Asegüel - Part 1

The Asegüel, literally translating as great-movement-downwards, is a basic premise of how rebellion is Eldawn is seeded and grown. It is based a lot on my musings in the earlier post on the nature of initial rebellion. This is a first draft though, which will probably change a multitude of times before I am satisfied with it. Part 2 will be up soon, I hope.

ASEGÜEL - Part 1

The Great Fall

Following the time of creation, Cilves Eleyon and all of creation rested for a time. Then as Eleyon intended, humanity began to grow within the garden, the man and woman brought forth offspring of the same kind as themselves. So it was that mankind began to take its first steps along the path that Eleyon had set out for them. The Asegüel was also revealed by Ilvesu, Lady of Sorrow, and recounts the Age of Harmony and its ending, as rebellion first manifests in Eldawn.

The Age of Harmony

So it was that the creation was complete, the race of man began to grow within the garden. The abundance of nature provided all that they required, and some of the Wevel dwelt among them in the forms of their patron animals. The Yevel came among men occasionally, to instruct them in knowledge and wisdom, and the Yevel clothed themselves in human form, but of greater stature than the bodies of the Evezhen. But much of the time, the Yevel and Wevel spent their days in the City of the Powers, Baveris, which was west of the Cradle of the Evezhen.

In that age time was not measured, for humans were not concerned with its passage as they were not yet under the dominion of death. And so in later days, those who lived during the age of harmony were known as those of unnumbered years, for none among the Evezhen could remember their true count of time. While uncounted, time passed nonetheless, and the Evezhen grew in number, stature and understanding.

The Cradle was a circular land walled by great mountains, and within the mountain wall there was no rain. Rather, a great spring supplied four rivers from the centre of the Cradle, and these watered all the encircled lands. At the centre of the Cradle was the Garden, a place of abundance and beauty never to be equalled in the world until the last days.

Five dwellings were founded in the Garden, the largest of which was Teris. Most of the Evezhen dwelt there, in fellowship with each other and with Eleyon, for Eleyon’s seat in the garden was in Teris. Some Evezhen dwelt there exclusively and spent their days in worship of Eleyon, and were thus called the Elves, the people of Eleyon. Other Evezhen sometimes travelled to the other dwellings, to disciple under the Cilzhen Yel and Wevel of that dwelling, that they might gain greater understanding of certain aspects of creation.

To the east, in the view of the rising sun, the dwelling of Caris prospered under the guidance of Alero and became a centre of learning. To the west, in the light of the setting sun, the dwelling of Piris became a quiet haven under the jurisdiction of Ilvesu. To the north, the dwelling of Soris, developed under the instruction of Oleri. To the south, the dwelling of Yuris, which was the domain of Uleva. Under the tutelage of the Yevel and Wevel, the Evezhen learned the workings of the world, both in holistic overviews and specific details.

The Gift of Soul-Sense

The time soon came for the realm of the soul to be opened to the senses of the Evezhen, and it was a day of great rejoicing. Two cups there were, prepared by the Wevel of Eleyon, in Teris. The first was the cup of the soul, and the second was the cup of the spirit. Within them was a sacred water, to be drunk by the Evezhen at the appointed time, so that they would be made aware of the higher realms. And so on this day, the cup of the soul was passed to the Evezhen, and they drank of its water. Magic then entered the powers of the Evezhen, and they could now sense and spin the threads of energy as the Wevel could. Their proficiency with magic was at first clumsy and cautious, but soon the Evezhen were adept.

Alero was delighted by the magical learning of the Evezhen, and desired to let them sense the ether as well, that the Evezhen’s understanding of the world might be further increased. He spoke of his desire to release the cup of the spirit, in the plazas of Baveris for all the Wevel and Yevel to hear. Eleyon was troubled, for the time had not yet come for the Evezhen to see the ether. Eleyon spoke to counsel Alero to await the appointed day, and for awhile Alero was quiet.

However, as the Evezhen grew further in their knowledge of magic, Alero was convinced anew that they were ready for the realm of the spirit. Alero began to debate openly in the courts of Baveris that the Evezhen be given the second cup, and many of the Wevel were swayed by Alero’s persuasive words. Eleyon now grieved in His heart, for it was not clear to Him that the age of harmony had entered its final days.

Ilvesu perceived the secret grief of Eleyon, for she spent much time in Eleyon’s company. Ilvesu reminded Alero of their warning from Eleyon, but Alero would not relent of his proud speech. Then, remembering the warning of Eleyon to the Evezhen, Ilvesu now formed a poisoned dust for fear that Alero’s plans would upset the harmony of creation. Ilvesu and placed the dust of death in the cup of the spirit, that whomever among the Evezhen drank of the water before the appointed day would perish a mortal death. But now greater still was the grief of Eleyon, for both the Yebel had understood not His will.

