the speaking wheel "writeup"

From: Harald Smith (617) 724-9843 <"Harald>
Date: Thu, 09 Feb 1995 15:27:00 -0500 (EST)


  The following text comes from the inspirational work of Mez-an-adus of   Dorastor, who heard the words of Osentalka, She Who Is He, and compiled them   into the Song of Osentalka. It is the most complete account extent of the   deeds of Speaking Wheel, last of the Gold Wheel Dancers.   

  The Song of the Sixth Day
  We waited at Dawn on the Sixth Day for our beloved Osentalka to reveal her next   form. And when she came from the cave of her birth, she was no longer herself.   Instead she bore the image of one known only to us as the Speaking Wheel. She   was he and his form flickered as if it contained the very essence of his   celestial father Aether, but bound only for the moment. In his left hand he   held a golden key and in his right hand he held a fiery trumpet of gold that   sang even though it was not raised to his lips.   

  We waited then for our beloved Osentalka to reveal his next words. And when he   did, his voice was like harmony and song, as if he spoke for not One but for   Many. He spoke of the Sixth Day, the Day of Transformations.   

'In the beginning, the Elements formed out of the Void in a matrix of power and
  these Elements were good for they were something and everything and not the   nothing of the Void. The Elements rose or descended as they desired until they   achieved a Harmony and Peace. The Powers formed out of the Void within the   matrix of elements and these Powers were good for they were something and   everything and not the nothing of the Void. But the Seed of the Void also   formed within the matrix of the powers and the elements. It grew to become the   Dragon that is nothing but the Void contained. Though in its nothingness, the   Dragon too is something and part of everything.   

'The Elements and the Powers were called the Celestial Court and they came
  before all. They formed helpers for they recognized that the Dragon was   contained within and must be contained within lest it return all to the Void of   nothing. So the Elements and Powers fashioned the two Ancient Races. You know   the first Ancient Race as the Giants, those formed of all Elements and given   the Power of Size*such a one is my hero and tutor. You know the second Ancient   Race as the Gold Wheel Dancers, those formed of the Aether, but bound by the   greatest Power, the Power of Transformation*such a one is my Form of the Sixth   Day and contained within my Self, for they are my siblings.   

'I sing of my siblings for they are gone, but here. I bear a key for they are
  the key of the Transformation. I bear a trumpet for they are the song of the   Transformation. From the moment when Pinchining, called Spinning Wheel, danced   the first dance for the Celestial Court, to the moment when Harlmalia Parrania,   called Speaking Wheel, spoke the last words for the Unified Council, the   actions of the Gold Wheel Dancers have moved the world to its Inner   Transformation. Now that the Inner Transformation is within and part of the   matrix and machine it is within each of you as well.   

'May the blessings be upon my siblings for they still sing to me of great
  deeds. Think upon the actions of he you called Speaking Wheel. When the   Elements appeared again within the world, as they had appeared within the   Primal Void, Speaking Wheel spoke of the harmony of the elements.   

'All looked to the north then and saw that two storms grew there, clouds
  darkening a land to spread disorder. The heads of those clouds spread south   even to the land of the Unified Council. The first storm said "Behold, the new   storm does not bless the earth. You must ask it to embrace death." The second   storm said "Behold, the earth I knew before is blessed without my death.   Therefore I should not embrace death and so deprive the earth." But Speaking   Wheel said to each, "Go again to the north and think upon your forms, for they   are but mirrors of each other." And the clouds went north again to examine   their forms.   

'All looked to the center then and saw that the ruins of the ancient realm were
  tended by one who understood their purposes. But many voices called for a new   tender for they too wanted to understand the purposes. Speaking Wheel said to

  all, "Is it the way of the machine to replace a good part with a bad one? No,   harmony is achieved when the good part is kept in place." So all thought upon   these words and agreed that the harmony that existed should continue.   

'When the light of Aether touched and giantess of the moon, Speaking Wheel
  walked the great basin and met those of light and dark, of growth and stone.   He spoke of ancient battles to the giant, Gonn Orta, and told him of the birth   to come. Then did Gonn Orta come south to Kero Fin, for I still lay within the   womb of birth and saw not the world beyond.   

