Farren
the Maelstrom
Riforte watched as the women danced with the melody sweeping through the grand dance hall. They are elaborately decorated for the eyes of worshipers, all of whom are sipping their sacred wines on the edge of the dance floor. Stellaris is called; people of this land are filled to the brim of religious counters. Yet there is one thing they can all agree upon and do: their Supreme Deity, Her Prime, Primera. What is their motto again?, the woman thinks to herself while tapping the edge of her glass against her pursed lips.
"Do What Thou Wilt. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt; love is the law, love under Will."
The motto rang above their heads as the women sang it with gusto; the bells attached to their hips and ankles acting as anglers to draw the audience in, and the colors decorating the silks kissing their skin stunned most, if not all. For some, the sheer sexuality of the dance, the women, and their attire would be overwhelming as it's a display you don't often see. But there is a meaning behind this beautifully elaborate, overwhelming display of bodies and religion, for this very day is to celebrate the coming of the new year. With that celebration comes song, dance, a masque, and worship that lasts for days - days can turn to weeks if the aristocrats are allowed to stay away from their duties long enough.
Riforte has never celebrated Rhadine and was only persuaded to come because her business partner promised her that a few loose tongues and looser pockets would attend the masque. Initially intrigued with the promises, she finds herself more interested in the event itself and is half tempted to join in on the dancing and over-imbibing. The weight of religious fervor kept her from diving in though, knowing that her limited knowledge would place her at a severe disadvantage. The last thing she needs is to be exposed.
Finally, the tempo slowed, and the dancers were removed from the floor, leaving everyone breathless with anticipation. Someone above their heads in the rafters began telling the story of Primera, giving heart to why Rhadine is important to the people of Nehalen. Riforte listened intently, fully immersed in the mood set by the sing-song voice of the storyteller.
Golden hues flickered with amusement as she watched a single individual walk to the center of the dance floor. The deep clang of a heavy clock rang through the grand hall and the hearts of the people eagerly waiting for the reason why they're here. The person playing the part of Primera is dressed in rags, appears to be stooped, and is hobbling with a cane; Rifore assumes this is to signify Primera's struggle across the lands as a shunned child of God. Once the clock's echo settled, a magnificent creature of beauty dressed in gold enters and taps the ragged person on the shoulder. E'na was a god after all, so of course, the person representing her would be dressed in the heaviest of golden silks.
In a gesture of dramatic flare, the person playing Primera lifts off her rags, appearing as a young woman swathed in all her glory, a sign that her divinity had been reached. Riforte noted the faux-Primera looked fairly similar to the Supreme Divinity; hair red as a sunset kissed sky, bronzed skin, and striking opal eyes. On closer examination though, the eyes were just a magic trick as only those directly from Primera's line have those precious opal hues. She was unable to examine the player of E'na, for she was quickly "banished" from the masque to signify E'na betrayal.
Rhadine celebrated Primera's divinity, the freedom of man from the grasp of greedy Gods, and the beginning of something new. The masquerade was a subtle excuse to indulge in those freedoms, something she can't fault any of them for. Maybe, for the sake of just indulging as well, she will have to visit this place again and celebrate their happiness.
"Do What Thou Wilt. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt; love is the law, love under Will."
The motto rang above their heads as the women sang it with gusto; the bells attached to their hips and ankles acting as anglers to draw the audience in, and the colors decorating the silks kissing their skin stunned most, if not all. For some, the sheer sexuality of the dance, the women, and their attire would be overwhelming as it's a display you don't often see. But there is a meaning behind this beautifully elaborate, overwhelming display of bodies and religion, for this very day is to celebrate the coming of the new year. With that celebration comes song, dance, a masque, and worship that lasts for days - days can turn to weeks if the aristocrats are allowed to stay away from their duties long enough.
Riforte has never celebrated Rhadine and was only persuaded to come because her business partner promised her that a few loose tongues and looser pockets would attend the masque. Initially intrigued with the promises, she finds herself more interested in the event itself and is half tempted to join in on the dancing and over-imbibing. The weight of religious fervor kept her from diving in though, knowing that her limited knowledge would place her at a severe disadvantage. The last thing she needs is to be exposed.
Finally, the tempo slowed, and the dancers were removed from the floor, leaving everyone breathless with anticipation. Someone above their heads in the rafters began telling the story of Primera, giving heart to why Rhadine is important to the people of Nehalen. Riforte listened intently, fully immersed in the mood set by the sing-song voice of the storyteller.
