Peter Nordstrand wrote:
> > Jerome Blondel gives a positively formidable answer to a question I asked in > passing. I am truly impressed. His ideas make good sense, and I am duly > grateful.
Indeed. Jerome, it is always a pleasure to read your stuff.
If I may add my own little stone to the Chief Hall, before the parution of Storm Tribe I wrote the following legend, to explain to my players who was Elmal and some perverse possibility about his nature. That became a myth (or legend, or whatever), told by an Elmali clan. Here it is, tentatively translated :
The Twin Brothers (an Elmali Legend)
During the Stagnant Age, the Bad Emperor ruled over all things by his golden fist: laughter didn't exist and neither did wind or sacred clouds. The order was absolute and no one was allowed to stray from its assigned place since all followed the will of His Blinding Majesty. The Bad Emperor ruled from his Golden and Crystal Palace, built on the highest peak of the Spike. He was served by kneeling and scraping courtiers that bowed to the least of His whims and dared not utter a word. One thousand imperial concubines, one thousand cooks and one thousand thousand servants fulfilled His every desire.
Within the fiery Harem of Light, two brothers - two twin brothers - were born to the light. They were the scions of the Bad Emperor and they were given names to honor Him. Yelmalio was the first born and heir, Elmalio was the second, bound to serve his brother. Since such was the Law and such was their Fate, as written by the Emperor their father on his Golden Throne.
Soon, it came to be that the two brothers were warriors of great renown, as befits sons of the Unfailing King. They were fearless horsemen, keen-eyed bowmen, loved by both men and horses [1], and thus they trod on the path written by their father. Yelmalio the first born and heir, by the grace of the Emperor, received command of the armies: his father gifted him with the renowned Heavenly Pikemen and the Twelve Shining Phalanxes. Elmalio was more quiet as befits his place of second son, and stayed behind, serving his brother as councilor and lawful right hand.
He endured the bullying of his brother since he thought that it was just and good. So had the Kingly Master of the Universe decided.
Then came Orlanth, the Young Wind, fearless master of the Storms. He was tribeless then, and had no wife. He was poorly received by the Bad Emperor since he didn't follow the order of things as decided by Yelm. Many times he came and many times he defied the Emperor and one time he came with Death. He killed Yelm and threw him in Eternal Darkness. That was the beginning of the Storm Age, that we still honor and celebrate.
The Light Court was of course dismayed by Orlanth's deed, but no one could capture him. He escaped and founded his kingdom and his tribe, calling to him gods from the Six Directions. For the first time, the Sky Tribe had no king. No one to give orders, no one to rule the world. No god came to their calls. The brothers of Yelm were too far away or unfit to rule. Soon, all the Heavenly Captains were arguing for the right to seat on the Golden Throne. Yelmalio was not the least among them, seconded by his faithful brother. But for the first time - for Orlanth's deed brought many First Times that changed the face of the world - Elmalio thought about his life and his fate, written in gold for all times. And, looking around him, he didn't see the honor and the justice promised to the people, he only saw spite and arrogance. But Elmalio was generous and cautious and he decided to stay with his brother. Since, most certainly, all this mess came only from the disappearance of the Godly King? If he followed Yelmalio the Magnificent, the more courageous, the more honorable of Yelm's sons, then all would come to the best? Most certainly?
But all did not come to the best.
Soon, rumor came to the ears of Yelmalio: the Dark People, the Devouring Uz, born of filthy darkness in squalid chasms, were coming out of Hell. Yelmalio went to war to protect the Sky Tribe and his faithful brother followed him. Long they fought and often they succeeded and repelled the uz and their black demons. But from everywhere new enemies appeared that took advantage of the disorders of the world: the Winter People stretched out their cold hands towards the rich wheat fields, the Thinking People brought their knights and strange magic, the Storm People were everywhere hitting the Empire in many places and winning often.
During all this time Yelmalio and Elmalio protected their people, fighting for the innocent and the oppressed. They were pitiless with their enemies, generous with their friends and honorable with their equals. But slowly, a chasm opened between the two brothers. When Elmalio suggested discussion, Elmalio ordered death. When Elmalio wanted to offer protection, Yelmalio preferred to attack. When Elmalio spoke of a new way, Yelmalio turned his back, waiting for the return of Yelm. The more dreadful the things became, the more farther apart the two brothers went. But Elmalio was the youngest son and as such, bound to obey his brother. He did so, and stood quiet, but began to indulge in something forbidden among the Sky People: he began to think.
One day, Elmalio was patrolling and he encountered a slim woman all clad in white. She was hunted by something terrible and dreadful, one of those creatures born of Chaos. Elmalio and his horsemen gave chase to the creature and met it with unsheathed swords. It was quickly overcome and Elmalio hold out his sword to deal the killing blow. But the White Lady stopped his arm.
'Shining Warrior, hold back your weapon since this creature needs
only our pity and not our wrath. Can't you see its sufferings are
greater than ours?'
'What are you saying, woman? Are you out of your wits? This is
Chaos and Chaos deserve only Death.'
