Lumnis Symbol Art by Lady Everglynn Brandiwine

Legends of Lumnis

    The Gift of Fire

As told by Lady Iscikella Zinnonn

In the days right before the passing of the power of the Drakes, Koar -- the chosen of his kind to keep reign over the servants of his race, the Arkati, -- summoned these to him. He looked upon them each one and, assessing their abilities with the full authority of his own kind, assigned them certain areas of control. To Lumnis, who he had come to love as no other, he gave a special place at his side and, fully aware of her enormous understanding of the world at large, reign over the Five Spheres of Knowledge. But he also knew the mental facilities of Fash'lo'nae and, therefore, allowed him as well sway over the wisdom of the ages, though not control over the Five Spheres of Knowledge themselves.

It was Koar's intent that in this manner all the discernment and erudition of the world be shared between the two. But it became apparent almost immediately that Lumnis' interest lay more in astuteness and cognition, how bits of knowledge fitted together and how they could be successfully used to most benefit, and Fash'lo'nae's interest lay more in lore and scholarship, learning for learning's own sake. For this reason did Lumnis come to call Fash'lo'nae "Old Scholar" and Fash'lo'nae come to call Lumnis "Prudent One".

Now it also came to pass at this time that Koar took an interest in a certain nomadic tribe of Giantmen. These giants' zest for life brought a smile to the face of great Koar, for all such zest was sadly being sapped from his own kind during their struggle to maintain the balance of the world. He loved to watch in secret as these stress-unencumbered giants hunted and feasted, bonded and gave birth, laughed and enjoyed all the benefits of the physical world.

Yet the tribesmen lived in the colder climes of Elanthia, near the glacier which once covered much of the lands. And at times their survival in the brutal conditions was very difficult and seemed much at risk. Lumnis, ever prudent, provided animals with skins warm enough to protect them from the weather's harshness, and Koar watched in bemusement as the nomads learned the skill of skinning, with a trick here and there provided in secret by the Lady herself in disguise. Yet Fash'lo'nae looked upon the tribesmen and spoke out, saying: "Prudent One, let us give these hearty giants the gift of fire so that they may survive in some degree of comfort." To this suggestion Lumnis shook her head. "They are yet too much children, Old Scholar. Fire will confound them and they will do themselves more harm than good." And Koar, knowing the full extent of Lumnis' understanding of all things in the world, agreed with the woman he had taken to him, though many of his own race questioned him on this.

So Fash'lo'nae shrugged and returned to his studies.

About this time too, were the ranks of the Arkati beginning to fragment. For some of these beings saw Koar and his kind as too tired and weary of life to continue as rulers over all. They saw the time of the Drakes as all but done. First among these was Eorgina, who saw herself as the greatest power among the Arkati. Koar had given her sway over Darkness, Domination and Tyranny. And she saw no area of control as more potent than her own.

As Lumnis continued to sit at Koar's side, however, jealousy mounted in Eorgina's heart. And she looked to topple not only this Drake who held sway over the Arkati, but his chosen lady, from their supreme positions. To this end did Eorgina approach each of the Arkati separately, finding some in agreement with her and some not. Fash'lo'nae, when approached by her on this score however, merely gave his characteristic shrug in response.

Such matters did not concern him and he returned to his studies.

A particularly severe winter came upon Elanthia and with it the threat of extinction for Koar's affectionately-viewed tribe of Giantmen. Lumnis doubled and then tripled her efforts to keep the nomads supplied with adequate skins. As one or another of the tribesmen fell victim to the deep freeze raking the lands, she watched in concern as another wrinkle was added to Koar's brow or another sad line deepened about his mouth.

Seeing the melancholy of great Koar and the empathy of the lady he knew the Drake would have as wife if such were permitted him by others of his kind, Fash'lo'nae again approached Lumnis about giving the tribesman the gift of fire. "Prudent One, they shiver and die from the cold. Let me provide them an easier means to warm themselves," he requested of her. "Old Scholar, I would I could say: Aye, do it. But I cannot. They have not yet the reasoning necessary to properly control such a gift."

