LINESII- Into the Darkness

[jalapeno_dude]

Stop stealing my people, Contempt!!

 

[Cuivienen]

Stop stealing my people, Contempt!!

You stole my volcano, he can steal your people

 

[Thlayli]

Pfft. They stole my country, carved it up like a turkey, and you act offended?

 

[alex994]

OOC: You still didn't answer the diplomacy thlayli!

 

[Contempt]

Technically religious intolerance (not neccessarily on a state level, on CIVILIZATION level) IS a sign of civilization, whether you like it or not.

Heh, true enough. But, thanks for allowing me to post another story without double posting

Indeed. Kehexou is rather offended at the inference that religious purity makes a nation uncivilized.

Remember, this is a Citadel study. While they certaintly view the Swades as civilized, this particular expedition is merely painting an objective picture when it comes to the differences between the Lengels and everyone else. In their eyes, the Lengels are extremely barbaric, and base creatures.

The Lengel's entire life style revolves around fighting, and the atrocities committed by the Lengel were never matched by any civilized nation. This study is merely examining all the differences, and trying to ultimately find knowledge of the Lengel in relation to the cultural reason for their conquest (as it hadn't been exactly clear to the world at large) and seemingly easy assimilation of other cultures.

But, the Lengels are certaintly intolerant of other religions, just not in a legal sense. The only sense the Citadel group has encountered so far. Besides which, what makes a nation civilized is not religous tolerance, but its actions and life-style. These Citadelers merely wish to fuel a futile wish that the Lengels will somehow become civilized.

****​

A Citadel Study of the Lengels, 1243​

We have traveled deep into the Lengel lands, looking at the homelands no civilized man had yet seen. The steppe, we have found, is quite harsh to those unaccustomed to it. One of our expedition died several days ago, wandering from the group, distracted by a foriegn animal only to be eaten by its predator.

Our guide did not even blink at the loss. He only scavanged the body, and moved on. Horrified, we tried to give our lost friend a proper burial. When we asked him of it, the man merely said that such a concept as burying was foriegn to him. The life of the steppes is a difficult one he explained, and when a friend died, it was better to leave him where he lay and continue moving. The body would merely draw animals, which might endanger the cattle or horses.

Slowly, on our journey, we begin to understand the Lengel. Adversity is at times their only companion, struggle their very life. It isn't a wonder now why the Lengel spend so much of their time on war. We have seen children as young as five learn how to shoot a bow, and learn to track prey. These people hunt for food, they hunt for sport, and in fact, their entire life seems to be a hunt: predator and prey in equal amounts upon the difficult steppe.

Yet, while families hunt, they also tend to large hordes of horses and cattle. These people spend almost all of their time on their horses, as their livelihood depends deeply upon the speed and strength of their mounts. The original question of why this people had such large legions of Horse Archers was answered quite easily when our guide shot an animal from horseback almost two hundred feet away.

We have learned much so far, as we go deeper and deeper into Lengel territory. The land seems to strech out for miles and miles without end, and there are times when we see no one but our selves around in that wide expanse. From our observations, this is because the Lengel are constantly moving as nomads, and the vastness of their lands allows for the seemingly scattered effect of their wanderings, although these nomadic families and clans will meet every few weeks at a single location to trade, and tell stories.

One such place is the only city ever built by the Lengels. And that was our destination during the trip through the Lengel empire. When we finally arrived, we were surprised at how sparse the capital, if it could be called that, actually was. Very few buildings were actually built in it. A small, modest palace was the only building of importance within the whole city, and inside of the palace was many interesting things.

Inside the palace were many rooms dedicated to the upkeep and control of the various parts of the Lengels empire. We saw Nkondians, Maugotians, and even Davarians within the various rooms, all writing various orders on their many scrolls. Several guards were there as well, but they were dressed almost no differently than a normal Lengel.