Alero did not entirely disregard Ilvesu’s reminder, and was struck with fear that he would be unmade to the ether. Therefore, Alero bent his thought on how Eleyon might be subdued until the full realisation of human potential might be achieved. Alero, first of all creation, bided his time until he felt that Eleyon was vulnerable, planning how he might most effectively conduct his intent.

Cil Eldawach

Time for a revised account of the creation saga, part of my work to establish the full framework of Eldawn before I begin filling in the details. Some of the names have changed, to comply with Tas Eldawach conventions and rules. This is the first complete draft, and it will likely be refined much further, especially with regards to the diction and tone. Presenting Cil Eldawach, literally translated as 'The Creation of Eldawn' :

CIL ELDAWACH

The Creation of Eldawn

This is the account of the earliest times of the world, as told to the elvish record keepers in Ivaris during the Age of Light by Ilvesu. Ilvesu, Lady of Wisdom, shared her knowledge at the prompting of the elves, that by it they might know their purpose and the will of Eleyon. The tale proceeds from the earliest time beyond time, until the completion of the world with the creation of humanity. So begins Ilvesu’s narrative :

The Realm of the Spirit

Eleyon existed, exists and will always exist, for time itself stems from Eleyon’s measure of the changing world. He is known by many names in the realms of Eldawn, but common to all beings, his title is Cilves, the Creator. Alone in the ether, Eleyon wandered in vain, searching for another like himself. Therefore, Eleyon created Alero and Ilvesu from the ether, calling them the Elder Spirits, or Yebel, though that name is now seldom used. Soon after, Eleyon created another pair of spirits, the Yegül, the Younger Spirits, Oleris and Uleva. The Yegül, while still of great power and wisdom, were deferential to the Yebel, for the Yebel were their mentors in the earliest time, and both Yebel and Yegül were subject to the will of Cilves Eleyon. The Yebel and the Yegül are together known as the Cilzhen Yel, the created spirits. Together, these five are known as the Great Spirits, the Yevel, for of all things, they alone have their full essence based in the ether and can natively fold it to their design.

For a long age, the Great Spirits dwelt in the ether, exploring its substance and observing its formless fluidity. Then, Eleyon called a council, where he shared his intent for the rest of creation with the created spirits, and they harkened to his words. When Eleyon’s vision concluded, Eleyon spoke a unique gift unto each of the Cilzhen Yel, and as he spoke, the awareness of the created spirits was shifted forever, for such is the strength of the will of Cilves Eleyon. So the each of the four grasped a facet of Eleyon’s grand design in more depth than the other three. 

Eleyon said to Alero, ‘To you I give the gift of imagination,’ and it was so, for in that moment Alero’s soul opened to all manner of possibility that lay slumbering in the ether. He is the most innovative and creative of the Cilzhen Yel; when examining any substance he can perceive its use and potential. His gift was the first to shine, for he looked at the empty world and saw all manner of things waiting to be called into being. Under Eleyon, Alero led the experiments of creation, giving focus to the other spirits as they shaped the world. In later stages of creation he assumed charge of light and the high heavens. His twin Ilvesu was his greatest counsellor, and apart from Eleyon, she alone could alter the flow of Alero’s genius. 

Eleyon said to Ilvesu, ‘To you I give the gift of wisdom,’ and it was so, for in that moment Ilvesu’s soul beheld the quiet bonds that bind all things to all other things. She is the keenest and most discerning of the Cilzhen Yel; able to observe the slightest detail of every plan. Her gift was the last to reach full bloom, for wisdom comes from experience, and the world was still young. What early wisdom she had she grew by abiding long in the presence of Eleyon, he who has the experience of all time. In later stages of creation she assumed charge of the seas and the depths of the earth. Her twin Alero was her delight, for she perfected many of Alero’s ideas and honed them to sharper glory.

Eleyon said to Oleris, ‘To you I give the gift of logic,’ and it was so, for in that moment Oleris’s soul comprehended the components of the world in structure and precision. He is the most deductive and analytical of the Cilzhen Yel, mathematics is his delight. Able to calculate and pursue his observations to their irreducible conclusions, he was also adept at explaining his conclusions to the other Great Spirits. Oleris spends much time alone, immersed in the abstract landscape of his mind, playing mental games of hypothetical axioms. In the later stages of creation, he assumed charge of the sky and the winds. His twin Uleva was his counterpoint, her alternative perspectives sometimes showing him the answer amidst the maze of reason.

Eleyon said to Uleva, ‘To you I give the gift of intuition,’ and it was so, for in that moment Uleva’s soul sensed the ties of aesthetic beauty between the aspects of reality. She is the most spontaneous and artistic of the Cilzhen Yel.; the arts are her delight. Uleva spends much of her time in company of others, bringing joy and vibrance with her encouragements. In the later days, Uleva would assume charge of the surface of the earth, all plants and animals would abide by her direction. Many times, she was lost amidst the theories of her twin, Oleris, but she would be drawn to one in particular and upon pondering it further, Oleris would come to realise it was indeed the optimal solution.