Fash'lo'nae shrugged, but did not return to his studies.

Instead he went in disguise amongst the tribesmen. He had decided he would give them the gift of fire, whether Lumnis agreed with the plan or not. He did it partly to take some measure of disconsolateness away from Koar, but also the idea of giving these innocents such a huge innovation intrigued the curious seeker of knowledge in him. Fash'lo'nae wondered if the Prudent One was correct in her assumption. Did they indeed lack the reasoning to properly control such a gift? And, if they did, how would they handle that gift? These questions ran rampant through his ever-questing mind and the scholar in him had to know the answers.

He entered into the nomads' midst as an old man of their own kind. "It is cold, is it not?" he casually inquired of one and all. Receiving in response many emphatic nods of heads, he further asked: "Would ye know a way to better warm yerselves?"

"Is there a creature with skin thicker in fur ye would show us where to hunt?" asked one of the tribesmen. Fash'lo'nae shook his head. "I speak of something much better than a thicker fur against the ravages of cold." Glancing askance at the old man, another tribesman asked: "What could be better protection against the cold than a good, thick fur?" Smiling, Fash'lo'nae brought forth two dry sticks and, rubbing them quickly together, brought them to spark and then to open flame. "Feel the warmth," he prompted the shivering giants. Leaning toward the burning sticks left blazing upon the ground and feeling the heat emanating from them, the giants began to howl in sheer delight.

Pleased with his mission, Fash'lo'nae left them as unnoticed as he had come amongst them.

But the giants understood nothing of fire. And they reasoned, if on the ground this strange glow warmed them so much, upon their thick furs it would warm them even more. So they squatted near the burning sticks and let the flames catch the hides they wore. Quickly the furs went from smothering to blazing, and just as quickly the tribesmen's howls of delight turned into screams of agony.

Having no notion how to put out the blazing hides, they leapt about wildly, feeding the flames into frenzy with their very movement until their bodies were in excruciating torment. And Koar saw their plight and tears rained from his eyes, quenching the flames, but too late to save many from death's grip and too late to save others from permanent mutilation. The hearty zest for life of the nomads left them on that day, never to return in full. And their loss of that zest made Koar even more weary and desolate as Lumnis grieved in silence for the profound hurt of this being who had assumed the form of a man so to act unto her as man unto woman and who she had come so to adore.

Though she was generally not one to hold grudges, Fash'lo'nae's careless act stayed in Lumnis' mind and heart. She could not shake herself free of it. So she visited him in his dusty lair of scrolls and experiments. "Old Scholar," she addressed him bluntly, "ye have put yerself at odds with me forever."

Blinking, Fash'lo'nae looked up into her angry eyes, smothering grey ashes now blazing with twin purple flames within the sphere of her lovely face. "Prudent One, I have naught but the greatest respect for yer wisdom. I will not be at odds with ye."

"Old Scholar," she assured him, "ye have no choice. It is done and it is unchangeable."

Then she left him to his studies.

Hearing of this scene between him and Lumnis, Eorgina came again to Fash'lo'nae. "Since Koar's lady has put herself at odds with ye, I consider ye now of my ranks, Old Scholar," this would-be queen appropriated Lumnis' nickname for the man with all the confidence of one who is thoroughly certain of her position.

Though Fash'lo'nae simply shrugged and returned to his studies.

The Birth of the Children
of Koar and Lumnis

As told by Lady Iscikella Zinnonn

Now it must be understood that initially the areas of control which Koar, as the Drake in charge of these servants, set up for the Arkati revolved around a much smaller set of beings. Gosaena and Luukos alone held full sway over death, Sheru held night and the domain of sleep solely within his hands, and the sun had been left within the direct sphere of Koar himself, though he bothered little with its rule. And all the Arkati lived on Elanith in ready access to their masters, the Drakes.

Eorgina, mistress of Darkness, Tyranny and Domination, wishfully fancied herself as a rival to Koar, as many know. Perhaps this was not entirely unexpected by he who would become The Last Drake, considering the provinces over which he had given said lady governance.

