noffsinger #3397 - The Belonging of the Wuling
#3397 - The Belonging of the Wuling
After confirming that Abrahark had accepted the conditions, Thothcyan looked at Klarakh.
"The situation in Commorragh is turbulent, and many antiquities and ancient books will surely flow into the black market. Lord Klarakh, I've heard you have quite the skill in identifying antiquities. I hope you can acquire more cultural relics and ancient books, especially those related to the Age of Myth. The Shadow Nexus will also provide you with a place. You can use those antiquities and ancient books to exchange for slaves from Salaine, or for weapons from Abrahark. Since the Royal Court is determined to unify, it also has the responsibility to protect the already dwindling history and culture of the Aeldari."
Klarakh was overjoyed upon hearing this. He knew that there were not many people in Commorragh who appreciated cultural relics and ancient books. These things were generally not very expensive, only some pretentious governors would occasionally collect them. If he could exchange these for the most sought-after slaves and weapons, wouldn't that be a foolproof way to make a huge profit?
"Your humble servant will certainly live up to Your Highness's expectations!"
Thothcyan stepped forward, placing both hands on the shoulders of the two governors, ignoring the spikes and blades that could cut flesh and blood. Then he bent down and said slowly:
"I am not as suspicious as Vect. As long as you can serve loyally, I will never be stingy with rewards. Both of you are smart people and surely know what choice is the right one."
In a certain instant, a burning pyramid temple flashed through the minds of the two governors, causing their souls to tremble and deeply implanting a shadow of fear.
After finishing the conversation with the two governors, Thothcyan asked Salaine to host a small banquet, which was also a reception for the guests who had come from afar. At the banquet, he heard a lot about Rozhim from the two governors. Obviously, Veronica's suggestion that Thothcyan send his good brother was absolutely correct. From the words of the two governors, it could be seen that Vect seemed to be helpless against Rozhim. His conspiracies and tricks always seemed to be scattered by the other party's unreasonable and illogical wild punches. Rozhim's somewhat unscrupulous and nonsensical methods made Vect very uncomfortable and a little overwhelmed.
No wonder there is a saying in the hive city that rascals are restrained by hooligans. Vect, who came from the streets, seems to be the kind of person who is restrained by Rozhim.
However, Abrahark had a very unique evaluation of Rozhim, that although this person's methods were crooked, his actions were not, and he could even be considered upright or decent in the environment of Commorragh—also because Abrahark himself had met Rozhim several times. It was through Rozhim that he was able to secretly send weapons to the Death Guard, completing the task of the Royal Court.
At first, he despised and disliked this guy, but now he admired him a little.
In Commorragh, it is too difficult to stick to principles and bottom lines, but for that guy, it seems very easy.
In any case, hearing that Rozhim was safe and even having a good time, Thothcyan was in a great mood. Compared to the Commorragh business, he valued Rozhim's safety more.
After the banquet, Thothcyan, accompanied by several governors, watched the arena show of the Cult of the Withered Blade.
This place is not much different from Commorragh, it is still dominated by cruel gladiatorial combat and varied fighting skills, but the materials have a more specific purpose. Basically, they are human Chaos worshipers and fierce space creatures such as Orks, after all, there are only these things in the Screaming Vortex.
Thothcyan felt no emotion in his heart about the fact that those mortals or Space Marines who believed in the Chaos Gods were hunted down or torn apart by various beasts in Kane's arena, because they were no longer considered human. Falling into the hands of the Empire would only be more cruel than this. The Inquisition's thousands of interrogation methods are not much different from Commorragh's.
However, when the Aeldari in the arena erupted with intense emotions because of the killing and bloodshed, Thothcyan could feel the energy they transmitted, or rather, the powerful spiritual resonance. This was probably due to the fragment of the Incarnate of Kurnous (Kane) that he had devoured, but what really concerned Thothcyan was not this, but the Kane faith and the Wraithbone culture itself.
In fact, the Royal Court had been debating this for a long time. Regarding how to face the Kane faith and the Wraithbone culture, which was born long before the Fall, the various forces and factions of the Royal Court had different views.
Although the Craftworld Aeldari deeply hated and stayed away from the culture of Commorragh, which was based on killing and torture for pleasure, they also needed the faith of Kane. Nearly half of the Path of the Warrior fought in the name of Kane. For the peaceful Craftworld Aeldari, Kane's war mask was their only way to intervene in war. Even the seers of the Craftworlds could not deny the importance and influence of Kane, the core Aeldari god.
The Wraiths, in essence, are priests of Kane. The gladiatorial and killing behaviors of these death brides are sacrifices and worship to the Blood-Handed God. They have a certain relationship with the Fall, but they are not the main responsibility, because their history is so long that it can be traced back to the Age of Myth. It is not the same thing as the Pleasure Cult that was formed later, although both have certain torture methods, but the former is dedicated to the gods, and the latter is purely egoistic.
Thothcyan once wanted to ban the Kane faith, but later he realized that in the chaotic galaxy, losing humanity would lose a lot, but losing bestiality would lose everything. If the Aeldari race wants to survive, it must retain its own fighting spirit and a certain degree of violence. Kane is not a good god, but there is no substitute. He is the symbol of Aeldari war, which is why the Kane totem and statue were finally established in the Conclave.
In the tens of millions of years of Aeldari history, war has been highly bound to Kane, and the two cannot be separated.
If the Kane faith is to be retained, then the Wraithbone culture cannot be cut off with one knife. Even if Thothcyan can call himself the Incarnate of Kane, it would be very difficult to issue a ban, and it would be even more difficult to implement.
Regarding whether the Wraithbone should be completely banned and abolished in the future, Thothcyan and Veronica had discussed it privately many times, but they could not get an answer. The complexity of this matter far exceeded their imagination.
Even within the Royal Court, there are many views on the Wraithbone cult. Some Aeldari also feel that they are the root of the disaster and must be completely eradicated, but others feel that although their behavior is cruel, dishonorable, and even makes the Aeldari soul sink deeper and deeper into violence and desire, everything they do is in accordance with the tenets of the Kane cult. They are only performing a certain aspect of their god's rituals. After all, Kane is both the god of war and the god of murder, so behavior can be regulated, and scale can be controlled, but complete eradication is unreasonable and unreasonable, and it is also a destruction of Aeldari ancient culture.
In fact, there are many factions that hold this view, including some Craftworld factions, such as some of the Warhost of Biel-Tan who believe that the Wraithbone cult can be retained. Some savage worlds also believe that the things of the ancestors should be retained to some extent, even if it is not necessarily good.
Although this matter has not been completely put on the table yet, and there will only be discussions among the people and in the council, once it is put on the table, it will definitely be a major event, a very big event.
But at least for now, Thothcyan does not have a very clear idea and plan. He still lacks sufficient understanding and comprehension of Aeldari culture. Maybe in the end, he will let Veronica make the decision.