When the gifts of the Great Spirits were thus bestowed, Eleyon warned them, ‘Each of you I have created and blessed. So, despite all you may achieve in the ages to come, you must not forget the source of your being. For it is by my will alone that you are sustained, and if you turn from it, you will surely return to the ether.’ The Cilzhen Yel heard Eleyon, and in reverence they submitted to him, and Eleyon knew that they were good. Thus, the first stage of creation was complete, and all was fair and good.

The Realm of the Soul

Now Eleyon said, ‘Let some of the ether be condensed, for then it shall have structure for us to weave.’ And so it was that much ether folded in upon itself, becoming heavy and coiled, and the Cilzhen Yel wondered at it. At once, they began to spin the newly formed energy into experimental forms. In the realm of the soul, there were many forms of energy and forces far beyond what humans now know, for the rules for the realm of the body do not apply to the realm of the soul.

The Cilzhen Yel worked in harmony with each other under Eleyon and the realm of the soul was fashioned to the will of Eleyon. Of this realm, present humanity is neither given full knowledge nor the ability to comprehend; humans would later call this realm heaven or the home of the gods. Eleyon has stated this ban will be lifted at the end of all things, when all secrets are revealed, but until that time, humankind is permitted to know but little of this realm. Thus the second stage of creation was complete, and all was fair and good.

Now Eleyon said, ‘Let there be beings of energy, for it is good that the Cilzhen Yel have helpers to assist them for the work to come.‘ So it was that a host of souls arose from the energy; and like the Cilzhen Yel, they were granted wills unto themselves. These beings were named the Cilzhen Wel, the Created Souls, or simply the Wevel or the Souls. The Wevel were of a different nature from the Yevel, for the Wevel have both soul and spirit, but they have a greater part of their awareness in the realm of souls, and more deftly do they shape energy than the ether, for they are native to energy. To each of the Wevel, Eleyon bestowed gifts, but they are too numerous to name herein. A full telling of the Wevel and their gifts may be found in Egezhen Wevelach. By each of their gifts, some of the Wevel found they were suited to the service of a single, some to two, three or even all four of the Cilzhen Yel. Others found their souls drawn to Eleyon himself, to serve him directly.

Many great and wonderful things were woven in this age, far beyond the understanding of humans. Great symphonies of light, paintings of motion and dances of colour were composed and performed to worship Cilves Eleyon. When the Wevel were grown in mind and heart, Eleyon warned them with the same warning that he spoke to the Cilzhen Yel. ‘Each of you I have created and blessed. So, despite all you may achieve in the ages to come, you must not forget the source of your being. For it is by my will alone that you are sustained, and if you turn from it, you will surely return to the energy.’ The Cilzhen Yel were reminded of their promise, and now the Wevel in turn submitted in reverence to Eleyon. Thus, the third stage of creation was complete, and all was fair and good.

The Realm of the Body

Now Eleyon said, ‘Let some of the energy be knotted, for then it shall have substance for us to build.’ And so it was that much energy spun in upon itself, becoming dense and locked, and the Cilzhen Yel and the Wevel wondered at it. Together, the Cilzhen Yel designed the laws of the physical world, the ties that relate matter with other matter and matter with energy. Of the many energies of in the realm of the soul, only some were chosen for the laws of the realm of the body. Between these chosen energies, only five of many forces were chosen to relate to matter. Each of the Yevel assumed charge of one type of force, and governs it according to their temperament. Thus the fourth stage of creation was complete, and all was fair and good.

When the foundations of the world were established, the Wevel went to work, shaping the details of the world as Eleyon design had revealed to them. Out of the dust of matter, the Wevel formed all manner of substances. The earth was brought together from its deepest foundations and water was poured out over its surface. Light shone on the earth, that the Wevel might work with clarity and precision. The water was separated, some raised far above the earth and the rest parted for dry land to appear. Plants were raised from the earth and the lights of heaven ordained to mark the cycles of time. The Wevel fashioned all manner of animals, covering the earth with creatures great and small. Then the Wevel and Yevel built a great city on the land, that they might inhabit the realm of the body with bodies of their own. Thus, the fifth stage of creation was complete, and all was fair and good.

