One of the special privileges of the rulers of the Aetierian Kingdom, stemming all the way back from the emperors and emperesses of the Raian Empire. There were legends of great monarchs keeping a great menagerie of concubines--both male and female--within the secretive walls of the palace harem, and ever greater were rumors of the affairs of the country being settled--not in the throne room or great halls of the palace, but between silk sheets and behind gauzy curtains.
Raia is rife with legends of beauties bringing about the downfall of countries.
Tales of years past, when the harem was more lively. Filled with scheming consorts and ambitious concubines, of deadly punishments and the occasional murder or five of some favored consort’s rivals.
However, it wasn’t until King Dantalion's reign that the majority of the harem fell into disuse, as it now housed only a single resident: his first and only consort, Illysandre.
Built near the Strait of Medir, surrounded by rich, emerald foliage that contrasted to the shining white stone, the temple stood as the pinnacle of religious devotion. Great pillars held the arched roof at the entrance. Carved into the tympanum was the Pantheon of the Greats, and in the middle, holding the Cradle, stood the Trinity.
Through the entrance revealed a titanic space. Tall, curved ceilings painted with the figures of deities, martyrs, and saints. Shining chandeliers of floating lights lit the main hallway, guiding Fenice's eyes to the altar at the front. It was tempting to crane her head in every which direction, to take in the intricate detail, the gold lining each arch and every doorway.
At the very end of the Temple was a gigantic semi-circular room. It's ceiling a dome of precious metals, and at the dome's base were a myriad of arched, open windows close together to create the illusion of a levitated dome. The ceiling itself was too high for her to make out the intricate detail at the top, but Fenice was sure that, whatever it was, the artistry was absolutely divine.
Here’s a bit of mythology/lore from my wip When Comes the Dawn. I wrote it up in about 15 minutes so it’s not as refined as I would like, but I love it all the same. The rest of the piece and the taglist are below the cut.
The cliffs of Vitolia are said to be the bridge to the Abyss. It’s a long stretch of narrow, winding earth jutting out into the Sea of Beyond, where each step brings you lower and lower, until the path disappears into the crashing waves, and the sea mist is so thick that not even the most foolish of men would dare take the precarious climb back up to the mainland.
They say only the Forsaken walk the treacherous paths. Wretched souls denied a proper burial are lured to the depths below by wily sea demons; beautiful, tempestuous children of the waves singing of a soul’s hidden desire before pulling them down and delivering them to Ampyria, their creator.
They say that when the moon, the lunar door to the Cradle, rises from the horizon, the souls are eager to stretch their arms to the sky if only to grasp a bit of heaven. The waves, they say, are the Forsaken trying to break free.
But when the moon sinks low and dawn starts to break, they say Ampyria raises her voice among the weary groans of the dead and sings a melody so sweet, so calming, the waves rock a little less and the souls sink their tired heads and nod off to sleep. For Ampyria is not just the ruler of the seas, goddess of the Abyss. She is Ampyria, Mother of the Lost.
They say she is beautiful with her ink-dark hair and midnight blue skin. Her temper is as tempestuous as the waves she rules, and all who know her seek not to call her wrath.
She is the goddess no one dares to meet, for no mortal ever yearns to be one of the Forsaken. But if they do, mortals know they shall rest easy in the embrace of a mother. For she is their anchor in a storm; the rock from which to lean on; the place where the lost are found.
The cliffs of Vitolia are said to be the bridge to the Abyss. It is the start of all the lost souls on their journey to the deep. But, some say, if you are ever lost, journey then to those perilous cliffs and sit by the rocky edges to gaze at the open sea.
Perhaps, if you are lucky, Ampyria will rise from the waves to greet you. Perhaps, if you are lucky, she will sit beside you on that rocky edge and lend a quiet ear to your tale.
And perhaps, if you truly are lost, she will whisper to you the sage wisdom the only mothers seem to possess, and you will leave the cliffs of Vitolia new and found.
Taglist (message me if you want to be added/removed): @schwarzekatze1999 @aloonycynic
