Eve of Snows: Sundering the Gods Book One

by L. James Rice

  Bontore oversees the Vainglorious’ Hell, and his constellation is the Bent Spear.

  JANUEL, Goddess of Love and War, embodies the protective aspects of Love and War; keeping your lover alive, protecting family, guarding the castle, etc. Also, if you pray for love in general with no one in particular in mind, you pray to Januel.

  Januel oversees the Lustful’s Hell, and her constellation is the Heart of Januel.

  ANZELOK, God of War and Love, is Januel’s twin and embodies aggression in both love and war (particularly war). If marching to war, or praying for a specific person to fall in love with you (seduction), you pray to Anzelok. Anzelok oversees the Raper’s Hell (seen as an abuse of “aggressive love”) and his constellation is the Northern Axe.

  PINTOLE, God of Storms, is the partner of Tulule. At first this love was frowned upon by Sol, but Elinwe convinced him to ease his restrictions and allow the love to flourish. The price for this love was for Sol to erase his constellation from the sky.

  Pintole oversees the Liar’s Hell, and is without a constellation. His symbol is a circle of lightning.

  MOMEMU, Goddess of the Harvest, is the first-born daughter of Tulule and Pintole. She is seen as an arbiter of fairness and sound judgement in the defense of the innocent.

  Momemu oversees the Hoarder’s Hell, and is without a constellation. Her symbol is a Shaft of Wheat.

  KOLDUN, God of the Slave Fields, is the first-born son of Tulule and Pintole. Koldun tends the Slave Fields, where the labor of the slaves assists mortal crops. Part of his duties is judging whether a soul has served long enough in the Slave Fields to pass into the heavens.

  Koldun is without a constellation, but his symbols are a sickle and chain.

  SELESEU, Goddess of the Hunt, is the second daughter of Tulule and Pintole. She is credited with keeping the nets filled with fish and the livestock healthy, along with wild game being plentiful for the hunt.

  Seleseu is overseer of the Malignant’s Hell, and during the God Wars earned the constellation known as the Bull Antlers.

  RETTINU, God of Wandering and Lost Souls, is the last known daughter of Sol and Elinwe. She is said to be of a kind heart for those who lost their way in sin, and those who unjustly fell into the hells.

  Rettinu is overseer of the Coward’s Hell, and is without a constellation. Her symbol is an eyeless face, but this can be inverted to eyes without a face.

  TEZLONU, God of the Slave Forges, is the last known son of Sol and Elinwe, and like Rettinu is known to have a kind heart, despite his position as overseer of the Slave Forges. Sol placed him in charge of the Forges because Tezlonu sought justice not revenge, and so only the worst souls are accepted into the Forges. But so too, do they rarely find their way to freedom.

  Tezlonu is overseer of the Slave Forges, and his symbol is a Hammer and Tongs.

  SEVEN HEAVENS AND TWELVE HELLS

  The heavens in the Silone religion are paradises earned by living well in some facet of life, but not necessarily all. In the course of a lifetime, a person might have earned a path to the Provider Heaven (as parent, merchant, ruler, etc.) but have failed in their faith to the gods in some way. Upon death and seeing the Road of Living Stars, there will be a path to The Provider, but also traps along the way which the soul may fall into, delivering them to a hell.

  This is always a possibility, and there is a sense of “chance” involved in crossing the Stars. A worthy soul may slip, and a questionable soul might struggle their way safely across. None who fully deserves the hells will ever cross without penance. The soul has two benefactors in its journey: the prayers of mortals they’ve left behind, and if they lived an inspired life, they may receive the favor of a god in order to assist their journey.

  A soul which falls into a hell is not lost, however. The hells are not seen as a final destination, they are places of punishment and enlightenment. With perseverance a soul may work its way from the hells and to the Slave Fields, and from there, they may find their way into the heavens.

  Heavens

  The Seven Heavens are depicted as palatial grounds with the Conqueror a fortress in the center. The Loved is a walled garden which surrounds the fortress. The remaining five heavens circle the walls, equally spaced, but the only entrance to the Loved is via the Faithful.