Then Eleyon commanded that a garden be raised to the east, a kind region, where the land and seas were abundant and nature was arrayed in her fullest bounty. When it was done, Eleyon spoke his final command, ‘Let humans be formed from the dust of the earth, and they shall be created in our image.’ So it was that the first man and woman were raised from the dust of the earth, and they were granted wills unto themselves. They were called the Evezhen, the Beloved, for of all created things, humanity is dearest to Eleyon. When life entered the man and the woman, they beheld the world around them and were amazed. The Evezhen have Spirit, Soul and Body, and more so than the Wevel, the Evezhen are naturally able to craft the physical substance of matter, for they are native to the realm of the body. The Evezhen can faintly sense the realm of the soul, but the realm of the spirit remains a mystery to them, for the ether is too dispersed for beings of matter to detect. 

Indeed, Eleyon forbade the Evezhen from knowing the realm of the spirit until the appointed time, saying unto them : ‘Each of you I have created and blessed. So, despite all you may achieve in the ages to come, you must not forget the source of your being. Here in this garden, I have given you all the abundance of the world, that you may be blessed beyond measure. In time, I will reveal to you the realm of the soul and the realm of the spirit, but until that appointed time, it is my will that you do not seek to understand the higher realms. For if you seek the higher realms, you will surely return to the dust of the earth.’ The Cilzhen Yel and Wevel were reminded of their promise, and now the man and the woman, in awe of creation, submitted in reverence to Eleyon. Thus, the sixth stage of creation was complete, and all was fair and good.

Now, Eleyon beheld all that he created and saw that it was fair and good, in accordance with his design. The heavens and the earth in all their vast array were crafted to the pure creative expression of Eleyon. And so Eleyon declared the work of creation complete, and rested, and all creation rested with him. Thus, the seventh stage of creation was complete and with it, the whole age of creation, and all was fair and good.

Perspectives : The Nature of Initial Rebellion

I feel prompted to clarify the reasons for which Alora turns against Eleyon and instigates disharmony in creation. This is partly because of my own recent experiences, and partly because I am trying to describe the history of Eldawn is broad swathes so the framework for its architecture will more established for me to work within. For those of you who are unfamiliar with my mythos, Eleyon is my Creator figure and Alora is my Lucifer figure.

The investigation begins with the nature of humanity. A cell group member asked me a question this week. I'm not Lizzie Bennet so forgive me if I can't remember it word for word, but the general idea was : Did God create us perfect? Because if He did, then how could Adam and Eve sin? Doesn't that mean that mankind was inherently flawed to begin with?

I responded : We were created perfect, but we were given free will. Because of this, there was opportunity for sin. 

After more thinking, that answer seems straightforward enough, but understanding often requires additional probing, which is why this subsequent exploration was generated.

I must begin by clearing a few issues - 

1. Free will is a choice that God made, and without it, man cannot meaningfully relate to God.

2. God is almighty. So he is omniscient and omnipotent.
3. Free will always chooses the best option within its knowledge that it perceives as available.

The first issue is something most of us should have little trouble understanding, I hope. Our relationships with objects without free will are not meaningful the same way that our relationships with other sentient beings are. We might project attachments and sentiments onto objects, like stuff toys or trees, but they can never respond of their own volition to whatever affection we link to them. Similarly, God did not create us to be mechanical servants of His will, but willing instruments of his divine orchestration.

Second, I base the argument on the fact that God, the Creator, is almighty, knows all and is all powerful. You might not agree with this, but I am basing my work and my life on Christian principles as much as I can; just exploring the resulting consequences.

Third, we always pick what we think is the best option for us at the time. The options also have to be within our knowledge simply because if they are not known to us, we wouldn't be aware of it. I have attached the idea of perceived availability because there might be a better option out there, but we believe that we cannot attain it and so do not strive in that direction.

To begin with, we need to examine the relationship between the Creator and the creation. (Or in tas eldawach, cives ec cizhen) When God created, the creation is by definition, inferior to the Creator. Creation is inferior both in terms of knowledge and ability, since I am working off the premise that the Creator is omniscient and omnipotent. If creation were on the same level as Creator, God would have made Himself. This difference between Creator and creation implies that creation is limited in its understanding and power. Of course the very fact that the Creator is able to create shows that he knows everything about us, while presumably, creation does not know everything about its Creator. I do wonder if this could be extended to any creator-creation relationship, but that will be for another discussion.

This has many resulting consequences on the nature of free will and the cause of rebellion. Free will that is created must therefore, belong to a being that is limited in knowledge and power when compared it its Creator. This sets up a dynamic between the first Will and all created wills. Simply put, the created wills either cooperate or defy the original Will. When the created wills work in concert with the primeval Will, there is harmony between creation and Creator. For this to be the case, the created wills must choose to be subservient to the primeval Will. On the other hand, when the created wills defy the divine Will, there is discord and suffering. There are always these two basic choices, every solution for any multifaceted conundrum will fall on one side of the fence.

