A t E: Session 07 - Epilogue

General Summary

Some few fools call me ‘Foxglove’. It’s an old name from my youthfully exuberant childhood. As a mentor once told me, “Nicknames are best considered seriously before being embraced, as they can follow you to the end of your time”. If I had known that I would be given this title, I might have slain the woman who gave it me. I was young, interested in her and not as mindful as I would become so I didn't pay the name any mind. I let the ‘Foxglove’ name stick, not knowing any better. It’s not easy being called after a flower when you are a Thale. It stems from my actual name being, Digitalis. Named for my eloquent fingers by my parents, on my naming year, at the age of eleven.       You are probably Human. I say this on the off-hand chance, slim as it is, that you are otherwise. Likely as not, however, you are a man or woman and born into a loving home surrounded by at least your parents and perhaps, other siblings and various other relatives. Thale families are – a touch different. Thale parents meet only twice before birthing a child. Once on their Greyday, when they will exchange debting jewels. It is this practice that you humans often ape, when you exchange rings… This gifting might well mean that one gives more value than one receives, indeed it is mathematically almost a certainty. Whichever Thale gives less, is then indebted to the other and so a situation is created where one prospective parent is required to do the bidding of the other. It is common that the indebted sires a child on the second occasion they meet, the Mutepairing. This is a physical union, don’t you concern yourself too greatly about that! Life is as sweet for Thale as it is for the Races. Whether the indebted be stallion or dam matters not at all. This one, doing the carrying of the child, will do so by means of a Halturklane. This is a place where the child can grow to birthing age, safe and nourished, while leaving its parents free to pursue their interests. A far more efficient and less messy method than your own.       My own Emergency Day was occasioned with much fanfare. Not often, despite the relative ease of such a birth, is there a child created by those of royal blood. Naturally, the more highly evolved that the immortal Thale become, the less able they are to sire a child. This no reflection of them being weak, or in some way too disaffected to be fertile. Nay, it is more that their apex position creates a need, to conserve their power and preserve their Greyness, rather than lend even a scrap of it to the potential offspring. In my case it mattered little that my parents, the second pairing of the Duocracy, were typically ‘stingy’ parents. They had taken my emergence most seriously and provided a selection of Thale attendants whose Greyness was forfeit to me. I slaked my emergent thirst by them. I can well imagine your distaste at such a description, Human. It is of no matter to a Thale that you eat and drink of other animals or the seeds of many plants. These are as odious practices to me as our ways are to you! The Thale attendants once bleached, fall and become whatever base Fiend they might most resemble. Some are immediately made over into Greater Fiends, some not so much. Each to their own, as they say… There are other ways Fiends appear but those that were once Thale are among the most fearsome as they have an unbending hate, having lost their greater self to a newborn child. Such is but one of the methods of our ‘madness’.       Before the age of eleven, all Thale children ‘take to the air’. I say air but you would be wrong to envision us flying about. Instead, the Thale hold the element of Air close to our breast until in time, it comes to merge within us. This then is a Thale’s Second Emergency. A Thale can only have four emergency days in a lifetime. I can see I begin to tire your Human mind with so many details of your betters… Let me move to a first meeting.       I became aware of the rebellious spirit of Spiyn a long time ago. This was during the Breaking of Solember and the fall of the Geli’Qys. Many lives both mortal and immortal were affected for the worst at that place in time. Others survived but much altered and generally, left the poorer for it. Some few, such as the Maid of Tilah – Eryrisa, overcame the debilitations of the events that brought down the mightiest empire Humanity has known. There are some many tales of bravery and scathing accusations of treachery from that time. The land of Baym was left much weaker for it. That is no longer a concern for the Thale. In that time, Baym was ours. But after this, it was to become the patrimony of the ithmakal ‘Reviled’ -- his name is Deignghaul but I prefer to refer to him by his nickname. Spiyn was his beneficiary in the halls of the Geli’Qys. They made a formidable duo. There was little that could gainsay them, less that would dare to oppose them. When the tidal waves of civil war broke upon the Solember Empire, they reveled in the chaos that crashed to shore. Human, Geli’Qys and even some Thale looking to profit from this sired-chaos, added their wills and desires to the conflict. This fueled a greater and greater fury until from a distant vantage point, it looked that Miranse might well be split to its core and wheel off in different directions forming two Lunar Worlds. Fortunately, this was prevented. Truly, any that might have doubted that this youngest of worlds might be the World of Conflict were convinced in that time.       