We were granted audience with the Lengelzai, and were able to ask him several questions. The elderly man was but a shadow of the mighty warrior. Jebe the Wise, the Lengelzai of the Lengel horde for several decades, was most known for his crushing of the Davarians and Tristarians (apparently his father had allowed him to command the bulk of the army after Paci was barred, Temujan going to help his old friend), and his marriage to Nkondian general Sokhatai (apparently they married soon after his father finished teaching both Jebe and Sokhatai of war). Jebe was also well-known for sparring St. Pire's cathedral.

During it all though, I noticed something strange. For all the wealth the Lengel had gained in their conquest and plunder, why did it not grace the Lengelzai's palace walls? Why was his throne made merely of fur, and not of gold?

What he said, only left us with more questions:

"Mighty Lengelzai," I began, "we come to ask of you the gifts of your knowledge, to better understand your people."

The old man, his white beard quite long, merely waved his hand. At that signal, the guards in the room silently walked away, leaving the group alone with the Lengelzai. I blinked, shocked at the Lengelzai's disregard for his saftey.

"I know what you have come here seeking, men of Eldos. I am not fearful of my saftey against men such as you," said the Lengelzai softly.

"We merely come seeking knowledge of your people, Lengelzai," I said. The conviction was evident in my voice, and I firmly believed it myself. The Lengelzai merely chuckled in response.

"Seeking knowledge to questions without answers. Mere whispers in the dark. I have heard of the Citadel, with its lofty walls and philosophers. And I even know of you, Joshea of Riverfork," ended the Lengelzai, a smile on his face.

I frowned, as I knew that I had not yet fully introduced myself or my group to him. The others all looked at him, shocked as I was. I shook it off, unnerved by his intelligence, and his ambiguous answer.

"What do you mean?" I said simply, not trusting my own voice to go further. By Eldos this task was not easy.

The Lengelzai looked towards the ceiling, and closed his eyes. "In order to know the answer, you must know the question. That question burns within you, as it burned within you as you read of the Battle of Magi, learned of the Battle of the Nkondi plains. It was the hunger you felt when you read the after-math of Strategium."

The Lengelzai's words struck a cord deep within my soul, and his words touched those of all the others in my group. We all felt his words, and suddenly that very hunger he talked about was felt deep within our bellies.

"Why?" I choked out. It was the only question I could think of. The only question whose answer would matter to me. I did not care about how the Lengels lived in their felt tents in the unforgiving steppe. I did not care about how they congregated at Lengeliz to trade and worship Koke, or to worship the Lengelzai as Koke's precense on this earth. I did not care of how they learned the boy at a young age, of how they felt battle would strip away all impurities in the soul in a glorious event paved in blood.

The old man turned his head to look straight at me. Yet, he did not open his eyes. "Let me tell you a story, seekers of knowledge. Many years ago, my fathers father was the head of his clan, the Lengels. The clan was small, but prospered. Until one day my grandfather decided to wage war with a nearby clan, and much larger clan."

All of us hung on every word of his story, the words and sounds burning themselves into our very souls. I could hear it echoing within me like a drum, in an ever increasing cresendo. I could almost taste the answer, waiting on the Lengelzai's tongue.

"The elders thought him insane, since he had never been so fool-hardy and confident ever before. Yet, against all the odds we defeated them easily in a series of flawless manuvers and a bit of luck. The elders thought he would stop then, but he didn't. He didn't stop until every clan near us was part of us. The birth of the Lengels was there, in that moment. Our clan name was forgotten, cast off like a snakes skin. We took another name: Lengel."

The Lengelzai's soft voice continued to captivate us, but I still could not help but notice that his eyes were still closed. Yet, this I quickly forgot as he continued.

"We became more than just a clan that day, we became a nation. A people. And yet, we still did not stop. We moved south, crushing all others in our path. It seemed almost as if we were driven, a boiling in our blood to move south, to fight against those we met. We defeated the Maugots in an expert manuver of out-flanking. Nkondi was similarly defeated. Even Davar was broken against the power of our armies. We were, and are, moving unstoppably southwards."

