Kovûnkal, the Eshanic Mandate

The dramatic defeat of Ácolitus at the hands of Atûn the Betrayer put victory in the hands of the rebellious Eshan and shifted the cosmic balance of power. Once the dust settled and the dead were counted, it fell to the victors to decide the future. Aebaster, who had started this conflict, was suddenly thrust into the position of dictating terms to his creator- in whose presence everything existed. It was a daunting task, one never conceived as possible any time previously. Sitting in Zaregallis, surrounded by the Alor’eshan and Ebal’eshan, Aebaster spoke frankly about the threat. To draw once more from the works of Terovan, his seminal work contains an interpretation of that conversation.
“Aebaster sat upon a burm overlooking Zaregallis, it’s buildings crumbled and its people slaughtered to extinction. Scarcly a moment had passed, so the bodies of Viscari and Odyrzid still littered in the dirt around their native homes. Many had died for the Eshan to achieve victory, many of whom never wanted the war at all. It was a heavy burden weighed on guilty shoulders.
‘I have ruined all of it’ said Aebaster aloud, staring across the field, ‘everything Qázun created is gone. The Viscari, their city, and even his own life are destroyed and scattered. This war, this suffering – it’s all my doing. Nothing would be like this if I had listened to the words of Ácolitus from the start.’
Mesian, who was standing just behind, approached and crouched beside him. ‘Do you remember why you chose to fight, Aebaster? It was not for greed or power, but for our own freedom. You know that. Ácolitus denied us the chance to create life and Qázun put himself in danger by creating the Viscari. This was long before you did anything. Fighting was the best you could have done.’ To that Aebaster gave a nod, saying nothing as he retreated back into thought.
‘Freedom and justice are so abstract, don’t you think?’ said a new voice. Looking down, Aebaster and Mesian saw Atûn, the one who had slain so many of the Ebal’eshan and stabbed Ácolitus in the back, sauntering up the hill. His dagger was still coated in dried blood.
‘What I see is that your war here has cleared the field an impressive degree. Congratulations on that, by the way. I always thought this place was too crowded.’ With that he stopped just before the burm, looking to Aebaster and Mesian with a crooked smile.
Aebaster rose from his seat upon the burm and looked down upon Atûn with hard eyes. ‘You’re not welcome here, Betrayer. Have you nowhere else to be but here? Is there no suffering you can cause far away from this place, away from my presence?’
‘From what I’ve seen, Aebaster, no amount of violence by my hand could eclipse the suffering you’ve already created. I’m not here to share pleasantries with you. I come only to ensure you do not ruin things more than you already have. You seem to forget that your siblings remain alive and depend upon your choice.’ Aebaster was silent at this, and tense moments passed the two glowered at each other. Then, Mesian spoke. ‘Atûn, please, just say what you came to say and be gone. We have all seen what you have done, leaving a trail of blood behind you while we fought against Ácolitus.’
Atûn scoffed, ‘I won that war for you, doing what you were too weak to do. By my hand the creator fell, and this is how am I treated by my brother and sister? I should have let Ácolitus mangle your body while you lay helpless, but I did not. I slew him and broke his olûndari form. I gave you victory. Nobody else but I could have done it. If I intended to win your approval I would be heartbroken by your words, but that’s not my intention. Call me what you like, brother. I simply come to request my just reward for victory.’
Before Atûn had finished speaking, a voice cried from behind Aebaster, ‘Do not give him anything! He massacred the Viscari with delight and butchered Proden before my eyes. He showed no mercy, thrusting knives into his flesh long after he was beyond resistance! He simply comes now to claim our victory for himself, having taken the easiest route to achieve it.’ It was from Ámilus that these words came, as he stepped alongside Aebaster and thrust an accusing finger down the hill at Atûn. With his advance, the other Ebal’eshan came forth as well, looming upon the hill.
Atûn held his ground as they gathered, staring up at the array before them. ‘That is the byproduct of war, Ámilus. Proden should have stayed away from the business of the Alor’eshan if he wished to live. In truth, you should thank me for doing the job myself rather than leaving it to Ácolitus. He would have been crushed, just like Seyesir was...’ He looked to Mesian with heavy eyes. She met his gaze for only a moment before lowering her head. The guilt still remained upon her shoulders.
Ámilus said nothing, but ground his teeth with barely contained anger. Atûn reached to his scabbard and withdrew his dagger, blood still on the blade, and tossed it onto the hillside. ‘You can have it, Ámilus. Proden is somewhere on it, and I have no further need of it. Now, Aebaster...’ he said as he looked back to him, ‘I only ask that you demand the fruits of victory. If you do that there should be no ill will between us, despite your scathing insults.’ With that he departed from them.
