The Black Eel
It is said amongst the jadam (the dog servants) of Saird that Reladiva the
Bountiful
gave birth to the waters from within her well. The first water came forth
and was
Tugarath, the flowing. He traversed the many ways of Reladiva, sometimes
flowing across
her, sometimes through her or within her. He even tried to eat her, but
she was then
within him and he could not be within her. She withdrew from him and he
became lonely
and released her so that could mingle again. From this mingling came forth
more children:
the rivers and ponds, the wells and springs, the water horses and the
fishes. The greatest
of these children were three: Islara the Blue Woman, Murgadoth the Black
Eel, and Imothan
the Red Worm.
In the land called Reladivela or the Bowl of Reladiva there were many
people. Some rode
horses and these were the Hyalorings. Some were the brothers of dogs and
these were
the Jajalarings. Some rode the great Loon boat and these were the
Nogtendos (or eelies).
These last folk worshipped Jadarenasa, Mother Loon, and she taught her
people how to ride
upon her back across the waters, protecting them from the eels and the fish
and the turtles.
When the waters rose again to devour the land, the Nogtendos rose above the
waters upon
Nogatend, the Feathered Boat. Islara tried to reach the Nogtendos, but no
matter how high
she climbed, the Feathered Boat climbed higher. Murgadoth though rose
above the waters.
He was so black he could not be seen from the shadows of the world. His
jaws were so
strong that he had crushed the shell of the Rock Crab. His teeth were so
sharp that they
had cut the Ice Shield of the Winter King. But when Murgadoth rose to eat
Nogatend the
Feathered Boat, the Nogtendos called upon Jadarenasa. Nogatend became a
huge living loon
which ate Murgadoth and all the little eels who accompanied him. Murgadoth
sued for
peace and a pact was made between Jadarenasa and the Black Eel.
Henceforth, the Nogtendos
could ply the waters of the Black Eel without harm.
At the Dawning, only the Nogtendos travelled upon the Black Eel. This
monster kept the
folk of the north apart from the folk of the south. To the north, the
peoples of Vanch
fished the banks of the waters, but always ran from the Black Eel for they
were afraid of
him and many were drowned in his wake. To the south, the Berenethtelli
also fished the
banks, though they did not fear the Black Eel for Orlanth had conquered the
waters.
Ervana Flamehair was the first to find the low water crossing. She taught
others how to
use this path. When the missionaries came, Ervana showed them how to cross
by this path,
though many used Nogatend to aid their passage.
Irekath Blackwave was the man who brought Orlanth to Lolon. He first
followed the path
of Ervana, but soon wanted greater powers to aid his folk. He called upon
Orlanth and
Orlanth showed him how to defeat the Black Eel. Irekath used the black
waters
to rise into the land of Vanch and defeat the treacherous folk there. He
later found the
Mammoth Gate and settled his people north of the river. As more crossed
over in Irekath's
wake, the Black Eel hid in the deep grottoes of the river and the Nogtendos
dwindled.
In the wake of Arkat the Destroyer, shadows crept across the land and over
the waters.
The Black Eel rose again and devoured those who knew not the ways of the
Loon. Those men
who survived gathered around great champions who could fight off the demons
who sought food.
Helavath the Huge was the greatest of these warriors and he formed a ring
at Mammoth Gate,
calling upon the strength of the ancient beast to aid him. Helavath broke
the legs and cut
the teeth from the Four Fang Demon. He turned the Death Clouds aside with
his breath. And
he sang the song of the Mammoth to overcome the Drums of the Red Kings.
Helavath's son, Horgavuth, equaled their father in strength, though not in
wisdom. Where
Helavath sought unity, they sought goods of power. This led them on the
quest to the dark
river for the Ebony Tooth. The Black Eel was greater than they though and
devoured Horgavuth,
eldest of Helavath's sons. The other sons quarreled and soon lost what
tools they held.
The Black Eel did not appear in prominence again until the river folk
called upon it to aid
them in stemming the Lunar tide. Then the Black Eel swam freely again and
terrorized those
who tried to cross. Hwarin Dalthippa was not terrorized, though. She knew
other secrets,
ancient secrets. At the battle of Mirin's Cross, she turned the great
monster and laid
her crystal bridge across his back.
The Orlanthi say that since Hwarin's victory, that the Black Eel merely
rests, nursing
his wounds, waiting for the day when he rises again and shatters his
crystal bonds.
Harald
End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #329
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