These events were well-known to us, as he said before. That hunger to know the cause was almost answered now, I knew it. I felt it. It was crawling underneath my skin, and I welcomed it. What was the point of telling us of his peoples sudden explosive expansion? What did it all mean? I knew I would soon have my answer. The Lengelzai's eyes turned towards the ceiling once more, and I wondered at his reason.

"It is a strange feeling for me to not be able to see the Blue sky above. It has been my companion for as long as I remember. In fact, I remember my father telling me that he meditated under the serene blue sky to gain inspiration for battle, much like his father did. It is only fitting it seems, that I am the same way."

When the Lengelzai said that, his head once again seemed to look at me without opening his eyes. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and I looked into the endless depths of his black eyes. I seemed to fall forever and a day looking into those eyes.

And then, I understood.

In Lengel culture, they call their god Koke, which translates roughly translates to mean 'Eternal Blue Heaven'. Generally, this is taken to mean the Blue sky above. It all made sense now. The reason for his peoples sudden expansion, and seeming invincability. Why they were so driven towards the south.

The Lengelzai closed his eyes again, the single moment he had looked straight into mine already passed. With a wave of his hand, he told us to leave. And we left, the rest of the group unaware of what his story had meant, other than the history of his people. But I knew.

But, now I was left with more burning questions. Questions unanswered. I still did not fully know 'Why' the Lengels had invaded and destroyed all they could going southwards. I had guesses, but little more. The questions I had could no longer be answered by man, but through careful study and philoshopy. But still even then, I doubt I will understand.

Until I stand before heaven, and ask.

We left for Davar as soon as we left his palace. There was nothing left for us here. Nothing but more unanswered questions.

****​

 

[jalapeno_dude]

Eternal blue heaven? Not sky? Moving south? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Unless it's "where are they going to get all the lumber to build so many ships?", probably not.

an non-existant wish that the Lengels will somehow become civilized.

The wish certainly exists.

You're doing a fairly good job writing from the Citadel's point of view. Most researchers would just record the words, believing that only the facts are important, but, as I say below, they would be inferior.

Semi-IC:

Most Citadelers, at least the everyday researchers, try to become emotionless and dispassionate, focusing only on gathering knowledge.

Strangely enough, these people usually don't go far. It is those who have passion (OOC:like The Prophet and the nameless Citadeler in my story) who learn the greatest truths.

Only the greatest understand the true consequences of the fact that all gods and all men are equal. This equality is often misinterpreted to mean that all are equally important. This would mean that all knowledge is equally important, and lead to a tendency to horde knowledge--which the Citadel has certainly been guilty of.

But the greatest realize that all have equal potential. This potential must be realized, and this is the highest purpose of the Citadel--to make potential equality actual. By gathering knowledge, the Citadel can learn to make all men better. This is what they strive for, why they study every culture, every event, and go far beyond the boundaries of the known world.

In a sense, the Citadelers and Lengels are similar. They simply disagree on what it means to reach one's potential.

OOC: And now a leading question for Contempt: what of the Eldranians? Should they be emulated, for realizing their potential in glorious, massive war? Or disdained, for believing that their god was the only one?

 

[alex994]

OOC: Your citadelers seem like a friendly bunch, so much unlike those Swades... When we get contact, all of Guangfei is open to you jalapeno . That reminds me, I better go ban foreigners in my capitol too...

 

[jalapeno_dude]

OOC: Your citadelers seem like a friendly bunch, so much unlike those Swades... When we get contact, all of Guangfei is open to you jalapeno . That reminds me, I better go ban foreigners in my capitol too...

If the New Veritasians know of you, we know of you...

Expect a research team soon, if it's not already there.

 

[Contempt]

Eternal blue heaven? Not sky? Moving south? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Unless it's "where are they going to get all the lumber to build so many ships?", probably not.

Perhaps, perhaps not. It could all be elaborate set-up for a final battle that is not yet to come, while the Lengel war-host moves in different directions to strengthen its power in preperation of the unspoken. Or perhaps it could all be a ruse, or just a damn good story

The wish certainly exists.