The whole congregation stood in silence, watching as Atûn departed. ‘I’m afraid he is correct, Aebaster, you must demand Ácolitus for freedoms and spoils on our behalf. Otherwise this will have all been a violent folly.’ Said Mesian, looking down onto him.
Aebaster said nothing, but nodded his head and stared out to Zaregallis, a city left in broken ruins. The price of freedom from Ácolitus had been staggering.”
The Betrayer Returns Mordrim Terovan’s “History of the First Realm” – 1349
Perhaps a lengthy account, but to understand Kovûnkal it is necessary to understand the demeanor of the Eshan. With all works of Terovan, it is impossible to verify the full truth, but that is the benefit of his writing. What could not be heard is given voice, and his conclusions reflect reality just enough to be believed. Others also attempted to articulate the conversations between Eshan which came in the immediate aftermath of Acolitus’ humiliation. Consider this next writing, an Elivas source on the matter sympathetic to Mesian’s plight in the ordering of the world. The ~ is Mesian, the + Aebster, and the / being ATUN the Betrayer.
~ “Dead. I believe he’s truly dead- the Maker has been unmade.”
+ “Victory at last! Triumph! A century of war, over, finally done.”
~ “Yes, glorious a thing- we should be pleased, but now shall we return to the others?”
/ “Wait a moment.”
+ “Why?”
~ “What’s wrong?”
/ “He’s not dead.”
+ “Yes, dead. You’ve just killed him.”
/ “He’s not dead. We would have felt it. The sky would have burst open and the land crumble to dust- something great, but not this silence.”
~ “What do we say then? Our friends will want to know. Is the war still on?”
+ “No, we killed the Destroyer. What more? We’ll celebrate our victory.”
/ “We can’t celebrate, not now. Dead or alive, we still have a job to complete here.”
+ “What then? What job is this?”
~ “I don’t understand either- you worry us about something, yet everything appears quite simple here. You make this job seem difficult, yet we can’t speak with the others?”
/ “It’s for a reason- it is a job only we three can complete.”
+ “Go on.”
/ “We must divide the spoils while our victory is fresh. We may not have much time.”
~ “What spoils, and us? Alone?”
/ “Everything the dawn touches in the morning and everything the moon oversees at night. Those are the spoils! We won that here- now we must decide what is next.”
~ “I haven’t thought about it at all. What’s the purpose of worrying about land?”
/ “Land was everything, we bled all over it, of course we must reap the fruits of our labor. What would have been the point otherwise?”
+ “Life was the point! This was a war for our children, not the dirt.”
/ “Life requires land. I see no real difference.”
~ “What do you mean? We weren’t meant to take any land. Nobody ever spoke about that. We live among the stars, what good is land for us?”
/ “For our children, so you’ve said. What are children but extensions of ourselves?”
~ “They will have their own lives. Why should they live separated in many places?”
/ “Because they are mine alone to raise and I shall live among them.”
+ “What?”
~ “Here beneath the sun and moon? You can’t stay here.”
/ “Of course I can, you’d be wise to do the same.”
+ “To roll in the muck with them? To lose our sight? That’s stupid.”
~ “I’m worried we’d get too close. I think they’d become too much like ourselves.”
/ “Is that wrong?”
~ “You see all this. You see all the waste. We are not the best example to follow.”
/ “Speak for yourself, but think. If we don’t act, others will. That would be worse.”
~ “This doesn’t sound right…”
+ “If we are indeed planning to partition land, then listen here. All of our friends are owed land for their newborn children, to raise them as our elder father never did. Everything will have to be divided equally among us. That is fair.”
~ “So we need them! Each should get to choose their favorite place. Each should choose their favorite neighbor. We were never given that chance, never anything, that’s why I fought this war. That’s why others died, for a chance! Let’s not make the same mistake here. We will not survive another feud between brothers and sisters.”
/ “We don’t have time for them.”
~ “We do! This will haunt us. They’ll all hate us!”
/ “We don’t, listen to me! I wounded him, that’s it, I know it. His power will grow, he’ll be restored- perhaps in many passages or perhaps in mere moments. If he returns to fight I don’t believe we can win. I surprised him once but that will never happen again.”
~ “Then let’s stop here. Let’s gather the others and tell them the truth. They must know.”
+ “No, he’s right, we have to decide our terms now or lose everything. We don’t know how much time we have- truly dead or not. They’ll hate us more if we do nothing.”
~ “But how do we even start? Who earned more and who deserves less? I didn’t see every battle- I wasn’t present for every death. How can it be fair?”
/ “Simple. We split it half and half.”
~ “What? Half and what? The land? The oceans?”
/ “All of it! Half and half. I will take half for myself as the savior, while you two as close “friends” can take the other half. Do whatever you want with it! We did the work. All the others followed us. They’ll understand.”
