Day 65, Fall of 416 AV
Late Morning
Aylasa Caves
Late Morning
Aylasa Caves
So far Eridanus had managed to create maledicted items that could grant benefits, confer curses, and might have possibly made one that had both. Now, it was time to rack his creativity more, and to attempt to make an effect that could simultaneously be good and bad. It was not having an item that gave separate positive and negative effects, but one single effect that could be construed as both. For that, he had with him a piece of hip bone from the rooster, one that was big enough to form a sufficient canvas for carving symbols and images on to. The rooster was, for some reason, stolen from the nearby Syliran farms by his associates. Apparently they were getting bored of hunting for rabbit meat and decided to have a little change of pace. He wondered why they chose to go for the rooster instead of for the hens though. Perhaps they have not eaten chicken meat to know the difference.
If there was one thing he knew about roosters, was that they were aggressive. There was a reason why people used them in cockfighting, and it was particularly famous in Sunberth. That in turn, made it easy for him to realize that the prime attribute of roosters - their aggressiveness - made for the best effect to confer. An increased aggression would be both a blessing and a curse, since it served one better in combat but made one less able to integrate in civil society. It was the perfect effect to bring forth; well at least it was as perfect as it could get from what supplies he had.
As usual, he began with his quill and ink before he started carving for practical reasons. Upon the largest surface on the hip bone he first drew a large circle that covered most of the object. In this attempt he would simply use one malediction circle in order to intensify one simple effect. The rationale for doing so was the simplicity of his desired effect - he merely wanted to draw forth the increased aggression of roosters, rather than to try to apply it to varying contexts and purposes like his previous malediction operations. Instead, the challenge this time was to properly bring forth this effect.
An interesting observation to make was that since the thigh bone was sort of elongated, in order to fully cover it his circle was elongated as well, making it look like an egg. A chicken egg.
Talk about irony.
Eridanus shrugged, wiping sweat from his forehead as he dipped the quill into the ink again, placing it above the circle as he prepared to draw the next symbols. Right at the centre of the circle, he drew a small triangle. The reason for doing so belonged to early mysticism and symbolism. Shapes such as squares and circles were considered 'balanced symbols', since they covered their bases properly. A circle approached all of its sides with infinite but equal attention, while the square drew its anchor from the four sides of the world. One could even say that the shape of the star was balanced as well, since it drew its anchor from the four compass directions in the world. However, the triangle was not, for it drew its anchor only from three. Though balanced by its own right, its shape was in disharmony with the rules of the world and sought to make its own rules within the world by drawing its own anchors. In that way, the scholar sought to create this same disharmony, with the large circle representing the world being linked to the user's body, and the small triangle at the centre acting as the seed of this disharmony within the user.
To further create the idea of the 'world' within the circle, he then drew the shape of a star. While the large malediction circle represented the universe and as a metaphor for the user's body and soul, the star was a shape that derived its anchors from the four universal directions - north, south, east and west. It provided the rules for symbolism and harmony within a chaotic world with no aim and no firmness - as that of a circle. Thus, the star provided the order within the chaos, and cemented the identity of a person by creating a guideline for which rules could operate.
Next, within the centre of the star the crafter drew a square that slightly went out of the shape of the star but still enveloped the triangle within. That was another method of creating stability within the order that the star had defined. The square was a shape that could encompass a mortal's existence, and so if the circle was the universe, the star was the set of rules of the world, then the square was the mortal's own existence and identity. Hence, making the triangle within the identity the seed of disharmony within a person's soul. By overlapping slightly the square with the star he further cemented the illusion of stability granted by these two shapes that were in harmony with their worldly anchors.
Now with the context prepared, it was time to introduce this disharmony. From the triangle's three points, he extended a line out, linking them to the objects outside. This was the first instance of this disharmony, with two points linking it securely to the overlapping anchors of the square and star, yet with one reaching halfway onto the square. Next, he extended another three lines out from the triangle, this time reaching onto the circle. While one line was stable in its cohesion with the point of the star that coincided with the end of the circle, the other two exceeded the points of stability of the star-square overlap, reaching beyond to hit the edge of the circle. These two sets of lines represented chaos from within, going against the natural order of the body, the world and the universe, and disrupting the harmonious relationship between each of them. Yet, it was not total chaos, since some points coincided harmoniously while others did not, thus setting the stage for an uneven relationship.