'All looked to the center then to find that confusion darkened the mighty
  rituals. For chaos comes with competition and it must be recognized and   dispelled. The priestess of Dorasta said, "Behold, the ways of competition are   the food of the Void. How shall we break these ways?" Though there was much   concern, Speaking Wheel said to all, "Within the dances of the Celestial Court   were many who sought to show their forms. Yet all still achieved a Unity. We   must speak to all of this Unity." So the words of Unity were brought to all   and the path of Harmony cleared.     

'All looked to the west and to the south and saw that the forms of the Dragon
  crawled again upon the land. And each time the Unified Council faced the forms   of the Dragon (the very seeds of the Void) the forms grew and multiplied,   threatening the sheltering womb. Some stood and said, "The seeds grow for   their is no Balance. Darkness brings chaos and we must fight it." But   Speaking Wheel said, "Go forth to the west and the south and meet the forms of   the Dragon with harmony and peace, for they are but nothing if met without   fear. Know that Darkness is an Element and all Elements come from the Void and   do not precede it." And the Unified Council went west and south and proved   that the Dragons were but illusions.   

'When the walls of the womb were tore aside, I met my companion, a Dragon of
  the Void. As I was formed from All, I could not see the nothingness of the   Void until taught by one of the Void. As I stood I called the Other, the   forces that would oppose me, to myself, for I must stand as One within the   world.   

'All sought wisdom then and they learned that the sun of the north had changed
  and that Darkness alone could not prevail in the south. In the west, they saw   that the seeds of Growth threaten the world harmony. And they learned that the   seeds of the Void sought the center. The Council was disturbed and they made   changes in their minds. One came to the Council who had long been of the   Council, but was no more. This One was now of the Void and advised greater   changes. But Speaking Wheel knew that Transformation was still to come and   said, "We have waited long for these events. Our goddess stirs and sends   ripples through the world. We must have patience and protect the Egg of   Transformation." Though the Council listened and waited, the seeds of the Void   were still planted and grew.   

'All looked then as the world grew and the seeds of the Void took root, but
  only in the center for those that blew across the world failed and died. And   where a new sun rose in blood to the north, a new light rose upon the wings of   an eagle to reach above the blood to the stars. This was a holy light that   touched even upon Aether. Below, the waters of the light were released and the   blood was cleansed and purified. Then was my path laid before me.   

'When the gates of Dorastor were opened, I saw the growth of the Void, for the
  dragonkind lay about me in vast multitudes. But Speaking Wheel knew that the   day of Transformation approached. He called the powers of Aether unto him, the   stars and the eagles, radiant waters and the iron vroks. The stone speakers   also came at his summons with their machines of change. And at his word the   Unified Council acted as one, calling all the Younger Species and the Elder   Races together to form the true One. There united, Speaking Wheel changed and   took his final form. Raised by the light towards the abode of his father,   Speaking Wheel sang. Though only I could hear, his song was clear, "We are at

  the brink. There is Darkness and Water. There is Earth and Stone. There is   Breath and Sight. There is Balance. Open your Heart for you hold the Keys."   I heard and around me the Unified Council acted. The aberrant machines of   Falsehood, fashioned within the Third Eye, were cast aside. The seeds of the   Void, in their Dragon forms, were held in check.   

'All looked then as the fiery trumpet that was and is Speaking Wheel raised
  another song to Command Silence. The Egg of Transformation cracked and opened.   I was One and Many then and knew the Void. With the fiery trumpet that was and   is the song and substance of Speaking Wheel, I called forth the Blessing that   is the True Power of Harmony and brings the True Power of Vengeance to those of   the Void. With the fiery trumpet that was and is the song and substance of   Speaking Wheel, I uttered the Curse of Wrath so all who are cast out into the   Void know the true Power of Emptiness. With the fiery trumpet that was and is   the song and substance of Speaking Wheel, I revealed the Truth of   Transformation that was the power of the One and is now to be found by All.'   

  So we heard the song of Osentalka. He raised the fiery trumpet that was and is   Speaking Wheel so that we, too, could hear the full song. He raised the golden   key so that we, too, could unlock the transformations still held within our   hearts. We were blessed for we heard and learned the Song of the Sixth Day.


End of Glorantha Digest V1 #135


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