Guidance of Night's Wing

Ancient names and ancient tales resound in legends and stories. Stories are lost and recovered, gained and ruined.

This is one such story, a legend lost for so long, now a tale returned for us in the modern day. One legend in what seems to be a series, a cycle of many tales. Many of these tales seem to center on a figure referred to as “Larylur”, which is most often translated rather directly as “Hero”, used as a name. It would appear in carvings and early papyrus writings as “Larylur ot larylur, huinui et Nonyateus'': Hero the hero, son of Nonyaeteus (the name of the Lord-King of the Gods attested in many of these carvings).

However, this adapted tale does not center around Larylur, son of Nonyateus, but rather, on Larylur’s stepfather; Fryiriy (translated as Founder). The story of how Fryiriy would found the city later destroyed by his heroic stepson after it had fallen into the hands of Fryiriy’s tragic heir being one of the most important events in the legends, with enough reliefs depicting those events for researchers to dub it “This cycle’s Trojan War”. So, in order to understand such a crucial event, you must understand that great city’s history.

For the ease of the reader, we shall render names very literally, with Fryiriy being referred to by the closest literal translation of his name; Founder. This trend will follow for the foes he faces, his wife, and the goddess who helps him on his journey.

***

Founder, the founder, who discovered the land upon which the great city Citadel would be built; this is his story.

A man of great stature and grit, Founder came from a small farm, raised solely by his relatives. He could work from dawn to dusk with ease, and his aptitude for work quickly became clear to all. Off the back of Founder’s labor, his family soon began to gather wealth, far more than any other farm in the area.

Growing jealous of him and his family’s success, Founder’s neighbors began a scheme to have Founder exiled, so that his family would find themselves on the same level of all the other farms again.

So, they put their plans into motion at the festival celebrating the Lord-King of Gods.All the farmers gathered the most healthy and greatest of their crop and brought it to the great house and hold of the local king. However, before Founder’s family could arrive, one of the neighbors, a sneaky man with a silver tongue, crept up to the king and whispered the plan to see Founder exiled into his ear.

“Hmph,” the king muttered, “Your jealousy is not so great a plight I will allow it to lose me valuable assets. The taxes collected from that farm have increased my resources greatly! You were a fool to tell me of your plan; if it goes through, I will see to your punishment personally.”

The sneaky man smiled, “Oh, but my liege! Think of the ramifications! As Founder continues to grow and grow, so will his labors on that farm, the wealth they will be able to personally accrue despite what taxes you may place on them! As Founder is a good man, so too will his capacity for generosity! That family will give and give, and it will make them popular.”

The sneaky man clutched the king’s knees, as he said his final piece, a knowing, slimy smile slowly but surely making its way across his features, “Popular enough that the people may decide to make him ruler instead of you, my liege.”

This sent a wave of shock across the king’s face, and he stroked his long beard. The man made an excellent point…it sounded so true coming from him…

“I will allow your plan to proceed.” The king nodded his agreement. The sneaky man only smiled and bowed as he left the lord’s house.

Soon, the city’s farming families trickled into the area surrounding the King’s house, of course, with Founder’s family bringing the greatest amount of crops. Founder greeted everyone with a kind smile and a wave, even as he helped his family unload their crops. Many of the city’s girls flocked around him, and the soldiers and laborers gave him kind nods. For all the jealousy Founder was the subject of among his fellow farmers, those who dwelt in the city were deeply fond of the man.

It was here that the neighbors put their plan into motion. One by one, they would approach Founder, throwing themselves on their knees and begging for a share of his crop, as theirs had been ravaged by beasts.

Founder, who had fought off many beasts over the course of the growing season, believed them, and gave them each a share. He was pressed with request after request, and he answered them all. In accordance with their plan, the neighbor’s stole out the prize share of his family’s crop right out from Founder’s cart, with him none the wiser. Founder’s family was none the wiser to the scheme as well, for by the time the king came to commence the festival, their crop size was only just down to the size of everyone else’s.