Finally, to give a direction for the expression of this disharmony he drew an asymmetrical triangle that extended from one side of the circle. Inside that triangle he drew yet another proper triangle aiming outwards. Triangles usually had three directions due to their three, equal points. However, with the combination of these two triangles with respect to the circle, he thus put forth the idea of the two points of the triangle being the base that formed the foundation of being attached to the main idea of the circle. Thus the remaining third point was the compass leading out. The triangle within followed the same idea, though it had its own base, unattached to anything. It thus represented a sort of weapon, something that was a free idea on its own and which can only be affected by a person's own personal destiny.
Finally, he drew an even thinner line connecting the smaller outer triangle to the main one inside the circle. He drew it even thinner than the rest, making it look like it was a loose string connecting the two. In doing so, he essentially transformed the outer triangle into a sort of instrument and tool, external to the user as represented by the circle. That would result in the desire to express this disharmony with a tool and aimed externally, instead of bouncing about internally and destroying oneself from within. The loose shape of the connecting string represented a form of free will, such that one had the freedom to choose the regularity of expression into the tool.
This disharmony and the need to vent or express was a general concept, yet it was specific enough that - when combined with the bones of the rooster where aggression was a prime attribute - would then increase one's aggression and make one eager to vent. Realistically speaking, the loose string, along with the uneven relationship to security (rather than pure anarchy) created an illusion of stability and of one's ability to coexist with an ordinary community. Therefore, it would not cause unbridled aggression, but there would be increased aggression. In other words, it was enough of a blessing to improve one's force in battle, but enough of a curse to make one caustic in society but not violent enough to be immediately executed. It was truly a single effect with balanced intensity in its magical endowments that made it simultaneously a blessing and a curse.
If there was one thing he knew about roosters, was that they were aggressive. There was a reason why people used them in cockfighting, and it was particularly famous in Sunberth. That in turn, made it easy for him to realize that the prime attribute of roosters - their aggressiveness - made for the best effect to confer. An increased aggression would be both a blessing and a curse, since it served one better in combat but made one less able to integrate in civil society. It was the perfect effect to bring forth; well at least it was as perfect as it could get from what supplies he had.
As usual, he began with his quill and ink before he started carving for practical reasons. Upon the largest surface on the hip bone he first drew a large circle that covered most of the object. In this attempt he would simply use one malediction circle in order to intensify one simple effect. The rationale for doing so was the simplicity of his desired effect - he merely wanted to draw forth the increased aggression of roosters, rather than to try to apply it to varying contexts and purposes like his previous malediction operations. Instead, the challenge this time was to properly bring forth this effect.
An interesting observation to make was that since the thigh bone was sort of elongated, in order to fully cover it his circle was elongated as well, making it look like an egg. A chicken egg.
Talk about irony.
Eridanus shrugged, wiping sweat from his forehead as he dipped the quill into the ink again, placing it above the circle as he prepared to draw the next symbols. Right at the centre of the circle, he drew a small triangle. The reason for doing so belonged to early mysticism and symbolism. Shapes such as squares and circles were considered 'balanced symbols', since they covered their bases properly. A circle approached all of its sides with infinite but equal attention, while the square drew its anchor from the four sides of the world. One could even say that the shape of the star was balanced as well, since it drew its anchor from the four compass directions in the world. However, the triangle was not, for it drew its anchor only from three. Though balanced by its own right, its shape was in disharmony with the rules of the world and sought to make its own rules within the world by drawing its own anchors. In that way, the scholar sought to create this same disharmony, with the large circle representing the world being linked to the user's body, and the small triangle at the centre acting as the seed of this disharmony within the user.