+ “Hold yourself. WE did the work. WE fought the battles. You were our enemy until the last moment when you revealed yourself a convenient traitor! You slew our companions. You sundered the land and despoiled our creations. Say what part you deserve!”
/ “Half the lands and half the oceans! I dealt the final blow. It doesn’t matter who I served then or now. I joined you, I won your battle. I won’t be questioned on this!”
+ “My allies deserve their fair spoils. I made them promises.”
/ “Give them your part then, I don’t care. Give it all away! Let them hang off your back like children at your own pleasure. This is between us, here and now.”
~ “This is why you want this “conclave” isn’t it? You planned it! You’ve been scheming your treason since the beginning, haven’t you? It isn’t just between us! Never! You just want it quick as sparks so you can bully and trick us into a deal. They’d kill you out there, tear you to pieces! You know that so you refuse to see them!”
/ “I don’t care what they say now. I don’t care if they hate me now. They have never loved me nor will they now! I won’t cast away victory for unrequited friendship. Let me tell you a secret- call it wisdom: they don’t care about you either! Our kin fought because they thought they could win. They died because they ALSO wanted the spoils but were too cowardly to stand up! No love in the beginning, no love here at the end!”
~ “Liar!”
/ “It’s true! Wouldn’t we be heroes for what we’ve already done, if they cared? My strike, our victory, should have raised us to their highest praises. If they cared about justice- if they wanted to rewrite the law, then they’d speak about their new future. They don’t! They are waiting outside like animals, just waiting to see what juicy morsels we toss them to eat. They want to become fat, not become free!”
~ “Say something, speak up for yourself! Talk some reason into him! You can’t let him do this- we can’t let ourselves do this!”
+ “My dear…”

~ “No! Don’t call me that! I can see it in your eyes. I hear it in your voice- you believe him, don’t you? You’re too proud to give it up. How could you dishonor us like this? Why did they all have to die then? What’s the point if you’re going to take it for yourself?”
+ “Quiet, please. Listen. This has been framed all wrong. It’s not about taking something or giving it away. Don’t you see? Our father gave gifts. He took them away. We have a chance to assemble a new order- for the wise to assemble a harmonious house in which ALL may live in peace.”
/ “Yes, certainly, do what you want with your part. Build that harmonious house- make its eaves touch the stars. I don’t care.”
+ “Our others will require space to stay, you understand?”
/ “Half. We split it in half. Those are my terms.”
+ “Into domains! We can divide it by dynasties, they can…”
~ “But this world isn’t ours to give!”
/ “Of course it is. It’s fair.”
~ “It’s evil!”
+ “Calm yourself. He won’t get half, but we need to be reasonable. We know them… you know them. Deciding all this will be too much. I can foresee it. A new war over the victorious spoils? A waste! They may be angry at first, let them be angry. We are the elders! We know what is best.”
/ “Agreed.”
~ “They aren’t children! You can’t hold yourself over them! They are our siblings, blood of our blood, heart of our heart. We were supposed to guide them, love them more than anything! They look at us with the twinkle of innocence in their eyes- that’s called trust. They died because they believed our war was just. Were they wrong?”
/ “You are wrong. They are not innocent. It’s you who treats them like children, speaking like they haven’t made choices of their own! They fought, you fought. They died, you lived. That is fair! War is always fair! We all knew the rules.”
~ “What about you? We fought together from beginning to end. What about our friends? The dead? Don’t break our promises. Don’t tell me that their deaths mean nothing!”
+ “Not for nothing, no. I said they deserved their fair share. They’ll get it. Listen, we are the eldest- I said it once and now again. This isn’t about us against them- we all suffered in this feud. It’s over now, right now and forever. I just want to stop the next war from starting. This is our responsibility to them. This is what we owe them, even if they don’t understand it yet.”
/ “See? Reasonable. Sit down with us. Don’t be so angry.”
~ “What if I don’t? What if I can’t? None of this is right.”
+ “Then make it right. Please. We don’t have much time.”
~ “Time? All of this about time? You know we have enough time.”
/ “Yes, yes. Sit.”
+ “Now. Your plan?”
/ “I said it. Split the prize half and half.”
+ “Who gets what? You can’t expect half for yourself?”
/ “You want a part?”
+ “Of course.”
/ “And you?”
~ “Nothing.”
/ “Nothing? The bold heroine doesn’t want even a small souvenir?”
~ “This isn’t your terrible game to play.”
/ “Take a continent.”
~ “No.”
/ “An island.”
~ “No.”
/ “A large boulder?”
~ “No!”
/ “Pebble?”
+ “Stop this! Stop. The others will demand an answer soon. Listen, please, I need you in this new order. You need to take something. I don’t care where. I don’t care how much. Your people need land, we must rely on each other. We are allies! We are friends.”
~ “Friends don’t walk their friends into disgrace. Are we friends, or am I just useful?”
