The Traditions of the Ordering
Preface
Source: Chieftain Urist
This document is a collection of the native stories from the oral tradition of the people of the Water Tribe, of which I form a part. In order to understand these stories, one must understand the peoples and history of the Water Tribe. The oral tradition here is unique, especially in its distinction, though not so rigid, between mythic history and, as best as I can translate, “temporal” history. The temporal history claims the Water Tribe is composed of three distinct peoples, whose story takes place among five distinct eras (besides the mythological). The first era is the Primordial Era, at the “conclusion” of mythic history. In this era, those now known as villagers roamed the lands in the Water Tribe, hunting and gathering for food. Then, the weather warmed, and the Agricultural Era began. It is in this era that we begin to see the emergence of the figures of Tui and La, and the idea of primordial chaos. Whereas ancestor veneration and the worship of animal spirits is the current scholarly consensus on the beliefs in the Primordial Era, the Agricultural Era saw these beliefs as being somewhat primitive. Only the very culturally conservative Agna Qel’a still has these beliefs somewhat intact. On the whole, they were replaced with a kind of dualist philosophy, where, in the original belief, Tui represented the divine order and La represented the primordial chaos - with chaos being temporally superior but morally inferior to order. A new element of the mythic tradition - or more precisely, several new elements, were added when the Illagers conquered the Water Tribe and attempted to impose their religion on the natives. This new era is called the Dominance Era, and the religious trappings it introduced vary from the World Tree, theorized to have come from Illager veneration of trees, and elements like the Ettins and the Nine Realms. This state of affairs lasted for a long time, but the attempt at suppressing the native religion failed, and eventually Agna Qel’a began a religiously inspired resistance movement, which eventually forced the Illagers back to their outpost near Lasthold. Note that denizens of Lasthold believe the World Tree religion predates the arrival of the Illagers, hence justifying their adherence to it, despite their ongoing conflicts with the Illagers. The era after the resistance is the Post-Dominance Era, during which peace flourished. This era is notable for the stronger mixture of the theology of the World Tree religion and the Tui and La religion. The final era is the Ettin Era, marked by the prophesied return of magically empowered Ettins who can bend and shape the elements, and also the rising of the great mass of dead Ettins from the grave to combat their recently returned brethren. It is believed that myths about this era were modified to be more consistent with temporal history.
The Beginning
Source: Cleric of Paia’s Brook
The Beginning was marked by a primordial chaos. Everywhere were the little eddies and whirlpools. And at the same time, the whole was still. But there is not so much chaos now, so there must have been order brought to the chaos, and there was order brought to the chaos, and the bringer of order has no name, but there are two aspects to the bringer of order. There is Tui, who pushes, the heavy hand of the bringer of order. Tui is firm like ice, but also brittle, and the leader is the human embodiment of Tui. The leader invokes Tui, and becomes Tui, and cultivates Tui. There also is La, who pulls, the light touch of the bringer of order. La is yielding like water, but also powerful, and the sage is the human embodiment of La. The sage harmonizes with La, and is as La, and cultivates La. Tui, the figure of Law, and La, the figure of Harmony, are the dual aspects of the bringer of order.
But the bringer of order is not unopposed. That opposition is the bringer of chaos, He Who Stills, the embodiment of death and decay. He Who Stills, He is the root of evil, but without evil there would be no good, so He is not himself evil. He Who Stills, He is as powerful as the bringer of order, and so the bringer of order cannot overpower him. So there was order created in the chaos, but that order was contingent on creating ever more chaos. The chaos of the world, it is ever growing, all consuming. It is called Níðhöggr, the Dragon at the root of the World Tree.
The Creation of the Realms
Source: Farmer of Lasthold
There were created Nine Realms, and the Nine Realms were created thusly:
First there were but two realms: The realm of chaos and of fire, the realm called Mutspellhome. And, the realm of aqueous order, the realm called Nuelhome. Between the cold, rigid order of Nuelhome, and the burning, passionate flame of Mutspellhome, there was a temperate place, and in that temperate place was formed the Great One, and from the Great One’s corpse like worms were born the Ettins, and we were the Ettins, and are the remnants of the Ettins. Some of these Ettins were what now we would call gods, and some what now we would call the Little Ones. Those we would call gods created the earth and the stone from the flesh and bones of the Great One, and the air was the breath of the Great One. The dome of the Great One’s head was made to become the dome of the sky, and upon the dome of the sky was placed fire from Mutspellhome, the land of burning chaos which is now known as the Nether, and in the valleys of the land were placed all the water from Nuelhome, so much that the primordial waters were emptied from Nuelhome, which is now known as the End. With its earth and air of the Great One, and fire and water of the primordial realms of order and chaos, there was a third realm, Midgard.