  The Conqueror: The highest heaven is an indomitable fortress reserved for the gods and their most deserving adherents. On ascending the stairs to the Sun Throne, a soul found worthy kisses two fingertips of Sol’s right hand, and he places them to his forehead. Forever more the soul is accepted as a Valiant of the Pantheon, destined to lead warriors to victory upon their return to the mortal realms.

  The Loved: This heaven is a lavish garden in stark contrast to the fortress of the Conqueror, filled with flowers eternally in bloom and trees bearing the sweetest fruit. Not all souls who reach the Loved will earn the kiss of the Sun Throne.

  The Faithful: The highest heaven an ordinary soul (not a priest) is likely to achieve on crossing the Road of the Living Stars. The Faithful is reserved for those who’ve proven their faith in the pantheon beyond an ordinary standard, through great sacrifice in the mortal and/or spiritual realms.

  The Provider, Serene, Wealthy, and Wise: These four heavens are seen as equals in most church canon, but various doctrines will make arguments for the superiority of one or the other. Souls residing in one may visit the others, and attempt to enter the Faithful, but if they aren’t found worthy, their stay is limited. A phrase such as, “You’re but a visitor to wisdom,” owes its origin to these heavens, and means that while you are wise, don’t over estimate yourself.

  Hells

  The Book of Leds details many of the sins which earn particular hells, but even this compendium is not considered exhaustive. In Leds every hell is accompanied by several tales of individuals who earned particular hells during the Age of God Wars.

  A hell’s name does not make them exclusive to a specific sin. Each bears a multitude of potential sins and variations, and a single sin may (and often does) make the soul vulnerable to more than one hell. What follows are simplistic descriptions of the hells, numbered as they are taught in Istinjoln. Each hell has layers, and the weight of sin adds density to the soul, taking it deeper.

  THE LIAR: A white lie won’t land you in torment, but broken vows, thievery, reneging on a contract, as well as dastardly untruths might.

  THE LUSTFUL: Souls who put love of the flesh before the love of the gods will find themselves paying for their pleasures here.

  THE COWARD: If a mortal finds themselves unwilling to risk wealth or life to serve the Pantheon, they might find themselves here.

  THE HEATHEN: Reserved for mortals who converted to the Pantheon of Sol in life, but who were unable to live to expectations, or whose soul already bore the weight of too many sins.

  THE VAINGLORIOUS: For those who set their own needs above those of the Pantheon.

  THE HOARDER: Mortals who hoard their wealth or knowledge from the Church, or actively use said assets against the Church fall here.

  THE MURDERER: On top of the obvious sin, people who protect people from the Church’s justice may also find themselves here.

  THE RAPIST: While rape is considered a vile sin, souls who abuse the Church’s influence or power for personal gain, or worse, to subvert the Canon, will suffer this hell for an extended time.

  THE SLAVER: The Doctrine of Sol dictates that only the gods have the wisdom to enforce slavery upon the deserving. Those who break this doctrine are punished here, among others.

  THE FALSE PROPHET: Reserved for those who preach or lead falsely in the name of the Church, unintentionally, or with intent.

  THE HERETIC: Souls who once prayed to the pantheon, but who turned to another religion may be found here.

  THE MALIGNANT: Souls weighed down by sins worthy of multiple hells find themselves here. So to might a soul cast out from another hell, the Malignant being their last chance for penance before the Slave Forges.


  Other

  The Slave Fields: Souls found unworthy of the heavens or hells tend crops here, as well as souls having earned their way out of the Twelve Hells.

  THE SLAVE FORGES: From here, there is no escape, earned or otherwise. The fortunate are doomed to pumping the bellows, powering the hammers, or other menial tasks, while belligerent unrepentant sinners are snared and used to fuel the fires. During the God Wars, sinners and true enemies of the gods were forged into weapons for the Maimers and Mercies.

  THE SEVEN CLANS

  The Great Forgetting left the Silone people in chaos, but compared to many other regions of the world, peace came quickly and with fewer lives lost. The clans are due much of the credit for this, because the memories of these tight-knit families were better remembered. Still, differences in recollections of leadership brought on more than two years of war, brother versus brother and clan versus clan.

