The Great Sheep of Elwynn

[Leo Fenrir]

From the desk of Leo Dine,

Having heard great and wonderful things about Shireroth's Bo0o/\/\ist temple I decided to take trip down to Shirekeep. The landscape changed from the ice and snows of the north, to the tall forests and cities of the south. The great city of Shirekeep appeared on the horizon growing until the Baron was surrounded by houses and the greatest structures of the city.

Having gotten there though I found myself completely lost. It was an embarrassing situation if any, a baron of Shireroth getting lost in the capital city. I had also forgotten my map back in Wintergleam. Luckily enough though I spotted the figure of Andrew Allot walking through the crowd and was able to called out to him.

"Allot my good friend! What brings you too Shirekeep?"
"Leo! Good to see you finally visiting the capital. As for me, well ever since the Goddess of Elwynn chose me she's been calling me down here a lot. She doesn't have very many 'Chosen Ones' to talk to you see. What brings you here though?"

I explained his situation to him and he kindly offered to show me to the temple. The sound of exploding materials announced that we were getting close to the temple proper. We parted ways and I made his way to the main hall where he could offer homage. The hall was everything I had imagined and more. I found the statue of the Goddess of Elwynn and knelt before it.

I'm still not sure how to describe the moment, but to put it into words, the world seemed to fade without ever disappearing. Everything just seemed to become less real. At first I was worried that Andreas was playing some trick on me but the appearance of a sheep beside the statue banished that thought. It was the biggest, fluffiest, whitest sheep there ever had been, and I knew at once I was in the presence of a god.

"Leo Dine, you have come here today on my behest," I was going to protest that I had come to try the world famous ice-cream but thought better of it. It was never good to make anger the deities. "The sheep have gone for far too long without a leader in Elwynn and sister-in-law here (he pointed at the statue) has been taking all the glory these days. You have done well to begin amassing the sheep to you and you must continue. But from this day forth you must begin to spread the word of the Sheep. Let all hear your voice as you speak of the glory of sheep to all of Shireroth. This is my task for you"

With this the sheep disappeared in an explosion (of quite startling beauty) of white fluff. The first though in my mind I will admit was "Oh my god.... A talking sheep."

[Allot]

Who did the Great Sheep marry in Elwynn's family?

[Leo Fenrir]

From the ancient texts of the followers of the Elwynn Goddess,

A lo the great Goddess of Elwynn did attend the picnic that was to be a family reunion of the gods. The sky was beautiful and all the world did smile as she arrived. No sooner had she had she arrived then did a divine Frisbee of unfathomable awesomeness did collide with the back of her head. The string of rude words that left her mouth would have burnt mortals to a crisp had they head them. But lo her brother stuck his divine tong at our Goddess, may she forever be illuminated, and ran away.

The Goddess did then make the acquaintance of her brother's bride to be. Sitting on the picnic blanket, that would have made a human weep to see its divine beauty, was a female polar bear of the most divine awesomeness. Three other gods were present as well, a sheep, a cow (that was seemingly made of Butter), and a Lion. And the Goddess did welcome them and did entreat them to call her sister.

And lo from that day fourth the families of the Goddess and the divine Heard were joined in matrimony.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Trust me - the time Elwynn and her brother were present at a reunion of the gods was much, much, MUCH, MUCH worse than this.

[Leo Fenrir]

You'll have to excuse me Scott. I was just reading the extract that I believed was relevant to Allot's question. Where are the rest of the events at that picnic recorded?

[Allot]

I think Scott's referring to the first time Elwynn and her evil twin brother Lest both went to the same party on Dunnmanifestin...er... I mean...wherever the gods live :P. Lots of people died, and Lest made a really cheesy speech that didn't really scan.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Woe unto him who asks the question! Woe unto him who would answer it! Woe unto those who would hear the answer!

Alas, it was at the Presentation of Elwynn before the gods that Laguna, the Mother of All was blinded; that Utas, the God of Light, was slain; that mankind, who once dwelt untainted and peaceful in the towers of Heaven, were banished earthward and doomed to mortality; that the world itself came a hairbreadth from destruction. For it is written:

In Ennabruk, the towered town on high
The gods were waiting for the chance to see
Fair Elwynn, who had promised to arrive
And meet with her extended family
Laguna, Aeon, and the Irdian gods
Received her in a many-pillared hall
And in the midst was Paragon's crystal throne
Where sat the Empress, looking over all
Each pillar of the clearest quartz was hewn
And clearest glass were every wall and door
The sky, with stars by night and clouds by day
Reflected in the mirror upon the floor
Lofty above the Earth the chamber stood
So those who dwelt their might their works behold
Their backs unto this vista were the thrones
Of all the gods; inlaid with pearl and gold

Now Utas entered, through the Western door
And little Elwynn hung upon his hand
Her dress of silver filament was sewn
Her hair was knotted with a silver band
And even Leaigh, molder of the moon
Bowed in admittance of superior art
And all the Irdia wondered and amazed
Yea, e'en Ulcharam, with his icy heart
But from the Eastern door, old Ilass came
And by her hand the awful Lest she led
Into the mighty Chamber of the Gods
He barely looked, and sneering, turned and said:

I am the Chosen, the Child of Fate
I am here your dominion to end
With Fire, with Darkness, with Anger and Hate
Your Thrones and your Chamber to rend
I am the Nightfall, and I will prevail
As surely as Dusk follows Day
Surrender! Your might is predestined to fail
If you use it to force me away!

