Sorota

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Sorota

Post by Cockroach »

This was a story I started over on the ZBB. I've been ignoring it for some time, but hopefully I'll be able to contribute something new to it soon, seeing as school is almost out. It's supposed to be a Marco Polo-esque journey into a conworld, that is, done by someone with no anthropological experience (in this case a Burgundian monk). Feedback and ideas for what you'd like to see in the next installment are, of course, greatly appreciated

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On May 6, 2007, French historian Étienne Perrot, while looking through the archival section of the Library of the Sorbonne to settle a dispute about the emergence of the middle class during the early rennaisance, discovered a lost document: a series of 9 dispatches to Rome by one Dom Sébastien Soroiz, dated 1296, accounting of his travels to a hitherto unknown area. The document was promptly turned over to university officials, and set to work upon by philologists. Within one week, the documant had been translated and transcribed. There were originally at least 3 other dispatches, but only 9 survive (the 3rd, 6th, and 8th are missing, and are being searched for at the present time, along with any possible further documents). The text is as follows

I

AVE IESU CHRISTUS LUX MUNDI

It is the duty of every christian to make disciples of all nations, and in this mind I feel the body of the church should know of the land of Sorota.

Sorota, or Essorota, is a land divided statewise. Therefore I cannot be certain that the accounts I will render will describe aptly all of this new world, or whether some unseen realm will obsolete my words. My opinion is that as one must mill the wheat before one makes bread, whatever new things might abound beyond what I have seen should be delayed whilst we make Christians of the first of these new worlders.

I feel it proper to tell how I learned about the directions to Sorota. This description is badly suited to orientation there, but the circumstances of my discovery may give light on the domains where such future fortunate occurrences might be.

One August, the wine in our cellars began to run so afoul to be unimbibable. This was a rapid occurrence, and so we were puzzled. My brother Stéphan had a theory. Earlier month, a peddler had come by our way with his son. By his story, a naughty rogue misdirected him earlier as to the way to Lyons, and he spent the last 3 days wandering. He was low on supplies, and we offered to let him sleep here if he would be off soon. He stayed 3 nights. The afternoon of his second day, which was very hot, My Brother Stéphan recollects seeing our stranger retreat to the cellar while we were at chant. He recalls seeing our stranger most debasely molesting himself, and when he was through spreading the issue some on our tablecloths and some on the back grain of the wine casks. My brother was too embarrassed to bring his story forth, but in such an urgent situation he thought it right. Personally I have no doubt it was his uncleanliness which led to our misfortune.

We had only 2 casks left. Having no special duties to attend to, I was elected to go to Annecy to buy some more. I set out with a pony and enough rations for twice that which I was expected to be gone. I took 2 days to reach there. When I arrived, I searched out my man Gaston, a man of wealth in Annecy and owner of some 100 acres of the primest vineyards. His maid came to me and told me that he no longer had any to offer of his stock. Gaston had received a taste of a new grape, bred by people living north, around the dale between Laouct and Feri mountains. These grapes' wine I was offered, and tasted. I loved them instantly. The usual grapes we drank from Gaston were of a deep sour taste, but these were sweet and young, like a happy baby. I drink both now, and I now have come to believe them to be equals in taste, but at the time the novelty of this wine overcame me.

I was given assurance by Gaston's maid that while the full vineyard of this new grape was not yet ready, our monastery would be delivered what stock there was. I hastened back to our monastery to inform My Brothers of my new grape. While My Brothers were excited by the news, when I petitioned them to investigate the source of this grape, they were hesitant, and I hate to fight for them to grant me license to go.

I went out on my pony through Annecy up almost to Lake Geneva. Here I stayed one night at the house of Bert d'Harray, suzerain to 400 acres of land used by the Compte de Geneve. He had no room for travellers, but made room for me as I was a man of God. I told him of my destination, and in response he told me that one of his villains gave him report of a sighting of two dragons fighting between Laouct and Feri, and suggested I take the road between Feri and Jau. I followed his advice, and in two days I reached Oroc, where I was given directions to the fair town of Hèlmech. I stayed at an inn there, and while eating there met a man who made frequent trips to that place where I was headed.

