Black Jade (115 page)

Once there was a time when all Valari kings bore the seven stars of the Swan Contellation on their shields as a reminder of the Elijin and Galadin to whom they owed allegiance. But by the time of the Second Lightstone Quest, only the House of Elahad has as part of its emblem the seven silver stars.

In the heraldry of the Nine Kingdoms, white and silver are used interchangeably as are silver and gold. Marks of cadence - those smaller charges that distinguish individual members of a line, house or family - are usually placed at the point of the shield.

Mesh

House of Elahad -
a black field; a silver-white swan with spread wings gazes upon the seven silver-white stars of the Swan constellation

Lord Harsha
- a blue field; gold lion rampant filling nearly all of it

Lord Tomavar
- white field; black tower

Lord Tanu -
white field; black, double-headed eagle

Lord Raasharu -
gold field; blue rose

Lord Navaru
- blue field; gold sunburst

Lord Juluval
- gold field; three red roses

Lord Durrivar
- red field; white bull

Lord Arshan
- white field; three blue stars

Ishka

King Hadaru Aradar
- red field; great white bear

Lord Mestivan -
gold field; black dragon

Lord Nadhru
- green field; three white swords, points touching upwards

Lord Solhtar
- red field; gold sunburst

Athar

King Mohan
- gold field; blue horse

Lagash     

King Kurshan -
blue field; white Tree of Life

Waas

King Sandarkan -
black field; two crossed silver swords

Taron

King Waray -
red field; white winged horse

Kaash

King Talanu Solaru
- blue field; white snow tiger

Anjo

King Danashu -
blue field; gold dragon

Duke Gorador Shurvar of Daksh -
white field; red heart

Duke Rezu of Rajah -
white field; green falcon

Duke Barwan of Adar -
blue field; white candle

Baron Yashur of Vishal -
green field; white crescent moon

Count Rodru Narvu of Yarvanu -
white field; two green lions ram pant

Count Atanu Tuval of Onkar
- white field; red maple leaf

Baron Yuval of Natesh
- black field; golden flute

As in the Nine Kingdoms, the bordure pattern is that of the field and charge of the ruling king. But in the Free Kingdoms, only nobles and knights are permitted to display arms on their shields and surcoats. Common soldiers wear two badges: the first, usually on their right arm, displaying the emblems of their kings, and the second, worn on their left arm, displaying those of whatever baron, duke or knight to whom they have sworn allegiance.

In the houses of Free Kingdoms, excepting the ancient Five Families of Tria from whom Alonia has drawn most of her kings, the heraldry tends toward more complicated and geometric patterns than in the Nine Kingdoms.

Alonia

House of
Narmada
-
blue field; gold caduceus

House of Eriades -
Field divided per bend; blue upper, white lower; white

star on blue, blue star on white
House of Kirriland -
White field; black raven

House of Hastar -
Black field; two gold lions rampant

House of Marshan -
white field; red star inside black circle

Baron Narcavage of Arngin -
white field; red bend; black oak lower; black eagle upper

Baron Maruth of Aquantir -
green field; gold cross; two gold arrows on each quadrant

Duke Ashvar of Raanan -
gold field; repeating pattern of black swords

Baron Monteer of Iviendenhall -
white and black checkered shield

Count Muar of lviunn
- black field; white cross of Ashtoreth

Duke Malatam of Tarlan -
white field; black saltire; repeating red roses on white quadrants

Eanna

King Hanniban Dujar -
gold field; red cross; blue lions rampant on each gold quadrant

Surrapam

King Kaiman -
red field; white saltire; blue star at center

Thalu

King Aryaman
- Black and white gyronny; white swords on four black sectors

Delu  

King Santoval Marshayk -
green field; two gold lions rampant facing each other

The Elyssu

King Theodor Jardan
- blue field; repeating breaching silver dolphins

Nedu

King Tal -
blue field; gold cross; gold eagle volant on each blue quadrant

With one exception, in these lands, only Morjin himself bears his own arms: a great, red dragon on a gold field. Kings who have sworn fealty to him ~ King Orunjan, King Arsu - have been forced to surrender their ancient arms and display a somewhat smaller red dragon on their shields and surcoats. Kallimun priests who have been appointed to kingship or who have conquered realms in Morjin's name - King Mansul, King Yarkul, Count Ulanu - also display this emblem but are proud to do so.

Nobles serving these kings bear slightly smaller dragons, and the knights serving them bear yet smaller ones. Common soldiers wear a yellow livery displaying a repeating pattern of very small red dragons.

King Angand of Sunguru, as an ally of Morjin, bears his family's arms as does any free king.

The kings of Hesperu and Uskudar have been allowed to retain their family crests as a mark of their kingship, though they have surrendered their arms.