In any case Eorgina did realize toppling Koar from his throne of supreme power over the Arkati would prove no easy feat, and she decided upon a two-tiered plan which first meant putting herself at the side of Koar. But to do this she must be rid of Lumnis, for it was apparent Koar's feeling for this particular servant went far beyond that of indulgent master.

This was not a simple case of turning the eyes of this Drake from The Wise. Koar's devotion to Lumnis was complete, as was hers to him. He would not abandon his lady for whimsical folly. Indeed he had borne and did bear the disparaging condescension of his own kind because of his then still-unsanctioned love for the lady. So Lumnis must be completely removed from the picture. There was no other plan worth considering in this regard.

To accomplish this feat Eorgina called upon Onar, the Assassin. And for many passing of moons this stealth fellow watched Lumnis from hiding, attempting to discover what would be the best way to complete his mission.

Onar was nothing if not thorough in his investigations and after a time he came back to Eorgina, saying, "This task cannot be done in the most direct way. Firstly Koar's anger in such case would destroy us all, for I have gazed upon them during their moments of quiet intimacy, the times of their communion, which is between them as much a joining of mind and spirit as body, and I know the depth of his regard and passion for the Lady of Wisdom. And secondly Lumnis is herself a being of great power, Dark Lady. Her understanding of all things in the world, including all the most secret magicks, makes her a force to be reckoned with. I must, therefore, recommend an indirect approach to this killing."

And Eorgina, well aware of Onar's talents in dissecting such things, nodded her agreement.

Therefore did the Dark Lady visit Fash'lo'nae, who she had pulled into the ranks of her followers amongst the Arkati by sheer weight of circumstance, in his dusty lair of scrolls and experiments.

Knowing his disconnection from all things political, Eorgina couched her question to him in terms of hypothesis.

"Old Scholar, if one needed to be rid of a being of great power who it was likely could discern the details of yer intention before the deed is done, how would ye suggest such task be successfully completed?"

Blinking, Fash'lo'nae replied, "That answer is simple, Dark Lady. Ye must use for the purpose something which the being in question would inherently trust as safe."

At this precise moment, Fash'lo'nae took to petting his familiar, a small grey owl, and a flash of insight came into the mind of Eorgina. Lumnis also had an owl as a familiar, a great snowy white owl she adored. This owl, as a trusted and loved pet, could be subtly used to dire purpose to destroy Lumnis. And she returned to Onar with this suggestion.

Onar grinned when he heard what Eorgina had to say. He heartily agreed that the owl could prove the means, but reminded her, "Dark Lady, there still must be found the method. Lumnis has much knowledge at her complete disposal. Simple ways of killing would be easy for her to avoid."

And to this Eorgina likewise nodded her agreement.

So the Dark Lady went again to Fash'lo'nae. "Old Scholar," she inquired of him, "if a being with a mind full of knowledge on all things, including the means to cure poisons, diseases, heal wounds, etc., was to be murdered, how could it be done?"

Blinking again, Fash'lo'nae responded, "To any being whose mind encompassed so broad a range of wisdom, the surest means of death would come from that mind being overcome with thoughts that could not be controlled."

And again Eorgina returned to Onar who grinned once more when he heard Eorgina's statement. "Aye, this must be so," he allowed her. "But how to control the mind of one such as Lumnis?" he forwarded. "That is the final question to be answered."

Eorgina took this last query to Fash'lo'nae as well. "Old Scholar," she pressed him, "how would another control the thoughts of one whose mind encompassed so much wisdom?"

And Fash'lo'nae, with his characteristic blinking, answered, "Why, during the time when the mind is not in conscious control, Dark Lady, during sleep and the realm of dreams."

Beaming, Eorgina went once again to Onar and, after he had heard all she had to say, together the two of them asked Sheru to come, and with him Gosaena.

"Lord of Night," Eorgina addressed Sheru, "I need a potion to make the dreams of Lumnis monstrous ones."

"Lady of Death," she then addressed Gosaena, "I need yer sway to allow these monstrous dreams to turn into deadly ones."

Both frowned.

"Lumnis has given me wise counsel on occasion, Dark Lady," mentioned Gosaena frankly. "My quarrel is with Koar and his Drakely view of governing the world, not with the very existence of his mistress."

