dacoutts
Lord of Altera
Right! So, this is my first attempt at writing up a myth for Altera.
Here goes!
-Names and origin
- The Myth
-Poems and Songs
-Artworks
-Other
-Integrating the myth into your roleplay
+==Names and Origin==+
The most common title people would put to this tale is "The Black Moon's Light," however there are many other variations.
- "Zi'liss" pronounced Zee - liss comes from the Moor Elf word Zi'ma, which translates to "shiny." This name is usually given to the beast, but many would also use it as the name of the myth itself. Quite similar to how we use "Medusa."
The name's meaning was lost to us a long time ago, along with the knowledge of it's Moor Elf origin.
- "Water's Eye" is another, less commonly used title. It refers, once again, to the myth's beast and the way in which it hunts.
+==The Myth==+
There are many different ways of telling this tale, many people know of the basic storyline which goes as follows:
-A blind sailer boy named Tainae [ Tai-nay ] is shunned by his father who favours his older son. Tainae is only young, around eleven years old, when he overhears a mother telling her child a story about a terrible creature who lurks in the waters.
"Some say it's only the size of a small shark, while other claim it's larger than a house! On a black night, with no moon, a drunken man might be wandering along the shore. He would look out to sea and spot a strange light, a beautiful light. He wouldn't be able to look away. He would be so utterly captivated by it that he wouldn't even notice it growing closer and closer, until it would be only a few meters away, then it would rise slowly out of the water, until it revealed it's true form.
And what an incredible thing it would be, completely covered in iridescent plumes - yes, plumes - that caught the light magnificently. The man, by now, would be struggling to pull his eyes away as the creature rose from the waters, it's bright decoy hanging above it's head..
And then FLASH! It flares the light to a blinding level, swamping the man in a white light.
His screams would be heard from all around as the creature steals his eyes and all he has done in his life. Feasting on the everything the man has seen. Leaving behind an empty shell that would, with no doubt, eventually drown in the sea. You see my dear, it was blind. It wanted to see. It would then sink back into the black waters, awaiting another moonless night."
After hearing the tale, Tainae feels sorry for the beast, as he is also eyeless, and sets himself a mission to find it and try to speak with it.
On a night that was supposedly moonless, the boy went out onto the beach and waited for hours. He was shocked when he heard screams coming from the other side of the docks, and ran as fast as he could, stumbling blindly, as those screams were ones he recognised.
They were his brother's.
As the noise grew closer, Tainae furiously drew his small gutting knife, tears streaming down his face as his brother's dwindling pleas ended, and he lurched forward, aimlessly sinking his knife into the creature's body. Over and over. Until he could feel its warm blood wash over his toes.
In the morning when the townsfolk were brave enough to go outside, they find a small blind boy soaked in blood, alone on the beach. When he tells them of what happened they don't believe him as his brother's body and the creature's are both gone. The town begins to believe that Tainae murdered his brother from jealousy, as does his father, and he is executed the next week.
---
There are many longer and shorter versions of the myth, this is simply the storyline.
+==Poems, Songs and Plays==+
-A fairly common poem
"On a moonless night,
there is a light
Waiting, hating, what is right?
It draws you in
Such a beautiful sight,
And drains your mind
Without a fight."
-Many songs have also been written, they mostly range from uplifting to terribly sad as they tell the tale of the Sailer's boy.
-The myth is also a popular play between adults -and- children, often using vibrant colours for the costume of the Zi'liss which are a marvel to see!
+==Artworks==+
-The myth is often featured in tapestries and paintings. Since no one really knows what the creature looks like it is an artist's heaven! The most common portrayal of the Zi'liss is an angler fish look-alike, only a bit more elongated like a serpent.
( this is however is probably a false speculation as the creature most likely didn't/doesn't have huge fangs as it's never told to have eaten it's victim + it uses it's decoy to hunt. Artists simply compare it to an angler because of the "light" and therefore give the creature angler like features. In most artworks of the Zi'liss you would find it to them, unless the artist was a practical person. )
+==Other==+
-The myth is also often used as a warning for children to not stray too far when it's dark.
"Don't look out to sea on a black moon!"
-There are a few sayings that are said, usually half-heartedly between adults such as this one:
"Don't be blind to beauty," which basically means don't always trust beautiful things.
+==Integrating the myth into your roleplay==+
- Your character might be a very superstitious fellow who believes in the Zi'liss.
-Your character could be very bold and claim to have slain the beast.
-You might tell the story to someone.
-Come up with a song and sing it! The same for plays and poems.
-Your character might be a child who's favourite story is this myth!
