more. Other than the stars’ light, they teach that the moonlight is the true light, placing emphasis on (or highlighting if you will) everything. Moonlight is believed to be ‘concentrated’ or ‘stronger’ sunlight.
This reasoning is especially used by the Khalvér while the students of the Khallahna are being taught and used to sway students from choosing to follow the Khalné. By choosing to serve the ‘Stronger Light’ many are led to believe that they are choosing the right way and are the true heirs of the Khallahna. Their hatred of the Ahma, however, speaks directly against this.
Worship of the moon
The twisting of the original knowledge of the Khallahna and the folklore and beliefs before the Sundering can especially be seen in the ways of the Lharna–ahna[1] people (of the northwest of the Sundered Lands), who believe that the moon is their lord and which they serve. They make an offering every new/dark moon. By doing this, they believe that they will win back their lord’s favour and ‘call back’ their lord’s face to watch them for another month.
The Lharna-ahna is one of the few peoples of Airthai who make neither a distinction between the Creator and the Lewjan as the one who they serve. The Khalvér, though sometimes referring to themselves as “Servants of the moon”, don’t worship it, but the Lewjan.
Ron Leighton was kind enough to nominate Hersenskim for a Versatile Blogger Award!
The idea behind The Versatile
Blogger Award nominations is to use these nominations to make other bloggers
aware of other great blogs, as I’m are doing here.
If you'd like to carry on this thing, do the following!
In
a post on your, blog, nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger
Award.
In
the same post, add The Versatile Blogger Award.
In
the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back
to their blog.
In
the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
In
the same post, include this set of rules.
Inform
each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of
their blogs.
I’ve pondered which fifteen
blogs to nominate and decided, rather than sticking to one specific subject, to
just choose some of my favourite blogs.
Below, in no specific order
is *drum roll* my fifteen nominees (and a new blog I want to keep an eye on).
Ann Martin‘s http://www.allthingspaper.net/- not only
inspiration for paper quilling/paper filigree, but also showcases beautiful
paper art and artists.
I also want to mention a blog
started recently (December 2011) by lexicographer Kory Stamper called harm·less drudg·eryhttp://korystamper.wordpress.com/,
which I find extremely entertaining.
And seven random things about
me:
I once rode an ostrich. Yip.
No matter how you say it, it sounds weird.
I know all the lyrics to the Les Misérables musical.
I can mimic Gollum’s voice
(well, mimic Andy Serkis’ Gollum voice, I guess).
I adore good coffee and
English Breakfast tea.
I sometimes wish living in
Africa did mean that I get to have a
lion as a pet. And ride a zebra to work. That would be so cool. Not practical,
but cool.
I am extremely afraid of
heights.
I always wanted to be Robin
Hood when we were playing as children. Go figure.
I’ve had some very dark days these last couple of weeks. So
I decided to make this post about some of the music that makes these days a
little brighter.
I picked this CD up at the local CUM Books (it stands for “ChristelikeUitgewersmaatskappy”, and is a Christian publisher in case you just found your
jaw hanging on the desk or any Third Day fans wondered what kind of store is this?!) while browsing their music section. I’ll
admit part of why I picked it up in the first place was because it’s a CD and
DVD on one disc and I hadn’t seen that before. It turned out to be one of the
best CDs I’ve ever bought without knowing the band or their music. I’ve had
some good cries to this CD and it’s also helped me through some very dark times,
including my mother’s passing.
My favourite tracks on this CD are “Cry out to Jesus”, “Mountain
of God” and “Rise up”.
Painting
your canvas
Second up is a song by a-ha from their CD “Lifelines”. I’ve
probably been a fan of them since I was born as some of the first music I can remember
listening to in the house was theirs (their first hit was the year before I was
born) and is still a firm favourite. This specific song is “White Canvas” and the
first verse of the song is:
Stories are painted In lines on your face Misunderstandings And little mistakes A chance to start over Is all that it takes You know if you do Your life is a canvas The colors are you
Just
fun and silly
Sometimes listening or singing along to fun or silly songs
also helps. Two of these must include the “Do Virgins Taste Better Medley” and “The Unicorn Song”, written by Shel Silverstein. The first begs the question why dragons
specifically prefer to eat virgins; the second gives the reason why we don’t see
unicorns anymore – hint: it involves Noah’s ark. Both of these versions are by
the Brobdignagian Bards.