A brief diversion into the nature of suffering - Suffering is a necessary result of creation rebelling against the Creator; an unavoidable consequence. This is the case because when creation chooses a path that is not in alignment with the Creator's purpose, it is unavoidably inferior to the path that the Creator has in mind. Since God is omniscient, He knows the best possible choices for every decision we have to make. We exist in a limited perspective, so we cannot always know what the best possible selection is for each encountered furcation. When we choose to rebel, or act outside God's will, the resulting situation is worse than what it was meant to be, or could have been.

We may not live in a perfect world now, but the fact of the matter is that we were created for a perfect one. Because God intended humanity to live in perfect community, we have persistent inborn expectations of the nature of the world; that which is good, pleasing and perfect, and so we know what falls short of that. Since the consequences of our rebellions are necessarily inferior to the path which God intended, there is a divide between our expectations of perfection and our imperfect reality. Because of this difference, like the Buddhists hold, suffering results. So when it comes to the question, why does God allow suffering? It seems to me it is because He allows free will. Those free wills might be restricted and coerced into suffering, but that is ultimately because other free wills are abusing their own privileges. Did God create suffering? No, for when God created, all things were good. Rather, creation creates suffering by choosing to turn away from God.

Now you might argue, if that is the case, what is the point of exercising free will? What is the point of God giving us free will if there is already a plan that He has in mind for us to follow? Part of this is already answered in assumption number one. Another part has to do with our understanding of exercising free will. As I already mentioned, the created wills either cooperate or defy the original Will. Exercising free will does not mean choosing the path that we would like to direct for ourselves. You are still exercising free will even as you submit yourself to a higher power. You would simply be making that fundamental decision to cooperate instead of cause conflict.

So, the question has turned to the issue of why a created being should wish to defy the Creator in the first place. Since by the logic of the first two underlying assumptions, any act of rebellion must lead to suffering and pain, there ought not to be any case where a created being chooses suffering over peace. Obviously, this is not the case and people make terrible, regrettable choices all the time, myself included. This is where the third tenet comes into play. A created will will only choose what they know to exist and what they perceive to be accessible. As a result, a created will may rebel against the divine Will out of pride, or of despair.

I will deal with despair first because it is not the fundamental cause of rebellion, but rather a resultant one. Despair comes when we settle for anything less than the perfect world we were intended for. Despair acts when we know that the situation should be better, but we decide that it will never be and choose what is inferior. We give up on the hope of restoration and glorification. It comes from being in a world that is already fallen, and being beaten by the offenses of that imperfect world until we submit to it. After months, years, decades of existing in a state of suffering, we forsake the divine inborn standard and elect the overtly accessible, next best alternative. In this situation, God's will is defied not out of active hatred for His plans, but because we perceive them as unattainable. However, since this form of rebellion arises from conforming to the pattern of a fallen world, it is not the original rebellion, which could only have happened in a perfect world.

The original rebellion, therefore, must have been out of pride. This is a result of a created being believing that it knows more, or has superior knowledge to the Creator. The created will sets itself above the Creator and believes that it has a superior solution than the Creator's to the choice at hand. For this to be the case, the created being has to believe it is justified in the defiant choice. Otherwise, the Creator can simply show the created being the error in its thinking and the creation will have no good reason not to begin the path of repentance. Now, we need to ask how a created being might possibly arrive at that conclusion that it has superior knowledge to the Creator. I am not considering a created being believing that it has superior power or ability, simply because power does not justify. It may be within your ability to perform a back somersault, but just because you are able to doesn't explain why you have any good reason to do so.

Going back to the second tenet, God is omniscient. Therefore it is impossible for a created being to actually know more than God, the being can only perceive that it knows more than God. This can happen in two ways, when we believe we know all there is to know, or when we believe we are considering a factor that God has not taken into account. Once again, within these two options, only the former is a candidate for the original sin. In the perfect, pre-rebellion world, created beings have full fellowship with God, so the Creator could have easily shown how He had already considered any misgivings about possible unexamined variables.

How then, might a created being arrive at the point where it believes it has achieved omniscience? The explanation that I have been directed to begins with this : since created beings are not omniscient, we are able to learn. For some, the word learning is inextricably tied up with the grinding tedious nature of academic learning. Perhaps unusually, I would say academic learning is one of the joys of my life. Nonetheless, we all enjoy learning in one form or another. It could manifest as learning about other people, learning a new song or a new skill far outside the confines of academic learning. Learning affects the three realms of knowledge that all of us are affected by. The first realm is the known, what we already know and understand. The second realm is the known unknown, which is what we are aware of, but are sure that we do not understand, like quarternion numbers for my present self. The third realm is the unknown unknown, what we are neither aware of nor understand. Perceived omniscience results when the second realm of the known unknown is minute or non-existent.

