But, as I tread this most ancient and forlorn path through the thicket of the woods amidst the soft and rustling noises of the wind, memory after memory sweeps over me as waves wash by over a rock in the screaming tide. And I dream. I dream with open eyes, and it is times so long gone by that life and death in themselves seem just a word, softly spoken into the void of time.
For it was once upon a time, in a time when time was not, in a place that was not a place, that the many peoples of the Dhiudha inhabited Aardeanna, the world that was born into the void by an act of will and virility. There were many other beings at that time, the most powerful ones being the lords of the Naddred and the Uuatheach. Many legends exist about those, and many contradict each other. Many, though, tell of them as being descended from the races of the younger and the older Gods who laid down their seed into the bosom of the dragons, and thus the races of the Uuatheach and Naddred came to be. And it were the race of the Uuatheach the kin of the older Gods, who came from outside the universe, and the younger Gods, who were the descendants of the ONE on high, the piercing light on the pinprick´s point with the weight of the universe to itself. Higher than the Gods, however, were the NINE, who are the archcreators, answering to noone but to the ONE.
And of all the ancestors of mankind the Dhiudha were the closest kins. As Gods man has seen them since the birth of his race, but in that time Gods they were not... It was thence that the Dhiudha of all tribes lived in peace all over the face of Aardeanna, and their arts and their craftsmanship flourished to a degree that shunned the other races and brought some to even compare their skills to that of the dragon races of the Naddred and Uuatheach. Music and song were prospering as were the crafts of their artisans and sorcerers and singers and magicians. Alchemy and medicine they developed to a high degree and desease and even death they managed to hold at bay, if not conquer complete. Long they lived, and the spans of their lives grew longer with each aeon, and their souls and the force that drove their life grew ever stronger with age. And of all the Dhiudheann tribes two are mentioned in the elder scrolls of Feorh - Seonn - Ys the most, and those were the tribes of the Dhiudha Horoidw and the Dhiudha na nDhuodhai. This is the story of their division from the ancient people of Yore.
For it were in the ancient times that first some of the Dhiudha settled near the fortresses and strongholds of their masters and tutors, either the Naddred or Uuatheach, of both dragon tribes which were but few, and few was the number of their disciples. Thence a war raged all over Aardeanna and the other world, which thence was called in the tongue of the dragons YNH `ARIDIAAH and the myriads of planes, and peace was to be found but near the stronghold of the defiant dragon tribes. For the dragon tribes were begot by the Gods as warriors to fight in these wars, and defiant they are called by the scribes because they, in face of their brothers, laid down the cruel and fearsome weapons made by their masters and made peace with each other in spite of the warlords. And so great was their might and prowess, that the Gods, both the elder as well as the younger ones, were unable to punish and bane them for their deed. And war shunned their strongholds, and thus it came to be that the tribes of the Dhiudha, who were thence living in their domains, were called "Horoidw", which means "of the hero nativity" or "the high ones" in the ancient tongue of the Dhiudha. The people of wisdom, of all things green, of sorcery and magic were they, high and lean and fair. They cared for the trees and herbs, the animals and the crop, the rivers, wells and lakes, and rock and stone and gem. In the heart of the most ancient tree many of them lived. A giant amongst trees was she, for female she was, and far and wide spread her roots and the twigs and leaves and branches covered an entire landscape, mountain, hill and well, river, lake and towards the sea, where lay the strongholds of the Naddred and Uuatheach. Their doings and their way of living is recorded in the book Oreamm na nDhuodhai and shall not be subject to these dreams and musings.
Instead, I will now refer to how the Dhuodhai, as they were called later on, divided from the tribe of origin. For it was in that war that Bolg of the virile hammer, the skyforger, strove to end the war, as is recorded in the books Drah´Kal and Apulu Bolgai, and managed to forge the sword that shall one day smite the accursed one whose name is a bane of doom - Kah´Graah`VRTREACH is his name in the dragon´s tongue, but dragon he was not, but older, and ancestor to KAH`GRAAH`THIEE´AUMATH´YRMA`KAL, the serpent of chaos. And Bolg slew ARRUYOON´YRMATH`KAL, who offered to sacrifice herself in an act of will, as is recorded in the book of ARRUYOON. Thus she became the leyline force that tore the moon from the pregnant bodice of Aaardeanna, the Great, und immortal she thence became, and her power can still be felt in hill and water and the forces of virility. But Bolg was fooled and trapped by Vrtreach himself and held captive until the day of avenge, as is recorded in the books Apulu Bolgai and Oreamm na nDhuodhai. But while the skyforger was held captive in the treetop of a yew, there were events taking place that were of great importance.
