The Record of Gold
What is your world's oldest surviving story retold in many cultures in your world?
Historians at the Royal Academy of Larane once took it upon themselves to find the answer to this very question. In the nature of scientists and academics everywhere, they established careful paramaters to determine the finalists:
After scouring the continent and the surronding isles, a clear 'winner' quickly distinguished itself.
- Stories must be written down in some manner.
- Stories must be shared among 2 or more species.
- Stories can be fiction or not, verification of the validity of a story was unimportant.
After scouring the continent and the surronding isles, a clear 'winner' quickly distinguished itself.
Summary
The general theme of the Record of Gold is a classic one of Good vs Evil, with the roles changing depending on the culture and species retelling it. It typically follows the formula of the 'good' side facing tremendous odds to overcome the base, evil nature of the 'other' side to reach them and bring them to a compromise. Then, always, the 'good' side is betrayed by the other, with a near fatal wound inflicted during a battle in the sky that lit the sky for forty nights. The 'good' side falls, only to be saved and nurtered by the species doing the re-telling, while the 'other' side hunts for them. Vengeance is then visited upon the helpful species, only for the 'good' side to rise one more time to banish the 'other' and save their saviors.
Regional and language shifts change many elements of the story, along with some species (such as the sucera) adding extra elements that detail the eventual fall of the 'other' side. The sovathy and del'ea, meanwhile, tend to focus on the fight itself and the tactics used; while humans and nerale focus on the betrayal and the broken vows of love/promise that led to the great battle.
Regional and language shifts change many elements of the story, along with some species (such as the sucera) adding extra elements that detail the eventual fall of the 'other' side. The sovathy and del'ea, meanwhile, tend to focus on the fight itself and the tactics used; while humans and nerale focus on the betrayal and the broken vows of love/promise that led to the great battle.
Historical Basis
Ironically, the two parties whose fight originated the legend are still alive. Jorryn of Devastation, a gold dragon, and Mara of Oaths, a silver dragon, both formed sylltiad with concepts rather than people, places or objects - leading them to have unnaturally long lives and incredibly powerful magic. Both are considered gods among 'lesser' mortals, and both have been known to interfere liberally with the affairs of countries and people they have taken an interest in.
The fight itself isn't spoken about by either party, and hasn't been for hundreds of thousands of years, so the story has become as messy and convoluted as only myths and legends can. But the hard looks and stony silence when either are asked about it lends enough credence to the notion that there might be a grain of truth somewhere.
A lover's spat, maybe?
The fight itself isn't spoken about by either party, and hasn't been for hundreds of thousands of years, so the story has become as messy and convoluted as only myths and legends can. But the hard looks and stony silence when either are asked about it lends enough credence to the notion that there might be a grain of truth somewhere.
A lover's spat, maybe?
Spread
The Record of Gold was first inscribed on clay tablets by the ancient Sucera and preserved in what is now the isle of Seravi. Academy researchers believe that the story was seeded during a very real aerial fight between dragons that was witnessed by seafarers and land-dwellers across multiple cultures at the same time. The sucera were just the only culture to write it down later.
The Record of Gold is a tale told the world over. Once the Academy researchers started comparing many similar stories, they noticed the trend right away and realized that the same story has been circulating the world for hundreds of millenia in hundreds of different forms. The major players are not always 'gold' and 'silver' - nor always male and female. Sometimes they are brothers, sometimes sisters. Sometimes it is a master and a student, other times it is a parent and a child. The family tree of the Record is extensive and widespread.
The Record of Gold is a tale told the world over. Once the Academy researchers started comparing many similar stories, they noticed the trend right away and realized that the same story has been circulating the world for hundreds of millenia in hundreds of different forms. The major players are not always 'gold' and 'silver' - nor always male and female. Sometimes they are brothers, sometimes sisters. Sometimes it is a master and a student, other times it is a parent and a child. The family tree of the Record is extensive and widespread.