The king descended, dressed in all his royal finery as he began to sing the praises of the Great Lord-King of the Gods. It was at this point that the farmers began to produce the best fruits of their labor, setting them alight as a sacrifice to the Lord-King of the Gods. However, Founder’s family could not find their portion.

In fact, what they had left was the worst of the crop they had gathered; edible, but an insult to sacrifice to the Lord-King of the Gods.

One of the neighbors sidled over to them, fighting a grin from his face, “It seems all your bragging and generosity was for nothing, dear neighbor. At this most crucial time of year, you have nothing to offer the great Lord-King of the Gods!”

The family cringed, knowing how important this festival, how important showing their loyalty to the great Lord-King of the Gods was. The king came to the cart, narrowing his eyes.

“Where is your offering to the Lord-King of Gods?”

It was Founder who answered, throwing himself on his knees, “In my generosity, it seems I have given away too much of my family’s crop. We are left with nothing to offer the Lord-King of Gods.”

The king snorted, “Your generosity. You mean to say that you gave away your family’s labor on your own? Without even getting their opinion. Shame, shame on you Founder. In your arrogance you have not only brought a curse upon your family, but also showed your ignorance.”

Shaken, Founder lowered his head further , “I did not mean to neglect my family or their needs! How can I repent, ease their misfortune in the coming year?”

“A faulty wall is repaired by removing and replacing ill-made bricks. You must go into exile, curse upon your family you are.”

Founder shot to his feet immediately, giving thanks to the king for the solution presented, before turning and sprinting into the countryside. His former neighbors finally allowed themselves their smug smiles as Founder disappeared into the woods.

Founder ran and ran before night fell and he dropped to his knees, panting heavily. The night was cold, chilling his bones. Desperate, Founder threw his hands to the sky and prayed:

“Great Lord-King of the Gods, I know I have failed to honor you as I should. In my eagerness, I overlooked a responsibility crucial to who I am. Please send any sign that I may lead a successful life! I do not wish to allow this one transgression to be the defining turn of my fate!”

The Great Lord-King of the Gods did not hear this prayer, too involved in tending to his consort as he was on his festival days. However, his daughter, Insight and Rulership, did hear his prayers, and sent down a messenger of hers to guide Founder along the path she laid out for him.

As divine forces weaved a new course into fate, a barn owl flew from the treetops, landing in front of Founder, gently pecking at his hands. Founder looked at the bird, and it took flight, landing on a branch three trees down, before looking back to Founder. Founder hesitantly rose to his feet and followed it. Following the bird, Founder passed through scores of identical trees, when the owl suddenly stopped. It turned its head, guiding Founder to walk forward.

Founder’s steps were cautious, hesitant, but he took them, creeping ahead of the owl. Founder found himself overlooking a small cliff, a horde of demons passing on a road they were carving as they walked. They carried a fair young maiden, bound, in the middle of their procession.

The barn owl swooped down, landing aside Founder’s strong right hand, once more gesturing with its head. Unnoticed, a gleaming silver sword laid buried beneath a stone. Founder pointed a confused finger at himself, and the owl nodded.

Founder approached the rock, staying low to the ground to avoid the demon’s spotting him, about to push it from the side, but then, with sudden inspiration, Founder backed off. The owl cocked its head to the side, clearly curious.

Founder circled around, approaching the rock from behind, so that he was pushing towards the shallow cliff. The barn owl righted its head, a glimmer of satisfaction in its all knowing eyes.

“It ought to be no different than plowing and fighting off beasts.” Founder assured himself, before giving a great push on the rock, his great muscles twisting from creation to destruction. With that push, the rock sailed off the cliff, tumbling down and down, crushing demons as it came to the bottom. Plucking the silver sword, kept pristine by divine enchantment, from its resting place, Founder leapt down, behind the crowd of demons.