+ “Friends! My closest friend. We have honored each other since the first Ember. Your presence is my treasure. Your wisdom is my guiding light.”
~ “Then reject him!”
+ “His arguments are…”
~ “Say it!”
+ “Half! Are you pleased? I’ll give them half. Our friends will get half the whole world. They can live there, raise their people there- keep it forever if they’d like. This will be their prize for trusting us- more land than any can imagine.”
/ “The other half? Your half? Fine. Half is mine, the other half is theirs. I agree.”
~ “That’s your ‘noble’ compromise? Half and half? That will do NOTHING more than clearly divide the factions for the next war. Us against them! He doesn’t want your harmonious house- that beautiful dream! He’s broken the foundations and your whole house will break at the first shake.”
+ “I’m trying to make you happy!”
~ “You think this will make me happy? You have done nothing more than accept the original terms. You have done nothing! Coward!”
+ “Silence! Don’t anger me. Do not insult me. Who have I forgotten that you want?”
~ “What about our other siblings?”
+ “The ones who tried to kill us?”
~ “The ones who died loyal, just like us.”
/ “When did they earn a place at the table?”
+ “Yes, when? What do you mean?”
~ “Because you have killed enough of your brothers and sisters, you have earned the right to govern the world? Now you are the keeper of life and death? Riches and poverty? You are suggesting madness! Should the murderer earn the property of the murdered? Does grinding their bones produce more legitimacy than dust?”
+ “It’s not like that, please, I don’t want to fight you. We have earned a special place in battle, right and wrong have already been chosen. We’re speaking about the future.”
/ “Yes, they’ll understand, the defeated always suffer the victor’s delight.”
~ “What? Has that silenced the war? Has that brought the peace you now seek? Answer me! Why is there always another war? Why do our siblings always fight? The victors are to blame! You create the evil that the next generation decides is necessary to fight. Always, forever! Please, I beg you, can’t you see this is the same?”
+ “It will be different.”
~ “No, please… this is a mistake. Our doom is being written on your lips.”
+ “I promise. It will be different. We are different! Stronger, wiser! Our mistakes are not the mistakes of the Maker. Can’t you see? This is our chance to end the strife! Trust me this once, then never again if I’m wrong. I can’t do this alone.”
~ “You…”
/ “Alright, shut up. Shut up! I don’t have the patience and we don’t have the time. Listen, I’ll sweeten the deal and you’ll accept it or I’m walking off: Half and Half. We three, right here, get a half for ourselves. You can invite whomever you want to your “domain” or whatever, just stay away from me. The others, defeated and unworthy, can have all the other half. All of it to themselves! They can fight over it. I don’t care. We who invested the most gain the most, but even the losers get their share. Happy?”
+ “Deal.”
~ “Deal?”
+ “We’re not getting a better deal than that- listen, this is for the best.”
~ “They won’t honor the terms, I know they won’t. We can’t make them. It’ll be a fight all over again, I’m telling you!”
+ “I’ll make them listen. They’re more fearful than brave. I’ll smash the first, then the second who violates the Mandate. The others will fall into order. It will be better, I promise, and look here- I won’t be alone will I?”
/ “I’ll kill whoever crosses the line, yes.”
~ “They won’t speak with us anymore.”
+ “Maybe, perhaps for a while, but not forever. History erases the pain. They will look back and know that we were right. They’ll know we deserved what we got, then they’ll come crawling back one by one.”
~ “You’re right, we do deserve what we’ll get.”
/ “Sounds like you’re decided. Good. And as a sign of good faith I’ll even break the news. Half and half- they stay over there, we get this side. Anyone who wants to cross needs our invitation. Simple. Once your people grow you’ll be lost in their affairs and forget all about this debate. This is a good thing.”
+ “Yes, you’re right- my heart feels right about it. Come on, get up, dearest. It’s a new world. The Feud is behind us and the dawn rises ahead!”
The Conclave of Aebaster, Mesian, and Atun Memories of Our Mistress – 2021
Influenced by that conversation, Aebaster finally relented and brought terms to the creator. However, things were no so simple as Terovan or the Eshan themselves illustrated them. Aebaster did relent to the whims of Atûn, but guilt was not the sole motivation. The youngest of the Alor’eshan was cunning, and the intellectual relevations of Qazun, thought for a short period lost, were recalled. Atûn possessed these secrets and dangled them before his siblings. This was dangerous in itself. Aebaster and his allies were in a murderous mood after the vicious clash, and they each perceived the profiteering of Atûn with disdain. Yet, they could not afford to kill him, lest the information be lost. This defined the terms which Aebaster brought forth to Ácolitus, including a caviates which later became parcel with Kovûnkal.