And Sheru furthered, "Lumnis' wisdom has also been available to me whenever I have asked it of her. Why then should she suffer for her Drake lover's foolishness?"

"Because it is the only way to accomplish the end of displacing Koar," advised Eorgina confidently. "He is Drake and more powerful than we. Thus I need to edge closer to him to be able to eventually push him fully aside, and the very existence of Lumnis inhibits that."

And though they were both less than happy with the plan, Sheru and Gosaena reluctantly agreed with Eorgina. Sheru fashioned a dreaming potion filled with visions of dread and gore and most importantly madness, and Gosaena instilled the potion with the power of death. This awful infusion was then applied to the wings of Lumnis' great snowy white owl, which Onar had stealthily absconded from its owner's presence for a short time.

Therefore it came to pass that Lumnis, casually petting the soft feathers of her familiar as she was wot to do, was imbued with the concoction commissioned within the brain of Eorgina upon the unintentional advice of Fash'lo'nae. And over a period of some days, her nights became restless and filled with horrifying nightmares. So much did these dreams affect her that she became haggard and pale in appearance and much distraught even during her waking hours. And Koar, worry for his leman showing in every line of his face, approached her as to the reason for her disquiet.

"I dream such awful dreams, my dear lord," she informed him with a sigh, "and they cling to me like the miasma of death even when I am not dreaming."

As Koar furrowed his brow with deep concern, a tremendous earthquake struck the lands and new mountains rose from the earth. And many suffered in tandem with Koar's own suffering.

"Hast thou eaten or drunk anything which might have caused this to occur, my sweet lady?" he who would become The Last Drake wished to know of The Wise.

"High Lord," she reminded him, "I know the smell and taste of all poisons and such foul mixtures. I have come across none such in any food or drink of which I have partaken. This can be naught but a temporary unease of the mind. It will pass on its own, I am certain."

But as days became nights, Lumnis' condition actually worsened. Each turn of darkness and needed sleep fraught with the horrific dreams only aggravated her ill-health.

"Good lady, hast thou been around strange environs where disease might reign?" Koar therefore further questioned.

"Diseases I can diagnose and cure, beloved sire of my heart," Lumnis assured him. "None such have felled me. I must believe it but a passing thing."

But it did not pass, and it became apparent Lumnis was close unto death. And Koar's grief was monumental as the heavens opened up with the thunder of his distress and the rain of his tears devastated the lands.

Yet, it was when Koar was visiting his mistress in what had become her sickbed, that all was finally revealed. For the great snowy white owl which was her familiar flew freely into the room as it was wot to do, and Koar, in true Drakely fashion, immediately sensed something different about the bird. Putting out his arm as an indication for the owl to perch there, Koar examined the creature and found the residue of the potion upon its wings.

"Thy bird has been tampered with, my lady," Koar informed his beloved as anger mounted in him for the perpetrators of this act. And, gazing deeply into the eyes of the owl, Koar was able to see its past and thus the application of the potion and by whom it had been applied. "Those who thought to be so clever will pay dearly," he pronounced sentence.

Yet knowing the cause of the strange affliction did not heal Lumnis for the infection had already worked its evil too insistently for too long. So Koar, with the power of the Drakes within his being, took from the very air around him a scroll of purest gold inscribed with secret and intricate runes. Handing this scroll to Lumnis, he bid her, "Thou must decipher this, my lady, to cure thyself."

And Lumnis pondered, but the plague of her nightmares inhibited her reasoning and the meaning of the scroll would not come clear to her. "It is beyond me, dearest lord," she spoke in some embarrassment.

"Naught is beyond thee," Koar guaranteed her. "Decipher the meaning of the scroll, lady of my heart."

Again Lumnis tried and failed to read the scroll as her weakened mind lapsed in its usual preciseness. "It is Drake magic and I have not the ability," sighed Lumnis in defeat.

"That ability is inherent in thee, woman," Koar pledged. "I have seen it and know whence I speak."