He was named Conon, a cheesemaker and patron of Sococo Lheruu, a man of wealth in Cawassuy, the land where he said my grapes grew. Sococo was in town, and Conon offered to bring me to him and I agreed. When I met Sococo, I told my story and expressed interest in reviewing thes grapes. He was pleased and offered to be my guide in his land. I said I would be pleased and he brought me on my way.

I passed over a high mountain named Rasi. It was cliffy and dangerous, and the mists of the caverns seemed enchanted to impish images. It was a troubling time to my heart, and when I give you my better directions after my account I hope I can recall past my troubled memories.

We arrived at Rasisai and Sococo helped me with tarrifs. Rassai is a small, palisaded town with all its people living in not more than 10 buildings. It was explained that it was a frontier town. where only merchants, soldiers, and a few souls depending on their money.

It was here that I made my first shocking discovery. Rasisai is a dull town. When I was there there were not but 40 citymen and 8 soldiers at guard. One of the Guards was 7 feet tall and had vile etchings acrost his body. When I asked my guide about this he explained they were sacred skinbonds to Eauri, a god of the heathen Omeurisi tribe who live on the grasses of Cawassuy and are often made slaves. Indeed most people of Sorota, which is their land that Cawassuy is in, have not heard of the Gospel, and Sococo and his kin in the nearby cities of Duri and Fulhi were the only ones yet that those traders which do come here have had chance or wit to evangelize to. The thought of people in Europe yet still pagan shocked me, and I added to my need to find the grape the need to study these new people.

It was dark every day in Raisai, and so I departed soon. Sococo took me on the road to Duri, which is his home and which is on the way to Caigui, the capital of Cassawuy. halfway there. We rested, and I saw a strange bird, larger than a peacock with red plumage. This he called a Duuma or Duumas or Crimson. He took his bow and shot it for me. When I looked at it, I saw it had eyes whose pupils were not constant, but moved like stirred black oil on water. I opened its beak and saw small teeth and another smaller beak inside it. Sococo broke off this beak and said that the Crimsons beak is ever growing, and they must from time to time let one beak fall off so that a new one may grow. Some tribes use these beaks for talismans. I would later see these birds caged in stores in the cities which I visited. I arrived in Duri and stayed with Sococo's friend.
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Re: Sorota

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II

Duri is a very exciting city. It was the first city of Sorota too that point I had yet seen with a market. It was a good market, but it could not compare to the one I would see in Caigui. I went quickly through there on my first day. I was curious as to the location of the good vineyards for my grapes. A man told me that the place I was looking for was some ways northwest, but that he had some stock of 12 casks with him and he could sell them all to me. I agreed and bought them all.

I was at then so interested in this new place which I was in that rather than ending my journey and returning to home, I fetched out an orphan boy among the streets and hired him to return to my monastery with the wine. Sococo bought for me two carts and two mules with which my boy was to return the wine with.

I talked to Sococo about how Christianity came here. 120 years ago a good christian whose name is not known came to Duri. He made the acquaintance of the Prince of Spring and engaged him in debate as to theology. The Prince was intrigued, and asked for a copy of scripture and someone to teach him Latin. When the King found out about this, he was displeased, and descended from Caigui to Duri to discipline the Prince. When the prince was steadfast in his conversion, he was ordered beheaded for blasphemy. But when the executioner cut off his head, the Prince stood up, took his head, and placed it back upon his shoulders, as if no damage was done. Christianity remained and 500 spectators of Duri converted on the spot. While this they have Prince today himself is not christian, most people here are.