Yet, spare a moment before the minutae of the agreement is discussed. Consider an important point of contension AMONG the Eshan in negotiating such a final peace. Where might that peace be agreed upon? What country was equal enough in justice to host such a discussion? Not Zaregallis nor Everos nor Perdamis nor Othos nor Etal nor any other temporal realm of Esha would suffice. Why? All the world was tainted by the bloodshed and greed of the Feud- no place anywhere was a neutral domain where all Eshan may rest together in security. For this reason, Acolitus determined to gather the Eshan in a domain to which his children had little knowledge and thus no chance to destroy. It was Kasteries, the Realm Within or the Ninth Star of Kolura which does not show in the sky. It had always existed, at least since the Eshan existed, and they had occupied strange parts of it in fits and starts that we may call DREAMS. Yet, their knowledge was none so that they believed their dreams was visions along with no bearing upon a reality. Acolitus illuminated the truth for them so that they may gather in peace and never fight again.
How was this done? Acolitus spoke to his children with what power remained to him after the humiliating destruction of his olundi form against Atun- he told them that there would be a settlement, a final peace within the family. They would be mistrustful, he knew, so he spoke to them and said to do something which they did commonly, safely, and among their own kind- sleep. The Eshan therefore tucked themselves into whatever domains or hideaways they desired in the company of one and another, uncertain of what this NEW scheme by Acolitus might entail. They closed their eyes, hundreds of them, and drifted to rest, often under the protection of their olundi creations (if they had any) to defend them while they dreamt. They were uncertain of what to expect of this place, for the Eshan had believed themselves the masters and all-knowing denizens of the universe. What could escape their eye?
They entered the realm of Kasteries and found Acolitus there waiting for them, resplendent in a new form of silver and gold hitherto unseen and unknown by the Eshan, for it was the manner in which Acolitus viewed himself in his own inner domain. The Eshan had little experience with this place, so in this time adopted new forms for themselves for sole use in Kasteries. Certain Eshan approached with rather banal and worldly appearances whereas others delved into the abstract and presented themselves as mere colors or emotions- in short to create for themselves a fantasy in this world according to their desires. Acolitus housed them in a place which depicted his greatest desire and deepest love for the world, being nothing of trees or water but something completely artificial in nature.
Before all other things, Atûn desired that Qadal and Voryndal be separated, one Alor’eshanic and the other Ebal’eshanic. This was directly against the practices of Qazun in coexisting among all siblings, but coexistence meant more rivals. Atûn knew enough about rivalry to despise the concept. Aebaster, Mesian, and the Ezontach agreed. The other Eshan, including the author, were never told. Additionally, Atûn demanded complete control of the continent which became Etal. No other Eshan could settle upon it without a fight. This was also duly agreed by the Alor’eshan, and never brought before the Ebal’eshan. Why? Secrecy was the third stipulation of Atûn. He withheld information regarding the negotiation until everything was decided, then forced the outcome upon the Ebal’eshan without consideration. He managed to secure these terms by holding Qazun’s legacy hostage. Once Kovûnkal was brought before Ácolitus and made irreversible, Atûn upheld his end by disseminating the wisdom of Qazun upon all the Eshan. This was his final victory. He sowed chaos once self-secure by allowing all Eshan, not just the Alor’eshan, to create olûndari life.
A span of numerous days was spent negotiating a compromise between the Creator and the Alor’eshan. The result was the Divine Mandates, known as Kovûnkal, created as both a measure of peace and a means to limit conflict between the Eshan and Ácolitus in the future. The agreement originally demanded the right for the Eshan to create olûndari life in the olûndari realm without hindrance. Ácoltius accepted this but expanded its contents in many places. Namely, by forcing the Eshan to decide between staying in Qadal and Voryndal for eternity and returning to Vussalas to dwell among the celestial bodies. The horrors of the First Feud convinced Ácolitus that worse fates would follow if the Eshan could travel freely between Qadal and Vussalas, especially once sentient olûndari life became numerous. The Eshan were forced to agree if they wanted a compromise. The majority of the Alor’eshan chose to return to Vussalas once their era of creation was past, barring Atûn. He chose to remain in Qadal and live amongst his chosen people as their guide and master. Many of the Ebal’eshan chose to stay as well, as the opportunities for them in Qadal and Voryndal were far greater than those in the endless expanse of Vussalas.
