JNES: Learning to Walk

Okay Changed the map.

@Josef - considering the number of people who will want to name that part of the central Sea I'm going to wait until the first person crosses in an update it to name it :mischief:
 
Disenfrancised: Western Sea- Sea of Maric Eastern Sea- Sea of Lunbragha
I see taht someone already named the Eastern Sea, so don't bother with the Sea of Lunbragha. Remember, Left is West, Right is East.
 
Israelite9191 said:
Disenfrancised: Western Sea- Sea of Maric Eastern Sea- Sea of Lunbragha
I see taht someone already named the Eastern Sea, so don't bother with the Sea of Lunbragha. Remember, Left is West, Right is East.
Click to expand...

Now you tell me, I'd already renamed the sea of Manric :sad: okay changing it back...
 
Disenfrancised said:
Okay Changed the map.

@Josef - considering the number of people who will want to name that part of the central Sea I'm going to wait until the first person crosses in an update it to name it :mischief:
Click to expand...

Ok, ok, then name the bay just north of the plains of Dole the Sea of Dole ;)

EDIT: You also forgot to name the straight of dole ;)
 
@Josef: Hey I included the Democrats from your story - get off my back! :)

@NK: Yeah, I'm thinking of just putting [Dole][modifier][Geographical Feature] across that whole bit.

I wonder what he's going to do when it comes to nameing cities?
 
Disenfrancised said:
@Josef: Hey I included the Democrats from your story - get off my back! :)

@NK: Yeah, I'm thinking of just putting [Dole][modifier][Geographical Feature] across that whole bit.

I wonder what he's going to do when it comes to nameing cities?
Click to expand...

Dole wants to make sure his mark is left on the region ;)

EDIT: and why are they the Dolianpus mountains, with the pus in orange? it should be Dolympus! ;)
 
@ Josef: :rolleyes:

@ Insane_Panda: :sad:

Bored, waiting for an update = Discription + Story. Woo!


A Brief Discourse on Gargari Spiritualism

The Isherori

As mentioned earlier in the Song of Unbinding and the Silent spiral creation myths, the Gargari believe in two or three "God-level" forces; a Uncaring Creator God named the Sculptor, a Trickster/Changer God whose name is rarely mentioned lest it attract its attention, and a Spirit of Oblivion that ends all things. These three are largely impersonal and take no interest in the day-to-day lives of men (except for the trickster gods jokes) and are not worshiped in turn. Instead the Gargari and their cousins the Kuran mountain peoples reserve their respect for Minor spirits of the land known as Isherori. These will be tied to a particular local such as a mountain or forest or wind and are ascribed lordship over all the lesser spirits of their domain. A Gargari seeking their favour must journey to the home of the isherori and attempt to bargain politely with it in exchange for deeds; for example a man might go the Forest of Setsi and plant a hundred trees in exchange for his wife safely giving birth to son and so on. The isherori of sea, named the Detisherori must be bargained with as group; due to the sea's changeable nature one can never know which spirit you are communicating with; a bargain made one day may not be honoured by the isherori that occupies the area on the next.


The Therrtri-Isherori

Having been exiled from their homelands, the Gargari are unfamiliar with the isherori that may dwell in this new land. Whilst they attempt to see what the new spirits demand in terms of offering, they harken back to the well known isherori of their homelands through the construction of Therrtri; large columns of stone some five or more metres in height. These will be carved with the name of the Isherori associated with the pillar and carven landscapes depicting the spirits home. The lower parts of a pillar will also be etched with the marks of those who have successfully bargained with the isherori; some well loved spirits such as the warm and generous Lake of Setseyi will be etched into illegibility, whilst others such as the forbidding Isherori of Widow's Spire is nearly unmarked except for a few warriors wishing for a silent death to their enemies. Using a therrtri to commune with a spirit is not considered as likely to work as going to the home of the isherori itself, yet it considerably better than nothing and the hills around Gar Versey and the river front inland (two locations considered respectful to the spirits) are dotted with the therrtri of major isherori.

The story of Retotsey the Cold and the Isherori of Hunchback Glacier



Many years ago, long the before the establishment of the Karkryekoj and our expulsion from Kura, two clans occupied the same valley, one sept of the Gargari and a group of the foolish Kurtari. The valley was rich in many things with a fast flowing river of great clarity, forests full of game, wide fields, and beautiful vistas. There was more than enough room of everyone and the people of the valley thrived - the Gargari dwelling on the higher slopes and the Kurtari on the lower, all was peaceful and quiet. The natural luck of the Gargari lead to an increase in their numbers and the Kryetari of the clan, a noble man named Retotsey decided to found a small village further down the valley. The Kurtari, being a greedy and selfish people naturally resented this and spent many months plotting against their betters. Once their feeble intellects had managed to come up with a vile and treacherous plan they must have spent many a day chortling at their own wickedness...

