The Debt of the Seas is a tale that has appeared among men who have braved voyages across the Great Sea. Those sailors who pass certain places while asleep say the story fills their dreams. There are many who claim that the tale is completely incorrect, though men of the Arts have wondered about its connection to Sol and the Litany of Doves.
Below is the rough approximation of the Debt of the Seas, and its meaning.
Whether this is a True Creation story, or a version of the Debt, the creatures of the Seas are different from those of the Land. Some claim they speak in the voices of Man, in forgotten tongues. Still others say they have Arts unseen on Land, and there are some sorcerers who return from voyages with strange tales and Taboos.
Below is the rough approximation of the Debt of the Seas, and its meaning.
Once the Great Water was limitless, and extended beyond all ken in every direction. Within these limits dwelt many creatures, each of their own.
There were beautiful tiny creatures of the White Sea which fluttered through water with grace and alacrity surrounding their Silver Lords. The Silvery Ones shined in many colors, and sang sweetest through the dusky waters. The High Sea was empty save its Lords, and when they were lonely they dove to be with others.
There were the creatures of the Emerald Sea, mottled and tough, swimming in slow languor, inscrutable and deep in thought. Upon their backs they bore great cities of folk, where they could rise and meet.
And in the center of these two places was the Blue Sea, the Living Sea, a place of congregation. Hundreds of creatures lived in its expanse, singing and playing, calling and dipping, diving and rising to bring others to live among them.
Then, one day the Seafires came. The Emerald Sea knew death; the Emerald Lords fed from their cities, taking the weakest within their beaked mouths. But it did not know fire. The Emerald Sea was engulfed in flame, flowing black waters that reached their tendrils into its girth, burning all it touched. The giant Lords of the Emerald rose to the Living Sea, bringing their cities with them, to beseech the Grey Lord of the Living Sea.
The White Sea burned, fiery bright waters filling it, scorching the beauty and damning those engulfed. The White Sea knew death; the Silver Lords ate their Host to survive, and the Host grew plentiful from the pruning. And so the Silver Lords and their Hosts, seeking amnesty, came to the Living Sea, to beseech the Grey Lord of the Living Sea.
The Grey Lord was massive, slow to anger. He was the only one of his kind, though he numbered the Black Ones as his peacekeepers. The Living Sea knew death; as the Grey Lord swam his mouth took in great swaths of life, and to live some must die. But the Seafire did take the old and the weak; the Seafire took all creatures, Lords and host, and burned all in its wake.
From the Black Ones came an emissary, the most beautiful of them. She had wandered among all Seas, taking in their stories, and collecting their lives. She offered a Choice to the Lords; to imprison the Seafire and change the Seas, destroying the Threefold Peace in the process.
The Emerald Lords listened and were divided. They shed their cities. Taken from their burden the Lords looked small, but still bore their shells. Some stayed near their old cities, while others descended to the depths, quiet and unwilling to decide. All abdicated the choice.
The Silver Lords listened and were divided. They released their hosts. Those who had grown fond of the hunt dulled, grew fierce and cunning, and became beasts of motion and blood. Others, wishing only to sing and chase their host, kept some of their glint to rise to the ceiling of the Living Sea, riding across it. All abdicated their choice.
The Grey Lord was left to make the choice. And he wished to imprison the Seafire. He made the choice, and sacrificed himself in the bargain. From his body came the Great Ones, who roam quiet and stern as their Father, in a hundred shades and sizes. When they saw their Lord sundered the Black Ones wept, and tore their black flesh from eye and belly to mourn.
The cities of the Emerald host fell, and upon crashing their vital lights dimmed. This place became the Night Sea, where the Living will not go. When they fell they encased the Fire Below, and the Seafire was trapped.
The White Sea gathered upon itself, and trapped the Fire Above. As the White Sea drained into the prison the Silver Lords separated once again, some taking to the new scorched places, to seek out a life Above.
And so the Black Ones, the Mourners, roam the seas protecting their Lord's children from harm.