As a last thought – I received this picture via email from
my sister during the week. Think this is a good one to keep in mind –
I wish I knew where ideas come from. One of my friends have
told me they would love a front seat “to see what’s going on in there”. For the
most part, I can never quite place my finger on what exactly spurred a certain
story. One flash piece, “Level 3”, came about after a family gathering – but
probably not in the way you think it would. It all started when I referred to a
“Chicken Licken”[1]
advert (Madam & Eve had especially good cartoons on this theme, but I
digress).
What were we talking about before that? I have no idea. But this
advert led to a discussion about people building into the ground instead of
building above ground. That way, you could have streets, but no buildings, just
trees and gardens.
Skip to a few hours, lunch and a bunch of other
conversations later.
Suddenly, I feel a story building. What if people got scared
and moved underground, basically forming new communities? What if their only
contact with the outside world was the traders – who gave them untrue
information? What if it played out in a fantasy world and not on earth? I sat
down and wrote “Level 3” in one go, seat-of-pants style. After a bit of editing
(yes, I actually want to rewrite the whole thing now that I’ve read it again),
this is what came of the idea:
Level 3
The rumors had started a week before the king died. “Well,
you know what they say about that nephew of his,” followed by a knowing nod or
wink left many to speculate about just what They did say. Most came to the
conclusion that what they did say was negative. The kingdom had been at war for
nearly two centuries and the future looked bleak.
Like most other Blank
Street families, Johan’s family started giving in to the pressures of those
around them, buying enough food to last for months and struggling into the
Echoing Caves on the day the king breathed his last, even though most believed
were inhabited by ghosts and evil spirits . They were of the first to go below
and received rooms on the third level of the underground building, above the
level given to the upper-classes. Closer to the water than most and with some
ventilation they lived almost as comfortably as those below them. On the second level living was cheaper, but
also closer to danger. The first level was a cramped, dirty space where
entrances were blocked as well as they could be. Most here made their living by
trading with those on the surface. And with the traders came the frightening
news from the outside world. Days turned
into weeks, weeks into months and soon they had too little food for all the
mouths to feed below ground and fairy tales about ghosts were soon forgotten.
“The last of the grain this year, master,” one trader told
Johan’s father. “I can’t get it any cheaper than this. And can’t go outside yourself – them brigands
have taken to robbing and murdering in the light of day! Why, it’s a miracle I
got this bag without being run through.” He held out a cupped hand and Johan
watched from the shadows how his father paid thrice as much for grain as he
would have before. If it kept on like this they would not be able to buy food
much longer. Johan took out his own
coins and sighed. He decided not to eat that night, claiming a headache and
retiring early.
When he woke the lanterns were nearly empty. He sat up,
looking around him for signs of breakfast. But the rest of the family was still
abed. “Sleepy heads! Time to – “He walked closer to the sleeping forms of his
family. They were in a fitful state of sleep. Sweat beaded on their contorted
faces. Yet not one made a sound. He ran to the fourth level to fetch a doctor
with his father’s last money.
The doctor came soon and looked them over. “It’s blackroot
poison, all right; don’t know how they got it down here.” He gazed steadily at
Johan. “Yet you do not look ill?” He let the question hang in the air.
“The… the only thing we did differently is that I didn’t eat
supper.” He looked towards the sack of grain. The doctor opened it and smelled
a few kernels and turned to Johan “Where did you get this grain?”
“One of the traders –"
“Then you must go yourself.” His eyes were dark.
“Where? Outside?”
The doctor nodded. “You can’t trust the traders anymore,
son. Go yourself and bring medicine and news of the outside world.”
Johan looked from the doctor to his family and back.
“They will last a day at the most. I can give them something
to slow the poison…”
Johan thought about the few coins he had left. They would
never be enough to pay anyone to go outside to get the antidote. But he also
didn’t want to leave his family. “What
must I bring?”
The doctor scribbled on a slip of paper. “You need to find
an apothecary that can mix that for you… if there is any left…”
Johan packed a few things and took a filled lantern to light
his way. “I will return with it before nightfall,” he said as much to give
himself strength than to the doctor. Then he started climbing to the first
level. He made his way between the rabble of people. With his lantern
extinguished it was easy enough to slip out of the trader’s door. He guarded
his aching eyes with one hand and stumbled into shadows away from the
entrance. He crouched against a wall
until his eyes finally adjusted. He looked around him. The city looked just as
it always had. There were no broken windows, no burned buildings, no gangs
roaming the streets. He walked to where the apothecary was, seeing no change
whatsoever. He entered and bells rung above the door as they always had. Mr.
Potterglass stepped out from behind the partitioning at the back of the shop.
His broad smile faded and his brown face became as white as a sheet.
“Johan?”
“Yes, Mr Potterglass, I’ve come to beg medicines for my
family.” He held out the measly coins on his palm.
