Expanding Worlds

[expandingworlds]

Jag vill minnas

Jag vill minnas den tiden då vår kulle var helt tom. Det var alltid natt, och stjärnorna var samma sak som glittrande frost för en unge som jag. Det var en alldeles utmärkt kulle, men Mor min ville ha ett hus där.

Innan detta minns jag inte vart vi kom ifrån, eller varför, men vi stannade här där Mor blickade över en liten lort till by och en liten sjö som var blankare än en spegel.

Hon började med att släpa stockarna till en hög, och karvade träpluggar ur restbitar medan vi vilade vid elden. Medan hon byggde lät hon Sattyg vakta lilla mig, han var den enda som pratade med mig, för Mor trodde inte att jag förstod så liten som jag var.

En gång vandrade jag bort, trots att Sattyg kraxade och flaxade. Snös var hård som skorpor på ytan, och jag krasade igenom den medan jag gick nereför backen.

Jag mötte vargar i skogen, en hel stam på resande fot. Deras nosar var mjuka och kalla, och jag kommer ihåg hur deras tungor kändes som svampar när man la händerna på dem.

Mor visslade och vargarna tog mig hem till hennes kjolar. Dem stannade ett tag och hämtade henne några harar att äta.

Ibland kom det folk för att hjälpa till. En man med en svans under rocken satte dit en enda stock innan han sträckte ut sig i löven och somnade som en lat krake. En skock med ungar som var starkare än karlar hjälpte henne att lyfta på takstolarna. Jag gav dem stenar som jag hade målat.

När stugan var klar blev det dans. Mor gjorde ett bål av björk och tall och många gäster kom för att dansa. En man med en fantastisk hatt blev utkastad när han sa något jag inte ens vågar minnas till Mor min. Det var första gången som hon skar mig också. Hon lämnade droppar av mitt blod i vinet och ölet hos de mest ärade gästerna. De slickade sig om konstiga munnar och klappade sig om magarna.

Jag vaknar fortfarande med deras ögon i nacken, och svettas som en febrig när det händer.

Dem gångerna tvivlar jag lite. Om mor min faktiskt älskade mig. Men jag minns ju så väl, att hon aldrig gav bort mig, trots att någon frågade ibland. Kanske drömde jag bara alltihop ändå, trots alla ärr jag än bär på dessa klena armar mina.

Jag minns vargarnas mjuka nosar, och deras snälla ögon trots deras ilskna tänder.

[expandingworlds]

First Draft of "Inseft Fanfic Name here"

I slammed him backwards, agains the wall. I may be an elf, and he might be taller and heavier, but I am not weak, I have not been for a long time. 

Dorians smile wavered. I wouldn't have been satisfied with less. I could feel glowing brands crawl across my skin, as if responding to the burning inside.

"You! You Piece of SHIT!" I roared.

I could see the realization in his eyes then, he finally understood that I was ACTUALLY angry. My eyes stung.

"My Dear Inq-" 

He stopped as I stepped forward, but he gathered himself quickly, leaning against the wall as if he'd been meaning to the entire time. He settled in with his usual drawl. That tone that I found so attractive, yet now only felt like oil on my skin.

"There's no need to be upset. It was a question, you don't even have to answer."

I pushed my finger into his chest, hard to keep myself from resorting to fists right away.

"You FUCKER. Do you think I'm BLIND AND DEAF!? That isn't the first time you have asked about it, and I get it now, you come WALTZING BACK from Tevinter after seven MONTHS like you'd never left and I FINALLY GET IT."

"Come now! Calm down!" He tried.

I was crying, the light from my Knowledge crawling across my skin in angry slits. 

"First Solas and now YOU!? Am I surrounded by SNAKES!? VILE LIARS!? All of you!"

Dorian tried to take my hands, but I had already stepped back, gathered my fist as thight as I could.

I felt an iron grip around both of my wrists. Not even I could fight against those huge hands, as I was pulled back into a gigantic chest and held in place by an arm as thick as my waist.

"Woah there Kahdan. Whats going ON here?" Bulls voice shook against my back. I breathed heavily. "Vint, what's happening? What did you DO?"

Dorian gathered himself once more, but before he could open his mouth I shot in;

"He means to SELL me to his FUCKING MASTERS. Don't you you poncey fuckin-"

I struggled, but luckily enough Bull had the sense of mind to move me and push my back agains the wall opposite Dorian. I stared daggers at the Vint I thought was my best friend, my second lover even. I should have known everything couldn't go as well as it had these past few weeks.