For a new seed was sown on the plains of the South of Aardeanna, and under the new-born moon it grew, and grew, and ever stronger did it grow, and thus sprang to life the tribes of the Oreamm Fomoire, the people of rage and fury. Small and thickset were they in the most, of dark skin and with a flat head, a stubby nose and a heavy brow, with rapturous molar teeth and full of violence. The Dhiudha, however, regarded them as little more than animals, and saw them as little more than any saber tooth tiger. But, as time passed, they developed in a racing speed. Did they at first tear their carrion meals with bare hands and teeth, soon they started to hunt, and weapons they made from flint and bone and even the copper ore they found. Forth they spread and multiplied, and like flies they flooded mountain and plain with a speed that made some of the Dhiudha fear. But still most regarded them as no threat. But thence it happened that from unknown provenience they acquired magic and weapons of iron and steel, and since it was their very nature to claim with wild ferocity what they believed to be theirs by an act of violent will, they set their new and bloodthirsting weapons upon their foes. And as hammer on anvil they bore down on the villages and even cities of the Dhiudha, ravaging, looting and pillaging, and eating their foes with carnivorean relish. No borders nor limits did they know, and children, women, sage and poet, warrior and sorcerer alike fell prey to them to end as a meal to feed their everlasting hunger and lust. From the bodies of harps they made hafts for their clubs, with the entrails of artisans they stitched their raw garments, and they wore the skins of their enemies as a mantle to display their prowess. Cruel as they were, plague as they were, were they not answering to the God of grey, the maggot of doom, but an aspect of life, though, even if it was a violent one. But still the Dhiudha did not join their forces to smite them. Still they held out in their strongholds, and were just defending themselves. Thus it came a day, when their most ancient city, in the far east of the world, and which has borne many a name ever since was overrun. It was a rout, and the Oreamm roamed the burnt and ashen-coloured earth within the walls and ate the flesh of the inhabitants in a feast that made the streets run bloodied red.
How it came to be that the fury of the Dhiudha awoke, is recorded in the banished books of the silent people, and in the lost scrolls of the AI-uuigeann.fearh, which are preserved in the hallowed halls of AIS, which is, but yet is not. But the saying goes, that some of the survivors gathered in a valley high up under nameless mountains, under a starry sky, and in a mighty work of magic, they transformed themselves into something alien to the Dhiudha race, and the stone of avenge, the jewel of doom, was born amongst their ranks, and they became the dark tribe of the Dhiudha race, the Dhiudha na nDhuodhai.
Many tales there are, and many a song to be sung, and many a battle was fought. The stars come out over the woodland, where my weary foot seeks out a place to rest. The same stars were they that shone above that valley in the high mountainside far, far away in space and time. Who knows what dangers may lurk in the darkness? But art is mine and the power of speech, so I feel well guarded against the creatures of the dark. The cat owl cries above, and there, in the distance, there lie the waystones, ancient, and lichen-encrusted, and the ancient oak there stands where I will find the fire of the tales that will follow in the course of this night, and who knows how long it will be? The cat owl is still crying... she followed my path through the woods, along the strange ways of the forest. And ever so gently a conscience is pressing against mine. Animal I feel as well as white light, a flower of crystal embedded in the warm and golden embrace of living bodice, Oreamm and Dhiudha, dragon and God.
Songs of the forest I hear in the song of the owl and the vibrating light of this conscience. Is it a tale? Is it a dream?
The truth will show... the truth will be. And through the darkness I see the copper sheen of a low and flickering fire, dancing on those giant stones, lichen encrusted and engraved with spirals.
And thusly, the fifth page is opened.
