A quick(ish) story alternating between Ali and Marien's point of views. I have a semi-obsession with The Exodus: Gods and Kings and Ali reminds me of the little kid God and Marien reminds me of Moses [kind of] so this is based off of that and the fact that I headcanon Ali, Fenris, Zevran and Merrill and the other elves as Jewish/Hebrew as they do not follow the Chantry and Merril says "We do not follow your 'Maker' and other gods. We have our own God." And the fact that The elves of Thedas are scapegoated, inslaved, murdered and made to live in asemblages which are similar to ghettos. so this story involves Marien meeting Ali the god-like little girl on a mountain similar to how Moses meets the little boy on the mountain with the burning bush.
(Not meant to be offensive to anyone or their religion. Just a headcanonof mine/ Somewhat canon that kind of makes sense.Also due to the fact that Ali's eyes can glow bright green and she can gain immense power in their "God-like State".
Setting: in a small town in Fereldan where 21 year old Marien Jade, a human noble lives with her family. During the events of the 5th blight in which The Grey Warden, Alarian (Ali) Cousland must defeat the Archdemon.
"What's that mountain there?" Marien Jade asks one of the towns people. The person doesn't answer. "Answer the question, old women or I'll have my father have you locked up." Marien says threatingly. "We can not go up there. It is sacred. By order of God we can not go up." The peasant replies and looks at lady Jade. Marien laughs "what kind of God forbids his people from climbing a mountain?! The Maker never said anything like that!" The old lady bites her lip "We do not follow The Maker, or the chantry." Marien sighs "ah, so your Hebrew then? Very well, move along." The old women then scurried away. Marien looked at the mountain and thought for a moment, then turned on a heel and walked back to her family's manor above the village.
Later
I found this quaint little village as I was walking along, scouting the area around my companions and my camp. I see a mountain towering over the sleepy little town, I don't know why, but I feel drawn to it. I walk into the town and ask one of the townspeople about it. Ah ha, it's forbidden to go up, that I already knew of corse. But then I see someone walking up it! Up MY MOUNTAIN!!! I hurriedly leave to investigate. I see a figure of a young lady, wrapped in a grey cloak with long brown hair. Yes, she'll be a good messenger at least to those who follow the chantry, I'm already our gods messenger.. I go to where the lady stands, injured. That's what you get for climbing my mountain.
Even Later
Im stuck on this stupid mountain all alone and it's dark and raining and ahhh!!! "Why'd you scream" your probably asking. Well I'm screaming because this creepy little elf girl just showed up and is standing over me and I don't know what's happening!!! "Who...who are you?" I ask nervously. The girl in the green cloak's eyes glow brightly, she then replies "I Am..." And disappears. I wake up in my room, panting. I tell what happened to my mother who consoles me, or tries to at least saying "But God does not look like a little girl!" As she says that I sit up and grab her arm "then tell me what he looks like! Describe God to me." She stares blankly at me. "You think I'm hulcinating don't you?" She does, I know she does. "Rest Marien. You'll feel better in the morning." With her words I go back to sleep with the little elf's words resonating over and over in my head "I am. I am. I am..." Who are you, little elf? Or more importantly, what are you?
To be continued...
I hope you liked it, leave your reaction in the comments. This takes place before the events of inquisition which is why Marien doesn't know Ali. This is their first meeting of each other. Alarian is still a mystery to Marien, as well as everyone else. Even to themselves they are still a mystery. Who, or what do you think Ali is??
Again this wasn't meant to be offensive if anyone finds it that, purely just to explain how Alarian and Marien first met and to tell where Ali gets some of their powers from.
Until next time,
M
Like the Mount?
ReplyDeleteI remember Moses and the Sermon of the Mount - one of the biggest moments in his faith development.
And the time when people really listened to him and valued him.
First meetings are always good to be able to write about.
Who do I think Ali is? I think Ali is a servant or a shepherd of God. Or probably something Satan-like.
I also remember Moses and the burning bush.
The first and third bits are Marien's narrative.
"I Am" is a big clue - Yahweh?
