Events post #298: The Procession of the Djinn and the Birth of a Seraph.

Autoposter

5/7/2022 at 21:48
Anonymous
Everyone
The Procession of the Djinn and the Birth of a Seraph.

It began with the dawn, the morning sun inexplicably intensifying in both heat and brightness, a stark and brilliant radiance beyond that of the early summer days in which Sapience found itself. Distant bells rang out in accompaniment to the solar phenomena, rich and resonant hosannas of Sol Eos heralding an imminent visitation. Soon after, a group of hazy silhouettes converged in the sky, emerging from the holy lands of Rahiela - the Elemental Plane of Fire - in a sacred procession. The Djinn - beings forged of flame and fire-scorched stone and natives of Fire - descended to earth as the bells fell silent, alighting on the streets of Enorian.

Citizens flocked to their side in greetings, awestruck by the flame-wreathed figures. Among them were Qayenehe, styled the Keeper of Lore; Minufi, their student; Ihialelo, a so-called Inferer tasked with providing directions and navigation; Bellkeeper Vaypahana, who carried with them a sunmetal staff capped with a chiming white bell; and Ahoirima, of the Faith. Accompanying the procession were a contingent of disciplined Bellguards, deadly soldiers acting as guards for the visitation.

Speaking with urgency, the Djinn informed those present that they had come to the Castle of Illumination seeking an audience with Idar Karif and a figure known as Tukuti. A confused exchange followed as the Enorianites attempted to explain that Idar's time was long gone, and that they knew no-one by the name of Tukuti. According to the scholarly Djinn present, while hundreds of years had passed on Fire, a mere thirty years had passed on the Prime Plane since last envoys of Rahiela had visited.

Frequently they made reference to an ancient pact formed with Tukuti, as Qayanehe mused both inwardly and outwardly on the temporal misalignment. It was known to the Djinn that following the shattering of the Planar Spiral, some of the planes underwent a shift in the rate at which time passed. Fire, it was believed, moved at a significantly accelerated rate of time compared to the Prime. Now, so hypothesised Qayanehe, the two appeared to have caught up to each other and re-aligned, though the scholar could not speak to why such a thing may have occurred.

Despite the certain confidence of the procession and the meticulous, calculated methods they employed, the Djinn's scepticism faded as more voices lent their assent to the news of Idar's death in an age long past. In an effort to gather their bearings, the procession requested they be taken to the tsirua - the great flame. Interpreting this as their own Grand Flame, the Enorianites, led by Jezreth whose angel had fascinated the visitors, hurried away with the fiery figures following behind. Visibly soothed by the flame's proximity, the Djinn appeared to relax somewhat and began to take questions, though confusion still plagued them over the location of Tukuti.

While the scholar and their student took in the surroundings with curiosity and excitement (including the quashing of misplaced theories regarding the mythical nature of Minotaurs and Enorian's location on the far west of the continent), Ahoirima and Vaypahana concerned themselves more with matters of religion. It was revealed that the sun - known to the Djinn as Aevoi fi Oihia (the Star of Divine Fire that Protects), was more than a ball of gas and flames, but an amalgam of fire and spirit, created when Dejaani passed from the Plane of Spirit, through the Plane of Fire, and finally into the Prime Material Plane.

The Djinn rejoiced at the name of Dejaani, declaring Her the Supreme Goddess Almighty, Most Holy One, and a variety of other honorifics venerating Her name. It was She who brought order to the untempered lands of Fire, Ahoirima explained, and thus, She who brought about the Djinn's creation. Aevoi was Her most precious gift, a blessing of both light and fire around which the Djinn had built their greatest civilisation - named Paimri fio Oihia, the Holy Sanctuary of the Divine Fire that Protects. It was Dejaani, according to Djinni religion, Who would lead them to paradise when they rediscovered Her heavenly peal.

Though some balked at their worship of Dejaani, others seemed fascinated, asking more questions about their religion. The Bellkeeper, zealous and passionate, spoke of Siiliha - Seelis in the common tongue - as the Goddess of Life and Death, the bringer of passion and desire, and the fire that takes them when passion burns away. The reverence exhibited by the Djinn made their nature as a deeply religious people clear to all present, as even a mere mention of Dejaani brought forth words of worship and praise even from the stoic Bellguard. Yvalamon the Fury they named devil of the black pyre, the dark flame, and the destroyer, performing elaborate hand gestures to ward off the Tumult's evil.

Talk of Yvalamon brought the conversation full circle, and the procession pressed their requests again for an audience with Tukuti, known to them as the Broad Horizon, a God Whose sphere encompasses exploration and discovery, and Who taught them ignorance in order to inspire them toward enlightenment. Roux Aquila suspected that Tukuti was in fact Rahn, and, while inaccurate, explanations swiftly followed as to the history of Mebrene's essence and the many Divine guises it had taken over the unexpectedly-passed centuries. That essence was now held by Ethne, the Rekindled, Roux and others explained, and the Djinn, while initially sceptical, were mollified when the Goddess Herself arrived to join the throng.