In the process of learning, the first realm expands and second realm tends to expand. The third however, remains constant. This is so because if God is omniscient, He could be viewed as having infinite knowledge. If infinite knowledge exists, then the unknown unknown is the largest of the three knowledge realms and can never be reduced since it is infinite. This holds for any quantity of knowledge that creation believes it has. However, the third realm is not what holds our pride in check, but the second. It is easy to forget about the existence of the third realm; it is neither within our reach nor comprehension. The second realm is what prompts us to assume superiority or submit in humility.

Free will always chooses the best perceived available option, and someone who knows more can easily show you a better option. If a chess master was observing a game of chess you were playing, you would be certainly be inclined to follow whatever advice he deigns to give. It's a matter of trusting someone else's expertise in an area, supported by the awareness that they know more than you about a certain subject. The second knowledge realm is readily apparent. If the roles were reversed and you were the chess master, you would probably disregard suggestions from a novice. You would be confident that you have a greater understanding of the situation than a neophyte who forgets the direction in which pawns capture. In this case, the second knowledge realm is non-existent or at least, comparatively small. You would feel justified in making your own decision instead of deferring to another's judgement.

So, how does one proceed from chess rookie to chess master? When a created being is created, it is aware that it is intellectually inferior to its creator. It has existed for less time than its creator, it has less understanding of its purpose, composition and the world, until it begins to learn. So we begin in a state of submission because the second realm is initially obvious. Even if a created being is created with inborn knowledge, it cannot be all knowing as the Creator is. As we learn, our realms of knowledge expand. However, risk is involved when the creation forgets the fact that the third, mysterious and unknown unknown is actually infinite. When we forget the infinite nature of knowledge, knowledge appears to be finite. This implies that with each new grain of knowledge, the creation feels that it approaches the omniscience of the Creator. The creation develops the impression that it is slowly exhausting the realm of the known unknown and will soon reach intellectual equality with its Creator. The finite creation believes it can encroach on the infinite Creator, because it is not within the reach of the finite to grasp the sheer magnitude of the infinite.

At the point where the created being feels it has learnt all it has to learn, it feels it knows all there is to know, and so, presumes omniscience. If, at this point, the creation has different ideas from its Creator about the nature of reality and the future, it will feel justified in making an independent decision to act contrary to the Will of the divine. This is in spite of the fact that creation can never make a decision superior to decisions within range of the divine plan. Such is the stem of rebellion by Creation in a previously perfect world. It is a lack of wonder and a fostering of pride.

For this reason, the first to rebel must also be at the peak of all created beings, and most likely, the first created being. If you are less knowledgeable than another created being, it is perfectly clear that you must still be inferior to your Creator. However, it is only when there is no other created being to compare itself with that a created being feels it is next to the Creator Himself. In this state, there is no other created being who can hold the pinnacle in check when the summit of creation chooses to challenge the Creator. I suggest that the first rebel must also be the first created being, because the rebel would have observed the rest of creation as it was created. If a created being enters a world already populated by all manner of created things, their diversity is evidence enough that the second realm exists. But if a created being was the first and able to watch the rest of creation unfold, it could potentially suppose that it understood each new creation as it came into being.

Therefore, Alora has to fulfill these traits when it comes to his own rebellion against Eleyon. Alora is the first created being, albeit along with Iyvase, and Alora and Iyvase are at the summit of created things. Alora was predisposed to learning about the external, Iyvase about the internal. Alora becomes the first to presume omniscience and rebels. After this first rebellion, other methods of rebellion are made possible, as they rely on existing imperfection.

Would we then say that Alora, or Lucifer as he is in this world, was created inherently evil, or predisposed to evil? Again, this cannot be the case because God created all things good. But Lucifer was also given free will, and placed in a unique position, a delicate balance between power and humility that ultimately tipped over into pride and shattered the harmony of reality.

Knowledge alone is dangerous, because it empowers its bearers. Alora's pursuit of comprehension was partly to blame for his presumed omnipotence. If a created being is content to remain in a state of submission, never questioning what the Will commands, the harmony has no chance of being disturbed. It was when creation learned, and assumed that it was approaching the infinite Creator, that hamartia of the prime created being was made manifest. Nevertheless, the ultimate choice was still up to Alora's free will, to remember his limitations, or to challenge his Creator.

I would like to emphasise that it is not wrong to learn, the Creator allows us to learn and takes delight in our learning, but it is wrong to forget the third realm of knowledge and lose trust in the divine plan. So we arrive at the difference between knowledge and wisdom. As the proverbial phrase goes : 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' and that is exactly it. For if we remember that the Lord is superior and knows all our unknown unknowns, we may learn as voraciously as possible without fear of rebellion. But if we forget this fear of the Lord, as the first rebel did, all his glory means nothing, for the finite cannot measure up to the infinite and any choices outside the will of the Creator elect the way of suffering.