Spiyn then… Just tolight, as time is measured, his presence could be felt. Weakened but evidently returned to us. Like rubbish sent back as being too foul for the oubliette. Spiyn, the Prosecutor-Deselect. To imagine that one of the Geli’Qys could be granted the title of Prosecutor and then that he would throw such a gift away. A Prosecutor is a gift bestowed upon a non-Thale to grant this one access to all Thale belongings and potential debts. A citizenship you might call it. Spiyn spat on this. Such ingratitude goes against the Thale greyn. He was no doubt emboldened by the change offered up to the Thale to absorb a colour. This was the gift of the Anachaos creature. I call it so, though truth be known I know not if Anachaos be natural or a constructed thing instead. Whatever the case, it most assuredly followed through on its promise to imbue any who chose to be ‘Colourful’ with any of the known hues. Spiyn took the BIack and the Red. I chose for myself the Violet. I prefer to live in the moment…       He returned to of all places, a city on Tighan... Milven being a place of retired casters, student try-hards and less effective magicks, was well-suited to hosting this ithmakal! That he chose one indebted into my service was his only error. This servitor is named, Bataqua. A Geli’Qys who once had reason to forsake his existence at the death of a Cleftyck princess. He caused her death and this apart from sending the girl’s family on a warlock-hunt, also cost a follower of mine, most dearly. My chamberlain had created in this girl’s family, a seed meant to bring much activity of gain to us and thereby, me. Now with the single-minded fervour of the vengeful, the family expended this seed of power in the effort to bring to bay this Bataqua. They managed to capture him and his destruction was at hand. He called on my chamberlain’s name and as is our way, my chamberlain chose to be summoned. The cleftyck were not without gifts accrued over many tolights and the fight was all-encompassing. My chamberlain was at least overwhelmed by numbers, even if individually greater than any against her. So it was that I grew into Miranse and revealed myself. The cleftck were overcome. Too late for my chamberlain. I chose to spare the Geli’qys rather than take his forfeit life for his meddling. He serves me until his debt is paid in full measure. It will be some tolights yet before the debt is erased.       This weakened version of Spiyn wrests with his shackles that prevent his full entry into Miranse. His halonic ring is grown I note. A fact that I will give to the Duocracy. They will owe me a debt. In the room where he and Bataqua are located are three male individuals of varying mortal status. The first to accost me is a diminutive. I cannot say I have sensed his ilk before. That said, he is a forceful one yet decidedly reserved. I sense in him great mischief but a learned behaviour has him keep his words to a minimum. I do venture a small gambit to entice him into my service but am rebuked most vilely with what would be insults to my mother. I am amused that this one thinks I bear for her, some kind of racial-affection! His name is Eigen.       Next, is one of Humanity. This one I spend a deal of my time discoursing with. His manner is at once civil and challenging. I like this not at all in one so young. That I make this apparent to this man, is clearly received and still he is not cowed. An inner strength engendered by his own knowledge of what may be in store for him. I might have given him more than I did to assure myself of my favourable position with him but he is only as likely to honour such debts as any mortal. Most cannot find the resolve to survive servitude. They would rather perish than pay their debts. What a foolish display when this occurs. To waste one’s life in a vain attempt to be free. Free from life and little else, is the result. This Kade Arkhdevaunt speaks steadily of his needs and his purposes and I see fit to add to this. I tell him of my breeding castes. That these will give rise to new draconic powers and that thereby create a security of the Realm. That others may be trying the same is of importance but I care only for what versions of this I have made. He may make of the others whatever he might. I include such information as to the dispensation of the three continents and which are ceded to whom. This, all three seem interested about. Even the diminutive listens and I see in him one who is already in service to another. Kade asks of me the meaning of his Vast title. I could tell him the meaning of 'Arhkdevaunt' but “Nicknames are best considered before…” – but here I repeat myself!       The last is a mortal who has all but perished in some strange fiery end. There is nought but sinew and cords to him. His mind and spirit remain intact, however. Within this mortal named Surtice Ly, a former adherent of a healing order of Baym. Interesting this. It seems Baym’s rising power is now causing all manner of recurrent, living echoes to return. It may be that these Baymese-types gather to some unheard call? It is Deignghaul’s rightful place this Baym, but I fear very much that his overbearing interests on Coaseth are making his claim to Baym weaker. As I will lead the Thale into war for dominance over the Saxsyrinx and Confederacy, it comes upon me that Baym might be the first to kneel, as its master’s eye is so firmly fixed toward Coaseth. If these newcomers and returning citizens are supported, they may make my success for me. I will counsel this Ly and this Kade again, should they live so long as to make themselves serviceable. Surely a Thale can make small gift to such as these without indebtedness to another?       Still, there is Spiyn. He must be considered at all times. There is none I would want less to see a rising fortune than this one. Too soon to slay. He has not yet the ability to be passed from the Realm. He must be allowed his moment of return, that his removal be complete. The sore must be fully excised lest it return more strongly once more. That he returns is proof that the last excision was poorly done. I will not allow another mistake from the Thale. This is my moment of dominance. It cannot be let slip at the feet of any, certainly not Spiyn.