In a blink, they spun upon him, roused by the dying shrieks of their brethren. Founder braced himself, before diving into the fray. Hacking and hewing with the silver sword. The prodigious strength that once plowed his fields now reaped his enemies, as Founder’s blade found mark after mark.

However, Founder was not an invincible soldier; retaliating blows found their marks on his great frame time and time again. Arrows strung on bows from the far side of the path found their way into his thighs and torso, but Founder grit his teeth and continued hacking away. Untrained, with nothing but his strength to carry his sword, demon after demon fell under the gleaming weapon.

After much slashing and hacking, all the demons lay dead, broken by Founder’s shining sword. He stumbled over the woman bound, freeing her from rope and chain alike, before the arrows sunk deep into his flesh pulled the dark of night over his eyes.

It was sunrise again when Founder awoke, barn owl hiding in a shadow nearby, the woman he had freed crouched over his form. Energy filled Founder and he felt no pain; looking down, not a blemish or scar was left upon him.

“The name gifted to me by my parents, those priestess who work in the temple of Sun and Herbs, is Faith, and the gift given to me by the Lord-King of Gods is hands of healing, which I used to heal you.” The woman explained, “Repayment for your bold, heroic deed.”

Founder nodded, “I thank you from the kindness of my heart, Faith, clearly beloved by the gods. It was fate that brought me the sword I used to make your rescue, and that be a mercy from the heavens to interrupt my misfortune.”

“Misfortune?”

“By the trickery and dishonor of my neighbors, I have been exiled from my home and my family’s humble farm, cast into the wilds to atone for a generous sin.”

“Your tale is a sad one,” Faith said, laying a comforting hand upon Founder’s broad shoulder, “The owl that travels with you is the beast of Insight and Rulership, a sign that you must forge a greater destiny for yourself out of this misfortune.”

Founder nodded, although not fully convinced of Faith’s words, “Tell me your story.”

“I was left upon the entrance into the Temple of Sun and Herbs, and raised dutifully by the priestesses who spend their lives praying there. An omen sent on my 14th year brought the knowledge that my mother was, in truth, Love and Excitement, and my rearing was adjusted with this knowledge in mind. It is the destiny of all those who are born of Love and Excitement’s own body to become famous for love and partnership, as it is the destiny of all those who attract her deepest love to suffer tumultuous destinies. So, I set out to confront my destiny, and was soon set upon by demons and captured. It was then that you hacked those dark creatures with the fervor of a trained warrior.”

“It seems that your own path has been a rather tumultuous one, for your claims that your destiny has already been written.” Founder joked, smiling.

The fair woman fixed him with a hard stare, “It is the truth of the cosmos, no matter what path takes me to that point.”

Founder held his hands up in surrender, even though his smile still held a mischievous edge. Faith pulled him to his feet.

“I shall accompany you.”

Founder certainly did not mind the offer of company, but even still, he turned, looking to his guide. The barn owl peered out of the shadow, but Founder detected the faintest hints of a nod.

“I welcome your company.”

So, the newly formed duo set out through the forest, trekking along the path the demons had been cutting. The barn owl flitted ahead of them, guiding them through the twists and turns of the forest. As the sun began its slow descent, Founder and Faith had escaped from the forest, breaking through the trees onto a grassy plain. Faith bent her head, sending out a small prayer to Insight and Rulership, which the owl was seemingly pleased by. Founder gave a similar acknowledgement, silently, for his eyes were distracted by the landscape of the plain.

Foremost, Founder realized that he and his companion had not quite reached the plain itself, but rather a hill overlooking it. In fact, hills, twelve in number, surrounded the true plain nestled within them. The farthest of the hills, on the other side of the plain, were out of sight, but the knowledge that there were twelve manifested within his mind by some divine mechanism.

But what intrigued him most was the collection of people gathered within the crater made by the hills. Placing his hand on Faith’s shoulder, he guided her down to meet the group of people.

“Who are you?” Founder called, as they approached the hill towards the people.