Therefore, Alora was not created evil, desiring wanton destruction, suffering and all manner of ugly atrocities. It was part of how the situation was set up that every created will has the choice to cooperate or to conflict with the uncreated Will. Unfortunately though, suffering found its way into the world through the only way possible, the hubris of the first creature in creation. This unlocks the gate, into a vast world of hurt and confusion and sin, which is what we find ourselves in today.

The Name of a Language : Arezhen Tasach

After a few hours of brainstorming, Eldawnian now has a proper name for itself. The root syllable 'ta' is related to the idea of communication or throughways. 'tals' is the abstract idea of communication, 'tas' refers to language and 'tan' refers to physical passages or pathways. Additionally 'tain' refers to geographical passages, like valleys or natural tunnels but let's not get into that.

'tas' is therefore close to our equivalent of language, and in most circumstances, would have been sufficient for the inhabitants of Eldawn to refer to Eldawnian. If they wanted to be more specific, they could have gone with 'tas vesach', which simply means The language of humans. This was to distinguish their language from 'tas welach' or The language of souls which was spoken by natives of the second plane and of course, 'tas zelach' or The language of spirits which was the language of the great spirits in the first plane. The language of humans is the only conventional one that we can understand, since the rest do not rely on the same vocal apparatus that humans in the third, material plane employ.

At this point in Eldawn's history, all of humanity speaks a unified language, so there are no names for other languages of humans. Our languages only distinguish what we feel is necessary to distinguish after all.

Of course, for our purposes and living in a real world of a multitude of languages, it would be quite hard to refer to any one language as 'tas vesach'. Thankfully there's already a name for this world, so for our reference, we would simply call my fictional language, 'tas Eldawach'.

The word for script will be 'üdetas', which is a combination of language and physical body. At the moment there are several scripts that I have in mind. The first to develop in Eldawn's internal history is logographic designed by the elves, then a phonetic script was developed in Eleris shortly after. I haven't given too much thought to the logographic script yet, I probably won't for awhile because it isn't too high up on the priority list at the moment. The phonetic script is the script that I have explained in a previous post, containing 24 consonant letters and 6 vowel letters. The phonetic script is specifically referred to as 'üdetacas', or The forward/progressive script. 'üdetacas' eventually comes to be used throughout the Radiant Society, and to some extent among The Filial as well, mostly to aid learning the logographic script.

Adverbs : Analoges to Adjectives

Another particle of speech is the adverb, which I have decided to make quite similar to the adjective since they are similar in function. Like Eldawnian adjectives coming subsequent to their nouns, adverbs follow the verbs that they modify.

The declensions for adverbs are almost exactly the same as those for adjectives, except for the final vowel, which is [-o] instead of [-u]. 'o' was chosen so that the adverbs would match the verbs, which also end with [-o]. The three degrees are reflected with the voiced plosives, [-g-] [-d-] and [-b-] and the comparatives with the inclusion of [-r-]. Once again, the negative is indicated with [-m].

The examples are going to be similar to the adjective examples, so I won't spend too much time explaining them. The adverb declined is 'üsero' which means willingly. This is derived from the verb 'üseyo' which means to decide/choose.

ces ibeto üsego tes : (Descriptive) I help you willingly
ces ibeto üsedo tes : (Moderate) I help you very willingly
ces ibeto üsebo tes : (Superlative) I help you most willingly
ces ibeto üsegom tes : (N. Descriptive) I help you not willingly
ces ibeto üsedom tes : (N. Moderate) I help you not very willingly
ces ibeto üsebom tes : (N. Superlative) I help you not most willingly

The comparative cases have the added 'ra', used as a comparative marker to distinguish the two clauses being compared. In English, it would be translated as either as or than.

ces ibeto üsegro tes ra ibeto üt pes : (Equative) I help you as willingly as I help them
ces ibeto üsedro tes ra ibeto üt pes : (Augmentative) I help you more willingly than I help them
ces ibeto üsebro tes ra ibeto üt pes : (Extreme) I help you much more willingly than I help them
ces ibeto üsegrom tes ra ibeto üt pes : (N. Equative) I help you not as willingly as I help them
ces ibeto üsedrom tes ra ibeto üt pes : (N. Augmentative) I help you not more willingly than I help them
ces ibeto üsebrom tes ra ibeto üt pes : (N. Extreme) I help you not much more willingly than I help them

The subject is not repeated in the clause after the comparative marker, and so it is taken to have the same subject as the first clause. The verb is required to indicate that 'pes' is the object by syntax. If the subject changes while the object remains the same, it is possible to omit the object in a similar manner. Necessarily, if both subject and object change, both must be included in the construction.

The example above was for a transitive verb, in the case of intransitive verbs, the adverb can simply be followed up with 'ra' and the subject in comparison. For example, 'saton ateto atebro ra latun' The sun shines much more brightly than the moon.'

