11 Prezbeg, 143CZ
If I never see the Fanged Plain again, it'll be too soon. I couldn't have dreamt up storms like that even in my nightmares. A lightning bolt hit near our camp one night and lit up the sky like it was day for an instant, and I was pretty sure I was going to be deaf for the thunder. Thankfully I'm not, but still.
Surprisingly enough, Stillbog wasn't as bad to travel through, despite the moaning and complaining of the caravaneers. I got to take notes on one of the shambling corpses, from a safe distance of course, and even did some sketching. The others looked at me like I'd grown a few extra heads when I showed them, but they can swim in the chaos beyond for all I care. Necromancy is forbidden back home, so I'd rather die than pass up the chance to see it in action up close. I don't really have any academic comment on the undead - I didn't go to Nengyu Academy, after all, and I don't have the gift - but it was fascinating all the same to see reanimated flesh walking about. Most of them didn't have much flesh left, actually, which means they're granted a means of movement by whatever magical force animated them.
That's enough about that though. The point is I got to take notes and do all of that and still made it to the border of Coztlac in one piece. The danger hasn't passed, but we're a bit safer now. We've stopped at the Still Vigil, a military installation that the caravaneers have assured me is the largest and most secure stopping point on the way into the Coztlitl Empire. I'll admit, it makes me rather nervous to be here with the trained inquisitors of the Golden Host watching my every move, but nobody seems to have caught on that I'm anything other than human, for now. I guess I should thank Inzynien I look more like my mother than my father.
I wasn't originally going to take the time to make an entry here, but I found out there was a library and took a look through it out of curiosity. It's in a temple, which makes me a little anxious, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity. The clergy are friendly enough, and they've allowed me access so long as I have someone within earshot at all times. Good thing they aren't curating what I read, because I think I found what they'd probably call heresy tucked away in a back shelf, and it just so happens to fit as evidence in my research. I asked my attendant, a lovely and unexpectedly kind woman named Malitzin, if I could copy down a passage I liked, and she seems not to take issue with it. Maybe I can count the Temple of the Sun as a surprisingly less-than-scary imperial entity. Maybe.
In any case, I'm going to copy this story down to the best of my ability. I have to translate it from Coztlai, so I guess I'm going to see how much of the language I've lost during my schooling. I'll mark any uncertain translations for later review, with possible alternatives in parentheticals.
Unknown legend, translated & transcribed by Yunha Cheng-yo, 11 Prezbeg, 143CZ:
...after the Betrayal [Revealing?], they attempted to placate [soothe/convince?] Him with sacrifices. Creatures [vermin/elves?] were brought before Him in great numbers, but in the end they were all sent away as He admonished [punished?] the clergy for their foolishness [audacity?]. Six great shafts [spears?] of light [wrath?] scorched the city in His temper, killing many and adding to the despair [loss?] of the Betrayal [Revealing?].
The people [traitors?] trembled and fell prostrate to beg [pray?] fervently for His forgiveness [mercy?], but it would not come. Instead, great flames [wings?] of light filled the air and streaked toward the throne. The sky lit up with light [sun?] as the God Emperor retaliated against this intrusion in fury. The clergy that were present would describe this interloper as the same fierce savage [vermin/elf?] that had appeared during the Betrayal [Revealing?]; a puny adversary [challenger?] to the Emperor's greatness [facade?] with a long, flaming blade [spear?] and clothed only in daylight.
This savage [vermin/elf?] dared to steal the light of the Emperor and wield it against him, which sent the Golden Serpent into a rage. His form became the serpent [truth/perfection?] and He attacked this savage [vermin/elf?] with all His ancient ferocity and terrible might [power/punishment?]. Those within the city fled inside their homes as the skies lit up with shards of fire [meteors?] and searing lights [spears?]. The throne flashed with the fury of the feuding combatants and His cries of retribution [wrath?] could be heard across the Empire.
Those who first climbed to the throne on the mount after the action subsided said [lied?] that the enemy had been beaten by the God Emperor, who ordered it strung up by its hands on a stake in the courtyard [pinnacle?] of the throne. He then requested His great weapon, the Spear [ray?] of the Sun, with which He wished to execute the savage [vermin/elf?]. This scholar [witness?] would speak of the life [blood/light?] that ran down the God Emperor's side from a fracture [wound?] in his form; but we all know that Gods do [the God does?] not bleed, so the clergy say [lie?].
And so it was that the God Emperor towered above the savage [vermin/elf?] that had foolishly [bravely?] attacked Him on His very throne, but the intruder did not tremble. The savage [vermin/elf?] simply looked up as fire and light bled [leaked?] from its chest, burning fury in its eyes as he spoke thus, "Your evil [magic?] cannot harm me."
This enraged the God Emperor, for only fools [traitors?] did not tremble before His power and spoke such insolence in His presence. As the spear [ray] pierced the body of the enemy, there was no scream to ring out over the courtyard [pinnacle?]. Instead, there was only a laugh that boomed over the city as all who turned their eyes to the throne on the mount saw a final flash of light that would turn the night to day once again for an instant; great flames [wings?] spread over the capital before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Then the intruder was gone, leaving only the Emperor's enraged roar to fill the silence.
