Book of Mithusu

The Third book of The Mithusian Texts
Book of Mithusu

* The Third Book *

of the

* Mithusian Texts *

As prescribed by Novus_Montu There lived a man in the lands beyond Rathnir whose name was Mithusu.

Mithusu was a leader of his warrior tribe and he had served under many nations and worhipped the many gods of the eart and sky.

Upon one of his jurneys across the land, Mithusu stopped under an acacia tree to rest. From under this tree, Mithusu looked at the rising sun, just eclipsed by the hill in front of him, and spoke to himself, "Is this world not as chaotic as the blast of a creeper and as fortune-driven as the cast of a fishing rod? If so, then why is it that the sun always moves but in one direction and in one place everyday of the world? Does this not contradict all other forces that we creatures experience in our lives?"

As the sun reachedover the hill, Mithusu had a revelation and said, "If the sun is truly part of this world as I and the things around me are, and is thus subject to the chaos of existence, should the sun not constantly move by its own direction, changing course every hour and changing shape by the day? Therefore, must there not be a god whose power is so great as to direct the sun to move in its regular course as we know? Oh, but what god could this be? In my life, I have never worshiped any god who is as mighty as to control this life giving force. I have seen worship of the moon, but does the moon not follow in the path of sun, taking the sun's course and consuming its reflection? How deprived must this god be of gifts and glory, for I have never heard of his worship in any polis I have been."

Because of this, and for want of appeasing this god, Mithusu went to the hill that was in front of him, upon its high place, and built an altar to the god of whom he knew not. Upon it he lit three fires and said, "Oh god of whom I know not, who directs the sun by his might, please accept this offering as a token of my appreciation and honour of you."

Upon these words. Mithusu burnt a cow on the altar as a burnt offering to the god of whom he knew not.

After this, out of the smoke of the altar's fire came forward a being whom Mithusu had never seen nor witnessed any images of. The being spoke: " I am the god who controls the sun, for my name is Lahhon, Holder of Light and Giver of Life. Your offering has a pleasant scent to my senses and I enjoy it much. I have not recived any gifts or honors for some time and the peoples of this earth do not ponder on the constancy of the sun, of which I direct, and so they do not worship or glorify me. Therefore, since you are the only man who has worshiped me fr some time, I will be with you in all your endeavors and make this covenant with you: So long as you give to me glory, I shall give to you strength."

Mithusu then looked upon Lahho and replied, "I shall continue to give you glory, and with your strength given to me I shall bring more glory!"

Lahhon then said to Mithusu: "Go back to your tribe and tell them of our covenant. Make of them worshippers of me, yet do not blot out the worship of the other gods of the earth and sky, for they are my brothers and sisters. However, those of my siblings that should be blotted out I shall tell you, and neither you nor your tribe shall worship them. You, Mithusu, shall be the Malik and High Priest of your tribe, and according to these roles you shall conquer. Unto your allies I shall bring prosperity and unto your enemies I shall bring destruction. For so long as you worship and glorify me, I shall give you my strength."

Upon this Mithusu cried aloud, "Glory to Lahhon!"

Mithusu then went back to his tribe and did what Lahhon had instructed. The tribe of Mithusu thus began to conquer the peoples around them in the Nearlands with the help of Mithusu's allies. And before and after every battle, Mithusu would go to a high place and sacrifice to Lahhon so as to fulfill the covenant he made with Lahhon. And thus did Lahhon give strength to Mithusu in return for glory.

Once the ribe of Mithusu had subdued the enemies of the Nearlands and settled with their allies, Mithusu set his armies upon the waters to seek the peoples of the Farlands. Then it was upon these peoples that Mithusu put to the sword with the strength of Lahhon. And it was with his tribe and allies that Mithusu conquered the great cities of Nalu, Kaqqidi, Errebu, and even destroying the colossal tower of Erra, for none of these where equal to the strength of Lahhon given to Mithusu in return for glory.

Once Mithusu had conquered the many nations of the Farlands he had a massive empire to attend to. The affairs of state were much and those of whom he could trust were little. To relive his burden, to his allies he gave free reign in their lands, but this was not enough. Soon, further wars with enemies spawned and Mithusu was left fighting many battles, and after his battles he had no time but to attend to matters of state and diplomacy.

Because of this, Mithusu neglected in building an altar on high place and giving honors to Lahhon after every battle, as was his covenant.

When the tribe of Mithusu saw this, his soldiers said to one another, "Mithusu has neglected to worship and glorify Lahhon and yet we are still the mightest on the battlefield. So it must be that it was not the strength of Lahhon that allowed our victories, but instead was our own ability and glory that led us to the creation of such and empire."

As such, the worship of Lahhon declined and the worship of men increased. Mithusu himself had nearly forgotten of his covenant, and since he was of so little time due to the needs of state, after each battle he would simply sau "Glory to Lahhon!" but would not give an offering or build an altar upon a high place.

When Lahhon would hear such words from Mithusu, he would say to his brothers of the earth and sky, "Of what are these words for me if they are not backed by an offering? For the words of a man alone can bring no glory unto the Holder of Light and Giver of Life." Because of this, Lahhon grew angry at Mithusu and his tribe for they did not keep the covenant between Lahhon and Mithusu. Threfore, Lahhon rescinded his strength from Mithusu and his armies. And so, Lahhon set about the destruction of Mithusu and the empire built by the strength of Lahhon.

Lahhon began by setting the minds of the enemies of Mithusu in alliance together. For they then said to one another, "Does Mithusu's strength not come from his covenant with Lahhon, where Mithusu gives glory for strength? And has any one of us seen an altar built by Mithusu on a high place where he may give such glory? Surely, Mithusu had broken his covenant with Lahhon and the god has rescinded his strength from Mithusu. Therefore, now is the time to strike and take back what lands were ours!"

