Journal of Galthir the Cartographer

Entry 46 - My Studies of Theolonius

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THIS journal entry is NOT the property of, or copyrighted by, Mainframe Studios.)
Journal of Galthir the Cartographer

Entry 46 - My Studies on Theolonius

I recently attended at lecture at the Arcane University in Tenarath, Javerdus, Inis Gallia. I was already touring the province to find its mystery sites, so it was an easy diversion. And a welcome respite. I've worked with Headmistress Ceridwen and her scholars before, and enjoyed it. The Arcane University is rapidly expanding its collection, so if you are interested in the History and other Lore of Gallia, it is very worth visiting.

For me, the lecture was frustrating and thought-provoking. Theolonius is writing a compressed overview, and skips large sections of what must have been extremely common knowledge in his time. Which is where the frustration enters in, as you'll see.

The First Letter: The Dimming Light

When I first read this, and even now, I am struck by Theolonius' perseverance. I knew and know little of the Papacy that the Scribe writes of, but the interactions I have had with them match the impression given by Theolonius some 10 years ago. But I wonder - is his Great Cataclysm the Final Flood I lived through? Or did it come before?

I look for the Scriptorium Theolonius mentions, but I have not found it yet. Nor Lunthyr. Are they in Lyonesse, and thus lost? In the Hidden Valley between the gates? In one of the other rumored realms beyond Gallia's 5 provinces?

As for the Fay, I haven't encountered them myself, and know nothing of the beyond what Theolonius writes. I will say that he does not seem prone to flights of fancy.

On the Nine Creations Before

When I first read this I was struck by how little things seemed to match. Which is somewhat in favor of it being real knowledge than a fiction, which would more strictly honor its themes.

As example - consider the First Creation. It is apparently brought down by the Sin of Anger, as embodied by the unnamed Dark Lord, also known as the Great Deceiver. What was the First Creation's saving grace? Was it embodied as well? Both are unknown to me, as Theolonius doesn't mention them. Nor does he ascribe a Creation to Leviathan the Demon of Envy, nor specify which Creations fell to Gluttony or Levity.

He claims the Fay are from these earlier Creations, but which ones? Which Sins did they face? Which did they overcome? Nor have I encountered any of the mystical beasts he mentions in any of the Provinces of Gallia. I see them represented in the art, but men's and scions' imaginations are powerful enough to craft representations of fictional beings. As I've said, he doesn't seem prone to fancies, so was the existence of these beings just accepted knowledge? Had he encountered any? IF they are or were real, where are they?

He says some, the not-wicked, were saved by the Fay and carried by the Fay into their hidden realm. The not-wicked may return to this realm when "veil between worlds becomes thin". Or, as the phrasing is ambiguous, is this true of all such beings, whether saved by the Fay or not?

Then comes the most troublesome line: "The Divine did not always remove the old to make the new." This I can easily believe. Too many rock formations look like buildings to be comfortable. But the qualifier. How many Creations were completely removed and destroyed? Are the Nine Creations he knows of only the remaining ones? What traces or tales told him of the removed ones? Are there any, or is Theolonius making this observation merely out of caution?

The remainder of this letter is mostly poetic. However, I have seen Rivulets as he desribes them. I have heard, from powerful warriors that the Temples exist as well. But are the previous Nine all Hells now? Or not? The caution against digging deep is clear though.

On the Age of Paradise

Then the Scribe begins detailing the accepted History. Again, the unknown common knowledge shows its presence once again. "Protennoia, the First Redeemer". What did she redeem? What cost die she pay? What promised fulfill? He says that she "gave birth to Humanity". Was Humanity the price, the coin, she used? One assumes that Protennoia was redeeming the failure of the Ninth Creation, and that creation did not include Humanity. What was the Ninth Creations' Sin? Who lived within it? The Fay? One of those mystical peoples he mentioned earlier? Something else?

Then he lists the first Sins of Humanity, Sloth, then Lust. And it was Lust, according to the Scribe, that ended Paradise. But, given we don't know the earlier Creations' Sins, were these Humanity's own Sins, or merely existing ones from earlier times that corrupted them? I think that neither were solely Humanity's Sin, given the Scribe's descriptions, but I may infer too much from standard rote phrasing. Another question that will probably remain unanswered.

He then splits Humanity into three: the Innocent, before they lost their place in the Garden, the Wild Firsts, who roamed the cruel world outside, and the Hidden, who retreated into sanctuaries. I must be honest, aside of the Wild Firsts, he names neither of the others. I believe there is a small implication that Lunthyr was one of these hidden sanctuaries, but again, I may only be seeking answers where none exist.