  The leadership of the clans wasn’t settled until after the War of Seven Lies, but the seven original family names, if not all the members, survived.

  Choerkin

  In the Fourth Year of Remembered Time, Holkar Choerkin brought the clan to preeminence with the capture of Lord Priest Imrok Girn. Imrok’s capture and subsequent execution ended the War of Seven Lies while boosting Choerkin status, but there are additional reasons for the continued influence.

  Choerkin territory is more southern than all but the Emudar, which supports better growing seasons and gentler winters. Also, Choerkin Fost is a sheltered, deep harbor, which allows trade from the mainland of Northern Vandunez and other parts of the world. The third factor in their power is also a thorn in their side: Istinjoln Monastery. A disproportionate number of high and lord priests are trained here, and their loyalty to Istinjoln has spread across Kaludor.

  Broldun

  Broldun territory neighbors the Choerkin to the northeast, and these two clans have but rarely agreed on anything after Lord Priest Imrok was set ablaze. Their first falling out came over a dispute over ownership of Omindi Pass, which is one of the safest routes into the Treaty Lands. Several pitched battles were fought in the north over this territory (which also determined which clan would hold sway over Istinjoln, which at the time was being rebuilt). Despite losses, the Choerkin struck a decisive victory in 75 R.T. and the Broldun were forced to relinquish all claims in a treaty signed and witnessed by the heads of the seven clans.

  Through the generations, disagreements over trade and territory have been enflamed by the Brolduns’ cozying up to the Church. In 478 R.T. Triwan Broldun wedded High Priestess Levelu, a move which Fermiden Abbey (headed then by Lord Priestess Iulo) hoped would escalate their standing above Istinjoln in the eyes of other church leaders. Unfortunately for Fermiden’s plans, Ulrikt was already rising as a force in Istinjoln.

  The marriage’s first-born son (Dunkol) and daughter (Sheris) were both secretly trained in Fermiden, and when Iulo died under suspicious circumstances in 501 R.T., Dunkol was named lord priest.

  Emudar

  Headed by Lord Lidin Emudar, their lands are the southern most territory on Kaludor, and the most fertile. They are the most populous clan, and arguably the wealthiest, due their growing seasons, mining operations, and easy access to the Treaty Lands. Despite these advantages their influence has but rarely been on par with the Choerkin and Broldun. The clans north of the Ravinrin tend to see the Emudar as soft, an image the Broldun foster as the Emudar are tight allies of the Choerkin.

  Of the Seven Clans, Emudar boasts the finest trading vessels to pilot the seas. While the other clans venture no further than the Parapet Straits, Emudar captains have ventured down the mainland’s western coast, crossing the Po-Homox Sea into the Gulf of Volgrahar. These are dangerous waters thick with ships of several Tek nations, but it opened trading opportunities none of the other clans can take advantage of.

  Emudar territory shares only one border with another clan: Choerkin. These two clans fought by each others’ sides in the War of Seven Lies often, and it forged a political bond between the two which has stayed strong for five centuries.

  Ravinrin

  Headed by Lady Tedeu, Clan Ravinrin rounds out the big four in clan politics. Tedeu is married to Findus Uolar (her second marriage, her first husband, Lanklin, died at sea) who is third cousin to Lovar Choerkin. This second marriage put strains on the relationship between the Broldun and Ravinrin, but Lady Tedeu is not a woman to fuss around with playing nice to appease folks she doesn’t care for in the first place. And despite the relationship, she doesn’t play favorites with the Choerkin either. Practicality is a Ravinrin strength, so their relations with the Broldun remain solid.

  The wealth of the Ravinrin comes from the silver trade, but a substantial prestige is also found in their foundries, which produce high quality steel, and their smiths, who produce the finest arms and armor on Kaludor. The secret is a rare mineral which comes from a single mine in their territory.

  Mulharth

  Lord Borun rules the Mulharth as a staunch ally of the Broldun, his great-great-grandmother being Suemu Broldun, while maintaining a good relationship with the Ravinrin as well as the two more northerly clans. Culturally, the Mulharth-Ravinrin border draws the line between the northern and southern clans, with northerners seeing the southerners as “soft” and the southerners seeing the northerners as “crude”. Animal and other forms of sacrifice are far more common in the north, and the Mulharth family personally holds a ritual sacrifice of goats and captured elk every season.

