Tales of the Twelve
The Two Titans. The Maiden under the Tree. Of Moths and Marshes. Every story involving the Twelve, from major myths to lighthearted folktales, is included in its definitive form in Tales of the Twelve. Almost everyone in Khasrana knows these stories, and they form the foundation of the nation's culture. Published in its first edition centuries ago, it was recompiled and updated with the manifestation of the Twelve. Tales of the Twelve is a masterwork of comparative folklore, and provides critical insights into Khasrana's history and society.
Purpose
Early compilations of folklore surrounding the Twelve varied in their purpose, from children's storybooks to religious texts. These fluctuated over the years depending on prevailing cultural notions of the time, but the current Pavilion-approved version of Tales of the Twelve hews closer to the storybook versions of the past. Devotion to the Twelve is taken as a given in the modern age, and so the text focuses less on proselytizing and more on informing the reader of the Twelve's past.
Document Structure
Clauses
In the current edition of Tales, ach of the Twelve has at least one story where they are the focal character. They are presented in the standard ordering of the Twelve, with Khasrana first, Khasrana's children, Naught's children, and Naught last.
I. The Two Titans - Khasrana and Naught oversee the birth of the world.
II. Tempests and Trials - Mainyu arbitrates the first conflict among his siblings.
III. Folly of the Learned - Glasya grants the gift of knowledge and speech to all creatures, but is overwhelmed by the ensuing chaos.
IV. Gift of the Domitor - Forgall grants thirteen pioneers power and ambition enough to conquer the swamp, but the first generation of Marsh Kings soon fall to infighting.
V. Fury of the Fireheart - Kujata lashes out against his siblings but unleashes a disaster.
VI. The Maiden under the Tree - Melusine learns to control her powers of vitality.
VII. Kuribu and the Diver - Kuribu is torn between her betrothed and a mortal she has fallen in love with.
VIII. Meadows Wide and Rivers Deep - Kaliya raises the city of Meadowrun from the plain.
IX. Of Moths and Marshes - Cosmia grants the gift of order to the Marsh Kings' Reign, quelling the conflicts Forgall had stoked.
X. Walker of the Wastes - Bennu leaves his siblings to live on his own in the desolate north.
XI. Boughs and Bowers - Irminsul protects the first humans from the perils of primal Khasrana.
XII. The Drake and the Rabbit - Naught teaches an egotistical drake that no being is above the cycle of life and death.
II. Tempests and Trials - Mainyu arbitrates the first conflict among his siblings.
III. Folly of the Learned - Glasya grants the gift of knowledge and speech to all creatures, but is overwhelmed by the ensuing chaos.
IV. Gift of the Domitor - Forgall grants thirteen pioneers power and ambition enough to conquer the swamp, but the first generation of Marsh Kings soon fall to infighting.
V. Fury of the Fireheart - Kujata lashes out against his siblings but unleashes a disaster.
VI. The Maiden under the Tree - Melusine learns to control her powers of vitality.
VII. Kuribu and the Diver - Kuribu is torn between her betrothed and a mortal she has fallen in love with.
VIII. Meadows Wide and Rivers Deep - Kaliya raises the city of Meadowrun from the plain.
IX. Of Moths and Marshes - Cosmia grants the gift of order to the Marsh Kings' Reign, quelling the conflicts Forgall had stoked.
X. Walker of the Wastes - Bennu leaves his siblings to live on his own in the desolate north.
XI. Boughs and Bowers - Irminsul protects the first humans from the perils of primal Khasrana.
XII. The Drake and the Rabbit - Naught teaches an egotistical drake that no being is above the cycle of life and death.
Historical Details
Background
The current edition of Tales collects versions of its stories from across Khasrana and throughout its history. As such, there are slight contradictions within its contents, but these were consistent with the traditions the individual stories came from. For example, Kuribu and the Diver portrays Kuribu and Kujata as betrothed, where most traditions present all of the lesser ten as siblings. Some traditions reconcile this by citing their divine nature, but most cultural depictions of the Twelve usually just choose one or the other. The case of Glasya and Kaliya is a similar example - The Folly of the Learned in this edition portrays them as siblings where Meadows Wide and Rivers Deep claims that they are partners. Ultimately, these contradictions are tolerated, as they are signs that the stories within Tales of the Twelve are ancient and culturally important.
History
The earliest circulated volumes collecting folklore about the Twelve can be traced back about six hundred years. In that time there was of course no one definitive edition, but several regional versions reflecting local heritage and tradition. Over time, as Khasranan culture grew more interconnected, the religious traditions began to converge, and circulated religious texts became more consistent with one another. The establishment of Pavilion authority after the manifestation of the Twelve finally resulted in one authoritative version of Tales. This was in no way intended to erase or control individual traditions that may have differed from the volume, but more to make the dense and detailed folklore surrounding the Twelve more accessible to common people.
Comments