And so the Silver Ones ride upon the waves of the Living Sea, never to rise to their old kingdoms, calling to their brothers above to play and hunt. When one of those Brothers dies he may come to be a Silver One.
And so the Emerald Ones turned black, and twisted by the heat. In the Black the Darkness Dwells, and when the Fire Below Rises there will be another Choice.
There were beautiful tiny creatures of the White Sea which fluttered through water with grace and alacrity surrounding their Silver Lords. The Silvery Ones shined in many colors, and sang sweetest through the dusky waters. The High Sea was empty save its Lords, and when they were lonely they dove to be with others.
There were the creatures of the Emerald Sea, mottled and tough, swimming in slow languor, inscrutable and deep in thought. Upon their backs they bore great cities of folk, where they could rise and meet.
And in the center of these two places was the Blue Sea, the Living Sea, a place of congregation. Hundreds of creatures lived in its expanse, singing and playing, calling and dipping, diving and rising to bring others to live among them.
Then, one day the Seafires came. The Emerald Sea knew death; the Emerald Lords fed from their cities, taking the weakest within their beaked mouths. But it did not know fire. The Emerald Sea was engulfed in flame, flowing black waters that reached their tendrils into its girth, burning all it touched. The giant Lords of the Emerald rose to the Living Sea, bringing their cities with them, to beseech the Grey Lord of the Living Sea.
The White Sea burned, fiery bright waters filling it, scorching the beauty and damning those engulfed. The White Sea knew death; the Silver Lords ate their Host to survive, and the Host grew plentiful from the pruning. And so the Silver Lords and their Hosts, seeking amnesty, came to the Living Sea, to beseech the Grey Lord of the Living Sea.
The Grey Lord was massive, slow to anger. He was the only one of his kind, though he numbered the Black Ones as his peacekeepers. The Living Sea knew death; as the Grey Lord swam his mouth took in great swaths of life, and to live some must die. But the Seafire did take the old and the weak; the Seafire took all creatures, Lords and host, and burned all in its wake.
From the Black Ones came an emissary, the most beautiful of them. She had wandered among all Seas, taking in their stories, and collecting their lives. She offered a Choice to the Lords; to imprison the Seafire and change the Seas, destroying the Threefold Peace in the process.
The Emerald Lords listened and were divided. They shed their cities. Taken from their burden the Lords looked small, but still bore their shells. Some stayed near their old cities, while others descended to the depths, quiet and unwilling to decide. All abdicated the choice.
The Silver Lords listened and were divided. They released their hosts. Those who had grown fond of the hunt dulled, grew fierce and cunning, and became beasts of motion and blood. Others, wishing only to sing and chase their host, kept some of their glint to rise to the ceiling of the Living Sea, riding across it. All abdicated their choice.
The Grey Lord was left to make the choice. And he wished to imprison the Seafire. He made the choice, and sacrificed himself in the bargain. From his body came the Great Ones, who roam quiet and stern as their Father, in a hundred shades and sizes. When they saw their Lord sundered the Black Ones wept, and tore their black flesh from eye and belly to mourn.
The cities of the Emerald host fell, and upon crashing their vital lights dimmed. This place became the Night Sea, where the Living will not go. When they fell they encased the Fire Below, and the Seafire was trapped.
The White Sea gathered upon itself, and trapped the Fire Above. As the White Sea drained into the prison the Silver Lords separated once again, some taking to the new scorched places, to seek out a life Above.
And so the Black Ones, the Mourners, roam the seas protecting their Lord's children from harm.
And so the Silver Ones ride upon the waves of the Living Sea, never to rise to their old kingdoms, calling to their brothers above to play and hunt. When one of those Brothers dies he may come to be a Silver One.
And so the Emerald Ones turned black, and twisted by the heat. In the Black the Darkness Dwells, and when the Fire Below Rises there will be another Choice.
Whether this is a True Creation story, or a version of the Debt, the creatures of the Seas are different from those of the Land. Some claim they speak in the voices of Man, in forgotten tongues. Still others say they have Arts unseen on Land, and there are some sorcerers who return from voyages with strange tales and Taboos.
