Tylywoch ~ 13

Tylywoch ~ 13 Map of Cheilin

By Len Morgan

The Empire could be loosely described as a ‘D’ shape on its side, bounded to the North by a straight edge represented by the Sabre Tooth Mountain Range.   To the South and West is the sea and to the East the wild wide, fast-running Staalbech River, where it joins the sea, at its widest, it is 130 miles shore to shore.   The Staalbech is infamous for the lives it has claimed over the years.   It is not and never has been swimmable, despite numerous children’s stories to the contrary.   Only Sturdy sea-worthy sailing vessels would ever attempt a crossing.   The far bank from Cheilin is Bluttland, inhabited exclusively by Bedelacq's fanatical nomadic worshipers; a vengeful god who demands blood sacrifices on the night of the New Moons conjunction which happens twice a year.   On conjunction night, the sky turns red, the stars shine brighter than at any other time and Bluttland, living up to its name, flows with Blood.   Strangers are well-advised to stay away at this time - as all are fair game… 

Cheilin by contrast is remarkably stable, the Clans rule with iron hands, and the Eternal City presides overall.   Outside the clock face, the forts and the thirteenth Clan hold sway.   To the North, the beyond the Sabre Tooth Range, live the Huren, the Meyan, and the Kurdik races.   The inhabitants of Cheilin have never been encouraged to travel, so few know much about these races.   Those that do are either living as exiles, permanently outside of Cheilin, or they are Tylywoch.

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His mother died birthing him, his father laid blame for her death on him and was never able to completely forgive him.   His father thrust him as far from him as he could, allowing him to be brought up by his nurse Glamhorten, a beautiful self possessed woman from Bluttland.   She had been sent to seduce the father, but had found him a lost cause; he was hopelessly in love with a memory.   The next best thing was the son Taleen.  She possessed him instead, in the name of the god of vengeance – Bedelacq – the god of her people.   She remained his guardian and mentor for most of his formative years.   At the time of conjunction, she taught him to worship the one.   Inhabitants of the palace frequently found the bodies of dead animals in odd places, drained of blood.   Palek, prince Taleen’s father refused to be concerned over a few dead animals and the habits of his son and Glamhorten.   She was an excellent nurse and companion to Taleen, neither ever bothered him which was just how he wanted it.

When Palek died, Taleen refused to grieve for the loss of that distant stand-offish man who'd done everything to avoid contact with him.   He knew no remorse, only anger at being cheated of his birthright.   Glamhorten assured him he had been born to rule the world in the name of and to the glory of Bedelacq, the one. 

Taleen turned all his anger and hatred onto princess Veille, now ruling in his father's stead.   They all told him she was a usurper, a thief, they made him swear blood vengeance against her in the name of Bedelacq, his father, and himself.   Glamhorten now his constant companion supported him and introduced him to a young Blutt Priest named Wilden, who became teacher and mentor to the ten-year-old.  In the years that followed he counselled patience and consolidation.   Taleen united the 9^th Clan behind him, building alliances with others.   The dreams of one spiteful and vengeful young man became the dreams of the whole Clan such was his magnetism.   He was cunning beyond words, infiltrating the inner sanctum of the Emerald Palace and moving his forces into the Eternal city without raising the suspicion or concern of anybody there.   Even the Tylywoch, the all seeing all knowing, were caught wrong footed by his stealth.   With Wilden beside him, he executed his coupe fearlessly with panache and daring.   Taking over the Emerald Palace, and executing the pretender Empress he’d long ago dubbed the ‘Shampress’.   It now simply required that he display her body and those of her bodyguard, now universally accused of her kidnap and murder.   At the end of the incident, he would be regarded as a hero of the Empire. 

Wilden had coordinated the attack to coincide with a major conjunction, to give him maximum power for the complete success of the venture.   His sister Glamhorten had been sent to turn a major clan to the one true God, to provide his followers with allies in the Empire, when they invaded.   A holy war, a Jihad, had been declared to bring the whole world to Bedelacq.   With infinite patience, they had laid plans spanning decades.   Plans that were now nearing fruition.   Wilden smiled at the irony, he’d engineered a relatively bloodless coup, to ensure an inexhaustible supply of blood for the God of vengeance.   He’d already had several hundred lives on the day of the attack, now the dungeons were full to the brim with Red Guards and close supporters of the Empress.   They would all play their part in bringing about the earthly manifestation of the God Bedelacq, in the corporeal form of the Emperor Taleen!    In just a few weeks his life’s work would be realised.   Wilden was exhilarated; intoxicated with joy anticipating their success. 

(To be continued) 

Copyright Len Morgan