The first of the mandates was the right for the Eshan to create olûndari life. Where centuries of begging had failed, a short and bloody war had succeeded. The Alor’eshan were the foremost negotiators with Ácolitus, brushing aside the Ebal’eshan who had done much of the hard fighting in the war. This fact was made worse by the death of Qázun, breaking up the Qázunari who stood to resist the power of the Alor’eshan. That is when the decision was made to divide the lands of Qadal and Voryndal, which had previously been known universally as Qadal. The Alor’eshan secured the rights to create olûndari life at will within Qadal, including the lands of Everos, Othos, Nevan, Etal, and the other isles that are scattered around them. It was an act that the Ebal’eshan viewed as theft, especially among the Qázunari, for all the Eshan had spent time and energy forging Qadal into a beautiful land. It was a prime breeding ground for nascent olûndari life. The Ebal’eshan were granted the newly defined Voryndal, or “Land Beyond the Sunset”, which lay well beyond the physical boundaries of Qadal. The lands that existed there were distant and utterly disjointed from one another. They could best be described as islands rather than continents and were buried among the waves of the sea and blocked from sight by the heavy fogs that shroud all light. Zaregallis, the site of the First Feud and Qázun’s death, was the only continent recorded in that vast expanse, and the fighting had charred away its natural beauty. In that expanse, the Ebal’eshan were expected to build a realm of their own. In truth, they had no choice but to accept. The collapse of the Qázunari meant that resistance by the Ebal’eshan at this stage would put them at a disadvantage against the Alor’eshan, and potentially start another war entirely. After the losses of the First Feud, the mere idea of another conflict among the Eshan was terrifying, and despite opposition from Ebal’eshan such as Ámilus, Zelai, and Zenatrix, they were cast away to Voryndal.
Once it was decided, fairly or otherwise, that the Alor’eshan would have control of Qadal and the Ebal’eshan of Voryndal, the mandates went to dictate the nature of the olûndari creatures meant to occupy them. The established rules were scant, leaving manifold options for the Eshan to pursue. Foremost, the Alor’eshan were barred from creating life outside of Qadal and the Ebal’eshan from creating life outside Voryndal. However, those olûndi could travel freely once established in the world. The purpose of the law was to avoid warfare. Secondly, the olûndi the Eshan bred could not enjoy immortality- thus being olûndari. The lengths of olûndari lives depended on the Eshara imbued within them, being the life force from which all life is created. Those imbued with strong concentrations of Eshara, such as the Axokari or Etayen, were more powerful and lived longer lives. The price for their power was population, as the Eshan who created them could only manifest a finite concentration of that energy. Races who were imbued with less Eshara, such as the Daorhu and Aemar, were able to populate the world in greater numbers. This status quo existed because olûndari life is an extension of the Eshan themselves, just as the Eshan are an extension of Ácolitus. The greater the number of Eshan, the weaker Ácolitus becomes; the greater the number of olûndi, the weaker the Eshan became in turn. It is for that reason that the Eshan fail to feature prominently in the mundane affairs of olûndi, and why Atûn created Vojûn in -1500. Balance was created as a result, since the machinations of a single Eshan were limited by their personal power.
Ácolitus was wise, and as the negotiations continued between the Eshan and himself, certain stipulations were introduced to preclude disasterous conflict. The most significant was that Eshanic masters could create and reign over one living race alone. This measure was to prevent the powerful from becoming more poweful and lesser Eshan fading into complete irrelevance amidst a tide of olûndari bodies. A universal mistrust of the Alor’eshan was another factor, which was shared by all but that party. Limitations of this variety also meant that Eshan were required to ponder carefully on what race was crafted. A foolishingly designed or weak spawn would be destroyed without providing power nor influence. Ácolitus was confident that this would invest some inherent value into these beings, protecting them from undue and cruel abuses by the power-hungry Eshan. However, another race could be created in place of a race which is slaughter to the last member. This is an assurance that no Eshan is removed from celestial competition if their children are annihilated by more powerful, blood-thristy neighbors.
In creating these guidelines for how olûndari life may be created, there came the need to decide what would happen to the olûndari esseythu once the bodies perished. As before, this caused debate among the Eshan. Ácolitus chose to pursue his own course in that matter, rather than seeking the council of his rebellious children. He combined the power of the Eshan with his control of the Vussalas and made the heavens from them. The celestial bodies of the Eshan were manifested once they began to return to Vussalas, including Aebaster, Mesian, the Ezontach, and a number of the Ebal’eshan. The esseythu of olûndi would coalesce with their creators upon death, completing the cycle of life and death. Ácolitus became the gatekeeper between these esseythu and Vussalas using the celestial body of Kovûl to pass his judgement. His duty was to claim all those esseythu which were unclaimed, unaffiliated, or damned by their deities. These unfortunate esseythu would pass onto the celestial body of Éshabal and be rejoined with the infinite energy of the creator. From that arrangement of control Ácolitus has been known forever since as the broker death, a grim departure from a being that once only wished to create and maintain order.
