Arcana: Myths & Legends

Little Gods

Spherewalker Origins, Part One

by Mark Edwards

From the stories of Ram's Horn, talekeeper of the Valley tribe, on the sphere of Trollsleep.

On the last day of the last moon, on the last night of the last harvest season, I sang the story of the hero Swallow, he who seduced the East Wind to his service and made the Silent Wyrm laugh and gave his life to defend his people from the Whispering Children.

But it is not of him I tell tonight, this night of the first stars on the first eve of the first planting. It is of his teacher, Chain of Iron, who taught Swallow the Battle Shout and the Tireless Stride and gave him the three gifts of balance, wisdom, and fearlessnes.

Chain of Iron was the teacher of heroes, the healer of warriors, and a mighty hero in her own right. She lived longer than the oldest of our people, and knew things of which our most venerable talekeepers and priests had not a glimmer. For Chain of Iron was not of our people. Chain of Iron was not of our land. Chain of Iron was not of our sphere.

Chain of Iron was a goddess who walked between worlds as we do between the field and forest, between glen and mountain. How did she arrive to save our folk in the battle of Black Stream? She stepped forth from another world. How did she appear to heal the wounded Swallow and become his teacher? She arrived from another place that we cannot see. And where did she go when Swallow unjustly slew his shield brother and refused to do penance? To another sphere where there were more worthy heroes to teach.

And where do those such as Chain of Iron come from? For she is not alone in her talent for stepping between one sphere and another. There are others, some of whom you have heard of in my other tales: The wiley Blackwood, the cunning Weaver, and the evil Stone-in-the-Path. Why can they walk the ways between the worlds?

Once, when the gods and goddesses were merely ancient, they looked down to see that the spheres were rife with foolishness, bloodshed, and madness. And the deities argued over how best to provide guidance to the foolish folk of the spheres. Most argued that their messages, dreams, augeries, and prophecies were enough.

But others thought they should create guides to aid people, guides who had some of the gifts of the deities but were not powerful enought to rebel against them.

And one goddess, Little Mother, whispered in the ear of another deity, Hunter, to come to her bed that night, where they would make together the first of these guides, as their children.

Little Mother would bring magic, compassion, and endurance to the bloodline, while Hunter would bring courage, honesty, and power.

But The Hairy One overheard the whisper, as he hears all things, and took on the guise of Hunter that night and came to Little Mother's embrace before Hunter could arrive. The Hairy One found excuse to leave, and when Hunter arrived Little Mother embraced him, not knowing it was for the first time.

And before the next winter, Little Mother gave birth to the Little Gods, those who could walk between the spheres. Most were the children of Hunter, and were wise, good and strong, but some were the children of The Hairy One, and were touched by deceit and madness.

Most spherewalkers are descendants of the Little Gods, some of whom bred with human folk. And some have been a great aid to mankind, as they bring gifts of knowledge from other worlds. But others, born of The Hairy One's deceit of Little Mother, bring only strife.

Little Gods by Mark Edwards copyright © 2000 Gaslight Press. All rights reserved.