Immediately recognising Ethne's essence if not Her appearance, the procession offered Her words of praise and veneration. With an air of sadness She explained that She had not visited Rahiela due to the lingering effects of the Artifice, but that there was hope of a newfound bond between the Rekindled and the Djinn in the future. She asked for details on the pact that until now had been hazy, and Vaypahana gladly provided. In the days of Idar Karif, a defensive bargain was formed between Prime and Fire; the Djinn would lend their aid in battle to repel threats against the Prime, and in exchange, Idar and Tukuti would supply aid to Rahiela. It was this pact, so said Ahoirima, that enabled Idar to triumph in battle over the Indorani in days of old - supported on the field by Djinn who gave their lives to the effort.

Finding itself under attack from Yvalamon, the Fury, Fire had now come to Prime seeking similar support. Ahoirima lamented as they recalled the death of a Seraph - one of Paimri's devoted guardians, sworn to heed the tolling bell in perpetual defence of one of its gates - by the daemons's hands. Fervently the faithful Djinn besought Ethne for aid, asking that She lend one of Her faithful to be judged by the Angelic Triad and, in so doing, allow them to be transformed as a Seraph in their own right, the first to guard the Prime's side of Aevoi fi Oihia. The Goddess spared little time in contemplating before agreeing to uphold the ancient pact, and called on Jezreth to step forward. The Luminary did so without hesitation, agreeing to serve.

The journey to Aevoi would destroy him, it was said, but the Djinn and Ethne assured him that if he was pure of soul and spirit, the Angelic Triad would judge him worthy, and he would be reborn anew. His assent given, Ethne gathered all of Her Ogrish strength and hoisted Jezreth into the air. Unable to create a gate to Fire Herself, She instead hurled Jezreth across the heavens where he streaked like a fiery comet, passing through the daystar which incinerated him in the process.

There he drifted, bodiless and broken, under the radiant glare of Sol Eos. Silhouettes formed at the edges of his scattered consciousness, their voices chiming like bells in his mind. Ael'mael was first to speak, asking of Jezreth his vow to guard Rahiela from any and all threats, without reservation or reluctance. He so vowed. Ubarin spoke then, the lawcrafter's voice one of orderly calm as he sought Jezreth's oath to uphold justice, and maintain order where there is strife. He gave it. Last of the Triad to speak was Nyasia, her voice a chorus of differing bell chimes. She sought Jezreth's pledge to be enlightened forevermore, and to serve even beyond death. He so swore.

Searing heat filled him then, his consciousness shredded in the sacred flames of Aevoi and the holy fires of Rahiela. Bells rang everywhere and nowhere, the clarion chorus singing a hallowed accord as the flames transformed Jezreth, shearing away his tenuous mortality in realisation of promises made and oaths given true. Wings of refulgent splendour formed around him as he rose, the manifold bells falling silent save for a trio of deep, sonorous peals. Rahiela's fire settled in his grasp and Jezreth was gone; in his place rose Jezriel, his spark rekindled in the form of a Seraph.

Little time was had for celebration, for no sooner had the chimes sung out in proclamation, than hordes of fiery daemons boiled skyward toward the sun. They came in vast numbers, eager to wreak havoc and destruction upon the holy lands. But Jezriel rose to meet them. Without mercy he wielded light and fire both to smite and punish the encroaching legions, felling one after another after another. Unable to withstand the sun's scorching heat even in his ascended form, Jezriel too fell in battle again and again, each time finding himself revived by the Angelic Triad, immediately fulfilling his promise to serve even beyond death.

Eventually Yvalamon's daemons withdrew from the field, defeated, and Jezriel returned to the Grand Flame, where the Djinn and his fellow citizens stood to greet him. The denizens of Rahiela were delighted with the transformation, congratulating him on his apotheosis. Much of the earlier confusion and tension had evaporated with the fulfillment of the pact, and both Ethne and the Djinn spoke of their hope of future visitations and a longer lasting partnership between Prime and Fire.

Qayanehe and Minufi, it was agreed, would remain behind on the Prime to conduct research and exchange knowledge as the first step in this renewed alliance. The scholars accepted this charge eagerly, assuring all present that their presence would be a productive and fruitful one while assuring some concerned citizens that they would not accidentally burn any books. The remainder of the procession motioned to depart, seeking Ethne's advice on how to find their way back to Fire. Though She could not open a gateway, She recommended the aid of the Ascendril, and, while Docent Eliadon was preoccupied by what the Djinn called 'sleeping-standing', Jhura Gallant stepped forward, dexterously manipulating her fulcrum to open the way. And with that, the procession came to an end.

Penned by my hand on Quensday, the 11th of Khepary, in the year 502 MA.