Nearing the conclusion of the negotiations, Ácolitus perceived another potential threat- Eshan breaking from the confines of Esha to escape the Mandates entirely. Against this risk, the Creator devised another clever stipulation. No Eshan may create matter nor concentrate essence beyond the confines of Esha or their own spiritual manifestation in Vussalas. Separate planets were completely banned. Smaller physical bodies in Vussalas were banned. The creation of olûndari havens beyond Esha in any capacity, no matter how fantastical, was banned. This was paired with the stipulation against travel between Esha and Vussalas to completely hamper the ability of Esha to navigate and operate beyond the controlled boundaries of Ácolitus’ sight. It was clever. Those might might have seceded from this new regime after the controversial Mandates were left with nothing but to endure.
The final provisions of the Divine Mandates regarded the prevention of future conflicts between the Eshan and olûndi, and the between the Eshan themselves fought upon the olûndari realm. Ácolitus, having forced the Eshan to decide between life in Qadal and Voryndal or Vussalas, sought to limit direct contact between the Eshan and their creations. In doing this, he created a system that was akin to the feudal governments that would be created by olûndari races centuries later. Ácolitus reigned supreme over the Eshan and Void, and therefore could directly interact with them. Beneath him reigned the Eshan, who ruled over and interacted with the olûndari races of Qadal. The stipulation was that Ácolitus himself could not directly meddle with olûndi- slaying them, sapping strength from them, leading armies against them, or other breaches of security. The only exception to that rule fell within the secondary terms of the provision: the Eshan may not directly harm or engage with the olûndi of their siblings, though they could live physically amongst their own people. Ácolitus received the authority to imbue his power within olûndi to maintain balance in the form of Judges- olûndi who could execute his will without his direct intervention in Qadayen affairs. It may be best understood as follows: within a feudal system, the sovereign rules over greater lords and the greater lords over lesser lords. However, the soverign does not rule over the lesser lords directly, for that is the duty of the greater lords, yet the sovereign has the authority to intervene between them if laws are broken. In that manner, the peace of the Eshan and Void was created and maintained.
While the provisions of Kovûnkal might appear overbearing to the reader, there yet remained significant powers within the Eshan’s grasp. Foremost, their interactions with olûndi were only barred in terms of direct support or interference. They cannot fight alongside their chosen people against other Eshanic races, arm-in-arm and sword-by-sword. It is impossible for them to directly alter the physical terrain of the world in relation to olûndi, building up mountains between them, crafting rivers, or building for them cities of hewn timber and chipped stone. They could not use Eshanic power to murder olûndi either. These mandates are clear and unlikely violated save for outstanding circumstances. However, simple yet potent actions such as speech and the bestowing of power remained legal. Atûn capitalized on this status quo to his advantage after the First Feud. He remained in Qadal, separating himself from his Eshanic siblings, then established a home for himself in Etal where he could guide the Etayen with immunity. They came to his dwelling in Qasladur and spoke with him like a father does children. He told them everything olûndari minds might comprehend- matters of the First Feud, Ácolitus and creation, the two worlds separated by vast ocean, the multitude of Eshan, and everything otherwise. The Etayen became unrivaled in wisdom and the harbingers of Eshanic dominion and law in Qadal. Kovûnkal was violated in no manner, since all Eshan are capable of communicating with their followers, physically or spiritually. Atûn’s advantage was that physical conversation requires no Eshara and can become immensely thorough for that reason, not to mentions that Atûn could write tomes and scrolls of his own knowledge. In the same vein, the bestowing of power by Eshan in Qadal does not violate Kovûnkal, since that is a fundamental exchange between Eshan and olûndi and allowed by all regardless of status.
With the foundations of the Kovunkal understood, the question arises as to what methods hold the Eshan and Ácolitus accountable to the proto-feudal structure. It was necessary to establish some objective measure through which even the boldest offenders of the Mandates could not withstand. Indeed, the mere concept of a celestial ‘treaty’ would never halt the likes of Aebaster or Atûn in their machinations. They were cunning and resourceful. Ácolitus pondered this dilemma, and from his considerations devised the permanent solution to Eshanic chaos. He turned to Idorûn, who was a staunch ally of Atûn prior to the First Feud yet remained loyal to Ácolitus when the fighting began. The Creator illuminated to him that a pillar of Esha’s mother-rock was going to be raised with the fleeting vestiges of his unbridled power. Thereafter, the birth of Olûllosia would reduce the Eshan’s strength to mere fractions of its pre-Feuding state. The spire was to stand 1,000 strides tall, so that powers from across the world might be attrached to it. Ácolitus forged a core of concentrated Esheryne for energy storage. The mother-rock would shield this core, while the incredible power of this pillar would gradually carry Eshara to it. Ácolitus named the bastion Intorula, meaning Pillar Between Seas. Olûndi know it as Misladur, for Atûn described it in this way to the curious Etayen. Idorûn was tasked to be its defender and keeper. No force natural or Eshanic could assail it, nor could he allow the natural foundations of mother-rock to erode and destroy the pillar.
