- The Religion of Mons and Monsoth: This is where you (except Silas and Storr) started. Balthazar and Krambler (and, historically, Cricket and Mannix) are able to tell you:
The Church of Mons is largely in charge of what happens around Monsoth, they are the government. In the old world (according to Balthazar) while there are temples to Mons, worship is more distributed, and there are more options. For further details, see Mannix’ backstory, as well as the story *Foamflower. * The belief system of the Church says basically this: chaos is bad, order is good, and this life is (hopefully) all you get. They see Mons as a well tanned Young King of the Gods, with flowing blonde hair, riding around in a chariot. Much of the church and its adherents are mercantile - and when they are successful in business, they see it as Mons’ favor. They like to keep their ledgers clean, and they like going out and finding ways to bring order (via trade) to the natural world. They create wealth (which the Church taxes around Monsoth). The coast north and south of Monsoth being “un-inhabited” has meant that there are always opportunities to go clear some forest and start a farm, and to build a boat and start bringing those farm products back to the City. This is sometimes called “searching for Mons”, though some people believe that they are looking for a physical location (which you would know was part of what brought people to the coast in the first places, supposing that Mons - after his battle with the God of Death - took a boat off into the west), while others think of it as a state of being. On the one hand, when you die you can be “released from the world” - i.e., you go elsewhere into a great unknown; or you can be captured by the forces of the God of Death / Moon King / Mother Night / Osgog and the wild chaos of the natural world as he builds an army of Dead to eventually wipe out human beings, and reduce them to animals. Everyone must be especially aware of Osgog the Betrayer, who comes in the guise of wisdom, but who will let wildness into your life, if you are not careful. You do not want to get stuck here on Earth (if you follow the religion). There is a hope that, perhaps, Mons is living somewhere, either in a Deathless Realm, or perhaps preparing for a triumphant return where he will create a deathless realm here on earth. Regardless, your goal is to live well while you’re here, and try to think not too much about those that came before you: they have either left the world entirely, or are stuck in anonymity with the Moon King. When someone following Mons sees someone who is destitute, they feel somewhat badly that that person has fallen into the clutches of chaos and the Moon King, but that they’ll soon die, and become anonymous, and that that might satisfy the Moon King so that he doesn’t come looking for them (there is a hint of sacrificing to appease Death). The Abbot and Tawesek - as Krambler is able to tell you - do not directly contradict any of this. But they do, also, seem to put more emphasis on balance, and the elements, and don’t seem to see nature as nearly so evil-in-need-of-fixing. Were you to try to pin the Abbot down on his precise beliefs, you would find yourself artfully deflected, and only realize later that he did not, in fact, answer any of your questions.
It was suggested to me that I do some sort of summary in terms of where I think you are, in terms of your understanding. Please know that I’m going to write this in such a way that it is not accurate in terms of my point of view, but what I think you (as your characters) think. Also note that I’m almost certainly wrong in terms of your thought process in places - which is good. Argue with me (and each other) so that you remember your own state of mind.
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Stars and Constellations There’s a googledoc here that explains different characters outlooks on objects in the night sky.
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The Poem from The Haunted Tower You’ve hypothesized that this is a key to the mythology somehow.
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Different Great Beings
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Mannix was her Paladin
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Branwen is her Warlock
1. The "Twins" -
Referenced at the Festival in Caerosgog, and elsewhere.
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- We’ve seen a number of references to a giant sleeping bear.
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1. Ice Beard and the Honey Woman
These “characters” appear in the story Geshwa.
1. [[Crone, Woman, Child / Stone, Sea, and Storm|The Three Enchantresses]]
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Human Divine Beings From our log :> The Abbott says that there is an ancient evil, and that the stream flows from that. He, along with additions by Krambler, regales us with a tale of a god king. This god king decided to banish death, but his children overthrew him. It is said he rides in a black chariot in a city covered in black butterflies. The god king’s daughter is a poet named Ceridwen and his eldest son is Torval, a fire god.
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Gorgomog Hypothesized to be represented - at least partially - by Mogg from the island with the Abbot’s cottage on it. Name of “The Moon King”. Also named in the in the Harvest Village. Also see: The God King.
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Morianoth See The God King. Hypothesized to be another name for Mother Night.
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Gwanethen Named as Gorgomog’s wife in the Harvest Village.
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The “Children of Gorgomog” and … ?
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Osgog created a monster possessed by the God of Death.
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Mons slayed this monster, “banishing death”. Mons left, to return when a balanced stone falls and the earth quakes (!!!).
1. [[Ceridwen]]
See How Old Brother Found Fire. Hypothesized to be “She of the Twins.:”
Described by the Abbot as a “Poetess”.
1. [[Torval]]
See How Old Brother Found Fire. Hypothesized to be “Old Brother”.
Described by the Abbot as a “Fire Bringer”.
1. [[Doldhelen]]
Possibly Mons’ wife.
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The “Children of Mons” and … ? Hypothesized to be the five statues on the Dark Tower’s first floor. See: Osgog and the Dragon for further characterization.
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Osgog A healer or betrayer who created a dragon.
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Bremphyr A one eyed blacksmith.
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Rhiannon Thought to be the original owner of Gale.
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Crochenwen / Priweythva A Potter
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Kevnis A Weaver
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Kerenja Possibly Bremphyr’s wife, and Bryok’s Mother. Maybe gave Mannix Gale.
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