Fixed.

You're doing a fairly good job writing from the Citadel's point of view. Most researchers would just record the words, believing that only the facts are important, but, as I say below, they would be inferior.

I thought it was good too. Expect a third story about Davar, with the same guy, soon. Meaning, when I get the inspiration to right a powerfully moving yet still descriptive story.

 

[Thlayli]

OOC: You still didn't answer the diplomacy thlayli!

Er...where is this again? Must have missed it, I'm not around often lately.

EDIT: Oh, that diplo. New Veritas regrets the present hostilities, etc. The Sintonian envoy was unavailable for comment.

 

[Contempt]

****​

A Citadel Study of Davar, 1244​

Once we left the Lengel homland, we returned to the Citadel through many winding mountain passes to hand over the two scrolls of our research and observations to the head scholar. When he read over them, he knowingly nodded upon reading to the end of my reports, only saying 'You will go far' before assigning my research team another task.

We were to travel south into Davar, and research the effects Lengel occupation had thus far had. Unbidden, thoughts and questions can to my mind. I tried to ignore it, to focus on the task that would be ahead of me, but already I knew it was a lost battle. My passion would not be bested.

The hunger I had deep within my chest would not be saited until I understood the Lengel's reason for invading Davar. Which, hopefully, would unravel more of the mystery of the Lengels. A mysterious people of the north, ever looking south. Although, it seemed that they also looked north as well, if Ikki was any indication.

But those thoughts would find a place another time, in another place. I understand the Lengelzai's reference to his version of Eldos in his explanation, but I fail to understand why Eldos would send another people, so warlike in their very survival on the steppes to the South to war, much like the Eldarians of old.

Did not Eldos learn from his mistake in the Eldarians? Was that not why the Prophet taught them to instead seek knowledge instead of war, and peace instead of battle? More questions, but little answers. This study is little more than a journal for my thoughts as we travel south on the river. We have been slowly gathering data as we go south through Davar, hoping to piece together the effects of Lengel occupation.

We have seen numerous horse and cattle hordes in our travels on the grassland of Davar. While this addition has already begun to show signs of the same effects it had upon Nkondi, I feel that the circumstances are much different than in Nkondi. Nkondi, although it was considered part of the civilized nations, was barbaric in its way, and thus was closer to Lengel culture than a more civilized culture would be.

Not only this, but Nkondi had areas of centralized religous Nkondians, and areas of decentralized non-religous Nkondians. Following the war and the causulties that followed, the non-religous Nkondians were quickly absorbed into the Lengels, while the religous Nkondians fled.

Davar, in comparision, is much more religous, and quite a bit more civilized than Nkondi was. It is my conclusion, that even after four decades of Lengel occupation and the introduction of the horse herds would not have changed much of Davar.

How wrong I was.

Davar is changed from what it was. Those who followed Animism quickly turned to Tengri, and fell into Lengel ways, becoming nomads on the grasslands. I know now what the Lengel's most deadly weapon truly is. Not their almost invincible army, but their all conquering culture.

And now the questions come. Will the Lengel succeed where the Elderians failed? Will their war against the world succeed because they did not seek to destroy their opponents, but absorb them? I do not know, I cannot not know. Such questions burn themselves in my mind, and I wonder.

If I had not taken a vow of peace to Eldos, would I have had the potentional to move the world, as these Lengels did? As the by-gone Elderians did? And my mind burns with questions, but I hold myself back. I have gone to deep into the belly of the beast, wondering of temptations and sins that I swore never to commit. But still, my mind is not a peace.

We finally reach the first Davarian city. It once was a place of great trade and wealth, but now was a smaller city. Yet, it seems to be growing, albiet slowly. The scars of the Lengels invasion still show in this city, even four decades later. The stone is new, as are the roads, paid for with Lengel gold. I learned from a Davarian offical, that following the conquest the Lengels used their stored plunder (the stored wealth that didn't go to pay the army) to rebuild the war-torn cities.