There are many different ways to use this tale, try to come up with some! I might write more of these if it's a good idea, feedback would be lovely everyone
Here goes!
-Names and origin
- The Myth
-Poems and Songs
-Artworks
-Other
-Integrating the myth into your roleplay
+==Names and Origin==+
The most common title people would put to this tale is "The Black Moon's Light," however there are many other variations.
- "Zi'liss" pronounced Zee - liss comes from the Moor Elf word Zi'ma, which translates to "shiny." This name is usually given to the beast, but many would also use it as the name of the myth itself. Quite similar to how we use "Medusa."
The name's meaning was lost to us a long time ago, along with the knowledge of it's Moor Elf origin.
- "Water's Eye" is another, less commonly used title. It refers, once again, to the myth's beast and the way in which it hunts.
+==The Myth==+
There are many different ways of telling this tale, many people know of the basic storyline which goes as follows:
-A blind sailer boy named Tainae [ Tai-nay ] is shunned by his father who favours his older son. Tainae is only young, around eleven years old, when he overhears a mother telling her child a story about a terrible creature who lurks in the waters.
"Some say it's only the size of a small shark, while other claim it's larger than a house! On a black night, with no moon, a drunken man might be wandering along the shore. He would look out to sea and spot a strange light, a beautiful light. He wouldn't be able to look away. He would be so utterly captivated by it that he wouldn't even notice it growing closer and closer, until it would be only a few meters away, then it would rise slowly out of the water, until it revealed it's true form.
And what an incredible thing it would be, completely covered in iridescent plumes - yes, plumes - that caught the light magnificently. The man, by now, would be struggling to pull his eyes away as the creature rose from the waters, it's bright decoy hanging above it's head..
And then FLASH! It flares the light to a blinding level, swamping the man in a white light.
His screams would be heard from all around as the creature steals his eyes and all he has done in his life. Feasting on the everything the man has seen. Leaving behind an empty shell that would, with no doubt, eventually drown in the sea. You see my dear, it was blind. It wanted to see. It would then sink back into the black waters, awaiting another moonless night."
After hearing the tale, Tainae feels sorry for the beast, as he is also eyeless, and sets himself a mission to find it and try to speak with it.
On a night that was supposedly moonless, the boy went out onto the beach and waited for hours. He was shocked when he heard screams coming from the other side of the docks, and ran as fast as he could, stumbling blindly, as those screams were ones he recognised.
They were his brother's.
As the noise grew closer, Tainae furiously drew his small gutting knife, tears streaming down his face as his brother's dwindling pleas ended, and he lurched forward, aimlessly sinking his knife into the creature's body. Over and over. Until he could feel its warm blood wash over his toes.
In the morning when the townsfolk were brave enough to go outside, they find a small blind boy soaked in blood, alone on the beach. When he tells them of what happened they don't believe him as his brother's body and the creature's are both gone. The town begins to believe that Tainae murdered his brother from jealousy, as does his father, and he is executed the next week.
---
There are many longer and shorter versions of the myth, this is simply the storyline.
+==Poems, Songs and Plays==+
-A fairly common poem
"On a moonless night,
there is a light
Waiting, hating, what is right?
It draws you in
Such a beautiful sight,
And drains your mind
Without a fight."
-Many songs have also been written, they mostly range from uplifting to terribly sad as they tell the tale of the Sailer's boy.
-The myth is also a popular play between adults -and- children, often using vibrant colours for the costume of the Zi'liss which are a marvel to see!
+==Artworks==+
-The myth is often featured in tapestries and paintings. Since no one really knows what the creature looks like it is an artist's heaven! The most common portrayal of the Zi'liss is an angler fish look-alike, only a bit more elongated like a serpent.
( this is however is probably a false speculation as the creature most likely didn't/doesn't have huge fangs as it's never told to have eaten it's victim + it uses it's decoy to hunt. Artists simply compare it to an angler because of the "light" and therefore give the creature angler like features. In most artworks of the Zi'liss you would find it to them, unless the artist was a practical person. )
+==Other==+
-The myth is also often used as a warning for children to not stray too far when it's dark.
"Don't look out to sea on a black moon!"
-There are a few sayings that are said, usually half-heartedly between adults such as this one:
"Don't be blind to beauty," which basically means don't always trust beautiful things.
+==Integrating the myth into your roleplay==+
- Your character might be a very superstitious fellow who believes in the Zi'liss.
-Your character could be very bold and claim to have slain the beast.
-You might tell the story to someone.
-Come up with a song and sing it! The same for plays and poems.
-Your character might be a child who's favourite story is this myth!
There are many different ways to use this tale, try to come up with some! I might write more of these if it's a good idea, feedback would be lovely everyone
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