Rallying with Koar's encouragement, Lumnis sat up and examined the scroll yet more carefully, forcing her mind to concentrate in a manner more resembling her normal mien, and the runes became meaningful to her at last. "I understand, High Lord!" she exclaimed with a beaming face.

"Then commune with me, my lady," acknowledged Koar with a delighted smile.

And they joined unto one another, man unto woman and woman unto man, as they had ever been wot to do, minds and spirits blending as their bodies melded. And from the heart of Lumnis rose a pale mist that swirled and converged and then separated itself from her.

And the mist solidified and in its place stood a young elven lass with blonde hair and grey-blue eyes. She wore two layers of robes, black over white, and a ring of keys -- an untold number of keys -- dangled at her side.

"Daughter," Koar bid the girl welcome with a nod.

"Daughter," Lumnis likewise bid the girl welcome with a nod.

And Lorminstra smiled and nodded in return and noted, "Death will not have thee now, my mother."

"Aye, truth she speaks, my lady," Koar stated to Lumnis, "but all is not yet done. We must rid thy mind of the foul nightmares to restore thee fully."

"That is an even more difficult task," sighed Lumnis.

"Commune with me, and it will be done," promised Koar.

And again they joined unto one another, man unto woman and woman unto man, as they had ever been wot to do, minds and spirits blending as their bodies melded. And from the shoulders of Lumnis rose dark mists, one from the right and one from left, that swirled and converged and then separated themselves from her.

The mists solidified and in the place of the mist from Lumnis' right shoulder stood a tall and slender, if muscular, man with flowing golden hair so bright as to almost blind, and deep amber eyes. And in place of the mist from Lumnis' left shoulder stood an almost identical man, only his hair was black as night and his eyes were black with no whites, only a faint grey swirl.

"My sons," Koar bid the men welcome with a nod.

"My sons," Lumnis likewise bid the men welcome with a nod.

And Phoen smiled and nodded in return and noted, "I bring the sun to get thee well, my mother."

And Ronan smiled and nodded in return and noted, "I bring the most pleasant of dreams and the softest of nights to keep thee well, my mother."

"Aye, truth it is they speak," declared Koar. "It is done." And from then Lumnis recovered quickly back to her former reign of good health and restful sleep.

When she was fully well, Koar summoned all the Arkati to him in his throne room and introduced those new amongst them to the rest.

"I give thee my daughter and eldest child, Lorminstra, Keeper of the Ebon gate, Mistress of death and rebirth, Lady of winter."

At this introduction, Gosaena gasped. "Ye take of my sphere, Great Lord," she said unto Koar.

"Indeed I do," announced Koar firmly. "Thou hast disappointed me, Gosaena, and I turn onto thee the blind eye of the world."

"So ye cannot do!" raved Gosaena. "I have many followers!"

"I know of thy followers, Lady of Death," acknowledged Koar coolly, "and they will forget thy name."

And so it was that Gosaena was relegated to the backwater of the Arkati for many millennium. And Luukos, knowing well how to keep his power, spoke nothing unto Koar. But from the look in his eye, Lorminstra knew him to be her rival into all eternity.

Then Koar introduced his sons to the other Arkati. "I give ye my sons, Phoen, Ruler of the sun, Deity of fatherhood, Lord of summer, and Ronan, Ruler of night, Master of dreams."

Sheru protested upon hearing this introduction, "Ye also take of my sphere, High Lord!"

And Koar looked upon Sheru and decreed, "Indeed I do. Thou too hast disappointed me, Sheru, and nightmares remain thine, since thou hast such a feel for them, but dreams thou can no longer command."

Then Koar proclaimed unto Eorgina, "Dark Lady, I bid thee and thine to dwell apart on the moon of Lornon."

Eorgina stared in disbelief upon he who would become the The Last Drake. "Am I banished?" she demanded to know.

"I spoke nothing of banishment," clarified Koar, who realized the other Drakes had wished their troublesome servants more separated from them for some time, but not so far away that those Arkati saw themselves as no longer servants. "I asked thee simply to dwell apart from me."

And so it came to pass that Eorgina and those of her persuasion toward Koar took up residence upon the moon called Lornon. While Koar himself took the other Arkati to dwell upon the moon called Liabo.

