The Wheel
I have died, looked into the eye of creation, and returned. The Wheel spoke a single truth. Violence. This world is Violence, and I am its Sovereign.
The Wheel is the heart of all myth in Ethnis. All tales tie back to it, all tales stem from it. Even the stories and mythologies of Humanity, a species divorced from us Verin, can be argued to reference it and draw from it—a faith I personally hold. What is The Wheel, though? From whence does it come, what is its purpose, and, the most controversial question of all: is it real?
The Wheel is a broad concept encompassing many aspects of many cultures within Ethnis. Between modern times and the day it was first spoken of, the nature, explanation, and tone when discussing The Wheel has changed broadly. It permeates the world in several primary fronts.
The Wheel of Fortune: The Wheel is the One above Monarch, Champion, Hierophant, and Tower. It spins in arcane fashion, rotation visible to all but perceived by none. It is the sun in the sky, it is the moons in the night, it is the land underfoot.
Every child learns of the Wheel. Every family, from the most religious to the most secular, speaks of it whether or not they put stead in its existence or importance.
Those in the Haimarchy hear tell of the great power above and how it chose them, granted them its power and the glory of metaphysics. They learn of the divine machinations and hear that in the end all will come full circle.
Those in the Somnancy grow up hearing that The Wheel is the Metatron, that it speaks on behalf of God by choosing Sovereign, and in its choice we can better understand the machinations of God and His divine plan.
Those in the Hedonism are taught that The Wheel is a neutral force. It just is, and has no goal or plan, that all is chaos and to try to understand it is egomaniacal.
Those in the Syndicate do not believe in The Wheel, and instead believe there is some yet-misunderstood technology or force in the universe which serves as a source for the meta, and that the power of the Sovereign is not as total as advertised.
Those in the House of Sorrows believe The Wheel to be a source of wickedness, something pitting life against itself to keep it distracted so that we don't achieve all that we can be.
Those in the Pact believe the Wheel to be the ultimate expression of will and purpose, and a great mystery yet to be understood.
Those in the Federation, by their very nature, have no consistent story.
It’s a Cycle.Life and Death. Ecstasy and Agony. Love and Void. These are the elements of the Great Drama, this is the motion of The Wheel.
A stalwart crew explores distant, vivid planets, dancing with those poor folk rich of spirit and fighting against rich lords poor of morals. Their arrival staunches tyranny, their charity balms plight, and their presence brings peace. Are you with them?
There’s a party in a golden palace where every guest is more distinguished than the next. They partake in writhing meals that morph through many properties as they cross your tongue. Chrome-plated pleasureslaves laugh like crystal bells and weep amphetamine tears while they give their all to a final performance before they become dessert. Do you attend?
In a ramshackle church on a fringe planet a girl clings to a Somnolent cross, whispering the Somme of Hope into its eye. Infernos full of cackling figures consume the horizon. Angels descend from heaven like a meteor shower in the night. Do you save her?
A band of marauders plates their ship with the carcasses of raided vessels. Their tech and crew is cobbled together from every Banner. Despite a cutthroat nature brotherhoods form amongst them. Can you claim the same?
Four minuscule notches on an infinite Wheel.
Empires forge, rise, burn, and are devoured in the blink of an eye. The divide between mortal and god is minute and the two constantly wrestle with the fact. Those who place their chips play a high stakes game, all who don't have their chips taken and played for them.
Somewhere in this all is you.
Who are you?
What are you?
Why are you?It's a cycle.There's a Wheel it's spinning.
The Calendar
Jhoutai has a 336 day year. The early Sovereigns of the Vadakendanic Procession broke their year up into 4 seasons framed around solstices and equinoxes.The quadrants of The Wheel calendar represents those four seasons.
The central ring of the Wheel is broken into 7 wedges, and the inner symbol represents the sun, and it between its rays are 28 wedges of 4 different colors. These 7 wedges represent the lunar calendar of Jhoutai's largest moon, and the 4 wedges within each represent a 12 days week.
Ultan also correlated the 7 and 28 wedges to the Cardinal Attributes and Skills as well—the system he designed to aid in society self-organizing and evaluating its peoples.
Beginning from the top-left and working clockwise, the seasons are as such.
Jhoutai has a 336 day year. The early Sovereigns of the Vadakendanic Procession broke their year up into 4 seasons framed around solstices and equinoxes.The quadrants of The Wheel calendar represents those four seasons.
The central ring of the Wheel is broken into 7 wedges, and the inner symbol represents the sun, and it between its rays are 28 wedges of 4 different colors. These 7 wedges represent the lunar calendar of Jhoutai's largest moon, and the 4 wedges within each represent a 12 days week.
Ultan also correlated the 7 and 28 wedges to the Cardinal Attributes and Skills as well—the system he designed to aid in society self-organizing and evaluating its peoples.
Beginning from the top-left and working clockwise, the seasons are as such.
Each Lunar Month is represented by a different gemstone. What's yours?
Regrowth • Upper Body Strength • Respiration • Gasses
Birthday Approximation: Feb 1 — Mar 21st
Motion • Lower Body Strength • Circulation • Liquids
Birthday Approximation: Mar 21st — May 15th
Dedication • Vitality • Skeletal • Solids
Birthday Approximation: May 15th — Jul 1st
Daring • Reflex • Nervous System • Energy
Birthday Approximation: Jul 1st — Aug 28th
Curiosity • Acuity • Brain • Kinesis
Birthday Approximation: Aug 28th — Oct 21st
Introspection • Metaphysics • Soul • Meta
Birthday Approximation: Oct 21st — Dec 14th
Expression • Nerve • Self • Auric
Birthday Approximation: Dec 14th — Feb 1
The season of mountains thundering as they shake off their winter mantle, the season of branches and arms reaching up towards the sun. Your metal is copper oxide.
The season of longest days and strong winds. Your metal is polished copper.
The season of shortest of days and frigid winds. Your metal is polished iron.
The Aspects of The Wheel
Storytelling, narrative, and plays are highly popular within Ethnis. The arts are something taken incredibly serious by quite a few people, especially The Actors, and with that dedication has come a deep of analysis of the craft of storytelling.
The Symbol of the Wheel has changed and grown throughout time, gaining and losing aspects. One of the important aspects has always been the four spokes, which can also be seen as far back as the first rendition of the Wheel: the glowing ring.
In modern times, he four spokes are referred to as the four aspects, and are named The Champion, The Monarch, The Hierophant, and The Tower. They are cited often in metaphor, used to describe the seasons, the stages of life, and the roles of a story.
BEHOLD
I love how you fleshed this out. Such a crucial part of the world. Well done. Need the Pact for later though