An older man, not yet knowing the true feebleness of age yet experienced enough for his hair to lose color, answered, “We are a band of exiles. Our tyrant exiled us all, for standing against his crimes against the gods.”

“Then you won’t like me,” Founder said, “For I have committed crimes against the gods myself.”

Faith slapped his thigh, hard, before correcting, “He takes his situation too literally. In generosity, he was tricked by his neighbors into giving away his sacrifices to the Lord-King of Heaven. Thus, he found himself exiled, just as you have been. He is no criminal, but the victim of jealousy.”

The older man nodded his head, “Aye, that is a sorry tale. Then you are right here at home, among us doomed exiles.”

“Doomed?” Founder asked, Faith echoing his inquiry.

“A monster of much higher tempering than your standard demon haunts this crater.” The older man explained, “It is said that the mating of its parents created this crater, and it hunts here at night.”

“And what failure of insight led you to rest your weary bones here?” Faith asked.

“The will of our tyrant.” The older man sighed, “Even in exile, he haunts our lives. His land's famous horses can carry an army here in mere hours, and scouts can send messages in one. Exiles must spend a night in fear here before their exile truly begins.”

“The arrival of strangers should at least intrigue the scouts, right?” Founder said, new inspiration flooding his brain, “They would send some kind of message, right?”

“No.” The Older Man shook his head, “If you choose to stay in this crater, they will let you meet your fate at the hands of the monster.”

Founder, a small, knowing smile playing on his face said, “Perfect. I will provide you with new land to settle upon, as all exiles need.”

Even though the barn owl lay behind Founder, he knew the bird was pleased.

…

Sundown came quickly, and the exiles and Faith huddled in a ditch at the base of one of the hills, Founder, stretching his muscles in the center of the crater.

“You told me that it is custom for all exiles to be asleep before the beast comes, correct?” He shouted back to the older man, who stood at the edge of the ditch.

“Yes,” was the older man’s curt reply.

“Then off to sleep with you.”

The older man’s face flashed with hesitance, but he nevertheless followed Founder’s demand. Soon, all the exiles were asleep.

Founder waited, the dark of night bringing with it a chill that seeped into his bones. The moon and the stars provided barely enough light, but soon enough, Founder saw it. A figure silhouetted against the top of the hill. It descended slowly, and as it drew closer Founder could make out the distinct shape of a weapon in its hand.

As it finally came within distance for Founder to clearly make out, Founder’s eyes widened in momentary shock.

This was no monster, but a man.

Long, shaggy hair and bold muscles proved the man’s rugged nature, but the armor and sword augmenting his form showed that he was no simple survivalist.

“They call you a monster.”

“I am a monster.” His voice was sincere, “You are not an exile of this city. Your dress and accent tell me otherwise. My penance lies not in you, but elsewhere.”

“Your penance?”

The man chose not to answer, instead saying, “If you do not allow my penance to proceed, I will have to make you a part of it.”

“If your penance is slaying these men, you will have to go through me.”

“I am sorry you have become involved in my penance.”

The man was a superior swordsman to Founder in every way, and quickly drove him back. However, Founder knew that he had one key advantage. Superior swordsman as he was, Founder’s opponent was just a man, and he could take wounds just as Founder did. What his foe did not have, was someone who could easily heal those wounds.

So, Founder fought aggressively, and successfully pressed this advantage for all its worth. His opponent was pushed back step after step, even as wounds accumulated on Founder’s body. Finally, Founder saw his opportunity, and bashed the hilt of his sword against his opponent's head.

The blow sent Founder’s opponent tumbling to the ground, just as Founder’s wounds sent him to the ground.

…

When Founder awoke, he found Faith tending his wounds, his opponent already back on his feet, standing a fair bit away. The older man from the exiles was walking over to them.

“Ravager!” The older man gasped in shock, “You have been the monster who preys upon the exiles of the village?"

Founder’s opponent, nodded solemnly, “Yes, it is I who have been murdering the exiles. It is my penance for my crime,Veteran, my dear teacher.”

