Nardin’s
intelligence. But Nardin had soon smoothed his distrust with quick ability and
respect for the scriptures. Then Sire Harefoot began in earnest to teach Nardin
the intricacies that made up the scriptures.
The first known script had been written by
the ancient High of Priests Berwin Boswater about the Goddess Jadde and her
business with the Seconchane. Nardin read aloud to the priest, running his hesitant
finger along the ancient words.
‘The sorceress Jadde’s expulsion . . . of
the warlike Archgry . . . from the lands of Cyprusnia . . . sig . . . signified
the end of the great slaughter . . . started four generations before by ancient
warlocks. She had come to Cyprusnia from . . . the back of a full moon as it
slid down the . . . heavens toward the mountains. The roar and flaming brightness
of her coming put great fear into the Seconchane, for they feared the . . .
Archgry hordes had forged a mighty weapon to destroy them. But at that time of
the tribes’ greatest need, the sorceress, creator of the . . . Brightwater,
Highnirvana and Seconchane tribes had strolled amongst the doomed Seconchane . .
. and caused them to rise up in one final battle to defeat the dark invaders.’
Then as the strength of the words filled
his mind Nardin had become less hesitant, a great power was revealed to him. He
had removed his finger from the page and sat immersed as he read the mighty
words to Sire Steth.
‘Then she settled the surviving people and
rebuilt their homes. She looked and saw where they fell short. For the evil crimes
of avarice, theft, murder, adultery and deceit threatened to engulf the
moralities of the tribe. The Seconchane needed firm justice, so she called into
being the Great Hall. Within it she created her Altar of Justice. The great Goddess
endowed it with her divine power to judge crimes and deliver just decisions.
It was told that she had caused the pink
and blue veins in the marble to turn to pure gold. The altar is an eternal sign
of her power to convert the unconvertible. The scripture she engraved on the
altar sides reveal her wondrous sermon of truth, justice and wisdom.
Here is how she did this.
Jadde raised arms clothed in shimmering
fabric. Lightning came from her staff and caused the stone to stretch, and then
open to receive her magic. Golden light erupted from the staff and the marble
veins split to receive the gold tracery and then settled back onto the mighty
base. Again her lightning hissed, enshrouding the altar as a mother would her
infant. She ran her staff along the altar side to add noble scriptures to the
base with magical fire. Amber smoke rose from the fissures in the stone, and behold,
her rules were embedded in precious gold for all to see.
The mighty words of her binding laws shone
with enchantment and filled the air with righteousness. She then caused her
staff of power to fly once over the stone and as it did so she muttered an
incantation to seal her magic into the altar. Then she turned, her robes
swirling about her, and strode from the echoing hall. She looked neither back,
to the left nor to the right but ahead, out into the black night.
Never to be seen again.’
Nardin stared wide eyed at his tutor. ‘Who
were the Brightwater and Highnirvana tribes?’ He asked Sire Steth.
‘We believe they were tribes that withered
to extinction in the deadlands. It is but one of the scriptures mysteries,
young scholar.’
Nardin was hooked. He marvelled at the
power of the Goddess’s magic and wondered what other mysteries further study
would reveal, and he dared to hope – answered.
Before the first winter was through Nardin
and Sire Steth had formed a close bond forged in mutual love of the ancient
words. The candles had burnt low again one evening when Sire Steth turned to
Nardin with growing respect. ‘Commoner Nardin you have a good eye for learning.
I believe you now when you proclaim your love for Jadde’s scriptures.’
Nardin had grinned, the
intelligence. But Nardin had soon smoothed his distrust with quick ability and
respect for the scriptures. Then Sire Harefoot began in earnest to teach Nardin
the intricacies that made up the scriptures.
The first known script had been written by
the ancient High of Priests Berwin Boswater about the Goddess Jadde and her
business with the Seconchane. Nardin read aloud to the priest, running his hesitant
finger along the ancient words.
‘The sorceress Jadde’s expulsion . . . of
the warlike Archgry . . . from the lands of Cyprusnia . . . sig . . . signified
the end of the great slaughter . . . started four generations before by ancient
warlocks. She had come to Cyprusnia from . . . the back of a full moon as it
slid down the . . . heavens toward the mountains. The roar and flaming brightness
of her coming put great fear into the Seconchane, for they feared the . . .
Archgry hordes had forged a mighty weapon to destroy them. But at that time of
the tribes’ greatest need, the sorceress, creator of the . . . Brightwater,
Highnirvana and Seconchane tribes had strolled amongst the doomed Seconchane . .
. and caused them to rise up in one final battle to defeat the dark invaders.’
Then as the strength of the words filled
his mind Nardin had become less hesitant, a great power was revealed to him. He
had removed his finger from the page and sat immersed as he read the mighty
words to Sire Steth.
‘Then she settled the surviving people and
rebuilt their homes. She looked and saw where they fell short. For the evil crimes
of avarice, theft, murder, adultery and deceit threatened to engulf the
moralities of the tribe. The Seconchane needed firm justice, so she called into
being the Great Hall. Within it she created her Altar of Justice. The great Goddess
endowed it with her divine power to judge crimes and deliver just decisions.
It was told that she had caused the pink
and blue veins in the marble to turn to pure gold. The altar is an eternal sign
of her power to convert the unconvertible. The scripture she engraved on the
altar sides reveal her wondrous sermon of truth, justice and wisdom.
Here is how she did this.
Jadde raised arms clothed in shimmering
fabric. Lightning came from her staff and caused the stone to stretch, and then
open to receive her magic. Golden light erupted from the staff and the marble
veins split to receive the gold tracery and then settled back onto the mighty
base. Again her lightning hissed, enshrouding the altar as a mother would her
infant. She ran her staff along the altar side to add noble scriptures to the
base with magical fire. Amber smoke rose from the fissures in the stone, and behold,
her rules were embedded in precious gold for all to see.
The mighty words of her binding laws shone
with enchantment and filled the air with righteousness. She then caused her
staff of power to fly once over the stone and as it did so she muttered an
incantation to seal her magic into the altar. Then she turned, her robes
swirling about her, and strode from the echoing hall. She looked neither back,
to the left nor to the right but ahead, out into the black night.
Never to be seen again.’
Nardin stared wide eyed at his tutor. ‘Who
were the Brightwater and Highnirvana tribes?’ He asked Sire Steth.
‘We believe they were tribes that withered
to extinction in the deadlands. It is but one of the scriptures mysteries,
young scholar.’
Nardin was hooked. He marvelled at the
power of the Goddess’s magic and wondered what other mysteries further study
would reveal, and he dared to hope – answered.
Before the first winter was through Nardin
and Sire Steth had formed a close bond forged in mutual love of the ancient
words. The candles had burnt low again one evening when Sire Steth turned to
Nardin with growing respect. ‘Commoner Nardin you have a good eye for learning.
I believe you now when you proclaim your love for Jadde’s scriptures.’
Nardin had grinned, the
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