1.12 Meet the Neighbors, Part Two

There is a logic to video games. If the challenge is too easy, people get bored and stop playing. If the challenge is too difficult, people are likely to rage quit out of frustration. Newbie Zones should not therefore have "I can’t see the Level" Godmonster Beasts demanding an account of your behavior. The Realm was not a game.

I did try to [Examine], with about as much luck as [Tongues]. The difference? [Tongues] is a First Circle Cantrip that I had never used before. [Examine] is my single most practiced at Level 7 and highest Circle Spell. Even a normal failure should have at least told me a name.

-”Speak mancub, your race prides itself on Speech. You Give Names to everything. You prattle on about nonsense. You think you can define Life with Words. You bind the Great Ones with your System and Myths. You can at least Tell Me why I should let you live. You think you have chained the Great Spirit with your Lies and Worship, why does He not defend you? Why does He permit Me to taunt and question? You rape the Land, you gorge on the Life of the Wood. You ripe plants from the soil, and slaughter the young for their meat, and you return Nothing to the Wyld. Why should you live?”

While that was a lot to unpack, the point my mind and soul responded to strongest was the accusation that I worshiped a Great Spirit named . If I wasn’t going acknowledge Janus as a diety, then no animal spirit was getting the job. I was not even sure about using the term Totem, even Mascot seemed a bit extreme. Eagle, Bear, Wolf, or Lynx, they were symbols, based more on myth, legend, or story than the actual animal’s behavior. Although they were the primary Scouting Mascots, their were others reflecting my educational endeavours: Middle School was Falcons, High School was Lions, Undergrad was Eagles, and the mascot for my post grad university was Cougars. Not being much of a sports fan, I never really paid them much attention.

Then there was the symbols of my homelands: Eagle for the United States of America; Moose,Elk, and Eagle as the three heraldic beasts of the Michigan State Flag; Deer, Robin, White Pine, and Apple blossom as the State Animal, Bird, Tree, and Flower. Ok, maybe I did see a common thread, eagles were everywhere among the symbols of my past.

When I replied using [Wyldspeech], I ended up verbalising in English, with a few proper noun exceptions, but the syntax of my speech changed.

-”With Humility, this one has made mistakes, but this one has followed the Law of the Hunt and respected the Circle of Life when acquiring food. This one has only consumed what was needed from the woodlands, and then only when hungry.

The Great Spirit , while worthy of Respect in his own right, is Honoured by this one as a Symbol of Nationality, School, and Calling. The Ancestors of this one’s Family and Nation, Honoured as a standard in battle and peace, but Worshiped neither nor . The of this one’s Ancestors is , who is Beyond the System.

It is not for this one to speak in place of the Great Spirit , who acts as Exemplar and Inspiration, not guarantor of safety. As a Chief who has earned the Right of Respect, he is free to act as his conscience demands.”

Just the act of responding calmed my mind. I was seconds away from wetting myself, when I found strength in the words I spoke. They did not seem to please the elephant sized Bear before me.

-”Bah! Useless drivel. You can not Respect that which you do not Understand. The honour of a mancub is of less worth than scat. The Words of a mancub have not the Power of Tooth and Claw. You call yourselves and think yourselves greater than the Beasts, Birds, Trees, and Winds. The Spirits know you not, and you know not Them.

Impress me with thy Words and thy Names. [Invoke] thy Ancestors of Nation, School, and Calling. [Invoke] the Names given to thy . Call upon all who might succor thee.

We shall Witness who is Recognised, and who is Ignored. We shall Know then who shall walk free, and who shall be [Devoured].”

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Names to gain my freedom, but which names. Thanks to Janus I knew that many of the shared names from ancient mythology. My mythology was the Realm’s history, and my history was the Realm’s myth. I could only imagine the same was true of these . The question was of which myths to draw on, which figures might feel kindly to me.

-”I [Invoke] as the Ancestors of my Nation the Names of Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, and Lincoln. As the Ancestors of my Schooling the Names of Gildas, Monmouth, Mallory, Milton, Longfellow, Wordsworth, Frost, Cummings, Kipling, Barrie, Baum, Carrol, Milne, Lewis, Tolkien and Gygax. As the Ancestors of my Calling the Names of Baden-Powell, Seton, Beard, and Hillcourt.

I [Invoke] the of my Nation, named by some Sam the Patriotic, and by other Baldy the Brave. I Recognise the history of by the Name who sits at the top of the World Tree , by the Name by whom’s wings blows the North Wind, by the Name mascot of the Imperial Legion, and finally by Name Given by Tolkien, the Name I [Invoke] greatest of the Great Eagle and his sons,who rescued those in need.

I [Invoke] the of Schooling and Calling: , , , and ;, , , and , By the Names of , , , , , and .

Thrice [Invoked], of Nation, School, and Calling one last name of , I call on the Name of .”

What can I say, I read a lot. Starting with Thorondor, and again with the names of his sons/subordinates (Tolkien is unclear about the actualities of their relationships) I heard a roll of thunder in the distance. With each far boom, the Great Bear seemed to lose a little confidence, only to regain it a moment later. did cause my Staff to throb, as if it was responding to the Name.

-” is Lord of the Sky, the Mountain, the Sun and the Storm. Here we are protected by Leaf, Branch, Tree, and Needle. His Name has no Power to Protect thee. Thou think'st the Name of holds enough power to sway my wrath?”

I’m not sure I completely believed him. I could feel the Power in the Name. I considered other fictional sources, and then it hit me. The perfect Name to [Invoke].

-”Oh, this one knows many names of : the Gentle, the Cunning, and the Watchful. Of them all, I [Invoke] the name of Edward, known far and wide as Winnie, the Silly, the Kind, the friend of children everywhere. In the Name of the I call upon [Sanctuary].

-””

The name was wisphered, it could have been a breeze ruffling leaves.

“”

Growled this time, his displeasure turned to true anger.

“”

A thunderous roar, causing the mammoth trees of the Briarwood to shake and quiver.

“Thou dares [Invoke] that Holy Name! Thou shalt not desecrate!”

This time the mighty paw the size of a car tire lifted and swung at me. I raised my Staff in both hands as my only defence.

The razor sharp claws stopped mere inches from the flimsy protection.

“Never again will my fury be stayed. Thou hast [Invoked] the right [Sanctuary]. For a day and night safe from my wrath. Then beware.”

Then he was gone, no trace of his presence but a single great paw print.

I collapsed in relief.