To my surprise Bulls gaze reflected my inner landscape, he was truly Iron as he turned to Dorian.

"I promise that it's a misunderstanding, I can explain." the magister said, his smile all but gone now.

Bull sighed. 

"You better start right now."

[expandingworlds]

The Family of Darkness

There have been many theories and arguments about the Five Families. Of course it is fundamentally hard to even begin to study this subject, up until only a few years ago Mages had been hiding themselves throughout the entierty of history.

During my own research I have found several things that corelate between them though; For example the prescence of Numbers (or Paragons as they were first known) in the families lines. The tie to common themes in the members magical powers (The Witherwillows were all Pryomancers for example). And then of course the constalations and their tie-in to the magical leylines of the world.

Of all the families, the one I have been able to find the most about is actually the most enigmatic; The Welshs, the family tied to Darkness according to certain esoterical texts I've managed to dig up. The family could be said to be the oldest in that they have had their seat of power in the same area of the world the longest (whereas the Hillforts stem from asian ties for example). The Welshs are just that; they stem from the original indiginous peoples of the lands of britain, scottland and Ireland. When the people there were barbarians and warlords, the Welshs were already a prominent clan with a "Shaman" or "Druid" in almost every great clan or hold. They were said to ward of the darkness, but also to speak to it like many dared not, finding secrets and powers covered in dust since the eras before recorded history. One of the first recorded names of a Welsh is, and this is exciting, Merlin. 

Yes thats right, I have found proof that the famous Merlin of old is tied to the Welsh family by blood, their original member and from whence all of their power stems. 

Merlin, as we know was a Paragon, and you will find that all fo the families have a tie to some of the most powerful mages in history.

Enough about that though. As The Wild lands of what is now britain started to be dragged into the rest of modern times, the Welshs found themselves not alone as a prominent mage family in the area. Other clans had gathered, the Hillforts (then going by another name, lost though) had fled from the great Oni-Dance, an event I still haven't been able to find details on, and from all over the world the other founders of the families were gathering. 

Why is this? Oh, through my studies I have come to the conclusion that it must be the Nexuses. Nexuses are crossing-points for several ley-lines, and remarkably on the british islands there are FIVE nexuses in total. Nowhere else are they that frequent, and my theory is that that is the reason that the families eventually formed in that area.  After a time of rivalry and warring, the families soon came to an agreement of peace, and of guarding the five Nexuses of their lands. They quietly removed themselves from eachother, and soon blended in with the earliest noble families of british decent. Many of todays noble families, such as for example the Westmarks, have relations to the Five Families. 

The Family of Darkness, the Welsh, remained on of the most powerful, as it had been their home originially, and such it remained for a long time. It was during this period that George Welsh, disguised as a Templar of the Church, culled almost the entire population of Dragons, both natural and Mage-born. Some say it was because of how they threatened the disguise of all mages, but I believe it was rather about Georges own draconic powers, and how he could grow them by absorbing the very essence of dragons. For that is the staple of the Welsh; they have always been selfish, power-hungry and cruel in their ways. To much contanct with the darker sides of magic I believe, as some of them have even reached the state of Black Magic, an ability now forgotten, and a good thing that is. The curse is a common topic, and everyone knows about it. How the families hunted down the Falsekin and eventually came across their creator (a being known only as The Witch), and how she cursed them all before her imprisonment on the Dark Continent. This curse would later lead to the destruction of all but two of the families, and today there are only scraps left of the great Welsh. 

Some say that is a good thing, as many prophets and seers through the ages have placed the Clan of the Night right in the center of apocalyptic events, and almost always on the wrong side. - Ashvidaj Mharaji, Historian and professor on Mage-sociology.

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Rumours and ruinations

Archon

"I heard from Meruell that he has secret orgies. You know he's all into that forbidden stuff, you can see it on him... He's dangerous, wolf in sheeps clothing!" - Unknown, tavern in the high end of Vestonia