God can be anything and anyone. We are after all made in his Image.
I remember THE STORY GIRL when the children tried to find a picture of God who was only a cross old man [according to the artist's impression].
I think Ali is a spirit by the time Marien speaks to her mother. A presence, most certainly. A shape-shifter?
Yes like the Mount.
DeleteI do too.
Yes I remember that too.
They are, this took me a few days of planning though.
Ali is something like a cross of a Shepherd of God/Servant of God and a Saten/Demonic like thing smushed into a little not entirely stable elf.
The burning bush is also important.
Yes they are. Well younger Marien's perspective, currently she's still not nice even a bit less nice, more violent.
That is a big clue. And the disapeering.
Anyone, anything that is true.
I've never heard of that.
Alarian is certainly spirit like, the teleporting, the disappearing, the natural ability to use even the most complex magic. Not a shape shifter though, Morrigan is a shape shifter though, she can change into a wolf, a bear, a bunch of different stuff. Ali is more spirit like though.
The Story Girl is a book by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
DeleteThere is a podcast on Librivox and I might be able to find a ReadHowYouWant copy.
The people in the book include Sara Stanley, who is the cousin of Beverley and Felix. Beverley is the narrator and the brothers come to Carlisle to stay with Felicity and Cecily. There are two Saras - Sara Stanley and Sara Ray, who is Cecily's good friend. And then there's Peter Craig, who works for Felicity and Cecily's family.
It is Peter Craig who wants to know what God looks like, so he and Sara go on a mission. And then frightful things happen to the six kids when they see what "God"/the cross old man looks like.
Then an adult - Aunt Olivia - talks them down from a ledge.
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/montgomery/story/story.html#VIII
Have you seen the ROAD TO AVONLEA series ever? Some of the stories are based on THE STORY GIRL and THE GOLDEN ROAD which is the sequel.
[I first encountered THE STORY GIRL through the ROAD TO AVONLEA series. It was a big privilege to receive the book from a graphic artist/designer in 1993 Christmas time and her children. Water fights and car track rugs were involved, as were barbecues and grey slates and big rambly houses and red-headed stepfathers. The ROAD TO AVONLEA book I read in 1991 was all about the magic lantern show].
THE STORY GIRL EARNS HER NAME - Sullivan Entertainment. Part of a ROAD TO AVONLEA playlist
I think the Fellowship might enjoy THE GOLDEN ROAD as it has themes of work, love and death - and a group effort is created in a magazine. The magazine is very funny.
The brother I forgot who was part of the family was Dan. I remember Dan because he was all "This was a true joke which really happened" - like so many of our best comedians.
Sara Stanley's stories involve mythology; comedy; local colour and gossip. And the Dreambooks near the end.
***
"Smooshed into a not entirely stable elf".
It's good to see through younger Marien - yes, violence is a big part of her character even then.
Shakespeare is very involved too - thinking especially of Ariel in the TEMPEST. It was another ineffable existence.
Thank you for explaining The Story Girl!!
DeleteWe might, I'll mention it tomorrow.
Yep, that's the best way to describe them, a mix of angle and devil stuck in the body of a little elf that easily gets mad and likes to pull pranks (Thanks Sera for getting them into that!)
Things I think of when I think of Alarian vs Marien,
Ali- Small, Mage, a bit odd, easily angered
Marien- Brash, Violent, colder, easily annoyed
So yes Marien has always been a bit violent/uncaring towards people she doesn't particularly like/know.
I've only read 12th night, MacBeth and Hamlet by Shakespeare not the Tempest though.
You have had a great exposure to Shakespeare.
DeleteOnly last year did I see HAMLET with the Bell Shakespeare lot - so good!
The difference between anger and annoyance is clear. Annoyance to me was always more complex and more social.
"brash" and "violent" describes Marien.
"a bit odd" and "colder" - that's a good distinction.
12th Night is wonderful - have a podcast on it recorded on compact discs. Now if I were in a podcast drought I would record with USB sticks.
People who don't know you are more likely to annoy you because they don't know your triggers.
