Fractured Xoran Tales - The Luminous One

By: Kayna Posted on: February 05, 2004

Kayna enters the grove from the east and seats herself on a small stool in front of her eager audience. Placing her pack and quarterstaff on the forest floor behind her she nods her head in greeting, smiling sweetly, and begins her tale.

"Today's journey will take us from a small Orc village in the Siroccian mountains to the very heavens above, for today I tell the tale of the triune Goddess Ourania and how She came to grace the night-time skies. Now... every tale must have a beginning, and ours begins with a young explorer named Rataun.

Rataun was a simple fellow to be sure, but those of his home city were downright thick; caring for little more than their politics and image, their ways nearly as shallow as their gene pool. Being the sharpest in a rather dull box and a curious sort, Rataun often left the city for the boundless wilderness which lay beyond it, pursuing the vaguest hint of mystery or intrigue with fervor. His adventures were as plentiful as the stars in the sky... the only nocturnal illumination young Rataun knew. You see, in days long passed, long before my ancestors came to live among you, the night skies carried with them an inky blackness which only the brightest stars could penetrate, a darkness that filled all who crawled upon the surface of Achaea with terror. Well... nearly all... for high in the Siroccian mountains lived a group of creatures that feared not the deepest night. Stumbling through the rocky cliffs on one of his many journeys our young Rataun came across an astounding sight. Well, first he came across a wolverine which quite efficiently kicked his sorry, simple, butt and left him bleeding in the shadows of a cliff... but as Rataun nursed his wounds and cursed his luck night fell and our young explorer observed something rather extraordinary. Just beyond the next rise emanated a pure white glow as bright as a cloudless day at noon.

Creeping along the shadows Rataun positioned himself over what he discovered to be a small village full of activity. Now, Rataun had never seen an Orc before, but their cross countenance wasn't horrible enough to capture even a passing glance from the young man. No, his attention had been claimed by the triune Goddess Ourania, each of Her gracefull forms chained cruelly to a large tower in the very center of the settlement..."

From the audience comes the sound of a young man quitely clearing his throat, followed quickly by murmured apologies.

"As I was saying... In the very center of the settlement a large three-sided tower had been constructed onto which the happless Goddess's three luminous forms had been chained, Their light falling beautifully over the hidden village, chasing even the darkness of the mines to distant corners. As Rataun watched an Orcish soldier appeared from a nearby tent, ascended a ladder to the platform above, attended to the needs of the glorious Beings,and then returned once more to his tent. Beyond this simple display of caretaking, life in the village ran on without a thought tossed casually to the source of the light they so clearly depended on. Something in Rataun's simple heart stirred at that moment as he gazed at the scene below. A desire welled up within him and filled his being, a desire so strong it could not be ignored. Now, before you go off attributing any heroic intentions to our young subject, let's take a moment to remember who he is and from whence he came. Rataun had no desire to free the brilliant apparitions from Their torment, but he did have a great desire to steal off with Them to his own village where he was certain to be met with much fortune and fame."

A shuffle moves through the audience as the same young man clears his throat once again, this time quite pointedly. Kayna pauses her narrative just long enough to glare at the offender in warning before continuing.

"Ahem. Luckily for Rataun the village Orcs were far more surly than intelligent. Waiting until dawn broke he crept quite effortlessly though pathways and behind tents until he reached the imprisoning tower. Quickly scuttling up the ladder he pulled from his pack a strong dwarven battle axe and, cleaving easily through the wood of the tower released each of Ourinia's forms while keeping Them cleverly shackled. Leading Them steadily down the ladder he then took firm hold of the chains, and rushed Them from the village, over the mountains beyond, through streams and forests, and quite beyond grandmother's house, finally arriving at his humble home. Let me tell you, there wasn't a single citizen impressed with Rataun's rescue until the sun went down, and then... Oh! What an uproar! Filthy peasants couldn't keep their hands off the poor shackled creatures, each one clamoring over the other to get a look, cop a feel, and make a bid. Just before the entire city lost complete control of itself the crowds parted, and through the throngs strolled three men of great prestige. First in this line of highly decorated criminals came the Mayor, second the city's resident Guild Master, and lastly, the resident Order Head. Roughly counted, the three held between them half a brain, a quarter ounce of ethical sense, and the entire city's awe and respect. Offers were made, threats were flung, and the Goddess was split among the three. Before a month had passed, They found Themselves once again chained to a tower, Their light falling gently over Rataun's city along with Their tears..."

From the audience comes, yet again, the sound of a clearing throat as the continuously offending young man slowly raises his hand, finger extended, and stands.