Cultural Reception
The sucera of Seravi take the Record of Gold very seriously, with a Silver Dragon (female) being the clear 'good' party as she battles the Fell Gold - a being who is not recorded as being a dragon, but instead something closer to the suceran equivalent of a demon-touched deity. Academics believe this may also be the first recorded description of a Great Dragon falling into Depravity and becoming corrupted; unable to rejoin the natural flow of the world.
To the sucera, the Record is a cautionary tale against seeking power and excess. It embodies the suceran belief that the world will even out and wear down those who claim more than they should. Self-moderation is a key tenant of suceran society, and the Record is the bedrock supporting this cultural bastion.
The sovathy have a similar take as the sucera - not that they would admit it - with the Silver being the exemplar of battle prowess and skill against a worthy, but ultimately dishonorable, opponent. To them, it is a tale meant to teach the young to always watch their backs and trust their training and their brothers/sisters in arms.
The sovathy cultural embrace of the Silver and their faith in her makes her betrayal of their people in the Reckoning War all the more poignant.
To the sucera, the Record is a cautionary tale against seeking power and excess. It embodies the suceran belief that the world will even out and wear down those who claim more than they should. Self-moderation is a key tenant of suceran society, and the Record is the bedrock supporting this cultural bastion.
The sovathy have a similar take as the sucera - not that they would admit it - with the Silver being the exemplar of battle prowess and skill against a worthy, but ultimately dishonorable, opponent. To them, it is a tale meant to teach the young to always watch their backs and trust their training and their brothers/sisters in arms.
The sovathy cultural embrace of the Silver and their faith in her makes her betrayal of their people in the Reckoning War all the more poignant.
In Literature
Given the spread of the Record and the hundreds of splinter legends, myths and folklore it engendered - it is safe to say that the Record is also the single most important piece of literature in history. Each species and the hundreds of cultures within them have some variation of this classic tale - though they paint it with their own heroes and colors.
One of the greatest retellings is a del'ea theater play where the Gold serves as the benefactor and the Silver as the betrayer. This classic mainstay of del'ean culture has shaped their written works for generations, to the point that the original playwright can no longer be determined and is known only by a pen-name. Del'ean poets are also well known for their elegant, yet stark prose that possesses the same cutting dictomy as the play's representation of one side vs the other.
One of the greatest retellings is a del'ea theater play where the Gold serves as the benefactor and the Silver as the betrayer. This classic mainstay of del'ean culture has shaped their written works for generations, to the point that the original playwright can no longer be determined and is known only by a pen-name. Del'ean poets are also well known for their elegant, yet stark prose that possesses the same cutting dictomy as the play's representation of one side vs the other.
In Art
Like the written and spoken word, the art world has also been influenced by the Record. Many love songs were inspired by the tale, along with tapestries and great paintings. Most moble houses have some interpretation of the Record represented in art form somewhere in their expansive homes.
The most notable installation, however, is in what is now Kejas. When the ancient sovathy once held sway across the continent, they constructed a great training ground - now a Kejasi gladiatorial colosseum - in honor of the Great Fight, with the center square framed by architecture reminiscent of two dueling dragons. Combatants were known to salute the dragons first, then their opponents, before engaging.
To modern sovathy mercenaries and slaves who find themselves at the mercy of Kejasi priests and lordlings - that final salute to the heroes of their ancestors remains one of the last acts of rebellion left to them before their deaths in the colosseum.
The most notable installation, however, is in what is now Kejas. When the ancient sovathy once held sway across the continent, they constructed a great training ground - now a Kejasi gladiatorial colosseum - in honor of the Great Fight, with the center square framed by architecture reminiscent of two dueling dragons. Combatants were known to salute the dragons first, then their opponents, before engaging.
To modern sovathy mercenaries and slaves who find themselves at the mercy of Kejasi priests and lordlings - that final salute to the heroes of their ancestors remains one of the last acts of rebellion left to them before their deaths in the colosseum.
Date of First Recording
450,000 - 500,000 +/- years ago
Date of Setting
500,000+ years ago
In response to the prompt What is your world's oldest surviving story retold in many cultures in your world?
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