Mystery of Ten Tests (before Red Emperors(1))
(Originally for Project for Essay of Glorantha Heroes to Mark Galeotti's C02
sourcebook and my Tragedy of Karvanyar, hinted from Martin Laurie's
Statement about Mahzanelm, Usurper in Enclosure #2 Fanzine: The Injustice of
Tyranny p.26-27)
(Teaching of Khormesha Elladen, Patriarch of Association Tebensu to his
sons)
All Pelorians know the Rite for enthroning as Roofer, Lord of Four Realms of
Yelm, not simply as petty overlords of barbarian land or magical prowess of
humanity heroic leadership.
So even filthy Darjiinites, barbarous Sankenites (2), Gloom Spolites and Grim Karmangs tried to mimic the Form of the Rite seemed deceiving every people of Empire, without understanding true nature of Ten Test! It is not a Rite of Foreign Mambo-Jambo which cares only about Power and Magic, but Emperors look most advantage on VIRTUE.
It is not simple change from ordinary humanity to coming a Son of the Sun...many Good and capable tribunes of Rich Land failed to fill the Throne of Phoenix even with their good will and intention, but without Providence, Ring of Virtue is bestowed from Ezelveztay.
The Rite requires Right time, Right regalias and Litany. But they aren't enough to succession....for Ten Tests are not mere trials or challenges for prowess or deeds, but confirming his links to the particular regalia that is from one of his future-subject provincial main polis. So Khordavu needed to recollect his Anaxialian regalias from his Destined Empire, proving his love and trust to his land and people.(3)
So each emperors called themselves each trials by the titles, "I am the Protector, I am the Surplus, I am the Seer, I am the Solution, I am the Record, I am the Judge, I am the Bridge, I am the Patriarch, I am the Truth...".
So Divine Emperor doesn't necessarily need their own power for it should be gifted from his subjects, as Yelm was gifted mace, spear and bow from Shargash and Lodril. Each steps the Candidate hesitate or stagger in the process of transformation from ordinary mortal to God Chosen....it means his lack or weakness something in one of his Virtues. Usurpers, like Wanthanelm or Mahzanelm, proved themselves by force in the Rite...(4) were eventually failed during their Tyranny for they cheating in their Tests. It is not impossible to pretend and be called Emperor by humanity, but you cannot deceive eyes of Greatest Gods.
So you should keep in mind even if you fail in the Test and die in the end for the Welfare of Empire...it is self-sacrificing to our Antirius and Empire as Erzanestyu taught widows and mothers losing their husbands and sons. Beware the humility and wisdom of Ordanestyu, Eusibus and Sarenesh. For they are the best people in the empire of their days, but not Emperor.
Always keep Justice in your Heart and know your place through divine wisdom and lesson of history. Throne is not a gift but a burden and responsibility, to love the beauty of Four World and Six Parts of Yelm!
Note:
1: (I read debates of Red Emperor "eleven tests" by Martin Laurie and Nick
Brooke through Lokarnos. com links, but with some Dara Happanized
"contempt", (recall your old ugly math teacher face...) to Lunar
illusionist, absurd, upstart theology and ideology. (What did you expect
from chaotic, mish-mashed mix of their Pelandan, Rinliddian, Carmanian
heritage?))
I think Darjiinians attempt induces Manarlavus movement in Dara Happan side
history. It is similar that RW Assyrian Kings needed to be crowned in Malduk
Temple of Babylon, for its religious importance wasn't diminished although
the decline of the city, as the center of E-temen-Anki. Center of the World.
(about Eleventh Test, see Peter Metcalph's reply to my question in GD.)
2: Both Yelmgatha and Khordavu came from that area, see ILH-1 Sankenite section. There are some legends and histories found in FS and GROY, how Ten Tests can be cheated (See Ovosto in GROY) or shortened in Emergency when Rich Land requires its leader. (Emperor Desikanir, Dismanthuyar, Karvanyar)
3: See Peter Metcalph's First Age Dara Happa document. Later and later, ten Regalias are considered as foci and symbol of each Overseer provinces. With Virtue and Abilities. Wise and self-confident emperors intentionally impose or leave his regalias to his loyal overseers, like Red Emperors. (See FS p.54-55) And I think orthodox and formal Ten Tests requires each test with right ceremony and challenge its owner land...it takes more than One Year for preparation, program and carrying out, to compromise God Time Legends and current imperial condition.
About regalia, see my homepage and below.
4: In Anaxial Dynasty, one by one the Realm and ruling city fallen and
regalias are replaced minor versions, but even in Modern Time, tradition
requires representatives from each tripolis, so-called priests of Buserian
(Yuthuppa) and soldiers of Shargash (Alkoth), Anirestyu was blamed for the
lack of Alkoth representative in some text.
As that of Karvanyar, the Rite can be performed most in Otherside, but it brings more close to failure or damage Six Parts of challenger (I think Karvanyar performed it in Wedding Contest) and lose their power overwhelmed with Otherside Glory and Wave of Golden Age Empire.
Order of trials: I think each order of trials can be changed, but it is Narrator's option. See Red Emperor's Septapli and regalias in FS. And I think TakenEgi performed former ten tests after he succeeded Tenth Test, and Eleventh Test.
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