Chronicles of Nentsun
CHAPTER THREE: SONG OF THE WIND
by Giulio CarolettiAlthough the fighting schools were opposed to this law, because they had to find the children with the best potential to become Masters to provide the stability of the engines, they were able to accomplish their duties without particular problems. After some decades, as the clerical power dwindled, the current generals resettled their troops in the countries, carefully avoiding the theocratic intrusions, and ultimately they managed to enter in possession of the kingdoms. The recently formed confederation was split in twelve dominions already in 523 AC, and marriages with the noble families of the Inner Circle led soon descendants of the ancient families on the thrones. This leadership of the Inner Circle, however, resulted in malcontent and hostility in the regions of the Outer Circle, that were poorer and often left to their own, and subjected to taxes needed only to enrich the already self-sufficient northern territories. The noble families, moreover, changed the ancient confederated laws that prevented their members from entering the fighting schools.
The clergies of Nentsun, Simurgh, and of the Vixiferen (the five Immortal Guardians of Nentsun), whose high hierarchies and main temples were all in the Inner Circle, were corrupted and prone to the wills of the kings. The only result of the Warchild that still was visible was the tightness of the alliance between the leaders of the twelve kingdoms. However, the leaders of the churches of the Astral Forces (five elemental Immortals who completed the Nentsunian pantheon), who still lived in the Outer Circle, were independent and active as ever, and planned to change the situation.
The most determined of the leaders was Micael Scryv, Songdancer (high priest) of the Wind. He told that he had been visited in his dreams by the Immortal Nentsun, who told him that he was enraged with his unfaithful clergy. He told him to raise an army from the Outer Circle, conquer the city of Wolven (that represented, in the eyes of the Outer Circle inhabitants, the power of the hated Inner aristocracies), and speak in the name of all the Nentsunian pantheon.
This he did. He conquered Wolven and killed Alsun, King of Wolven, then he proclaimed the Outer Circle free of the Inner, and told that the Immortals of Nentsun wanted them to change, or the wrath of the gods would strike upon them to destroy the land (575 AC). The Inner Circle kingdoms' troops abandoned the Outer Circle, but this wasn't enough to end the hostilities among the two groups.
Years passed. Then the rage of Scryv came. He revealed himself to be an Avatar of the Wind, and sent a message to all the kings and rulers of the land, saying that he left them 60 days to stipulate peace with each other. All those who dared to disobey would be killed.
Most rulers laughed at his claims. But whatever was the truth, all rulers who disagreed, and they were not few, disappeared. All of them disappeared in their rooms during windy nights, the only trace being open windows in their rooms. Scryv himself was never found after the events, but the new rulers decided better to listen to his words. Since that they, Scryv has become another name by which the Wind is known in Nentsun (582 AC).
Minor skirmishes were fought, but Nentsun remained more or less at peace for about one and a half century. During this time, the School of Nentsun changed name into the School of the Southern Cross.
NOVA LEPIDOPTERA
One of the most curious, but unfortunately sad and disastrous events of Nentsunian history is the short appearance of the Nova Lepidoptera on Mystara (723-725 AC).
The Nova Lepidoptera's full history is not known, but they were gargantoid butterflies more than 30 meters long. Apparently, these intelligent butterflies arrived through space travel. Beautiful to the sight, a couple of these giant butterflies were sighted even by a Thyatian ship and a report where they were called "Nova Lepidoptera" (the report can still be found in some libraries with interest in biology and explorations in Thyatis and Glantri).
The creatures seemed to be pacific and tried to stay away of the bipedal settlements. Some adventurers organized hunts to the Lepidoptera, but they were shy and managed to hide and remain unseen probably thanks to magical abilities. However, the matter changed much when the first grubs were born. The grubs reached immense proportion and were not intelligent. Left on their own by the parents, they brought havoc to small villages, until adventurers, members of the fighting orders and mercenary troops decided to get rid of them. When the Lepidoptera finally understood what was happening to their little ones, they were enraged and a real war started among them and the humans. After two years, however, the few survivors decided to leave Mystara and sought refuge in space again. The sad aspect of the story is that apart some damage to the fields and the forests, the grubs hadn't harmed anyone. A careful intervention by sages, wizards and druids would maybe have found a solution, a compromise. Instead, wizards encouraged unscrupulous adventurers to kill the Lepidoptera to provide them with new materials that could be used in their researches, and druids went paranoid about the damages to the forests.
A LAST NOTE: A game: try to find out references to songs in the titles of my
Chronicles of Nentsun. The one who gets more than two will receive a present...