Potterglass enveloped the boy in a crushing hug. “Bless me,
son, we thought you were all dead and gone! Stolen from us by the spirits in
the night! Where are your family?”
“In hiding.”
“Hiding? From what?”
“From the new king.”
“Why?” His hands worked deftly to ready the prescription. “I
mean… things have never been so good. We have peace with our neighbors for the
first time in generations.” He looked the emaciated boy up and down. “And we
have more food than we know what to do with.”
Johan’s blood ran cold. Not waiting to eat or rest, he
grabbed the medicine and rushed back to the entrance of the chambers. He
searched and searched, knowing that he was only gone a few hours. But there
were no signs of an entrance or of the traders. He was still searching when
night fell. But there was nothing. He sank to his knees and started to cry.
[1]
And now I want hot wings. Well that’s just perfect.
I picked up the second volume of Naxos’ English Song Series one day while
browsing a local music shop’s Classical Room. I was looking for some light
music to either work or write to and found these next to my trusty “early
music” shelf[1]. The
album contains 31 poems from a variety of different poets and writers, set to
music by the composer Arthur Somervell (1863 – 1937).
One thing I love about Naxos’ albums is that they have
a booklet containing an introduction to the music as well as the lyrics of the
songs included. While I knew some of the songs from other albums, I was
surprised again at the beauty and scope of the songs included. While listening
to the album and reading through the poems and songs, it is very difficult not
to be inspired!
Here are two of the songs included on the album. One
is a poem by A.E. Housman, “White in the moon the long road lies” and the other
is from William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII;
“Orpheus with his lute”.
White in the
moon the long road lies
A.E. Housman
White in the moon the long road lies,
The moon stands blank above;
White in the moon the long road lies
That leads me from my love.
Still hangs the hedge without a gust,
Still, still the shadows stay:
My feet upon the moonlit dust
Pursue the ceaseless way.
The world is round, so travellers tell,
And straight tho’ reach the track,
Trudge on, trudge on, ‘twill all be well,
The way will guide one back.
But ere the circle homeward hies,
Far, far must it remove:
White in the moon the long road lies
That leads me from my love.
Orpheus with
his lute
William
Shakespeare
Orpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain tops, that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did sing.
To his music plants and flowers
Ever sprung: as sun and showers
There had made a lasting spring.
Every thing that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their heads and then lay by.
In sweet music is such art:
Killing care and grief of heart
Fall asleep, or hearing, die.
I found this beautiful rendition of "White in the moon the long road lies" - enjoy!
[1] I usually have a fixed route when browsing the shop – start in
front with Irish, Scottish and Welsh music. Move to Early Music, then go on to
ballet scores before ending up in the back row with different vocal artists,
new releases and then checking if any of the Gilbert & Sullivan operas are
affordable (When are they actually going to have The Mikado when I also have
money to buy it?) before doing a quick tour of other composers to see if
there’s anything interesting available.
One of the races of Airthai is the
Tellerassar of Heimfeie. They are shape shifters, who were given the Talent of
being able to change into the form of an eagle and back into human form at
will.
In Airthai, new races may be formed in certain
circumstances - for instance, the Tellerassar were 'normal' humans before they
fought and fled from the then ruler of Guldargan (a few centuries before “A
Dragon’s Freedom”). Life was difficult and the ruler basically enslaved his
people. His half brother stood up against him, supported by many followers.
This half brother was Ikairi, the first of the Tellerassar (and mentioned in
passing in “A Dragon’s Freedom”. A civil war broke out and Ikairi found himself
and his followers cornered within a ravine, about to be slaughtered by
Guldargan’s soldiers. He begged the Creator to save his people and the Creator
then gave them a great gift the Talent to turn into the shape of an eagle and
so they were able to escape. They also received their own language to set them
aside from the other people of Guldargan.
The
Land of the Shape-shifters
The small country of the Tellerassar is
called Heimfeie and is a mountainous part of Airthai, just north of the
Midlands. Here they live in houses built on the cliffs, keeping them safe from
attack. (Other than just being really cool…) There are, however also some
villages in the valleys where the Scría live. They use signals of smoke to
alert the Tellerassar if they are in danger; burning a specific plant found in
this area which gives of very dark smoke when burnt, making it easy to spot at
a distance.
The
Appearance of the Tellerassar
I love Fish Eagles and their unearthly call
seemed perfect for the Tellerassar. And the idea of being able to shape-shift
has a certain fascination. So, the Tellerassar “coincidentally” looks and
sounds a lot like the Fish Eagles you get on Earth…