To further create the idea of the 'world' within the circle, he then drew the shape of a star. While the large malediction circle represented the universe and as a metaphor for the user's body and soul, the star was a shape that derived its anchors from the four universal directions - north, south, east and west. It provided the rules for symbolism and harmony within a chaotic world with no aim and no firmness - as that of a circle. Thus, the star provided the order within the chaos, and cemented the identity of a person by creating a guideline for which rules could operate.
Next, within the centre of the star the crafter drew a square that slightly went out of the shape of the star but still enveloped the triangle within. That was another method of creating stability within the order that the star had defined. The square was a shape that could encompass a mortal's existence, and so if the circle was the universe, the star was the set of rules of the world, then the square was the mortal's own existence and identity. Hence, making the triangle within the identity the seed of disharmony within a person's soul. By overlapping slightly the square with the star he further cemented the illusion of stability granted by these two shapes that were in harmony with their worldly anchors.
Now with the context prepared, it was time to introduce this disharmony. From the triangle's three points, he extended a line out, linking them to the objects outside. This was the first instance of this disharmony, with two points linking it securely to the overlapping anchors of the square and star, yet with one reaching halfway onto the square. Next, he extended another three lines out from the triangle, this time reaching onto the circle. While one line was stable in its cohesion with the point of the star that coincided with the end of the circle, the other two exceeded the points of stability of the star-square overlap, reaching beyond to hit the edge of the circle. These two sets of lines represented chaos from within, going against the natural order of the body, the world and the universe, and disrupting the harmonious relationship between each of them. Yet, it was not total chaos, since some points coincided harmoniously while others did not, thus setting the stage for an uneven relationship.
Finally, to give a direction for the expression of this disharmony he drew an asymmetrical triangle that extended from one side of the circle. Inside that triangle he drew yet another proper triangle aiming outwards. Triangles usually had three directions due to their three, equal points. However, with the combination of these two triangles with respect to the circle, he thus put forth the idea of the two points of the triangle being the base that formed the foundation of being attached to the main idea of the circle. Thus the remaining third point was the compass leading out. The triangle within followed the same idea, though it had its own base, unattached to anything. It thus represented a sort of weapon, something that was a free idea on its own and which can only be affected by a person's own personal destiny.
Finally, he drew an even thinner line connecting the smaller outer triangle to the main one inside the circle. He drew it even thinner than the rest, making it look like it was a loose string connecting the two. In doing so, he essentially transformed the outer triangle into a sort of instrument and tool, external to the user as represented by the circle. That would result in the desire to express this disharmony with a tool and aimed externally, instead of bouncing about internally and destroying oneself from within. The loose shape of the connecting string represented a form of free will, such that one had the freedom to choose the regularity of expression into the tool.
This disharmony and the need to vent or express was a general concept, yet it was specific enough that - when combined with the bones of the rooster where aggression was a prime attribute - would then increase one's aggression and make one eager to vent. Realistically speaking, the loose string, along with the uneven relationship to security (rather than pure anarchy) created an illusion of stability and of one's ability to coexist with an ordinary community. Therefore, it would not cause unbridled aggression, but there would be increased aggression. In other words, it was enough of a blessing to improve one's force in battle, but enough of a curse to make one caustic in society but not violent enough to be immediately executed. It was truly a single effect with balanced intensity in its magical endowments that made it simultaneously a blessing and a curse.
Malediction Circles :
The vantha beamed at the hip bone, now resplendent with his multitude of symbols on it. He had thought that the snail shell from before was his masterpiece, but clearly he was mistaken. This one here was his best work to date, that he had to admit. Thus there was even more care as he traced over the shapes with his bone, making sure to chip away lovingly and creating hairline fractures that coincided with the ink.
Finally, he allowed a drop of his blood to enter and fuel his ingenious creation.
Rise and take form, my beloved enchantment. Rise and take form.
Finally, he allowed a drop of his blood to enter and fuel his ingenious creation.
Rise and take form, my beloved enchantment. Rise and take form.