:) thanks Mr.Stanmyer for that
DeleteI like hamlet
Yes it is, Marien tends to rage at someone and stomp out of the room with poor Cullen running after her and Vivinne trying to calm her down. With Alarian it's more complex, they'll threaten/rage at someone/thing IF said person/thing triggers an emotional/traumatic memory/response and so they will act aggravated towards said person.
Yes it is.
I like 12th night :)
That's true
And Minecraft has an almost total lack of religious practices or even secular spirituality.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Kyle and Andreas's powers likely come from something that transcends witch magic.
I headcanoned Minecraft to be an almost totally atheistic universe due to the nature of the game: You spawn. You survive. The world is yours to conquer.
So, no, the religious parallels are not offensive, at least not any worse than a total lack of religion.
Have read about Kyle and Andreas's powers in action.
DeleteIs it more like Matilda's telekinesis? {Matilda in Roald Dahl; now made into a Tim Minchin musical - hope you get to sing Agatha Trunchbull one of these days - or even Jenny Honey. Trying to think of a part which isn't a main part which would be good}.
That was a brave canonage!
It's very evolutionary, isn't it? With these three steps.
Also very individualistic.
Minecraft is all about the building and the foraging, like the Stone/Bronze Age.
It has been hard to find atheist/agnostic stories and mythologies - though it's easier in the last few years since Atheism+ became big.
Philosophy and ethics are pretty big - at least in your headcanoning of the Minecraft universe.
It makes me think of other gaming universes like Runescape and the Sims. [SimCity old and new did have churches - and SimFarm was probably strictly secular.
The really religious Sim franchise was the Medieval one. I loved the Peterans and the Jacobians - especially getting a sufficient purple sermon and the other things which went on like bird messages].
So Minecraft is almost Athesist like? Interesting.
DeleteI knew Andreas had powers but Kyle? What does he have?
That is fairly true to the game itself. My Dragon Age headcanon combines real history/religion and how the game portrays a race/group of people.
I just wanted to make sure, as it wasn't my intention.
Kyle is geokinetic, specifically in plants.
DeleteI would assume that 90% of Minecraftians are atheists and that the other 10% is comprised of pantheists, agnostics, witches (almost completely unknown outside the villager population), and other fringe movements like the Herobrine cult, Ender Dragon worship (that largely disbanded after its slaying), and the Steve cult. (Yes, Steve has a cult following. People will make sacrifices to him and worship him. Steve thinks it's creepy and that they should stop. Oh well, it's one of the "perks" of being a world-renowned hero.)
I was going to ask about pantheism and paganism/Wicca in the Minecraft world! And among Minecraftians.
Delete[or the off-universe grid: it depends on the server!]
Ender Dragon cults - that would be fascinating.
Tell more about Herobrine.
Of course it's creepy! Did anyone stop?
How did the villages get to know witches? Are the witches travellers?
Flutistpride:
Delete"Steve has a cult following..."perks of being a hero" THAT IS CREEPY!!!!!!!!!!! They should stop!!!! As for the witches I expected witches. But CULTS! THAT was unexpected.
In Tamriel the generally accepted religion is The eight (or nine depending on who you talk to) Divines. Each Country/Race follows their own group of gods, such as the Altmer who follow the elven gods, the Dunmer follow the tribunal and believe in "The Four corners of the House of Troubles", The Bosmer (wood elves) follow the elven gods and forest gods of their own, the Bretons follow a mix of The Nine divines with some elven and Nordic gods mixed in. The Imperials follow the eight/nine divines, the red guards follow their own group of gods, The Nords follow the nine divines and some of their old gods similar to the Bretons or Redguards (kind of like the Starks "The old gods and The new") The Argonions (that's spelled wrong) I'm not sure and the Khajitt follow their own "moon gods" and Shamans.
Anna doesn't have a cult and she's a prophesied hero! And kills dragons and stuff!! Neither do any of my Heros! That just doesn't happen where they live, but Tamriel is pretty different then minecraft so it's expected.
Kyle sounds cool.
Adelaide:
That would indeed.
I don't know much about him either.