  Their territory is cold and sparse, but strong trade with the Broldun as well as a couple Tek nations on the mainland of Northern Vandunez, keep them well-supplied even during poor growing seasons. They have ample mines in the mountains, but weather and Colok hamper their productivity.

  Bulubar

  Lord Gorum leads this clan, but as he spends much of his winters fighting Colok in the mountains, and Tek raiders on the coast in the summer, his wife, Heshiu, is known as the political leader of the clan. She is a cunning woman who stays neutral in most clan politics in order to keep her people fed during brutal winters. The Bulubar also have more trade and cultural contacts with the Edan and Trelelunin, as adventurous explorers who brave the Treaty Lands can make fortunes by selling artifacts to the woodkin.

  Most of this clans population is coastal, with settlements becoming sparse the more inland one travels. They are a fisher folks, who live off stores of whale and seal meat for much of the year, while inlanders rely upon mountain goats and elk for sustenance.

  Tuvrikt

  Lady Lansdir leads this clan, and she has formed a tight relationship with the Broldun over the years, having married Yosif Broldun. The marriage alliance was formed in 485 R.T. due to a particularly brutal winter which threatened to decimate the Tuvrikt people. The Broldun stepped in with ships filled with supplies as part of a secret arrangement between the ailing Lord Tarm Tuvrikt and Lord Triwan Broldun, promising the lady’s hand to Yosif. The deal forged a strong bond, for as luck would have it, Lansdir and Yosif turned out to be a fine match.

  The clan’s meager population hugs tight to the coast, relying on the sea and trade to fill their larders most years. The people are hard as stone, and dangerous in a fight, but tend to be strong individualists who don’t take orders well.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Having lived in his own world for many years, L. James Rice decided he might as well share that world with folks otherwise trapped in reality, and got serious about writing. He has made enough wine to no longer enjoy wine. He has not eaten enough steak or pizza to no longer enjoy steak or pizza, but is working on it. “Challenges are good,” he maintains.

  Having managed to graduate high school only rarely turning in homework, he moved on to a university to find it even more forgiving of lax study skills. He celebrated with copious amounts of beer. With scant few memories of either educational facility or anything they reputedly taught him, he refuses to confirm or deny their usefulness. Probably because he is wishy-
washy, but I'm not sure of that. 98% sure... or maybe only 50%. Hell if I know.

  Born and raised in the midwest, US of A, L. James Rice has a lovely wife and two beautiful daughters, the names and birthdays of whom he remembers most of the time. Plus, two dogs, an unknown number of chickens (always in flux with predators and other natural causes), and a gosling he assumes will someday be a goose who lays non-golden eggs... stupid goose anyhow.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Praise for Eve of Snows

  Dedication

  Map: Choerkin and Surrounding Territory

  Contents

  A Forgotten Voice

  1. Bones for Songs

  2. The Lonely Scar

  3. Unseasonable Snows

  4. Third Son of the Second Son

  5. Guests in Darkness

  6. Hallowed Bones

  7. Dead Man’s Message

  8. Frozen Repose

  9. Faces

  10. Afloat in an Ephemeral Sea

  11. Lesser Evils

  12. Caution in the Ten Winds

  13. The Baroque Pearl

  14. The Bloody Scholar

  15. Archival Con

  16. Lesser Theologians

  17. Sling Swing Wasting Whiskey

  18. Smoke and Honey

  19. Diamond and Shadow

  20. Blood in the Briar

  21. Chasing Choerkin

  22. Gift of Words

  23. Digging Deeper

  24. Failing Visions

  25. Holy Mole

  26. Nearing the Son

  27. Rider’s return

  28. Fortress Over Maze

  29. Breaking Bones

  30. Written in Glory

  31. Scat and Blood

  32. Snow’s Eye

  33. Ambush Choke

  34. Beaten to the Kill

  35. Barred from the Stars

  36. Eve of Snows

  37. Running Wolves

  38. Ageless Catacombs of a Past Age