"You people think that tha muscly one or tha sneaky one is gonna be good kings n' queens do ya? I'll tell ya what, there's one o' them kids that'll be the best ruler and thats the Archon-fella. Dun believe me? Well, when he was five and ordered his guards ta help me fix my wagon. that been crashed into the Kings Own ditch, I knew from then on!" - Aleggrio Dujour, Westrian farmer. "They say that the reason he doesn't have a portrait in the grand showroom is because.... When a painter tries to liken him, wierd things happen. He has the face of a demon, or... of a Night Elf..." - Junior Duchess Meruell, Member of Womens Occult Society. "Oh he's most DEFINETLY bedded and banged the whole lot of them. You can see it on him no? His eyes are filled with the lust! Knight-Commander Harridan? Of course! In the stables once a week! That silver-haired noble from the coast? three times I've heard. His brother Drachon?..... Well, you know Royals." - Valimar Strenietti, Young noble and consort of Sevandromiel of Vestrek. "No, I am sorry. But I believe you have missunderstood the prince. I for one have seven siblings, and I know the feeling of being like none of them at all. The boy is not Gold and Rubies at all. he is Onyx and Silver. He is of the old blood I tell you, back when blood ran the roads. A snake and an Elfvenhi. Thats why I will never stop giving him those cookies, and all of that honey. What sort of sweetness can and old man give to a young one except such? And boy does that one need som sweetness, even if it isn't our place to. Remember that, and remember his name, because he will yours, for better or worse." - First Serving Man Elliot Alessandro, In reprimand to complaints from younger staff. Sevandromiel

"They say that when she was born, the moon was gold that night, as if the sun had never gone down." - Olero Houter, Tavern Owner " 'S a damn shame that she was born royal. Don't go pulling knives on me now, but that girl digs gold from under her fingernails as we do dirt. If she was a merchants daughter we would be trading rocks for diamonds with the dwarves, I swear on my name. " - Kengarl Mahjani, Merchant-Lord "The hummingbird sits In a cage She has no key Cannot get out Yet it is you who is Jailed" - Carved on a wall of a guard tower

"Her relationship with her uncle is just unhealthy. Oh you know... Royals." - Marie-Annette Duchamp, Seamstress "She's petty. Mean spirited. Vain. Greedy. Obsessive, quick to temper and more poisonous than my grandmothers stew... She would have made a fine warrior." - Nyna-Lillé, Marshall, Knight-Render of the blue ribbon. Drachon

 "He looks just like the heroes! Lexander, Drachon the Just, Drachon the Mighty, and even a bit of Selemiss Arrow-of-Wind in there. I bet you he fucks like a steed on sunday!" - Marella, Drunken barmaid, after her evening shift. "Oh he is a king all right. He's sly as a fox, strong as an ox, fast as a hare and braver than a bear. He came in here five years of age and bested my junior officers within the week. But he's ruthless to, ya' ken? You see it in 'im when he fights. That aint not fair fight and he knows it, yet he always strikes without remorse.... He would be a scary king. A Soldier-king." - Gharland Merain, Drilling instructor, Westrian army. "Once his blood dripped on the ground in harvest times, and all the apples turned red as blood that fall!" - Vellum Pax, Farmer "He fits his name perfectly, that one. More than you know. He could have been a magician, a priest, a politician or a warrior. He chose to become all of them. He found secrets where I had burnt them, and he proved worthy of Knight-hood even before his tenth birthday. A glory to behold many would expect, no? In the future he would become a great king, many expect. But you should know more than anything else; A Dragons Teeth are twice edged." - Johna Nharidion, Chief Protector of Forbidden Relics. Dronn

"He has another wife back in the orcen lands, I swear on my grave. There's probably a thousand bastards running around out there now, hoping to be king of the glorius realm one day!" - Baron Aswallt "I hear he gets so full of rage in battle, that he feeds on his enemies. Eats their hearts! ... Isn't it exciting?" - Duchess Marionetta Jelill, renown widowmaker. "The animals listen to him ya know? Like when old Danger went and almost killed Herber. He just walked up to that beast and told it to calm down... And then it did!" - Markart, Stable hand at the castle. "He died once, they say, and then the queen screamed at him to come back. And he did. Straight out of wherever orcs go he came back. THATS the kind of thing I expect from EACH and every one of you. We CANNOT be bested by some Bastard-born, right!?" - Captain Homerus, Westrian army, sixth brigade "Lions Maw". Leiental 

"The queen does not hunt like men. She hunts like a beast. Once every year she leaves this land and travels to the Oghrothils only to kill Dragonpigs with her bare hands, and eat them raw." - Old tavern runabout rumour "I hear she once came across a burning farm, and then she gave 'em flames a stern look until they put everything back in place again. Can ya imagine? The fire just takin' its ol' hat off and scraping its toes!" - A story traveling the roads "She fought all of the Six Heroes at once, before she became Queen, and you see where she is now. Do you really want to steal one of her earrings?" - One maid to another "I just can't stand it. Doesn't she understand that a Queen SETS the trends? Did she HAVE to wear that ARMOUR-DRESS-ABOMINATION to the ball? Oh gods this iron CHAFES." - Duchess Marionetta Jelill, Renown Widowmaker "Some say the reason her brother fled to Soutreck because she threatened to castrate him. One can wonder how that spells for the rest of us Bum-lovers, no?" - Valimar Strenietti, Young noble and consort of Sevandromiel of Vestrek. Draconis