Primera was born from the blood of Primus, the All-Father, the son of the One God Tellus Mater, mixed with the tears of the One God and nurtured in the womb of the earth. Ignored by Primus and turned away by the One God, Primera took to wandering but she did not find welcome anywhere. Eventually, she ended up in Nu Martyr, where she was imprisoned by the Titan, Cialo. This caught the attention of Primus, who sent a God to aid Primera and take pity on her. This God, E'na the Glorifier, came to earth to free her, offering herself to the Titan in exchange for Primera's freedom, to which he accepted. The next morning, when the door to Primera's cell was opened, it was found to be filled with flowers, a common sign of freedom in Nehalen now. However, in his greed Cialo went back on the bargain, and banished E'na and Primera, sending them across the heavens in a ship fashioned from stars and constellations.
This ship came to shore in La Guardia. The people did not wish to turn away from their many gods, but they saw the divinity in Primera and did not harm her. E'na lay with strangers in the streets so Primera could eat, one of many sacrifices the lowly God had made. Gradually the pair moved west, where they found the edge of Avylon. There, the tribes shouted and shook their weapons, calling on their Gods who savored iron and blood, Baal and Cancer. Shunned away, the two continued on and found no place to call home, until they arrived in what would become Oo'Xora. The people welcomed them with open arms and they fell in love with the land. The Gods looked down upon E'na and Primera, seeing them as mere insects invading a world that had been made only for them by the hands of Primus.
Many years after their arrival in Oo'Xora, the One God finally turned and noticed what Primera and E'na were doing. Tellus sent Primus to summon Primera, but he came back empty-handed. The One God then sent his arch-herald, Ezekial, asking for forgiveness and offering her a place in the heavens. Primera borrowed Ynliss' dagger and cut her palm. Refusing the offer, saying:
"Tellus Mater, your Heaven is bloodless and I am not. Offer a better place, where we may love and sing and grow as we are wont, where our children and our children's children may join us, and I will go."
The One God answered that such a place did not exist, and thus again, Tellus turned away from Primera, leaving her in the wake of the Gods wrath against her. For Eons the Gods tore away at Primera's soul, while E'na waited and watched, unable to move against her brethren in fear of being banished from the heavens. Her fears mar her as a traitor.
Drawing from the chaos surrounding her, Primera prays to her own strength and will, drawing for the Will of Nehalen. This powerful source made of Her Prime's tenacity drawn from the pleas of man took the grand mass of Cierno from the sea, shoving it into the sky where it currently hovers above all the rest. With this disconnection from the ocean and seas of life, the Gods of Nehalen were imprisoned on the island, no longer allowed to mingle amongst the stars in their full forms.
The punishment for going against Primera and her divinity. The Gods were stuck to wander about Nehalen, twisting the minds of man to beg and offer blessings to their false protectors. For eons they were worshiped, feeding off the prayers of man and their feeble greeds. Unable to watch her people bend to the wills of the Gods, Primera calls upon the Will for one final act of sacrifice. Primera shatters the Will by erecting the coverture; she passes in the process, cleansing the lands of their Gods touch and releasing man from their shackles.
That's the grand story, the root and reason the Stellaris act and do what they feel is necessary. Riforte would be speculative of the entire backstory if it were not for subtle proof Primera existed. Primera's body is encased in a crystal coffin and is kept in a temple found in Froula. This temple has its own clergy, and offerings may be made in the temple, often involving incense or other sacred items. There are no religious services.Golden hues flickered with amusement as she watched a single individual walk to the center of the dance floor. The deep clang of a heavy clock rang through the grand hall and the hearts of the people eagerly waiting for the reason why they're here. The person playing the part of Primera is dressed in rags, appears to be stooped, and is hobbling with a cane; Rifore assumes this is to signify Primera's struggle across the lands as a shunned child of God. Once the clock's echo settled, a magnificent creature of beauty dressed in gold enters and taps the ragged person on the shoulder. E'na was a god after all, so of course, the person representing her would be dressed in the heaviest of golden silks.
In a gesture of dramatic flare, the person playing Primera lifts off her rags, appearing as a young woman swathed in all her glory, a sign that her divinity had been reached. Riforte noted the faux-Primera looked fairly similar to the Supreme Divinity; hair red as a sunset kissed sky, bronzed skin, and striking opal eyes. On closer examination though, the eyes were just a magic trick as only those directly from Primera's line have those precious opal hues. She was unable to examine the player of E'na, for she was quickly "banished" from the masque to signify E'na betrayal.
Rhadine celebrated Primera's divinity, the freedom of man from the grasp of greedy Gods, and the beginning of something new. The masquerade was a subtle excuse to indulge in those freedoms, something she can't fault any of them for. Maybe, for the sake of just indulging as well, she will have to visit this place again and celebrate their happiness.