'But killing brings hate to your heart. And hate leads to violence
and death. See, if you kill this creature, you will bring hate
back to your home and Chaos would have won.'
'I'm not here to listen to your whinings, woman!'
And he killed the creature without hesitation. The White Lady gazed earnestly at the warrior without uttering a word. Then she touched once more his arm. Elmalio felt a warm shiver course through his body and he removed her hand, exclaiming:
'Woman! What have you done to me! Explain yourself or feel my
wrath!'
'I have only removed the golden veil clouding yours eyes, Shining
Lord. My name is Chalana Arroy and I do not mean you any harm.
I've cured you of blindness, so you may choose your life freely,
since such is the gift of King Orlanth.'
And Elmalio felt it was true. Against the advice of his guards, he let the White Lady go and thought earnestly. His soldiers spoke of this to Yelmalio who lectured his brother. But Elmalio was no more blinded by his own light and he saw that his brother was full of spite. Since he still loved him, he kept serving him.
Later, as hordes of Uz raided villagers, Elmalio took arms and went with his warriors to protect his people. To his surprise, he found among them a shouting young goddess, her hair red as glowing embers and her spear alive in her hands, striking down uz faster than Helemakt hailstorm. Yelmalio rode rapidly to her and said:
'Red woman! I do not know your name, but fear no more, for I will
protect you and this stead from the devouring mouths of the Hell
People. Go in the house with the other women, you do not need to
fight anymore.'
The young spear sister looked him right in the eyes, without fear, and she did not avoid his gaze, as always do the Sky Tribe women.
'Hey, Golden Face! I'm Nimble-Footed Vinga, the Warrior Goddess,
Orlanth's Daughter and I fight as well as you, if not better! So
move your shining butt over here and fight some uz instead of
standing there like a big goof!"
And with each sentence, she killed an uz. Elmalio almost choked on the woman's impudence! But then, she jumped in the middle of the battle and he had to move his horse to follow her. And he had to admit grudgingly that she was indeed quite gifted - for a woman, that is. During the fight, his horse was killed and afterwards, many times, they had to fight back to back each one protecting the other. And more than once, one of them had to save the life of the other, for the uz were numerous indeed.
And in the end, when the last Devouring Ones flew the village, whimpering, Vinga turned to looked at Elmalio.
'Yeah, Blue Eyes! That was something!' She looked at him cockily.
'Say, is your other spear as big and golden? I could teach you
some trick on how to use it!'.
Elmalio, red as the setting sun, got himself another horse and decided to let her have the village for her Storm Lord. He rode away without uttering a word. His soldiers grumbled and talked to Yelmalio who was for a time quite upset and angry against his brother. But Elmalio saw that his brother was no more his twin. Stuck in gold, he could not move nor change whereas Elmalio began to feel the air on his face.
But it came to be that the Sky Tribe led a big assault on the stronghold of the Storm Tribe. Taking many prisoners under Yelmalio's orders, they came back with slaves in gold chains and forced them to work in the Heavenly Fields, to grow some corn.
Elmalio felt deep inside him that it was not good. He came to see his brother and said to him:
'Don't you see that these poor people are not our true enemy ?
Hate is blinding you, I say.'
Yelmalio pinched his lips and became incandescent:
'Pitiful and weak shadow of myself! These are only lawless scums!
It is better for them to work in our fields, feeding our proud
warriors who risk their lives for Honor and Justice! I think
you've got quite strange ideas, brother. You seem to have
forgotten the brightness that was yours at birth! You have
forgotten the face of our Father!'
And Yelmalio made the captives come and killed them all but one, a woman. He faced his brother and gave him his blood-dripping weapon:
'Show me your heart is still true to our Father! That your soul
does not know doubt! Kill. This. Woman.'
And Elmalio looked at the goddess at his feet and answered to the one that was not his brother anymore:
'I will indeed follow my very heart and soul.'
And he took the pike from Yelmalio's luminous hands and stood some time above the woman. But, instead of killing her, he suddenly took her in his arms, jumped on his horse and rode away with her, hunted by the shouts of Yelmalio and of all the Sky Tribe. Repudiating his brother, Yelmalio sent after him his best hunters, his best warriors. Long was the chase, hard was the ride and impressive the fight. And today still, one can feel the burn and see the light of their clash in some parts of the Pass.
But Elmalio, excellent warrior as he was, could not win against so many foes. Wounded, he fell heavily from his horse. He raised his bloody face towards the young captive and said:
'Fair unknown lady! Flee and find your people! I cannot do
anything more for you.'
But the fair goddess didn't flee. As the earth was shaking under the hooves of their pursuers, she turned her horse towards them and spoke with a strong and clear voice in the Horse Language. And the Sky warriors mounts stopped and listened to her, forgetting the shouts and kicks of their masters. And suddenly, the horses leaped and kicked and reared up so much that their riders fell, with their golden asses in the dust. The horses then trotted towards the young goddess who promised to take them to the Storm Tribe. She looked at Elmalio bleeding on the ground and heaved him across the saddle with one arm (for strong are the Storm ladies).
'Let me go', told her Elmalio, 'I'm not of your people and you
cannot do anything for me. I will die at peace, knowing that I
did, at last, something good and just.'
