Hello again Dear Reader,
And a warm welcome to all the new subscribers! It’s great to have you here :)
In this week’s ‘Tuesday’ newsletter (I know… I shouldn’t work over the weekend as I then lose track of time completely) I’m having a look at the Knowledge Stone, which plays quite an integral part in The Ruon Chronicles series.
In its first iteration, it was a bunch of smaller stones, so I built back from that to when the stones were all one large stone. Of course, that also meant new characters that you at least get fleeting glimpses of. I hope to build these early notes into novellas at some point, however.
I’ve added some links to earlier worldbuilding newsletters that you can go read if you’re new or just need a refresher.
Some more notes:
Nith is basically what the “magic” of the world is called. It’s also sometimes called Talent, as you can be born with a certain kind of Nith (more about that in a next newsletter). The dark magic that is used with the blood stones, for example, are learned and you’re not born with it.
The Knowledge Stone is supposed to be green in colour, with flecks of red and gold, by the way.
The Knowledge Stone
During the Achtarion War between the Airus and Khaldun, the Knowledge Stone was found by the Airus Ira-laleth int the caves outside Achtarion. When she touched the stone, she found that she could ‘read’ knowledge that had been imprinted into it. In this case, the very words of creation were in it.
Ira-laleth and a few other of the Airus could read the stone, and some could also imprint new knowledge onto the stone. This was a new Nith that had come into the world. Ira-laleth imprinted all the knowledge of the Airus onto the stone and it was supposed to be a repository for knowledge that would last longer than any of the books and scrolls that they had.
The Airus managed to keep the stone secret for three years, but then they were betrayed by one of their own who was captured by the Khaldun.
The Keepers of the Stone was at last attacked in their shrine at the time of the Battle of Achtarion — but not before the stone was broken into many pieces to be taken to safety.
Given to Airus who fled into the wilderness in order to keep the stone’s knowledge secret, the Khaldun set out after them, slaying many and taking the pieces of stone for themselves. It was also at this time that Ira-laleth and almost her entire family were slaughtered by the Khaldun.
It was soon thereafter that the remaining Keepers of the Stone heeded a call in their dreams to flee to the Midlands and the Sanctuaries there and, so, most of the Knowledge Stone pieces were saved when the First Sundering tore through the lands of the Airus and Khaldun, and much of the land sank beneath the waves.
After the Sundering, many of the Airus went into hiding throughout Airtha-Eyrassa, fearing that they would still be hunted by the Khaldun. Yet none forsook their oath to keep the stones safe.
The Age of Blood and Sorrow dawned on the lands of Airtha-Eyrassa, only ending with the Second Sundering when the fourth age of the world began.
*
Many years pass while the Knowledge Stones become a part of Airtha-Eyrassa’s legends and folklore. With the pieces of knowledge stone now scattered throughout the lands, the long search of the lost Stones by the Seekers of Knowledge begin.
It is during this time that the series of The Ruon Chronicles takes place.
Hope you enjoyed the look at Airtha-Eyrassa’s history!
Until Friday, stay safe and stay well!
Love,
Carin