All who looked upon the throne knew that the intruder [martyr?] had escaped [defied?] the God Emperor Himself.
The language is a bit archaic, and based on the physical presence of the Coztlitl God Emperor, I'd place this text somewhere before the Third Serpent War. It's incredibly rare to find a heretical account of pre-Disappearance history, as most of it has been destroyed by the Chosen of Coztlinacan. During the Second Serpent War the God Emperor disappeared from the throne of the Empire without a trace. The prevailing theory outside of the Empire credits the interference of the Kali dragon gods in the Second Serpent War for this disappearance, but none can truly be sure and each side of the conflict is clearly more interested in making themselves look better than finding the truth. The Coztlitl, for their part, are wholly convinced the Kali simply kidnapped or trapped the God Emperor in some way, an accusation which the Kali stubbornly deny - instead, the Kali insist that the serpent god was simply too cowardly to fight the dragon gods on equal footing for once and fled.
It really makes one wonder why treaty negotiations have gone so poorly between them.
The beginning of the passage makes me think this is only half of the story. This Betrayal/Revealing spoken of in the first section is likely the beginning of the Jade Coil, when a follower of the Jade Serpent revealed himself in the Emperor's court and tried to assassinate him. From what I've read in what little historical record remains from that time, the city was incredibly chaotic as devotees of Nyzlacanallan revealed themselves everywhere and attacked those who follow the Church of the Chosen. In essence, this event was what started the feud between gold and green-scaled yuan-ti that continues to this day. I'd be interested to find the first half of the story, should it even still exist, because later language insinuates that the Emperor's attacker was also present during the events of the Betrayal.
Clearly the text is heretical, and may be fabricated or otherwise edited, because of the insinuation that Coztlinacanallan was wounded during the encounter. The Empire would very much like their deity to be invincible and all-powerful, but this account makes it sound like the clergy that were present during the event covered up the Emperor's injury, which tracks with what I know about current imperial politics. Not only that, but the tale clearly shows a heretic escaping punishment and flaunting it in the Emperor's face. It almost pains me to leave this account here, knowing it will be burned if it's ever found, but I'd be putting myself even more at risk by carrying it around.
Speaking of the entity, it is called a savage - a word that could also be vermin or elf, since the names are quite close in modern Coztlai usage - which means that he is placed on the level of elves; a non-believer to be purged without hesitation. Of course, attacking Coztlinacanallan instantly put the attacker in such a category regardless of heritage or belief, but that's besides the point. What I can infer from this language is that the entity physiologically resembled an elf, a thread that tracks with my other accounts of Coztlitl origin thus far.
Otherwise, this account does bring Meneshka's letter to mind. The entity seems to be using incredible power to stand up to one of the most powerful physical beings that ever existed - if the tales of Coztlinacanallan's might aren't exaggerated, of course, and I have reason to believe they may be. I suppose the entire tale could just be the wishful fantasy of a priest that secretly supported the betrayers. I believe I'm not out of line in implicating such a stance not only due to the hidden nature of this text but also the ambiguous language used therein.
The powers described are an admittedly much stronger form of those previously mentioned in my collected accounts of this entity, with heat and light both being mentioned. The author equates these powers to the domain of the sun, stating that the attacker might have stolen these powers from Coztlinacanallan, but I doubt very seriously that such a large amount of power could be taken from the Emperor unwillingly without disastrous consequences to the surrounding area.
That said, the flames/wings are new. Upon looking back on my translation, I think wings fits better than flames as the actual usage. I'll have to look into records of winged beings of power, because all that's springing to mind right now are the flying beasts of my homeland - none of which possess anything akin to such abilities. The day a hippogriff conjures searing light rays is the day I go into the mountains to die alone as a hermit.
If this is Amatoquitlana, he's certainly being a bit more bold than he has been in recent years. This incredibly powerful and destructive being of justice is definitely more akin to Meneshka's account than previous Coztlitl accounts. I wonder, what changed? Should the entity hold such devastating powers at his fingertips, and such a drive to end injustice, why not use it more often? I can only assume that he's attempting to prevent collateral damage, since I find it highly unlikely that anyone within miles of New Coztlinacan came out unscathed after the events of this text, should it be real.
I guess it's time to head to the capital and scour their libraries. Such a catastrophic event has to be recorded somewhere, even if it's been edited into near uselessness by fanatics. Even so, the most butchered historical documents still contain threads of truth if you know where to look.
I'm excited to get on the road again, but I have to admit I'm terrified of the capital. I'll be right under the nose of the most dangerous man in the world to elvenkind, and I have to walk right into one of his houses to register myself with the Temple of Order; a soldier told me so upon crossing the border, and I nearly fainted in fear. Thanks for the Senan-e name, Mom, that should excuse me not knowing the culture, at least.
Wish me luck.