Upon these revelations, the enemies of Mithusu gathered their armies nd set Mithusu and his tribe to the sword. Without the strength of Lahhon, Mithusu lost each battle set upon him by his enemies.

As for his allies, the enemies of Mithusu offered bribes in return for lack of assistance to Mithusu. And though the allies pleged their loyalty to Mithusu, Lahhon inflicted their hearts so that they thought not of their thanks and honor to Mithusu, so that even the allies of Mithusu turned on him.

Without the strength of Lahhon, Mithusu and his tribe were forced from he shores of the Farlands and back to the Nearlands. But upon Mithusu's landing, Lahhon brought the minds of the enemies of Mithusu from the Nearlands together. And the enemies of Mithusu then said to one another, "Does Mithusu's strength not come from his covenant with Lahhon, where Mithusu gives glory for strentgh? And has any one of us seen an altar built by Mithusu ona a high place where he may give such honors? Surely, Mithusu has broken his covenant with Lahhon and the god has rescinded his strength from Mithusu. Therefore, now is the time to strike and take back what lands were ours!"

And so Mithusu and his tribe were put to the sword shortly after their landing and, without the strength of Lahhon, Mithusu was defeated.

After their defeat, Mithusu and his remaining soldiers quickly made their way to the docks from which they had disembarked upon their return from the Farlands. Upon thier flee from the battle, the men ran trough a bazaar made of sandstone. In this moment, seeing the only mand who thought to offer gifts to him now on the run and being hunted down, Lahhon had pity for Mithusu. So once Mithusu had ran under the last archway, Lahhon collapsed the bazaar, burying Mithusu's soldiers under the sandstone.

Mithusu then climbed aboard his boat and set off from the dock. Mithusu's enemies began to chase after him, but Lahhon took his strength from them, and so Mithusu escaped upon the waters.

Many days had passed and Mithusu continued to sail to find a new land to settle upon, eventually eating the last of his remaining food. Mithusu then looked to Lahhon and said, "Oh great Lahhon, I have neglected to give you honors and you have taken your strength from me. For what can I be ungrateful? For what can I be anfry? For this is justice, nd your justice is the highest of them! But I have no food left to nourish me and my rod is broken. Therefore, I will surely die here at sea nd there will be no one left to honor you as I once did."

Lahhon replied to Mithusu's cry, "Cast your broken rod inot the sea and your food shall appear." So Mithusu cast his rod into the sea and a pufferfish took his bait and was reeled in. And Mithusu said, "Oh Lahhon, if I eat of this then I will surely die!" And Lahhon said, "Cast your broken rod into the sea and your food shall appear." And so Mithusu cast his rod into the sea and a pufferfish took his bait and was reeled in. And Mithusu said, "Oh Lahhon, if I eat of this then I will surely die!" And Lahhon said again, "Cast your broken rod into the sea and your food shall appear." And so Mithusu again cast his rod for the third time and again a pufferfish was caught.

And Lahhon said unto Mithusu: "You have broken our covenant and so I have taken my strength from you. But you were the only man who thought to offer gifts to me. Therefore, I shall make a new nation from you and those people shall be the heirs of our covenant. So long as they give me glory, I shall give them strength. But you will not live to see the faces of those people, and it is the place of your death taht i will call them to worship and glorify me. Now eat of the pufferfish, for you have reached my new land."

And so Mithusu ate of the pufferfish that he had caught until there were none left. And upon that time Mithusu saw a land in the distance, separated from the rest of the land by a split in the river. Upon this Lahhon said, "Get up from your boat and walk." And so Mithusu got up from his boat and walked upon the land. And once he reached the middle of the land he collapsed and was close to death.

Upon his final hour, Mithusu looked up to Lahhon and said: "Oh Lahhon, of whom I covenanted to give glory in return for strength, hold not your new people accountable for my breach but only for the breaches of their own. And so as to aid them, do not command for them what you commanded of me. Instead, make one man the Malik of your people and another your High Priest, so that the affairs of state and the glorifying of you may be adequately performed."

And to this Lahhon responded: "As you say I shall do. I shall call my new people from this new land of Rathnir, and they shall form a new nation in your name. The few that come first shall be my Nobles, of whom power will be placed. "The first to come shall be Malik of my people, and he shall attend to matters of state. The second to come shall be my High Priest, and he shall attend to the glory of myself, so as to keep my covenant with you and with my new people. For I shall call the first Nobles from among these lands, and I shall continue to call my people until they are a great and powerful nation. And I shall call them Mithusu, for it is in their name that you shall live."

And then Mithusu cried with his last breath, "glory to Lahhon and Strength to Mithusu!"

And so it was that Lahhon called his people from among the lands of Rathnir to the place of Mithusu's death. The first to arrive was Alman_Suleiman, and so he became the Malik of Mithusu, to attend to matters of state. And the second to come was Novus_Montu, and so he became the High Priest, to attend to the glorifying of Lahhon. After him came Riki_Kiunn, DeeDuke, beabb and DominicanDream1. And they along with the malik and High Priest became the first Nobles of Mithusu.

And when all the Nobles had arrived at the place of Mithusu's death, they could all hear the spirit of Mithusu sing as he rose to meet Lahhon:

"Remember your covenant oh people of Mithusu,

Since it is by Lahhon's strength that you will surely prosper!

By him it is you who have been called and brought together,

So build this great city and these lands will surely look upon you with awe!"