ALL CHILDREN SHALL BIND THEMSELVES IN POWER HERE FOR EVERLASTING PEACE NO CHILD SHALL PASS BETWEEN ESHA AND VOID, BUT BE BOUND THERE FOREVER NO CHILD SHALL CREATE WORLDS BEYOND THAT WHICH BLOOD ANNOINTED AS THE ONE, ESHA NO CHILD SHALL STRIKE THE CREATIONS SO CREATED BENEATH THEM NO CHILD SHALL MANIFEST POWER IN ESHA BEYOND THE VOICE AND GIFT ESHA SHALL BE DIVIDED, QADAL AND VORYNDAL, RULED BY ELDERS AND YOUTH INDEPENDENTLY ESHA SHALL BE RESTORED, AND WHAT DAMAGE WROUGHT RETURNED TO BEAUTY ALL CHILDREN WHO FIGHT MIGHT BE JUSTLY SLAIN
Excerpt of Kovûkal Carved upon Misladur Memories of Tellas - -8000
The stipulations of the Eshanic Mandate included means to halt the miserable cycle of feud and counter-feud which was so common during the days of the Void Struggles. This was one among the many duties of Idorun, whose new-born Tower of Misladur was meant to gather upon itself all the latent Nemesharic powers awash in Esha. When a time of great strife and suffering arose which lead to blows and death between Eshan, a “bounty” of Eshanic power might be collected from Idorun’s tower to wield against the offender, almost certainly guaranteeing their demise. This was a deterrent worse than mere disgrace or ostracization, but would feed into the existing Eshanic penchant to seek revenge and new death to avenge an unjust death. For this reason, left as an open note by Acolitus, the Eshan long withheld from murdering one another openly or by their hand, fearing that their rivals might then acquire the “bounty” of power from Idorun and seek violent justice. This system was perhaps the best designed by Acolitus, for it only now recognized the brutish nature of his children and how it might be contained.
The long-reaching effect of this act was not felt, but it was certainly a gamble. It would either deter Eshanic violence or perpetuate a miserable cycle of death. Question would be- who would be so brave to risk themselves? Who who slay another Eshan and hand their enemies the power to destroy them? The answer, without doubt, would be those with the allies to protect them. This dissuated rogue individual Eshan, save those who desired death for some reason, but nothing can be done to dissuade such self-ruin. Among those who might be protected, this means Eshanic dynasties, there would be tight government over who might attack and possibly slay another Eshan. It seemed unlikely to Acolitus that any wise governor of Eshan would allow such chaos.
“We are victorious. The terms are ours, but Acolitus was wise in allowing our fear to dominate our schemes. Open negotiations have been muddled with our desire to arrest ourselves, keeping to Vussalas or Esha and never touching close affairs in the world. Foolish! We have won the battle but locked ourselves away, and thus Acolitus can claim a true victory… rulers of a world but no longer dwellers in the world.”
Atun the Betrayer The Real War - -5040
As so alluded in the above note, there remained a concluding element which was not bound in powers but expected from all parties- restoration. This was the final great episode of the brief era of the Divine Mandates’ creation, wherein the Eshan shrouded their animosity to repair the hideous damage. Immense fissures of blood and stone were pulled together once more as olûndari wounds now healed. Powerful spires of terrible cruelty which were purposed for observation or battle were torn down and laid to ruins in the foundation rock. The shapes of the continents, islands, and oceans of Esha were finalized and beautified in this short time. It was only once this task was completed to Ácolitus’ satisfaction that Kovûnkal was swore into effect and the Eshan’s power forever limited in the world.
Now that the terms were decided between the Eshan and Ácolitus, the history of Qadal could manifest. However, theological questions remain. The most pressing that lingers after all these millennia is why Ácolitus allowed his rebellious children to claim victory and populate Qadal? His power is infinite, and once freed of olûndari form he could easily have wiped out all existence, or his insolent children for that matter. Two prevailing theories exist. The first is that Ácolitus decided against destruction, and in the way that olûndari parents come to peace with a child’s rough behavior, Ácolitus endured the transgressions of his own children. Therefore, olûndari life is known to history as the “creator’s gift”, in honor of the mercy shown by the all powerful Ácolitus. The second is that Ácolitus was too weak to call forth the power necessary to destroy the Eshan and Qadal. Among the adherents of this theory, the creator lost power for every entity created from his essence- the Eshan, the celestial bodies, and the olûndari world. Combined, these creations constituted more power than Ácolitus could destroy, at least without maiming himself in the process. Therefore, the “mercy” offered by Ácolitus was a pragmatic acquiescence to reality rather than compassionate amnesty. Regardless of belief, the Divine Mandates have remained intact since the First Feud, maintaining the status quo of existence so that olûndari civilization may survive and prosper.