Tag: power

#Lore24 – Entry #63 – Fantasy Month #3 – Witches of the Ways / Wayfare Witches

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

Perhaps today’s prompt indicates that soon we will travel?  I can only hope; as much as I enjoy the archives, a trip out of these (perhaps overly) serene walls would not go amiss.  At least not a long trip.  And I suppose the peace here isn’t all bad.  I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing the southern lands this time of year, for the chill from the north is felt a bit too often these days. 

On to the topic at hand, less my fantasies overtake my more rational line of thought.  The Wayfare Witches, or alternatively, the Witches of the Ways, are perhaps the largest and most widespread of the known covens on the face of Andyllion, known to be found throughout not only the Imperium Draconis but throughout known civilization and perhaps beyond into the wilds beyond.  I suppose calling them a coven would be stretching things; some do tend to band together and practice secret rituals from time to time, but others seem to be following their ways without affiliation to a larger group.  Even then, from what the records indicate, their organization is extremely loose and informal, and operates perhaps with some amount of divine or otherworldly guidance, perhaps at the behest of the gods of nature and travel. 

The Witches are typically found outside of the largest cities, frequently operating the various travelers’ inns and rests along the roadways that connect civilized lands, or in the case of their seafaring sisters, within the safe ports located throughout the islands dotting the seas and oceans; rarely they will appear within large cities, but they are known to be found in even the most unexpected and inhospitable climes, such as the great swamps like the Muckenmyre or the icy Frigid Steppes.  A wise traveler will seek shelter beneath the roof of a Wayfare Witch, assuming their intentions are honest and they can offer a proper payment.  Payment varies with the individual or group, depending on the whims of the witch, but are usually reasonable and fair:  coin or a modest piece of jewelry in the case of a traveling noble, or something as simple as sharing a story or song for those of less wealth.  Some witches will accept favors to be repaid when able, and woe be to those who try to weasel out of the deal, or worse, try to harm a witch within their domain.

Generally seen as goodly and kind, offering shelter and aid (food, a hiding place, healing, etc.), especially to those fleeing conflict or those injured during their travels, the Witches of the Ways are not without their fangs.  Like most who practice the craft, they are adept at curses, and if crossed, will not hesitate to lay one upon the offending individual or party.  Their revenge is rarely, if ever, seen coming, and never immediately, and may be as simple as months of annoyances along the ways (imagine getting a pebble in one’s boot every day for a year), or as severe as outright ruin and calamity for the offenders in the cases of the most severe offenses; the disastrous campaign of Akakios Andriadis two centuries ago during the attempt to expand the Empire’s reach to the west saw his entire expeditionary force wiped out and reportedly consumed by the kobolds of the Flammesand Desert, supposedly after one of his subordinates assaulted a Witch’s apprentice and he refused to see them properly punished for the offense (said apprentice was a kerryn, and thus, the thought of punishing a soldier for such an act was deemed laughable), as the legends say.  Actual evidence of this is lacking, however.

The inner workings of the order are mostly a mystery to those outside of it, for the Witches closely guard their rituals and practices.  It is said that new members are brought in once a Witch finds a fitting apprentice, regardless of who or what they may be (they are a remarkably open-minded group, even within the Empire), spending many years learning before they either take over for an aging witch or go on to create their own Wayrest.  They do have places of power in which they hold their most sacred rituals, though these are usually difficult if not impossible to find if one is not allowed to.  Supposedly one can be invited into these places, or can seemingly stumble upon them during their explorations, but only if the local coven deems them worthy or if they can serve the witches in some way.  Once the need has been met, the place of power cannot be found again, supposedly, without an additional invitation. 

 

 

#Lore24 – Entry #62 – Fantasy Month #2 – Draconis Magna, Capital of the Empire

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

It seems Felaria has addressed my complaints about specificity and given me a simpler prompt for today:  Draconis Magna, the Imperial capitol.  Surely, I could voice complaint about specificity once again, as discussing the capital is no simple task for the fountain of knowledge overflows with the broadness of the subject, but since Mother has narrowed focus, then I shall obediently oblige.

The seat of the Great Dragon Emperor, blessed and chosen of the gods to reign over the great Imperium Draconis, the throne currently held by Luxus Drakon Raikos the Fourth; for the sake of brevity I shall not list his many, MANY titles, otherwise I would be here far longer than is required of this entry.  I feel that I must pause here in my discussion of the capital and note the insistence upon draconic imagery and naming conventions throughout the empire when true dragons have been gone from this world since times predating the Great Cataclysm two thousand years ago; it is truly astounding to me that their legends have continued to persist for so long, especially in the minds of humans, and that their nature can evoke such thoughts of power and dominance amongst the populace.  I would have thought that demonic iconography would have found greater prominence given their pervading influences since the Cataclysm and higher than average population of demon-blooded throughout the Empire than other parts of the world, but that is a mystery to discuss at another time, perhaps when Felaria feels the need to prompt me to do so.

Draconis Magna lies upon the shores of Gulf Draconum, upon the Dragon’s Breath delta at the mouth of the Great Goldenscale River, a country unto itself, really, a metropolis spanning some five-hundred square miles, the very heart of the Empire from which all power flows.  The city is well defended, housing a significant army and naval forces, as well as the Tower of the Grand Arcanum, the most powerful of arcanist orders.  All culture would seem to flow from here as well, as the city is known to be the center of the arts, filled with bards and artists of all kinds, chasing fame and fortune at the hands of the nobility, though by the time great works reach the ends of the Empire, they have long been out of fashion within the city itself.

The most powerful of the nobility reside here, vying for power and the ear of the Emperor, and perhaps, uncoincidentally, the variety of pleasures to be found is nigh unfathomable.  Supposedly if one seeks a particular form of entertainment, it can be found in Draconis Magna, no matter how vile it may be.  Having only visited the capital a handful of times myself, I have never experienced the darker side of the city’s pleasures, but the tales are too prevalent not to hold some truth.  It is the kerryn slaves I feel for the most in this regard, for they are the ones suffering the worst the city has to offer, and of course it is by the Emperor’s decree, dating back many centuries, so who would possibly argue against what happens to them?  There have been attempts to overturn the decree of course, but such protests have not lasted long, and quite often those involved have vanished under not-at-all mysterious circumstances.

There does seem to be growing unrest within the high walls of Draconis Magna by many accounts from visitors to the library.  Rumors of rebellion in the outlying regions continue to grow, and some wonder if the Emperor’s power is on the decline after the family has held power for so many generations.  Supposedly even the slaves, kerryn and otherwise, are growing discontent and starting trouble, but as yet, I have no actual proof of this.  Perhaps this is why the Emperor has begun efforts to expand the empire further, and has been seeking lost relics in the many ruins found in the wildlands, and is even looking across the seas to other lands to plunder?  It seems a time of unrest may not be far off, if history is to be repeated.  Perhaps it is even time for a new age to be born, however violently, into existence?