Cassawuy is one of the most powerful states in Sorota. King Ta Iri rules it now and his dynasty has been on the throne for the past 300 years. Primogeniture does not go to the kings firstborn son, but to the firstborn of his sons royal generation. In this way it is believed that equilibrium is maintained throughout the royal clan. The King has domain over all land in Cassawuy. He is the director of all governance, and all citizens of Cassawuy owe him unrequited allegiance. Below him are the four princes of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. These are selected by the King, but once selected remain in their position for life. All of them spend half their time in Caigui and half their time in an other city where they are afforded limited municipal government.

The Prince of Spring resides in Duri. He is the court scholar and magician. His task is collect information about omens and occurrences throughout the land and ponder upon them. He is also tasked with the governance of the pagan church, and he uses his lore to bring fortune to the king's realm. His is the only post for which literacy is a requirement.

The Prince of Summer resides in Jeumi. He is the man who connect the King to his people. He makes regular surveyances of the land and listens to peoples requests. He then sees fit to make decisions and recommendations as to civic projects of the state. He takes up foreign diplomats in his house and may at times represent the King afar. He is the richest of the four princes.

The Prince of Fall resides at Fas, but truthfully he spends almost all year with the King at Caigui. He is the delegate judge of the land. He reviews the Kings allotments to the peerage and rectifies any errors. He also settles matters of dispute among the lower courts. Because of his position he is the one most likely to be at odds with the other Princes.

The Prince of Winter resides in Gouno. He commands the Herriseliphan, The royal guards tasked with tax collection and the census. He is most often a military man

The King is free to engage in whatever matters of governance, sport, war, or play please him. This king is most interested in his kingdoms relationship to the non Cassawuyan tribes which graze upon his land, as he has the notion that they are strong warriors and will well defend against his enemies the Cemren, a fierce people to the East. The domains of the princes themselves are not those of the typical peerage, but are scattered here and there throughout the land, so that within ten round miles all of their lands may be represented. These are taxed on top of those to the king and the peers, but it is smaller. Mostly they are direct servants of the King. All peers owe them allegiance and must never disobey their orders.

I asked Sococo about the pagan church here, and he brought me to a building of two stories one half mile outside the city. This was the local shrine of A, the primal god and those who all others obeyed. Each house of wealth in a Cassawuyan house might have several shrines to different gods which its inhabitants might attend to, but A's shrine must be set in the wild, and must be approached be only one man at a time, such that Sococo had to show it to me from some small distance. No gold or silver adorns the shrine, but it is made of oak throughout. It is a large box 10 feet wide 10 feet long 6 feet tall. Etched along it in no special order are innumerable words in languages I do not know. The edges of the box had bin chipped away by a chisel, but rather than in a straight line or rounded it was like it was carved by a waterfall, or an artisan of unsteady hand. Yet Sococo told me this was purposeful. There was a small cavern carved into the center face of the cube, and there stood the idol of A, a faceless man of oak with a white cloak and his index and middle finger extended upwards. Sococo said that priest change the idol every season, when they come to spend a day meditating upon the idol and coating the shrine with a bleach to keep it from being eaten by insects. Here this role is done by the Prince of Spring, not only because he is a Prince and the head of the church, but because he is among the pagan minority in Duri


III

[Dom Soroiz sees some idols in houses and learns something of the language, he then departs for Caigui]
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Re: Sorota

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IV

The road to Caigui is a long one, and so to keep me occupied Sococo told the tale of Ka Pheré On, the first king of the present Dynasty

Ka Pheré On's birth was heralded by a lunar eclipse and lightning striking each of the five towers of the walls of Caigui. Back then the Cassawuyans had just taken their land less than 100 years ago, and were a much despised people, and had been at war with the Cemren, the Mercen, and the Lhestocoo. They won against the Cemren and the Mercen, and kept their lands, but they became weak, and Acou, the second to last king of the Omodias Founders dynasty, was killed in battle with the Lhestocoo, whence his nephew Sisilo, a fine warrior but a braggart and a tyrant, came to the throne. Sisilo handily defeated the Lhestocoo and made tributaries of all peoples surrounding Cassawuy. However, he was a bad ruler. Each day of his coronation was a lavish parade. He ate meals flecked with cold and slept on sheets of gossamer. He stole the wives away from respected peers and had them beheaded not but weeks later. The only people who prospered were his guards, whom he doted upon to keep their loyalty