This is also the first mention of Atlantis, and Ley Lines. Neither is explained, though there is an implication that Ley Lines are the withered roots of Protennoia's Tree.

On the Age of the Ancients – Meirothea (~350 to ~500)

"Meirothea, a Second Redeemer. A Cherubim of flowing voice and luminous form" descended. From Heaven is the presumption, but it is not stated as such. What is a Cherubim? Again, common knowledge for Theolonius, now lost to us. For her Redemptive Act, she gives Humanity Light, Love, Writing, and Memory. At least I assume those are the Redemptive Acts - maybe it was only the Love, redeeming the sins of Lust that ended Paradise. Maybe it was Writing, ensuring that could create and preserve our memories through effort. Maybe something else. As with Protennoia, what Meirothea was redeeming is unclear.

Here he mentions the "old worlds of Heaven and Fay". Are these previous Creations? He spoke of the Fay being from an earlier, unspecified, creation, but also said that the Fay withdrew to a hidden realm.

Then he mentions Moloch, the Demon of Wrath, finally giving a name to the Dark Lord, the Deceiver he mentioned earlier. Assuming that Wrath and Anger are the same Sin.

He mentions wolves being allies of Meirothea and Humanity. Which implies many ills for the wolves in our world today, sadly. What has brought them so low?

He also names another demon, Lucifer, the Demon of Pride. He also clarifies that Meirothea returned to Heaven, so the earlier presumption bore fruit. It's also stated that Meirothea is the being who created the Moon, and thus Protennoia's Age had none. Which is expected as the Age of Paradise had no night. It is also implied that Meirothea did not place the Moon until she began her battles against Moloch.

It is also implied that it was Meirothea's doing that started the cycle between Winter and Summer. Though, again, Theolonius doesn't tell us how, why, or when. Or was it merely an effect of one of her other acts? A result of one of her battles?

And given the Scribe's dating, why did it take Meirothea 350 years to descend and save Humanity? Was that her Redemptive Act? I suspect not, but if Meirothea is the being who gave Humanity writing and memory, how does Theolonius know that they suffered for 350 years before her descent into the world?

On the Age of the Ancients – Demira (876 to ~1050)

Again we have a lapse of time. For some 376 years, Humanity wandered, gaining wisdom, and learning how to be druids and shamans. Why so definite, so precise?

Demira, the Third Redeemer, is credited with teaching Humanity Agriculture, Architecture, and Medicine. And with the addition of Spring and Autumn to the seasons' cycle. And aside from the gift of the seasons, she is the first Redeemer, to not obviously be some greater-than-human being (whether semi-divine or divine).

We are given the names of two more demons - Zeb, the Demon of Gluttony, and Mammon, the Demon of Greed. To defeat them, and save Humanity from the Divine's fury, Demira sacrifices herself, creating the holy stones, the ancient stela, and creating the Pax Dei.

I still wonder about that name. Generally, the place names and the names of things in the world fall into one of three forms: the Druidic (like "Llydaw"), the Church Tongue (like "Pax Dei"), or the modern tongue, that I'm writing in. However, "Stela" is not a word I know in any of those tongues. The closest is "stella", from the Church Tongue, but that word means "star". There's some poetic satisfaction to have these little singing stars in the world I suppose, but that makes the silence of some of them even more disturbing.

With his recounting of the Age of Demira, Theolonius reaches the end of his mythological retellings (or so they seem to me), and beginning with his retelling of the Elysium Age, enters into the realm of History, even if ancient history. So this is a good place to pause. I've been bound to this desk for too long.

In summary, here is what we know from Theolonius so far:

Moloch, the Dark Lord, the Deceiver - Sin of Anger/Wrath - First Creation - Inhabitants Unknown

Zeb - Gluttony - Creation Unknown - Inhabitants Unknown

Leviathan - Envy - Creation Unknown - Inhabitants Unknown

Demon Unknown - Levity - Creation Unknown - Inhabitants Unknown

Demon Unknown - Sloth - Creation Unknown - Inhabitants Unknown

Demon Unknown - Lust - Creation Unknown - Inhabitants Unknown

Mammon - Greed - Creation Unknown - Inhabitants Unknown

Lucifer - Pride - Creation Unknown - Inhabitants Unknown

8 Sins mentioned. What is the Ninth? Has this Tenth Creation met its Sin yet? What are the names of the other Sin's Demons? Is there an order to the Demons and their Sins? Do we know the order of the Creations? All unanswered questions at this half-way point. When I return, I examine the rest of Theolonius' writings.

Galthir.