Whilst the Gargari village slept, Retotsey, despite his many virtues, was not a cautious man and had neglected to set many sentries, the Kurtari assassins snuck into the settlement and murdered the people as they slept! Retotsey awoke as a vicious Kurtari knelt over his pallet. Grappling with the murderer, Retotsey eventually overcome him and slew him with his own knife! Bursting out into the village that was illuminated by the burning houses of his kin, Retotsey, clad in only a sleeping cloth, fell many a dark Kurtari before realising all was lost and running back up the mountain to rally the other Gargari village.

The next morning the Gargari clan, vengeance foremost in their minds, marched down the battle the betrayers, only to find the Kurtari had gathered their cousins from the surrounding valleys and had assembled a mighty host! The Gargari fought viciously of course, and overcame a great number of the spiteful Kurtari, but in the end shear numbers forced the mighty Retotsey and a remnant of his band out the valley.

Disillusioned with his leadership, the other Gargari dissolved their Oaths to him as their Kryetari and journeyed forth to find their cousins in other valleys and reclaim what lives they had lost. Retotsey wandered the lands of Kura consumed by vengeance. In no place he went could he find peace, and eventual he returned to the lip of his home valley and raged impotently at the many fires of the Kurtari below.

Then one particularly cold winter, when the glaciers crept far down hill and the mountains wore great cloaks of ice, he decided on a drastic course of action. Sneaking into the valley he climbed the steep slopes at its head, and scaled the crooked glacier that lurked at its top. Standing on the roof of the mighty river of ice he made many chants and pleas to the great Isherori that dwelt within the glacier. No reply came to him no matter how hard he shouted the ancient words of power.

Eventually he bowed his head, exhausted, and let out a great sigh. Unable to other anything of worth but unwilling to give up even in this, the bitter end. He lay on his bed of ice and closed his eyes for what he thought would be the last time, as the heat slowly leeched out of his body.

Much to his surprise he awoke in the morning, and felt not the cold nor the pain, and there was a strange tint to his skin. Looking around he found that whilst still sleeping atop a sea of ice - he was no longer at the heights of the valley! In the night the glacier must have rushed down the valley in a mighty avalanche and crushed all the Kurtari villages that lay along the river before it! Somehow he had been carried down as gently as a mother cradles her babe. Emboldened by the favour of the mighty Isherori he strode into the valley with murder on his mind.

That day he was a force as irresistible as the great glacier that favoured him; swords bounced off him, men died at the cold of his touch, and his strikes struck the core of all those who opposed him. By nightfall no Kurtaryi drew breath within the walls of Retotsey's valley.

With his great victory the Kurtari fled the area, never to return, and the strong men and women of Gargari took the rich lands for their own. Throughout the rest of winter Retotsey ruled them wisely as Kryetari and all prospered.

However the story of Retotsey has a sad ending, a warning to all those who would offer more than they have to give; when the hot rays of summer illuminated the valley, the great glacier that had lain in the centre since the events of the heart of winter melted away and crept back up the valleys slope to its mountaintop lair. And Retotsey, linked somehow to the glacier that had given him life and strength, waned with it - wasting away to a shadow of his former glory. He breathing his last breath sometime before the feast of midsummer of that year. He was mourned by all true Gargari as the world had lost one of its greatest heroes; a man willing to give everything for victory.

Thus ends the story of Retotsey the Cold and the Isherori of Hunchback Glacier.
 
Kentharu said:
when is the first update going to be?
Click to expand...

I think today, but Jason is busy with moving in to his dorm so who knows... :(
 
Sorry guys, i dont know when I can update this or even read it for that matter. college is crazy, and even tho classes havnt started, there are so many things to do, people to meet.

Anyways, once classes start I can start putting off homework in lieu of updating NES's :), so hopefully I can do it then.

I had no idea it was going to be like this.

Jason
 
You hardly make me more optimistic about this, you know. ;)

---

"Bahris." - Airus finally said, turning around to look at his warriors - "He came... He will understand, I am sure..."

Airus was not sure of it. He was not sure of how to explain... what happened here. How would Bahris take... this?!

For behind his warriors, were teh smoldering ruins of the hanakad. The corpses of friends and foes - many of whom were their FRIENDS, their compatriots if nothing else, just as well! - were being prepared for cremation. Amongst them there were also corpses of innocent bystanders.

And amongst those bystanders was...

---

"No." - said Bahris, quietly, when he realized that the horrible has happened. He wanted to cry, he wanted to shout in despair... but he knew that he would not do it, for something within him just didn't let him. - "Not that."

Why?! Why does it have to happen? Why are the Gods so cruel? This was a very cruel test, and not just of him! If they wanted to punish him, why coul they not just kill him and leave his people alone?!

Bahris suppressed his emotions, and motioned for his bodyguards to dismount as they neared the ruins. He needed to talk this over with Airus.

Swordlord Airus was pale, scared... and disgusted, disgusted with himself, Bahris felt. Airus thought himself responsible...

BUT THIS WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY! Bahris wanted to shout that, but he could not. Some things are best unsaid.