The Legend of Kai's Orb

As told by Lady Iscikella Zinnonn

Since speculation on this particular object has been a topic of much recent debate, regarding whether it is that which "lies beyond the tomb" and is in reality what Thurfel seeks (though I personally do not believe this to be so), I feel it only fitting to retell this bit of lore at this point in time. It is a very old story and I am unfolding it as I heard it. I also relate the narrative with the disclaimer than I am not myself an Arkati, nor do I pretend to be, and therefore the absolute truth of the tale cannot be guaranteed.

Is a well-known fact that, during the war between the Ur-Daemon and the Drakes, Kai alone of all the Arkati -- who were those Drakes' servants -- fought hand-to-hand in the battle. Kai, with the inherent physical awareness of a true warrior, came across a particular way to kill Ur-Daemons. He could not do it always, of course, nor in great numbers, but he could manage one-on-one to occasionally exterminate an Ur-Daemon, though such involved a monstrous and bloody struggle always. But through this method as well did Kai find he could always defeat the servant demons of the Ur-Daemon.

When the war between the Ur-Daemon and Drakes ended in neither side "winning" and in the virtual destruction of the Drakes as a race while the Ur-Daemon returned to their own netherworld, Kai decided the particular understanding he had of the Ur-Daemon might be needed at some future time, if these opponents of the Drakes themselves came again out of their own sphere. He therefore asked Lumnis for the power to imbue this knowledge into a vessel, and Lumnis reminded him that the power to do so had always been his. Armed with this revelation, Kai came upon a way to fill a vessel -- an orb of mithril was his choice -- with the knowledge of how an Ur-Daemon might be successfully battled and how simple demons could be destroyed. Yet in doing so that knowledge passed from his own mind forever.

This orb, therefore, held great significance to many of the Arkati. And Fash'on'lae wished to gain access to it as a scholar, to study its abilities. But, as we all know, Fash'lo'nae is none too picky about how he gains such knowledge, so the orb in his hands could prove a very dangerous thing. And Eorgina sought the orb to claim true power amongst the Arkati. But, as we all know, Eorgina is none too picky about how she uses power, so the orb in her hands could also prove a dangerous thing. So Kai, therefore, wisely decided to hide the orb where none could find it.

He happened upon a glacier, which seemed to him a good place to conceal the orb as the area was very remote. Yet what he hadn't reckoned upon was one day a town being built on that glacier, the old town of IceMule Trace.

Now, who built the old town is in question. Halflings built new IceMule Trace, but not the old. Some say was only the makeshift town of a group of nomadic giantkin. Some say was where the dwarves housed themselves for a time after the Red Plague destroyed Kalaza. But the truth has never been known. All we do know is the town was built by some mortal Elanthian race.

With the construction of the town, much of the glacier was changed through the work of the builders. And one day under the ice, as it was being reshaped and flattened in a certain area, one of workers espied something round and shining. He called his fellows to take a look. The orb under the ice emitted a warm golden glow, which was wondrous to behold. So the workers did not disturb the object, rightfully thinking it magical, and many of the town thought it a blessing upon them by the gods themselves.

The tale of what these townsfolk had seen spread far and wide and reached the ears of the Arkati. Fash'lo'nae went to find the orb, indeed found it, but also found he could not touch it. Eorgina found the same. It seemed Kai had prudently (and there can be doubt from whose advice such prudence had been garnered) imbued the orb with magic that made it accessible to only warriors. So Marlu, who many thought to be himself at least part Ur-Daemon, came to take possession of the orb as he had a warrior's mien. Ah, but he too could not touch it! Kai had so imbued that magic so only a warrior "true of heart" could access the orb.

When he realized this, Marlu went insane with rage and leveled the old town of IceMule Trace. All the citizens -- whatever was their unknown race -- died horrible deaths, and the town was left but the ruins we see today. Yet the orb remained and remains there still, so legend says, hidden in the ice of the glacier, waiting for that "warrior true of heart" to uncover it and access its store of wisdom about the Ur-Daemon and their servant demons.

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