"Ah, the scorned and exiled prince. isn't it just your favourite song to write? My theory about it all? He's a werewolf. It's all there between the lines if you just do your research." - Olligan Merrin, Maestro at the Noble Academy of Artful Pursuit. "Archon is simply a skin, you see. Draconis wears him like a suit! Meanwhile, we think he is put away in Soutreck, but you all know it!" - Popular urban legend "He knows the names of things. He can poison your wine from a mile away, and if he writes a song where you die or shit your pants, thats whats going to happen." - Harald Campieri, ruined merchant "I heard that when the Queen gave birth, he split his soul into three and placed it inside the children, so that no matter what HE will be ruler one day." - Junior Duchess Meruell, Member of Womens Occult Society.

[expandingworlds]

On Mythotheosis and the likness of gods

I'm afriad that this book will be burned alongside with me as the queens holy magicians find me. For what I am about to suggest is of such a blasphemous nature that I dread to think of it. 

Yet I have to say it. I have to write it down.

I do not believe that there are any gods. The Anduíl (Endil for the uninitiated) are no more, as they have left and will leave Etherium (The concept of Etheriums timeline is a confusing one and I have no time to explain it at the moment). 

On the ancient walls of the towers of Chronos there are carvings and images that are years from being transcribed to any known tounge. They describe shapes without convention, surrounded by what can only be said to be strings and weaves. The Shapes are the gods, the Anduíl (i prefer the elven term and I will continue to use it in this text, ok?). The reason they do not look like us is because they didn't.

The Anduíl were beings who didn't see or hear, not as we do at least. They had shapes and were creatures, yet they didn't in any way CONFORM as we do. Not until they started creating THINGS out of the Etherium. The first thing made was Horo-Ans hands. Horo-An is also credited with the creation and the losing of the five celestial weapons, and to wield them he needed hands, thats why he...

No... I'm going off the track here. This isn't important and you must forgive my academic heart. 

I need to explain this simply enough for you, or for anyone. Image that you were blind and deaf, but yet you KNEW all things. You didn't bother with their shapes or the sounds they made, you knew them through how they happened and ended. From Primordius to Etherium.

Then one day you realized how your own hands where shaped. From this day on, this would be the shape of hands. Do you understand?

Looking and Listening are actions that force substance on the Materium, The perfect substance between Primordium and Etherium, it can change, yet not constantly, it can be MADE into semi-permanent things. When a man first made a chair, he called it such and from then on all similar things was a chair. So did the Anduíl also do things. Only in this case, the craftsman made himself into the chair.

Horo-An created his hands, then things to hold in them. Then he dropped his weapons upon the earth, the Materium, and shattered it into several states of being (as can be read in Horologia, our chief religious text, but enough about that). As he walked to the Materium he made his own feet and legs, his own breath and blood, and then his own eyes. 

Horo-An was now a human. Horo-An didn't create us out of the different Materia that had been revealed, he became us. And as he had eyes to look with, and ears to listen with, he made the other Anduíl into humans as well. When he saw the shapes that were gods, they had to be what he was as well, because his mind was like ours is.

Do you understand me?

Have you seen the Grand Cleric-Mother? At times she has displayed what all of the Anduíl are depicted with by humans since the first moments we can remember; Wings. She bears power no mage has compared to in ages and ages. Such things have been recorded before too. Sometimes only temporary, such as when Elsbeth rose from the fire mountain upon wings of gold, and drove the orcs from their Revolving Tower (but you wouldn't know about any of this, because you haven't read what I have read, or seen what I have seen, and I can never make you fully understand without the same experience). Sometimes the wings have been permanent.

Do you see now? The Cleric-Mother hasn't grown into a new shape, she has partially retaken an old one.

We are the gods. We are Anduíl. You will be the first one to read this Effirus, my dear apprentince. And you must tell no one in the open, never. For then you will fare the same fate as me. I will never speak to you again, so this is my last chance to also tell you that I love you, and I do not fear death. For death is only a notion of our own. Live knowing this. Live living this.  Yours truly - Antelio Velissio, Chief Cleaner and failed magician of the Holy Magicum.