"Swordlord Airus." - he said, simply.

Airus sighed.

"Speak."

"Vodad Bahris, I take the responsibility for all this. If you say that I must die..."

"No!" - Bahris said angrily - "There must be no more deaths! I want you to explain to me what has happened here, in detail, and sincerely."

Airus was trembling with shame from inside, Bahris felt it. And Bahris understood him, ofcourse. He thought himself guilty, guilty...

"Leave us alone." - said Bahris to the others - "Now, tell me everything, Airus. From the beginning. And do not hide any details, how ever disgusting they might be."

---

It started with the whispers. Rumors passed all over the hanakad, and by the evening all the city has heard "the truth". "The truth" that Bahris intended to make himself a gladad, to disperse the elders, to rule tyrannicaly with his new Tajra wife over all the Yatery and in fact all the sely. Most people rejected this outright. But one of them, called Arhus, suggested that they go and ask the elders as to what do they know of Bahris' plans.

Grudgingly, to prove him wrong, the people agreed. They gathered in an impressive mob, marched to the elder hut and sent Arhus and the sceptical Orpas to ask the elders.

Scared, the elders didn't keep the secret - they revealed that Bahris intended to become a wergladad and to unite all the sely under his rule. Orpas wanted to ask more about the details, but Arhus shouted to the people "it is true!" and Orpas could not deny it. Arhus quickly convinced the mob that Bahris conspired against them...

---

They were walking through the serene forest, where the smoke still coming from the hanakad could scarcely be felt.

Bahris closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he opened them again and urged Airus to go on. But first, he wanted to know if Airus knew anything about this "Arhus"...

"Nobody of us remembers him from before." - said Airus. Bahris nodded. He didn't recall any "Arhus" neither.

"Damn that old sneak Rehtus..." - cursed Bahris - "He probably sent him in here, to turn my people against me."

"He succeeded." - said Airus bitterly.

"No, there still are survivors... right?"

"We helped most loyalists out, they should be at the Tajra hanakad. Only one man out of five rebelled, I believe." - Airus wondered again whether to tell Bahris of the death of... He shrugged it off. Not yet.

"Good. I knew I could trust you. Continue."

---

They attacked the elders. Some loyalists fought them off, and helped elders flee; but some elders turned against us. Arhus' cronies begun attacking us while we were resting; I came back from a hunt and was told of this by Marhus. You know, the old potter... He said he remembered you as a child.

I ordered a call to arms, and my warriors quickly secured all gates; Arhus was caged inside the hanakad and we begun evacuating loyalists. Houses of your... friends were attacked, Arhus ordered executions of prisoners...

We decided to take him out, and attacked the elder hut from where he commanded. We surrounded it, and Erlis volunteered to lead the charge...

Then it started. Erlis was ambushed and killed; I led the second charge and we nearly caught Arhus, but he slit his own throat. It was then that I noticed the fires... Arhus' cronies, he somehow got them to burn down the hanakad... Others immediately surrendered, but a few of them then attacked us again, and threw torches everywhere... They killed many good men.

---

Airus stopped, trembling.

"They too were Rehtus' spies." - said Bahris and looked at Airus, noticing his condition - "It is okay for you to cry - this is a horrible tragedy."

A single tear, as if on cue, roled down Airus' nose. He removed it, blushing.

"Continue."

"What more is there to say?" - asked Airus, with a voice still somehow shaking - "We sent the prisoners to Tajra hanakad, under guard, for you to trial them later. The dead will soon be cremated."

"No, you forgot to say about something... forgot on purpose. I am sure you did. Do not be afraid."

"It is your mother, Bahris..." - begun Airus, his voice somehow recovering.

To be continued.
 
On the Evolution of the Cult of Manric
The Manrix, closely related to the Gargari, have all but given up the original g-ds, as stated, in favor of what were once Tuathshor, or as the Gargari call them, Isherori. The g-ds of destruction and creation have been unified into one, the trickster downgraded to a sort of folk-spirit, more like a nymph than a g-d, named Brighlok. Manric and Farsind are have taken over the aspects of most of the other Tuathshor and have become true deities. The reason for this is that as the Manrix migrated out of the mountains they merely took the old Tuathshor and applied them to larger and larger areas. Though Manric was originally only the deity of a 'large' (by Kuran standards) lake, he is now ruler of all seas. Though Farsind was originally only the deity of a mountain from whcih the river that feeds Manric Lake springs, he is now the deity of all earth and of fathers and fertility. This creates a duality to the Cult of Manric, the only remaining relgion in Manrix lands. On the one hand is the favored deity, Manric, who rules over the sea and gives life to all people by giving them the food they need. On the other hand is Farsind, deity of the land, who gives life to the sea through the rivers that supply its waters. There is another, more minor, sky deity that serves as the wife of Farsind and mother of Manric. More on her at a later time.
 
is the censor censoring out the word god?

Nvm, they're not
 
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