Sunguru

King Angand
- blue field; white heart with wings

Uskudar

King Orunjan
- gold field; 3/4 red dragon

Karabuk

King Mansul
- gold field; /4 red dragon

Hesperu

King Arsu
- gold field; /4 red dragon

Galda

King Yarkul -
gold field; /4 red dragon

Yarkona

Count Ulanu -
gold field; 1/2 red dragon

THE GOLD

The history of the gold gelstei, called the Lightstone, is shrouded in mystery. Most people believe the legend of Elahad: that this Valari king of the Star People made the Lightstone and brought it to earth. Some of the Brotherhoods, however, teach that the Elijin or the Galadin made the Lightstone. Some teach that the mythical Ieldra, who are like gods, made the Lightstone millions of years earlier. A few hold that the Lightstone may be a transcendental, increate object from before the beginning of time, and as such, much as the One or the universe itself, has always existed and always will. Also, there are people who believe that this golden cup, the greatest of the gelstei, was made in Ea during the great Age of Law.

The Lightstone is the image of solar light, the sun, and hence of divine intelligence. It is made into the shape of a plain golden cup because 'it holds the whole universe inside'. Upon being activated by a powerful enough being, the gold begins to turn clear like a crystal and to radiate light like the sun. As it connects with the infinite power of the universe, the One, it radiates light like that of ten thousand suns. Ultimately, its light is pure, clear and infinite - the light of pure consciousness. The light inside light, the light inside all things that
is
all things. The Lightstone quickens consciousness in itself, the power of consciousness to enfold itself and form up as matter and thus evolve into infinite possibilities. It enables certain human beings to channel and magnify this power. Its power is infinitely greater than that of the red gelstei, the firestones. Indeed, the Lightstone gives power over the other gelstei, the greea purple, blue and white, the black and perhaps the silver - and potentially over all matter, energy, space and time. The final secret of the Lightstone is that, as the very consciousness and substance of the universe itself, it is found within each human being, interwoven and interfused with each separate soul. To quote from the
Saganom
Elu,
it is 'the perfect jewel within the lotus found inside the human heart'.

The Lightstone has many specific powers, and each person finds in it a reflection of himself. Those seeking healing are healed. In some, it recalls their true nature and origins as Star People; others, in their lust for immortality, find only the hell of endless life. Some - such as Morjin or Angra Mainyu - it blinds with its terrible and beautiful light. Its potential to be misused by such maddened beings is vast: ultimately it has the power to blow up the sun and destroy the stars, perhaps the whole universe itself.

Used properly, the Lightstone can quicken the evolution of all beings. In its light, Star People may transcend to their higher angelic natures while angels evolve into archangels. And the Galadin themselves, in the act of creation only, may use the Lightstone to create whole new universes.

The Lightstone is activated at once by individual consciousness, the collective unconscious and the energies of the stars. It also becomes somewhat active at certain key times, such as when the Seven Sisters are rising in the sky. Its most transcendental powers manifest when it is in the presence of an enlightened being and/or when the earth enters the Golden Band.

It is not known if there are many Lightstones throughout the universe, or only one that somehow appears at the same time in different places. One of the greatest mysteries of the Lightstone is that on Ea, only a human man, woman or child can use it for its best and highest purpose: to bring the sacred light to others and awaken each being to his angelic nature. Neither the Elijin nor the Galadin, the archangels, possess this special resonance. And only a very few of the Star People do.

These rare beings are the Maitreyas who come forth every few millen nia or so to share their enlightenment with the world. They have cast off all illusion and apprehend the One in all things and all things as manifestations of the One. Thus they are the deadly enemies of Morjin and the Dark Angel, and other Lords of the Lie.

THE SILVER

The silver gelstei is made of a marvelous substance called silustria. The crystal resembles pure silver, but is brighter, reflecting even more light. Depending on how forged, the silver gelstei can be much harder than

diamond.

The silver gelstei is the stone of reflection, and thus of the soul, for the soul is that part of man that reflects the light of the universe. The silver reflects and magnifies the powers of the soul, including, in its lower emanations, those of mind: logic, deduction, calculation, awareness, ordinary memory, judgment and insight. It can confer upon those who wield it holistic vision: the ability to see whole patterns and reach astonishing conclusions from only a few details or clues. Its higher emanations allow one to see how the individual soul must align itself with the universal soul to achieve the unfolding of fate.

In its reflective qualities, the silver gelstei may be used as a shield against various energies: vital, mental, or physical. In other ages, it has been shaped into arms and armor, such as swords, mail shirts and actual shields. Although not giving power
over
another, in body or in mind, the silver can be us too quicken the working of another's mind, and is thus a great pedagogical tool leading to knowledge and laying bare truth. A sword made of silver gelstei can cut through all things physical as the  mind cuts through ignorance and darkness.

In its fundamental composition, the silver is very much like the gold gelstei, and is one of the two noble stones.

THE WHITE

These stones are called the white, but in appearance are usually clear like diamonds. During the Age
of 
Law, many of them were cast into the form of crystal balls to be used by scryers, and are thus often called 'scryers' spheres'.

These are the stones of far-seeing: of perceiving events distant in either space or time. They are sometimes used by remembrancers to uncover the secrets of the past. The kristei as they are called have helped the master healers of the Brotherhoods read the auras of the sick that they might be brought back to strength and health.

THE BLUE

The blue gelstei, or blestei, have been fabricated on Ea at least as far back as the Age of the Mother. These crystals range in color from a deep cobalt to a bright lapis blue. They have been cast into many forms: amulets, cups, figurines, rings and others.