Finally, when he was bankrupt and had taxed the people to unheard of levels, a local magistrate named Epheré cried out to Tallaw, god of stags and bringer of virtue and good government, to give him the power to overthrow him. Tallaw agreed, and gave him the eyes of a hawk, the acuteness of a deer, and the wit of a rabbit. He gathered up some 12 loyal men-at-arms with him and came to the throne of Sisilo and said

"I call upon Sisilo the tyrant. Your people hate you. You do not know how to rule. You have broken the laws laid by our ancestors and by our gods. Can one man even among your guards say what good this man has done as king?"

And Sisilo said

"Have I not defeated the Cemren and the Mercen and the Lhestocoo. Have I not made them tributaries? Am I not the greatest swordsman in the world, who could slaughter 20 men without losing a hair on my head?"

And Epheré said

"So you rule by virtue of might? Aye, you truly are a great swordsman, but the sword is just one of myriad aspects of combat. I wonder if our king is so skilled with a bow"

And Sisilo, irate, said

"I take it you consider yourself an expert bowman. Very well then, magistrate, we will have a contest to see who is more skilled"

And so they had a contest, wherein Epheré hit every target perfectly, and Sisilo struggled to make half. At the end, Sisilo turned to Epheré and said

"You have won Epheré, but I am still the greatest swordsman in the world"

"Art for art, Sisilo. You are the greatest swordsman, I the greatest archer. Can one be said better than the other? Can the strength be better than speed, or the arm better than the leg? Let us rule together, and make our nation mighty"

The soldiers of the land liked this proposal, but Sisilo, being greedy cried out "I will never share that which is mine by blood!" and came to kill him. He was stopped by the captain of the guards, who ran him through and said.

"Sisilo would not share the throne with his equal, but a true warrior covers his weaknesses and grows in his strengths and bonds with all creatures who might aid him . Sisilo thought sword and muscle could rule the land, but a true king uses both sword and bow, both muscle and wit. Come, be our king". And so he did, and took the name Ka Pheré On

There are many stories of the deeds of Ka Pheré On, but to record them all would take up many a tome. Perhaps I will write more of him later

We arrived at Teweu, a small but lively town situated on the river Thon. There was many a fishmonger there, and we ate heartily. These are river fish, and so not much different from the ones in Europe. I saw trout, eel, pike, and a few I did not recognize, including a queer fish which was three and one half feet long, with a silvery head, a body with scales both silver and deep green in no particular pattern, enormous fins on its sides, and a broad, thick lipped mouth. It was called a sabba, a creature who lays still on the river bed and when it sees a group of panfish it can prey on gets up and, in one huge burst of its fins, attacks and swallows its prey whole. It is a rare catch, and a good omen.

It was here that I also bought some medicine from a traveling apothecary from the mountains upstream. It was a powder with strange clumps of black plants stuff in it. The apothecary said the clumps were chunks of a fruit called widows fig, soaked for a day in pigs bile, and the powder a mixture of salt and cracked chestnut shells, both singed over a fire. This is called Hirrou, and is used by the southern nobility. It acutely heightens the senses, to where one sees farther and heres more and notices things one has never noticed before. Indeed, he had to sell me a spoon along with it, as a too strong amount of it could give one a headache or worse.

At this point Sococo handed me over to his friend Cawou Dumio. His father in law is a well known and wealthy merchant who owns shop in Caigui. He employs craftsmen from upstream, and is much loved among towns near here. Cawou is a raft captain, a much envied position among these parts. I went down the river Thon with Cawou and 5 of his men. The people on this river are exceptionally friendly, to a man. They were readily giving with their provisions, and will indeed compete among themselves to see who will have the honor of playing host to us. I feel that a mission here must be sent post haste, for nothing so darkens my heart as to know that such joyous people still stand hellbound.
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