“Penance?” Veteran grunted, “For what crime are you seeking penance for, Ravager, child of Blood and War?”

“Cowardice and treason,” Ravager lamented, “I did not appear in time to defend our king in a time of need, and this was blamed on cowardice; a trait unbecoming of my title of our great city’s champion. Our king sent me into exile, and told me that my penance for my own cowardice and the shame it brought the name of my divine father was to slaughter other traitors to our city.”

Veteran raised an eyebrow, confused, “There was no such event that required a champion to be called in the events leading up to your disappearance! Under what circumstances were you delivered the news of your cowardice?”

“I was returning from a campaign.” Ravager explained, “When a messenger came, informing of the repelled attack I had not returned in time to stand against. It was blamed on dithering and cowardice, and I accepted my punishment immediately, riding into these hills.”

“You poor fool!” Veteran chastised, “Only a fool trusts a message like that! Our city has never been attacked in all the years since you first became champion! You were driven out by tricks and machinations, and your penance has been a farce dishonoring your name.”

With this realization, great tears began to flow down Ravager’s face, as he realized his dishonorable slaughtering of his fellows was for nothing. Seeing the tragedy that had come upon these men, Ravager, Veteran, and the rest of the exiles, sympathy swelled in Founder’s heart as their situation reminded him of his own misfortunes.

“Wise Veteran, Noble Ravager!” Founder spoke up, “It seems we have all been wronged by the kings of our home lands, yet look around! This plain in the hill extends as far as the eye can see, and armaments atop the hills would surely be easy to defend! Let us make our own city, noble and just, so that others may not suffer the tragedy we have!”

“A noble idea.” Ravager nodded, “I am in favor of this plan.”

“And who would be the king of this city?” Veteran asked.

“It was this man,” Ravager said, gesturing to Founder, “Who bested me in battle and saved you and your band of exiles, teacher. It is natural that it ought to be him.”

At that moment, the barn owl swooped down from the hill, landing gently upon Founder’s shoulders.

“A sign from Insight and Rulership herself,” Veteran laughed, “Well, that settles it then, my lord.”

Founder’s face flushed, but, even in his modesty, he did not reject the decision. Instead, he turned to the band of exiles and called, “My people! We shall make this crater and its hills into our land, upon which we will found a new, more just city!”

Founder continued his speech, inciting cheers from the people. Behind him, the owl directed Faith into building a small altar.

As Founder finished his speech and turned, he saw Faith resting next to the small altar, the barn owl resting atop it.

“This is an altar,” Founder guessed, “To Insight and Rulership.”

“Yes.” Faith answered.

Founder smiled, before bowing down and beginning a silent prayer, to the goddess who sent his guide. The barn owl looked upon him one more time, gazing at the man with its wisdom-filled eyes. Leaping from the altar, the owl flew high into the air, flying higher and higher, glowing with light like a great fire. Soon, the wise bird vanished from view.

Founder climbed off his knees, finishing a silent prayer to Insight and Rulership, before rising, directing his attention to his people, shouting commands. Later in that week, Founder would wed Faith, and on the one year anniversary of the city’s founding, their first son would be born. Later in the year, Founder and Ravager would lead their army to overthrow the nearby tyrant, establishing the great power of the city they founded..

….

In the heaven’s overlooking the crater, a goddess stood, smirk upon her face. She was great and mighty, as all gods were, but her shadowy eyes hid a gentle wisdom and kindness.

“My daughter,” the Lord-King of the Gods called from his throne, stormy eyes fixed on the goddess, “What intrigues you so?”

A small fire appeared in the far edge of heaven, and from it winged a barn owl, no worse for wear, landing upon Insight and Rulership’s shoulder.

“Simple pleasures.” Insight and Rulership mused, “I’m sure this city, founded thanks to the aid of the night’s wing, shall bring much entertainment to us, the gods who dwell in heaven.”