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Legend of the Seasons The names of the twelve months are common throughout most of the world. It is said that the reason for this is that
they were taught by the elves of the mountains, Nadristi,
to the race of man, just as when they also shared the first secrets of magic. From the cradle of humanity, what is now
the Eastern Empire, mankind spread throughout the world and
shared this ancient story with other cultures. Though the men of the earth, the dwarves, do not share the same secrets,
even they know the names of the months as humans do so they might agree upon dates for trade.
For the Nadristi, who were astronomers and philosophers at heart, the seasons were represented
by the passing of moon and the position of stars in the heavens. They divided the months into four seasons which they
named after four heavenly houses. Autumn fell within the House of Messengers, for it was then that the last letters
would be sent from one civilization to the next before winter snow made the mountain passes insurmountable. Winter fell
into the House of Gates, as this was the season of most introspective study among the Nadristi who believed that the
soul of each mortal must pass through three gates as it passed through existence. Spring was named for the House of
Oracles, when the magic of divination was strongest in the world and the Nadristi would conduct their Celebration of
Foresight to look into the years beyond the present. Summer was named for the House of Kings, where the golden knowledge
of the world was carefully guarded by the spirits eternal and imparted to mortalkind only with great care.
The story of the seasons also contains many references to ancient figures of Nadristi
legend. For many, only the names of these beings are known anymore, legend of their deeds forgotten beyond the reach of
myth and story.
In the First Lands, also called the Lands of El, in the House of Messengers, dwelt the poet Mordun, who was
known throughout the courts of the First Spirits to be of unsurpassed skill. While traveling throughout the mountains
of El it is said that Mordun became enchanted with a beautiful nymph named Ilyun. When he beheld her he is said to have
burst into poetic exuberance of such a nature that the trees which surrounded the glen in which she bathed turned red
with envy, wishing that such music would be written for them. Ilyun's golden skin wrought changes in the earth before
her feet, gifting it with precious metals; her golden eyes inspired the sun to shine brightly upon the world, and her
golden breath brought flowers to bloom and creatures to rejoice with warmth. Legend says that any kissed by her sunlit
lips would instantly perish from the radiance they imparted. Mordun possessed such an enchanting way with words that
when the lips of these two lovers met that the fey drew near and danced to keep Mordun from being felled by beauty
entirely so that they could continue to listen to his song and voice afterwards.
Mordun and Ilyun begat a child first named Malawae and last named Nightsun, for he lost his
name when he coveted the gifts of his sires. He too was possessed with a compelling presence and many of the faerie
celebrated in his gaze and rested in his shadow. He too envied the words of his father and the beauty of his mother, for
while he was both of them, he was also neither, and so he crept into the glen of Ilyun and stole away with her golden
breath. When Mordun found his love diminished he cast about with woe and the skies opened to rain upon him and soothe
his pain. He claimed his sons name and bequeathed it to the fey who kept company with his son. Thus the two courts of
faerie came to be: the Ilyunae who loved the world and the Malawae who loved the shadow of Nightsun. Without the love
of Ilyun breathed upon the world, the first twilight came.
The Unnamed Son fled to the Land of Night, called Edam, and there took his last name,
Nightsun. Before the Land of Night he beheld the first great Gate of El, named Tarmare; upon its opening there came a
terrible wind which spilled out from the Land of Night, transforming those few of the faerie who had also traveled
there. Cast from the air, their feet touched the earth for the first time and they became like mortals and were blown
across the lands. Nightsun passed beyond and into the Land of Night for the Breath of Ilyun protected him, but he could
not close the gate and so he fled deeper into Edam. After a time, Nightsun came to another great gate named Corvere,
which he also opened in hope of finding shelter behind its ways, but from there poured forth frozen cold that spread
across the world. Thus, the woe of Mordun was made complete in Spirit of Winter. Nightsun at last came to the final gate, called
the Turningspar, beyond which awaited mortality. Finally, he dared no further and bitterness was his reward.
From the womb of the Malawae came the heroine Sekali, who was ashamed for her people and
possessed of an independence that was unknown to her kind. She traveled to the lands of Edam and there found The Lost,
those of her kind who had followed the Unnamed Son into the Lands of Edam. Among them and before the mighty gate of
Turningspar lurked Nightsun, who mocked Sekali. A great battle took place. The broken spirit that was Nightsun
was unmade by her scepter, Mehlelin, and the breath of Ilyun came into Sekali and she was transformed by its wonder.
Possessed of the Breath, in a moment of fearlessness, she opened the gates that barred exit from Edam,
where Nightsun had hidden, and strode into the Land of Mortals, called Enenti.
In the House of Oracles sat the most ancient Veluna, who had crafted the moons to light the
beginning world of Enenti while the glory of Ilyun was lost in Edam. When Sekali emerged from the Lands of Edam, Veluna
beheld the dawning of the stars in the heavens as they shone in welcome at the return of the Breath and was so overcome
with joy that she shed tears down upon the land. Upon touching the transformed Sekali, the land split asunder as the
world displayed the fruits of the seeds long planted in its womb and dormant during the long night.
Silusa, the prophetess looked up from her sword and felt the touch of Sekali's feet upon
the world and the blessing of Ilyun that she carried within. Emboldened by the return of the stars she howled with
a fury that made the Winds of Tarmare tremble. Silusa pursued the winds and all the wickedness of Edam back into the
very Land of Night and the might of her battle spilt across the worlds till their rumbling awoke the slumbering Evena,
who had fallen asleep when the sorrow of Ilyun came upon the land. Evena stood at the edge of the House of Oracles
where she beheld the rising sun and so lifted was her spirit that she began to dance. As the glorious light reflected
from her each gesture, such was its song that it was felt deep in the lands of Edam where the Silusa raged. Silusa
lifted her head from battle and strode through the gates of Edam to see the sun, closing each as she left the Land
of Night. So captivated was she by the dance of Evena that she battled no more and a peace came upon the lands.
With the welcome of Summer upon the land arose great rulers to guide the work of mortals.
Wise and still strong with the spirit of the fae, they ruled for many years and a golden age came upon the lands of
Enenti. As they looked upon the world from the House of Kings each dispensed their wisdom to their younger kin. To the
First of all Kings, Ras, was given Mehlelin, the scepter of Sekali, which had touched the very light of Ilyun, and Ras
ruled in a time where joy was food enough to sustain the mortal spirit. In his ending times, Ras was called to the lands
of El where he might look upon all that was done by him in contentment. The Second of all Kings was Toras, who ruled
in a time where the light of the world no longer radiated with such glory as before and so he whispered secrets to the
earth and taught his mortal kin how to produce bounty. In his ending times, Toras was called to the lands
of El where he too might look upon all that was done by him in contentment. The Third of all Kings was Assiras, who saw
mortals laboring to feed their spirits and in knowing that this was not enough he called Mordun to his courts to
share the gift of culture and tell again the magnificent tale of his love. In his ending times, Assiras knew great
peace and contentment for all the Land of Enenti flourished in the balance he had wrought.
Thus, into Enenti did Mordun speak of his love and told the great story of his
son who stole the Summer that was the Breath of his love, of the Gates of Edam which brought an end to Autumnal days,
of the ancient Oracles who raised the lands from their slumbering Winter at the triumph of Sekali, how the great First
Kings of Enenti shaped the world with their wisdom so that their children could dwell with satisfaction, and as the
story was spoken into the Land of Mortals each word knew such passion that the lands about transformed in season
to mirror each mighty verse of Mordun. << BACK
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