< Sun And Other Things Past | Sol Invictus Logs | Lucent And The Wolf >
Thirteen sits in the War Room, furiously scribbling. The rhythm of his pen strokes fills the room with a sharp music.
Cerin The door to the wardrobe is pushed open and Cerin steps through, dressed in an outfit made of the finest of fabrics - Zahara's love for him. "Thirteen, I had hoped to find you here. I hope I am not interupting anything inconvienient."
Cerin The door to the war room is pushed open and Cerin steps through, dressed in an outfit made of the finest of fabrics - Zahara's love for him. "Thirteen, I had hoped to find you here. I hope I am not interupting anything inconvienient."
Thirteen "I am preparing. But I can always spare a few moments for you, Cerin."
Thirteen "What do you need?"
Cerin "I would like to speak to you about the three dragons."
Thirteen "Certainly."
Thirteen "I am assured the resemblance to the legend of Wei Dan has not escaped you. However, I cannot immediately explain it."
Cerin "That is why I wish to speak to you, yes. What more can you tell me of the dragons, beyond the brief summary birds provided earlier? I am asking specifically of traits afforded to them by common supersition, at least to start."
Thirteen "Father Dragon is silent and mindless. He is the master of language and thought."
Thirteen "Mother Dragon is hateful and murderous. She is the master of love and life."
Thirteen "Child Dragon does nothing."
Thirteen "In Wei Dan's story, he is the one to engage him in conversation, and to lead Wei Dan onto the path he eventually takes. Wei Dan climbed the tree to seek enlightenment. Child Dragon made him see that only a warrior could save his people."
Cerin nods, and considers this.
Thirteen "Then again, perhaps an enlightened leader could have staved off the wars that made a general so necessary. As a general, I am no doubt biased."
Thirteen "Do these descriptions suggest anything to you?"
Cerin "They suggest little at present. I was hoping that the mythology might be more detailed."
Thirteen "I am afraid the dragons are not venerated. After all, they refused to help us."
Cerin "Even when they do not help, beings such as they often pick up many details. The actions of Ymir filter down into several stories populer around Creation, for example."
Cerin "Still, no matter."
Cerin ((**popular))
Thirteen "it is worth noting that there are three times of day in Wasirru, corresponding to the divide between day and night here, depending on the number of suns shining."
Thirteen "These three times of day are associated with the three dragons -- Mother Dragon with the Bright, Father Dragon with the Wan, and Child Dragon with the Night."
Thirteen "Perhaps this is meaningful."
Cerin "That is perhaps more useful. It suggests that, assuming there were some correspondance, the Ebon Dragon may well be the Child Dragon. He is associated with the night and darkness, he is supposedly of great power and I believe it is in his nature to advocate war, and therefore death, over other alternatives. Without other dragons though, it is a tentative guess at best."
Thirteen "Are there no other dragons well-known in Meru?"
Cerin "Not amongst the Primordials. Gaia's souls are known to be dragons, there is a painting of Daand'a in the entrance hall, but her own form is unknown."
Thirteen "Someday I would like to see your paintings."
Thirteen "There are other stories involving families in Wasirru that could be related, as you suggest."
Thirteen "The fable of the Family Together and Apart comes to mind."
Cerin looks at Thirteen to tell this tale.
Thirteen "It tells of a family that is rich beyond measure but still desires more. They happen upon a chalice of purest gold."
Thirteen "They bring it to their home, but there begin to quarrel over whether to keep it or sell it, and where in the house it would be best placed, if kept."
Thirteen "Eventually it comes to blows, and someone -- the story does not specify -- hurls the chalice at another family member. It hits the mother and kills her."
Thirteen "The father flees, never to be seen again, while the son is arrested and faces justice for the murder."
Cerin "A saddening tale." He notes, as he considers it.
Thirteen "The moral is traditionally taken to be that greed will inevitably lead to one's downfall. But perhaps it is related."
Cerin "Perhaps. I could not say with the information I possess, however, inprisonment would fit with the Ebon Dragon's current location, so it at least does not contradict anything."
Thirteen "Indeed."
Thirteen "By that logic, the mother would no doubt be a Malfean."
Cerin nods. "That would also explain why she was hateful."
Thirteen "The father, though, is more difficult to place. He would perhaps be one of the rogue Primordials. Perhaps Atomnos?"
Thirteen "He is the creator, after all."
Cerin "Perhaps, though he does not appear to be a dragon."
Thirteen "True."
Cerin "Still, we know that there are four primordials neither neverborn, nor yozi.
Cerin "
Thirteen "But not who they are?"
Cerin "The text we discovered that from was quite reticent with the details."
Thirteen "It is unfortunate that Atomnos was not in a pedagogical mood."
Thirteen "Twenty-three Yozi. Two traitors. Twenty-one neverborn. Four who are other."
Thirteen "
Thirteen "And they align with the fifty constellations..."
Thirteen "Perhaps the Sidereals might know more. Stars are their concern, after all."
Cerin "I was only aware of twenty five?"
Thirteen "Ah."
Thirteen "There are twenty-five visible, living constellations. Their movements imply twenty-one dead constellations. The movements of the group of forty-six imply four more constellations that cannot be seen."
Thirteen "As I am sure you know, each of the twenty-five constellations corresponds to one of the Twenty-Five Ideal Formations. As a tactician, it was my duty to deduce and work out the twenty-five additional formations corresponding to the hidden constellations."
Thirteen slides the paper in his hand over to Cerin. "This is the formation corresponding to the constellation of the Wound."
Cerin studies the formation on the paper before him.
Cerin "And this corresponds to one of the dead? or the unseen?"
Thirteen "The dead."
Thirteen "The unseen are more challenging. I am capable of creating formations that derive from them in a theoretical setting, but it is difficult to use them in battle."
Thirteen "I have much to learn."
Cerin "Perhaps it will become easier once we know something more of the primordials which are hidden. This is something I feel we should aquire knowledge of with some urgency."
Thirteen "Do you believe that they are connected to the plot before us?"
Cerin "It would appear from the story of the family together and apart that the third participant in the story is one of the hidden."
Thirteen "Mm."
Thirteen "The unseen constellations are the Jewel, the Rose, the Serpent, and the Gateway."
Cerin nods. "A hasty guess might suggest the serpent, but it would be foolish to guess merely on names."
Thirteen "Indeed."
Thirteen "I shall devote thought towards accumulating more knowledge of them, then."
Cerin "Perhaps while we are in Wasirru we can look for other such tales. I may have to visit the library in Juche once more."
Thirteen "Once we have conquered the Realm, we will have all the time in the world to explore it."
Thirteen "I know -- you need no permission. I am somewhat more conspicuous, however."
Thirteen smiles slightly.
Cerin "This is true. I was merely considering we might desire the information a little sooner than that time."
Thirteen "Perhaps, but time draws short."
Thirteen "I suspect that we will not have much time once we return from Wasirru before we needs must mount our assault."
Cerin nods
Cerin "You have given me several things to consider though, and I shall depart and let you resume your work. Thank you."
Thirteen "I am sorry I could not be of more help. Expect that in the future I shall be."
Thirteen turns back to his writing.
Tags: (:tags Wei Dan, Three Dragons, Primordials, Ebon Dragon, Wasirru :)
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