"Um... excuse me..."

"I'm quite obviously in the middle of something just now, sir. If you'll kindly take your seat, I'll happily receive you at the conclusion of my tale."

"Well, yes... I mean... ordinarily... but, you see... the tale is the problem... um... ma'am..."

Kayna blinks incredulously at the young man and barks, "What?"

"Um... it's just that... well... are you sure this is how the story goes?"

"Yes. Now, where was I? Ah yes... chained to a tower, light and tears..."

"But... um... " Coughing nervously the young man looks to the audience for support which collectively averts it's gaze. Suddenly feeling quite on the spot, the young man continues, his voice shaking audibly. "See... it's just that... well... I'm almost positive that I know this story... I mean... the story as it was intended to be told... and..."

Narrowing her eyes, Kayna growls, "This is my story, sir, and I'll tell it as I please."

"Now... now really... there's no need to get testy... I'm simply concerned that the integrity of the work is being compromised. As a historian, I..."

Brightening suddenly, Kayna smiles. "Ah! We've a historian in our midsts!"

"Well, yes ma'am," the young man replies, beaming with pride, "I come from a long line of historians actually, beginning with my..."

"In that case, honorable sir," Kayna interrupts, "go suck your tail."

"See here... that's just rude..."

At this Kayna stands and opens her arms to the audience.

"Thank you so kindly, gentle listeners, for your unprecedented patience in this matter." Fastening her hair in a tight knot, Kayna reaches behind her and retrieves her quarterstaff from it's place on the forest floor. "Please afford me one small moment, it appears I've a bit of business to attend to...."

Cracking her knuckles Kayna steps toward the audience, a look of menace overtaking her normally peaceful features. The historian emits a strained squeak and tumbles over his quickly retreating peers, trying desperately to make an escape. In every conceivable direction vines begin to twist and weave together, the leaves rustling in threat, suddenly carrying the young man screaming into the treetops. Kayna bows, smiles, and rises into the forest canopy. A few leaves fall down over the audience along with the muffled sounds of a brief struggle as they sit quietly, bathed in tension. Before long, Kayna appears once again. Climbing carefully down from the trees she hands her quarterstaff to a large stone golem who wrinkles his nose and tosses it quickly behind a nearby bush before rubbing his hands firmly on his thighs.

"My... what a blessed silence. Let's continue, shall we?"

A few audience members glance uneasily into the leafy canopy as Kayna straightens her hair and clothing before perching daintily on her stool.

"It seemed there was little hope for the poor, chained, Goddess as They spent year after year on Their lonely tower. It wasn't long before the novelty wore off and the city's citizens scarcely thought of Them, simply caring for Their needs as required, much as the Orcs had done. They may have forgotten even that small kindness if not for one thing, the passing of time. Three long decades of imprisonment passed when a sorrowful note echoed across the land - the resident Guild Master had breathed his last. Whispers spread through the city like flame: To whom had he left his gold? To whom had he left is guild? And most importantly, to whom had he left his portion of the luminous Trio? The entire city gathered at the reading of the will: to his guild he left his gold, to his son he left his guild, and to his grave he would take the glowing Maiden. Dismayed, but not really all that surprised, the city acquiesced to the late Guild Master's demands, unchaining his portion of the Goddess Ourania and carrying Her along with his corpse to the grave sight where both were hastily buried. More time passed and the city Mayor and Order Head eventually followed their cohort in both death and action, each one dooming the pitiful creatures they so unrighteously owned to be buried with them in the cold ground of the grave. Bit by bit, death by death, the land fell once again into cursed nocternal darkness.

The Death realm, however, was anything but dark. Above, in the open air, the blessed Ourania had been split in cruelty, and Her light had dispersed, flowing softly over the lands She graced. In the Death realm, however, Her forms were finally reunited and Her light penetrated the depths, reflecting and resonating across every inch of that which was once blanketed in the soft comfort of darkness. The light pierced the sleep of the dead, their souls crying out day and night, unable to rest, unable to dream, unable to conceive of this new torment. In the midst of this eternal madness Lord Thoth was, to put it quite mildly, displeased. Bursting in a fury to the realm of the living He stalked through Sapience seeking out the one responsible for disturbing the sanctity of death. Alas, the time afforded to mortals is infinitesimally short compared to the time afforded the Divine, and none could be found. Returning to the Death realm in a rage He grabbed Ourania and threw Her to the heavens leaving His realm, once again, to peace.

And that, my dear friends, is how the Lady Ourania came to live in the night-time sky, trailing freely across the heavens in the arch of a mighty throw."