At this time the realms were together, and one could walk from Nuelhome through Midgard to Mutspellhome. And there was peace for a time. But there soon arose strife and division among the land, and because of that strife and division, there were other realms created. Chief among them stands Osgard, home of the Osar, those known as gods and being gods of divine order. Opposing Osgard stands Wennhome, place of the Wennar, those known as gods and being gods of primordial chaos. The Little Ones also rebelled against one another, and there became those of the dark and of the light, who went in their ways and by their nature to the realms of Swarthelfhome and Elfhome. Many of the Ettins were slain by this war, and their bodies lie in the ground to this day. They fled, and their fleeing created a new realm, Ettinhome, known for being tougher and harder to live in than Midgard, if often more peaceful. It is common in Ettinhome for people to rent their labor out to others in order merely to survive. Now, these together make up only eight realms, leaving the final realm to be Hell, the realm of destruction at the roots of the World Tree.
The Leader of Tui
Source: Chieftain Urist
It is the role of the leader to bring order. The leader is the heavy hand of order. The leader must listen to what others say. The leader must not bow to what others say. When the times demand action, a leader must go. When the times demand waiting, no leader must go.
Tui is the aspect of Law. The leader is the embodiment of Tui. The leader is the nation’s aspect of Law. Law is the word of Tui. When Tui speaks, all nature listens. When the leader speaks, all the nation listens.
A leader does not like killing. Order stands against killing. A leader does what they must. For order to remain, they must. Passion does not make a good leader. Action makes a good leader.
The leader’s word is law. The leader must not be questioned. Tui’s word is Law. Tui must not be questioned. It is like pulling teeth, to motivate a denier. The problem is of sages, to motivate a denier.
Tui’s demeanor is the firmness of ice. The leader’s demeanor is the firmness of ice. Tui pushes, and motivates, and actualizes. The leader pushes, and motivates, and actualizes. When pushing is needed, the leader must be there. When pushing is not needed, no leader must be there.
Who does not follow the Law is shamed. For the Law is of Divine Order. Who follows Primordial Chaos is shamed. For Chaos opposes Divine Order. Law stands firm against debasement. The leader guards their followers against debasement.
The Sage of La
Source: Cleric of Paia’s Brook
It is the role of the sage to bring order. The sage is the light touch of order. The sage must trace the ways of the world. The sage must bend with the ways of the world. When times demand action, no sage must advise. When times demand waiting, a sage must advise.
La is the aspect of Harmony. The sage is the embodiment of La. The sage is the nation's aspect of Harmony. Harmony is the word of La. What La says, all nature hears. What the sage says, all the nation hears.
The sage does not like enmity. Order stands against enmity. A sage preaches as they must. For order to remain, they must. Action does not make a good sage. Passion makes a good sage.
The sage’s word is harmony. The sage’s advice must be heeded. La’s word is Harmony. La’s advice must be heeded. It is like plowing a rocky field, to advise the unhearing. The problem is of leaders, to advise the unhearing.
La’s demeanor is the yielding of the ocean. The sage’s demeanor is the yielding of the ocean. La pulls, and advises, and realizes. The sage pulls, and advises, and realizes. When pulling is needed, the sage must be there. When pulling is not needed, the sage must not be there.
Who does not live in Harmony is shamed. For Harmony is of Divine Order. Who follows Primordial Chaos is shamed. For Chaos opposes Divine Order. Harmony shields from debasement. The sage leads their followers from debasement.
The Return of the Ettins
Source: Citizen of Urist’s Rift
The Ettins will someday return. For they left this world in shambles, but the world they left to is deeper in shambles than this one. When they return, it will be a time of great change. They will tear down great trees and ice spikes, dig great quantities of earth and snow, to build their monuments, but their monuments will be all the greater for it. The Ettins are aware of the chi flowing through all of us, and some of them can block the flow of that chi in others. The Ettins also are aware of the waters of Nuelhome, and some of them can manipulate it to their will. They are also aware of the chaotic fires of Mutspellhome, and some can form it to their desires. The Ettins are also aware of the Great One’s flesh and his bones that form the Earth, and they can manipulate it. They are also aware of the Great One’s breath, and bend it to their will. Some of the Ettins are the ghosts of those past, and of these some are light and dark. We sometimes call them the Elves, those of Light and of Dark. They have different powers
But beware the return of the Ettins, for the bowels of the Great One and the depths of night bring with them many dead Ettins, but the magic of the return of Ettins will bring them from their slumber. They are dangerous, and will try to kill you. For protection, you must build against them golems of iron, and the construction of these golems is in the shape of an upright iron cross, and the top of the upright cross is replaced with a pumpkin, the last part to be built. Plead with the Ettins to build you safe walls and light up your settlements, for you will need it. For their protection they may force you into labor, and this is unfortunate. But, for the preservation of ourselves and the preservation of our stories and traditions, we must comply.