Roads were rebuilt, and Davar healed on the surface to what it was before the Lengel invasion. But it would never return to that, I soon found out. Irreversible changes were made to Davar. One of these, I found was the tax system.

The Lengel had a particular tax system, granting tax exemption to those families that gave warriors to the War-Host, and to those farmers that provided a part of their harvest to the Government. Those that followed Tengri were similarly granted tax exemption, as well as those that worked for the government.

This ingenious plan, I have found, contributed the most to the changes to Davar. Many Davarian archers now find themselves supporting their families in the Lengel War-Host, instead of defending their families against it. The irony is bitter to these people, although they have adjusted to it. Many of these original foot-archers, living and training with the actual Lengel army have begun the process of converting their craft to horseback, although such a change is slow in coming.

The scars still are fresh, I feel. But that does not change the not religous from declaring themselves followers of Tengri to take advantage of the tax expempt status, although many of these are finding that Tengri often controls them. The Lengel religion seems to suck almost everything of note into itself, and not let go.

Even the Church of the One's beliefs are being absorbed into Tengri belief. Old stories of the birth of the world, always a part of Tengri, have been taken as metaphors for the One's birthing of the world, and man. Yet, this is not what scares me the most.

At the Church of St. Pire, the words "Many names for but One" are now written in the stone. It is a story, that Temujan entered the Cathedral with the intention of burning it down, but looked through the colored glass at the Blue sky, and sparred it. The words he is rumored to have said is "There are many names for Koke".

And suddenly, I feel as if the world is mocking me. Laughing at me as I try to make sense of the insanity that is life. As I struggle to understand in the confusing realms of half-truth and rumor. Of legend and fact. In this, I am quite similar to the Lengel. They struggle their whole lives for the right to live upon the steppes, only to throw it away for precieved Divine provedence.

Yet I have struggled all my life to understand knowledge always just beyond my reach. But, what will I throw it away for? The chance to experience what it is to fight? The chance to truly, truly understand the Lengels battles and wars, as they emulate the Eldarians crusade, but instead absorb rather than destroy?

I cannot say. The parellels are to similar, between our two peoples. And it seems like history is repeating itself. The knowledge lies just beyond my reach, but the sad story of the Davarians last stand does not transfer Divine knowledge, only the knowledge that Davar and its customs will slowly be absorbed into the Lengels because of ingenious laws, and perhaps the cowardly fleeing Davar to some far off land, leaving those who will inevitablely be absorbed.

The spirit of Davar was crushed in these four decades, only be slowly rebuilt by the Lengels through rebuilding cities, tax laws, and insertion of a new mode of life, a chance to repent from sins. Rebuilt through the similarities of the Church of the One to the Lengel's own Tengri. Similarities New Eldism shares.

But what exactly does that mean? The potentional of what the answer to that question, and the knowledge it would bring scares me. But my hunger does not stop, it does not rest. The parellels are too many, the similarities almost exact. All I know, is that there are many names for Eldos. And that he is moving nations down paths already traveled for some inexplainable reason.

And I wonder, if I to would travel that path, if given the chance.

My answer scares me. And I do not wish to return to Citadel.

 

[jalapeno_dude]

It's Eldranians, not Eldrarians.

Did not Eldos learn from his mistake in the Eldarians? Was that not why the Prophet taught them to instead seek knowledge instead of war, and peace instead of battle?

Eldos never made a mistake. The Eldranian priest misinterpreted his word.

Time for Joshea to return home.

IC:

Joshea's Speech to the Council of Eldos upon becoming Head
1251 VC

Seven years ago, I took a trip through the lands of the Lengel. I observed the decline of Nkondi culture. I saw how the Lengels used their religion to tame the people of Davar. I traveled to Lengeliz and met with the dying Lengelzai.

By the standards of the Citadel, my missions were a success. Many small facts were collected and preserved as one might collect and preserve butterflies. Minutae were sent back by the boatload. We knew the intricate details of Lengel culture.

But until we understood the Truth, not truths--until we knew what drove the Lengels, why they had pushed south centuries, if and how they differed from the Eldranians, the very purpose of their existence--the mission was not and could never be a success.