Conjunctions : Causation and Counting

At the moment, I haven't settled all the conjunction functions, but there's more than enough material to cover in one post for what I've come up with so far. Conjunctions are words that link two statements in various ways. For example, and, if, or, even though, but and so. The two types of conjunctions that I've designed for Eldawnian are the causation conjunctions and the counting conjunctions. These terms are not official linguistic vernacular, but it makes it easier for me to think about their functions at the moment.

The causation conjunctions are easy enough to explain. Their English equivalents are the words for and so. As a conjunction for expresses one clause as a reason behind another. Simply Drink water, for you are thirsty. You are thirsty is the reason why you should drink water. On the other hand, so expresses the relationship that one clause is a result of another. I was thirsty, so I drank the water. Thirst is the cause.

Presently, there are four types of causation conjunctions : Real, Essential, Relevant and Hypothetical.  They express various relationships between proposed causes and events. The conjunctions are place before the clauses they modify.

Real
cive - since - ci : real, ve - cause, cizhe - therefore - ci - real, zhe - result

Essential
isve - is a required cause of - iseyo : to compel, ve - cause, azhe - is a required result of - aseyo : to force, zhe - result

Relevant
iave - is part of the cause of - ia : link, ve - cause, iazhe - is part of the result of - ia : link, zhe - result

Hypothetical
lave - if - la : hypothetical, ve : cause, lazhe - then - la : hypothetical, zhe : result

For the example sentences, I'll use the verb 'ibeyo' meaning to help/aid, along with the simple pronouns 'rices', 'rites' and 'ripes', which are first, second and third person respectively.

'ricos ibeto rites cive rites ibepo ripos' I help you since you helped him.

It is generally preferred to have cause before effect, so the full default sentence would be :

'cive rites ibepo ripos cizhe ricos ibeco rites' Since you helped him, therefore I will help you.

The other categories of cause and effect conjunctions work in the same way.

'lave rites ibeto ripos lazhe ricos ibeco rites' If you help him, then I will help you.

Additionally, there are negative versions of the causal conjuctions. Once again, this is negated with the addition of the [-m] suffix.

Negative Real
civem - not since - ci : real, ve - cause, cizhem - not therefore - ci - real, zhe - result

Nonessential
isvem - not a required cause of -  iseyo : to compel, ve - cause, azhem - not a required result of - aseyo : to force, zhe - result

Irrelevant
iavem - is not part of the cause of - ia : link, ve - cause, iazhem - is not part of the result of - ia : link, zhe - result

Negative Hypothetical
lavem - not if - la : hypothetical, ve : cause, lazhem - then - la : hypothetical, zhe : result

These negative conjunctions do not mean not A then B, but rather A is not a cause of B. For the negative real conjunction, it would be akin to saying A was not the cause of B, and so on. The irrelevant case would be analogous to the expression A has nothing to do with B.

Next, the counting conjugations, of which there are six.

ab [conj] or (10/01), ot [conj] but not (10), ec [conj] and (11)

ip [conj] or (11/00), ud [conj] not but (01) , üg [conj] nor (00)

These conjunctions would be used in lists, for example, saying that I have a blue pen and a red pen but not a green pen. and other similar statements. The binary codes in parentheses refer to the positive or negative quality of the clauses. A few example sentences would probably make things clearer.

I advise him and her. 'ricos iveto ripos ec ripus'
I advise him but not her. 'ricos iveto ripos ot ripus'
I advise him or her. 'ricos iveto ripos ab ripus'
I advise him not, but her. 'ricos iveto ripos ud ripus'
I do not advise him nor her. 'ricos ivetom ripos üg ripus'
I advise both him and her or neither him nor her. 'ricos iveto ripos ip ripus'

'ip' isn't really a conjunction that has a clear translation in English. It could be viewed as an all or none statement, such that either both objects have the same action done to them, or neither will receive the action. It could also be used in a situation with more than two objects to make things clear. For example in the sentence I advise you, him or her. it is ambiguous whether you mean you and him are advised, or her, or whether only one of the three are advised. In contrast the Eldawnian construction system allows clearer constructions with 'ricos iveto rites ip ripos ab ripus' which indicates that the positive or negative states of you and him are bound together. The other sentence that would appear similar in English is 'ricos iveto rites, ripos ab ripus' where it is taken that the same conjunction applies to all three since one is omitted. Of course, for clarity, one could always say 'ricos iveto ab ripos ab ripus', just as we might way I advise you or him or her.

Anyway, language construction is getting a little exhausting at the moment, I intend to return to the main purpose of the language, which was to set up the names of my proper nouns consistently. Now that most of the rules of grammar and phonology are in place, I think I'll come up with names and get back to working in English as soon as possible. Just a final post on how to ask questions, and this series on linguistics will be frozen until necessity or interest calls for its thaw.