But the fair young goddess smiled to him and stroke Elmalio's blond hair.
'Beautiful warrior, that would be a shame to let you die. Hold on
to your life as you hold on to your saddle.' And she rode on and
Elmalio finally passed out.
When Elmalio woke up, he saw the White Lady bent over him.
'He's better. I think he'll live.'
Squinting, Elmalio saw that he was in a big wooden house, made from planks painted with many Storm runes. Many gods and goddesses were looking at him, speaking and shouting, and among them he recognized Red-haired Vinga and the beautiful captive he had saved and who had saved him back. A voice, strong as the howling wind in a gale, demanded silence. After some time, silence of a sort came and Elmalio understood he was in Karulinoran, Orlanth Great Hall.
'So, what did I hear? My daughter has come back ?'
The people let him pass and Orlanth himself came and took a long, hard look at Elmalio.
'You seem rather... spent, my boy. They say my daughter captured
you. Is that true?'.
All the Thunder Brothers laughed and shouted and rattled their spears on their shields and it made a great noise, like a tree shattered by the storm. Among the tumult, the voice of the beautiful unknown goddess was heard.
'No, not captured, father. This beautiful warrior saved me from
his brother, who asked him to kill me, as were killed all the
other prisoners!'
Then a great silence fell and anyone could hear thunder in the distance. Orlanth's beard swelled and anyone could smell lightning in the air.
'Your brother is the chief of the Sky Tribe? And they killed all
the other captives? What prevents me from killing you?'
And all the Thunder Brothers roared and shouted and it was as if a great storm was released in Orlanth's Great Hall.
'Death! Death to this enemy' shouted everyone. Since all had a
friend or a relative among the captives. And Elmalio looked upon
Humakt and knew that his doom had come.
But then, the clear and soft voice of the White Goddess rang over all voices:
'Is it thus how you treat a wounded man in your hall, Mighty
Orlanth? If it is so, I will shield him with to prevent any harm
from coming to him. And Chalana Arroy acted as she had just said
and stepped between Orlanth and Elmalio, smiling softly.
The Thunder Brothers calmed down a little. Orlanth grumbled and fumed ans threatened but all in vain.
'It is War, woman! If I shelter him and give him protection what
could he do in return for the tribe?'
'He is a great warrior!' claimed suddenly Vinga the Red. 'I saw
him fight Uz. He saved my life and I saved his. And I, either,
won't allow any harm to happen to him. And Vinga acted as she had
just said and stepped between Orlanth and Elmalio, glaring at the
Thunder Brothers.
A great silence felt once more in the hall and the only noise that could be heard was Eurmal snoring by the fire. Orlanth turned towards Elmalio:
'My daughter is prone to exaggeration. Does she tell the truth?'
And Elmalio swallowed back the words of a Sky Tribe man and chose the Truth. He nodded and told that Vinga had indeed saved his live.
'However, you are not from our tribe, even if you know how to
fight. You would have to become part of our family and I don't see
how that is possible.'
'I know how' claimed beautiful Redaylde, saved by Elmalio and who
had saved him in return.
'Father, I am willing to marry this man and I cannot accept that
any harm would be done to him.' And Redaylde acted as she had just
said and stepped between Orlanth and Elmalio, slightly brushing
his cheek.
The hush in the Hall was now complete and all turned towards Orlanth. His frowned his bushy eyebrows and thought a long time.
'You seem to forget something important, daughter.'
'Yes?' inquired Redaylde raising her chin. Vinga stood at her
side, raising her spear. Chalana waited silently, folding her
arms.
'You had better ask his consent to this handsome warrior who has
apparently bewitched all the women in my tribe.' proclaimed the
King of Gods with a broad smile. He turned towards Elmalio, still
lying:
'Know, warrior from the Sky, that in the Storm Tribe women are
equal to men and have their say. Are you still willing to risk and
wed my daughter Redaylde and have Vinga as sister?
Elmalio licked his lips and looked upon the pretty Redaylde and the red and white ladies protecting him.
'I accept, powerful Master of the Winds, but at one condition.'
'Which is?'
'My name was Elmalio and I cannot keep it since it is bound to
someone who never existed. If I enter your tribe and become one of
you, if I wed Redaylde the beautiful and begin a new life, I will
need a new name.'
'For sure! You have well spoken!'
Orlanth raised his arms and gathered the clouds. He shaped the lightnings with his bare hands and wove the winds into great knowing magic. Then he turned towards all the Storm Tribe, gathered below him, and spoke:
'The winds have spoken! I, Orlanth, King of Gods and God of Kings,
hereby proclaim that this man shall now be known by the name of
Elmal and that he will be our Light!'
And all the Thunder Brothers stood and banged their spears against their shields. And so Elmalio, twin of Yelmalio, became Elmal, later also called the Loyal Thane, husband of Redaylde who loves horses... but this is another story.
[1] At this point, the orlanthi listeners usually snicker knowingly and make some obscene gestures.
That's all.
Needless to say, I don't know how the clan came to believe in such a rubbish :p
Philippe
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