“I know,” he sighed. “It doesn’t make it any easier to lie to people I consider my friends.”
APPENDIX
Ancient Brotherhood records
It was the end of an age, a time of terror and fire, when two suns shone briefly in the heavens. The lesser one hung fiery red in our sky, searing the land with the heat of its breath as it drew ever closer to our world. Across forest, plain and city, fires raged, devastating everything in their path. It brought the beginnings of hope as the flames drove the invaders forever from our soil.
Those who could run fled, heading for the high lands, praying their Gods hadn’t forsaken them, watching the blazing orb as it grew ever larger before finally disappearing beyond the horizon.
The very earth trembled at its falling, shaking even the temples to their foundations. Then the sea rose up to wipe the face of Shola clean, washing away the taint of the occupation, and the debris of what was now past.
Darkness fell across the face of Shola. For two years, rain and clouds hid the face of the sun. In their mountain lairs, the people of Shola survived, and grew stronger. We watched and waited for the return of the sun, praying to our Gods for deliverance, never dreaming that a God already lived among us.
When that first day came, Vartra Himself emerged from Stronghold, sending His followers out into the spring sunlight to find and reunite all the people of Shola. The Brotherhood we were called, sworn to protect the weakest among our kind but particularly the telepaths.
Guilds were formed so that no knowledge or skill could be lost, and slowly the work of rebuilding began. To this day, that time of year is named after Mellasha, the Goddess of Rebirth and Spring. And lest any forget the second sun that brought about our deliverance, or our joy at seeing the clouds finally part, our calendar was rewritten on the sun’s cycles with each month bearing a portion of the name of Zhalwae, the Sun God.
Sholan Months of the Year.
Shola has 12 months, 11 of which are 31 days long, the twelfth being 33 days long. It has two moons, the larger one called Agalimi, the smaller one called Aduan, and their orbits are 19 and 16 days long respectively.
The Sholans have a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses not unlike the Greek one on Earth. Each deity has helpers, called dzinaes, who embody lesser aspects of their patron deity.
Human
January
Sholan Month
Zhal-L’Shoh
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Winter’s Hellmouth— L’Shoh is the God of Hell and Consort of Kuushoi.
Human
February
Sholan Month
Zhal-Mellasha
Spring Hope, 16th day is First of Spring— Mellasha is Goddess of Spring.
Human
March
Sholan Month
Zhal-Arema
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Love— Arema is Goddess of Love.
Human
April
Sholan Month
Zhal-Ch’Ioka
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Hearth— Ch’Ioka is Ghyakulla’s female dzinae of Hearth and Home.
Human
May
Sholan Month
Zhal-Zhalwae
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Sun God, 6th day is the First of Summer— Zhalwae is the Sun God.
Human
June
Zhal-Ghyakulla
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Goddess— the Green Goddess, the Earth Mother.
Human
July
Sholan Month
Zhal-Vartra
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Consort, 8th day is Midsummer Festival— Vartra’s month, a fertility festival as He is both Son and Consort of Ghyakulla.
Human
August
Sholan Month
Zhal-Oeshi
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Harvest— Oeshi is Goddess of Harvest time.
Human
September
Sholan Month
Zhal-Nylam
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Hunt, 18th day is First of Autumn— Nylam is God of the Hunt
October
Sholan Month
Zhal-S’Asha
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Approaching Darkness— S’Asha is L’Shoh’s female dzinae of Dusk and Darkness.
Human
November
Sholan Month
Zhal-Rojae
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Snow, 4th day First of Winter— Rojae is Kuushoi’s male dzinae of Snow and Frost.
Human
December
Sholan Month
Zhal-Kuushoi
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Winter, 26th day is Midwinter Festival— Kuushoi is the Winter Goddess and the festival is when the birth of Vartra, Her Son, is celebrated.