Then Ilass shot a line of Whirling Fire
Into the center, at the Crystal Throne
Like Meteors from Perseus it struck
The rock began to vibrate and to moan
The gods their danger then at last beheld
And mighty fireballs from their fingers blazed
But though they melted Roof and Thrones and Floor
There Lest and Ilass stood, unharmed, unfazed

Utas a silver javelin threw
And right around the world it flew
And from the back, at lightning speed
It struck Lest's leg - he paid no heed.
Aeon, though far advanced in years
In his two hands picked up two spears
And threw them at his rivals two
They picked up speed, their path was true
Transformed to comets in the air
They missed Lest's head (but singed his hair)
Then Ilass summoned from the deep
Where many ancient creatures sleep
A serpent - when its head it reared
Its crest the cloudy covering cleared
And unto Ennabruk reached in rage
But with a strength belying age
Aeon a mighty axe updrew
And there the awful dragon slew
Now, from all corners of the sky
A cloud of bats was seen to fly
And turned to black its azure blue
To Ennabruk with rage they flew
But Utas, with his strength restored
A mighty drove of hawks conjured
I need not tell of every ploy
Tried by the gods, and little boy
Suffice to say that sea and air
And earth and fire all were there
And all in awful war employed
Until the world was near destroyed
The world all scorched, and neither side
Had conquered all, or turned the tide
When through a cloud of fire and dust and light
Both Good and Evil caught each other's sight

And there, by their doom and their future compelled
Through the light and the dust and the fire
Both Elwynn and Lest one another beheld
And their hearts were consumed with desire
And forsaking the battle, they turned and they ran
To the center to meet find another
Thus the world would have ended before it began
Had the two not been stopped by their brother

For Utas, through the fire and light and dust
The frantic meeting of the two espied
Remembering the prophecy at last
He flames and monsters and his death defied
Into the midst of all the war he ran
Snatched Elwynn, just ere Lest could do the same
He tried to flee, but tripped upon the Throne
And fell upon the crystal, hurt and lame
Elwynn escaped, but Aeon, just in time
Grabbed her, and spirited to far away
The land of Calaspir, his ancient home
Another plane, which this one underlay
Then Lest was struck with rage; his eyes of fire
Turned unto where the fallen Utas lay
But good Laguna, Mother of Us All
Ran in between, and blocked the child's way
But Lest was burning with an inner flame
He raised his hand, and thrusting at the sky
He lightning called; the Whirling Fire came
And struck the Mother Goddess in the eye
Her eye burst into flame. Then, driven mad
By grief and shock, but most of all by pain
She blindly ran at Lest-the little god
Just stepped aside, and viewed her with disdain
"Seek Calaspir!" cried Utas. "Mother, fly!
You cannot fight! Get to another plane!
My death will buy you time! Escape! Go! Fly!
My death must come! Let it not be in vain!"
And through the haze of shock and grief and pain
Some remnant of Laguna's mind took heed
And in a flash, she left our Time and Space
And fled to Aeon in her dire need
Now only Lest and Utas there remained
The others having died, or flown, or fled
Lest viewed his fallen rival with a smile
Raised high his sword, but paused a while, and said:

O Utas! My brother! You fight very well
But all of your fighting is vain
No courage, no valor, no power, no spell
No flight to an alternate plane
Can ever turn back the ineffable tide
Toward Entropy, Chaos, and Hate
You fight well, but you'll lose, for you're on the wrong side
Thus I say, and I quote out of Fate

But Utas, staring in the face of Death
Responded ere he gave his final breath

"O Child! O Dark One! O Ennabruk's Bane!
All this that you tell me is true
But the stars still revolve, and the sun comes again
And the morning arrives with the dew
And while one drop of beauty is left on the Earth
And ere Fate's final chapter is done
I will fight ever on, and, whatever its worth
In the fighting, my battle is won"

And a light, like to fire, within his eyes gleamed
And he spoke - no- he sang - to his foe
"In the things of the World there are Powers Undreamed"
And his eyes, and his crown, seemed to glow
"The World is a Story, and Stories have Ends"
He continued to say and to sing
"But as art, it endures, and its beauty, transcends
Chaos, Hate, Evil, Time......Everything"

"First came the sea on the shore of the world
Then came the Mother of All
Then Mandorallen, with standard unfurled
Then Ilass, who fell in the Fall
Last came the Orchids that sealed the world's fate
Long ere the first isle e'er rose
That seal the Great Book when they touch and they mate
And bring all of our tales to a close"

Then, like a falling meteor strikes the plain
Lest threw his sword into his fallen foe
But lo! As the blade touched, he disappeared
And where he lies or dwelleth, none can tell.

But these words are nonsense outside their proper context. Perhaps it is time that the ancient Orchid Lore be resurrected upon Micras.

EDIT: AND IT SCANS JUST FINE!

[Allot]

I just didn't want to tell you that you were brilliant. I think it may be getting to your head.

[Andreas the Wise]

Ah, the Orchid Lore ... I should read the other books some time ...