Post by L.E. Ott on Oct 11, 2006 12:57:59 GMT -5
An ancient tale from the Irisandri, as told to Empress Hebe II (Laresis) of Adaven...
Now, it is common knowledge that those Irisandri who reside in and around the city of Lira are well versed in all the rituals and customs of death. Why it is those people who serve in the temples of the Lord of the Dead, and who chant the verses which conduct all Irisandri souls to their rest.
Let it not be said, or even thought, however, that the Irisandri who deal so often with death are obsessed by it. Indeed, for them it is but a part of life. When they wash a body in the dark palm wine and prepare it for the tomb, any tears that are shed are those of joy, for they believe that most of the deceased go on to a bright and shining world beyond this.
There is always among the Lira Irisandri a High Priestess, a virgin woman who is 'married' to the Lord of the Dead. Many centuries ago, this position was held by Ameera, the only sister of the Sultana Anwar Dasandi. For many seasons, from the end of her girlhood, Ameera was the High Priestess in Lira, and oversaw all rites.
A day came when the order of things was upset. Strangers blundered into the desert, most of them looking half-dead. They were attacked by an enormous Roc at an oasis near Lira, but luckily several guards came and rescued them. As most of them were male, they were dragged back to the city in chains; all save one.
Their leader was a tall man, fair of skin and with golden hair. He seemed to the guards a god. Indeed, because he resembled descriptions and temple paintings of the Lord of the Dead, he was believed to be such. Thus none would touch him.
Since he seemed to be important, he was led to the Great Temple. There, with his mesmerizing eyes, he bewitched even the High Priestess Ameera. In spite of the Sultana's objections, Ameera spent a long time in conversation with the man, who called himself Miklos. When their meeting was done, she announced that he was indeed the Lord of the Dead, and that his followers were attendant spirits. They had given themselves corporeal form that they might come and bless the people by spending time among them.
Weeks passed, and the Lord and his followers, even the males, were treated with great reverence and respect. Some people who saw Ameera with the Lord thought that she seemed almost in love with him. And why not? She was his bride in the eyes of the Irisandri.
Somehow, the Sultana did not believe that the visitor was who he claimed to be. She sent her guards one night to murder him in his room, but they returned in a terror, saying that their knives would not even touch his skin, and that one of his attendants sat pointing at them, uttering what was surely a curse. The Sultana herself rose and went to the quarters in which the party had been kept.
When she arrived, there was no sign of the Lord, his followers, or of Ameera, whose quarters were next door. The story began to circulate that very night that the Sultana had so angered the Lord of the Dead that he rose and carried himself back to the Brightlands, taking his beloved priestess with him.
The Lord was never seen again, but many years later, for a short while, Ameera returned. The few people outside of the palace who saw her said that she brought three children, two boys and a girl, and that these must be her ghost children.
Now, it is common knowledge that those Irisandri who reside in and around the city of Lira are well versed in all the rituals and customs of death. Why it is those people who serve in the temples of the Lord of the Dead, and who chant the verses which conduct all Irisandri souls to their rest.
Let it not be said, or even thought, however, that the Irisandri who deal so often with death are obsessed by it. Indeed, for them it is but a part of life. When they wash a body in the dark palm wine and prepare it for the tomb, any tears that are shed are those of joy, for they believe that most of the deceased go on to a bright and shining world beyond this.
There is always among the Lira Irisandri a High Priestess, a virgin woman who is 'married' to the Lord of the Dead. Many centuries ago, this position was held by Ameera, the only sister of the Sultana Anwar Dasandi. For many seasons, from the end of her girlhood, Ameera was the High Priestess in Lira, and oversaw all rites.
A day came when the order of things was upset. Strangers blundered into the desert, most of them looking half-dead. They were attacked by an enormous Roc at an oasis near Lira, but luckily several guards came and rescued them. As most of them were male, they were dragged back to the city in chains; all save one.
Their leader was a tall man, fair of skin and with golden hair. He seemed to the guards a god. Indeed, because he resembled descriptions and temple paintings of the Lord of the Dead, he was believed to be such. Thus none would touch him.
Since he seemed to be important, he was led to the Great Temple. There, with his mesmerizing eyes, he bewitched even the High Priestess Ameera. In spite of the Sultana's objections, Ameera spent a long time in conversation with the man, who called himself Miklos. When their meeting was done, she announced that he was indeed the Lord of the Dead, and that his followers were attendant spirits. They had given themselves corporeal form that they might come and bless the people by spending time among them.
Weeks passed, and the Lord and his followers, even the males, were treated with great reverence and respect. Some people who saw Ameera with the Lord thought that she seemed almost in love with him. And why not? She was his bride in the eyes of the Irisandri.
Somehow, the Sultana did not believe that the visitor was who he claimed to be. She sent her guards one night to murder him in his room, but they returned in a terror, saying that their knives would not even touch his skin, and that one of his attendants sat pointing at them, uttering what was surely a curse. The Sultana herself rose and went to the quarters in which the party had been kept.
When she arrived, there was no sign of the Lord, his followers, or of Ameera, whose quarters were next door. The story began to circulate that very night that the Sultana had so angered the Lord of the Dead that he rose and carried himself back to the Brightlands, taking his beloved priestess with him.
The Lord was never seen again, but many years later, for a short while, Ameera returned. The few people outside of the palace who saw her said that she brought three children, two boys and a girl, and that these must be her ghost children.