Confusion and doubt filled my heart. Yes, my heart--that important but oft-neglected organ held in such disdain by much of the Citadel. For truths have no meaning without Truth, and Truth is of the heart. And now, my heart told me I needed more.

So for seven years, I wandered this continent, heading south like Lengel desire. I passed through the fortifications the Crystal Ridge Alliance keeps to ward off Lengel assault. I wandered through Gerber and Kerania and Tellum. I studied the once-great cities of former Veritas, viewed their forgotten monuments, saw the ruins of Strategius' tomb.

Then I headed west, through the heart of the CRA--Shalamaria and Gorin, to the Western Sea and to Skilv'so. Then south through the Khmerian desert, through Kehexou to Emor, Swade, and Myocaca. And, using the access granted everywhere to the Citadel, I journeyed to New Veritas, where a people struggled to rebuild while avoiding the mistakes of their grandfathers.

Then I crossed the mountains to Guangfei, that ancient, civilized land with a culture wholly unlike my own. I stayed there nearly a year, observing, cataloging. But I headed north once more, stopping briefly in Farport and Exilsium before heading to Norvalin, where I contemplated defeat, disaster and penance. I stopped in Orum, then Malkavia and Gamorrea. Finally, I returned home to the Citadel.

I learned many truths in my journey, but far more important were the few delicate, fragile, yet towering Truths I stumbled upon.

I learned the true meaning of the words of Eldos. All men are equal insofar as they all strive to reach their potential.

But what is this potential? What right do we have to declare this, to define it for others? We seek for knowledge, but knowledge brings arrongance, the conviction that your truths are the only concievable ones.

I believe that this is wrong. We have no right to "civilize" others until we know that our cause is correct. I believe that it is. I believe that Eldos teaches peace. I believe that it is right to ask others to embrace pacifism. I will try to teach others this. But I will not impose it on them.

Until we know the Truth, we cannot teach it.

Note: Thus began the period of doubt at the Citadel. For a period of time, the Citadel was wracked with crisis and indecision. Souls were searched, knowledge abandoned, in the hope that Truth, so elusive, could be found at last.

OOC: Alex, want to write about Joshea in Guangfei?

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Actually, if I may say something, Davar isn't being integrated that quickly. The majority of Davarans chose to farm for you, but few joined the Lengel Army. Assimilating them won't go as quickly as that.

Although we can assume that the report came from the north of the country, which was less civilized and more likely to be assimilated relatively easily.

Good stories nonetheless.

Edit: Great story JD.

 

[jalapeno_dude]

Good, you read it. I was worried you would miss it because of the crosspost.

This NES seems to be getting increasingly gloomy and fatalistic...

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Bah. My gloom sensors show nothing. Fatalistic, maybe a little, but nothing lasts forever. At the end of the Great War (before it got restarted) would anyone have thought that Veritas could be vanquished?

 

[TerrisH]

Yes. tenten

 

[jalapeno_dude]

@ TerrisH

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Ah yes, well things are a little different for someone who was 'in' on the plot. I didn't expect it until reading the orders.

 

[Contempt]

Actually, if I may say something, Davar isn't being integrated that quickly. The majority of Davarans chose to farm for you, but few joined the Lengel Army. Assimilating them won't go as quickly as that.

Although we can assume that the report came from the north of the country, which was less civilized and more likely to be assimilated relatively easily.

Good stories nonetheless.

Edit: Great story JD.

Well, since you never responded to that question, I kind of just did my own version. But, thanks for clearing up how fast the assimilation went anyway (I got carried away, I think). So yes, the majority of that report came from the north, and the rest that was not shown dealt with the south, where a majority of the Davarians served the Lengelzai through farming.

 

[das]

saw the ruins of Strategius' tomb.

A shame, we should've preserved it for the posterity so that they can defile it properly.

Great stories everyone! Sadly not much inspiration right now, things are rather peaceful... can someone attack me please?