Myth of the Month: How the Islands Came Apart (1998)

One day all the people of Vithela got together. They wanted to discuss their common practices and share what they could with each other. That was the way of things in those days because everyone knew the Old Language as well as their own.

They spent a lot of time discussing Durapdur, the nonentity which had been so vividly revealed to the world by Mashunasan. They hadn’t liked being destroyed and conquered by the demons, so they really wanted to make sure they were doing the right thing.

They decided that most poeple weren’t powerful or patient enough, or didn’t have enough free time, to meditate the way Mashunasan did. Instead, they decided they would worship Durapdur the way they worshipped the other gods.

They made songs and prayers, determined that only gentle sacrifices should be made, and did their collective best to reach their god, Avanapdur.

Much to the satisfaction of the worshippers their god one day responded, and he thanked his worshippers for their duty and sacrifice. They were so pleased that they redoubled their worship, basking in their success. They asked where he came from, and he pointed to every one of their homes. They then sacrificed to him and gave him their power as the earth god, too, until he was able to take a huge and visible form whenever he was worshipped.

Once the antigods threatened the world, but Avanapdur appeared, decapitated their leader, and chased the rest away. After that the people were sure that this was a great and powerful god, so they made even more sacrifices to him.

Avanapdur grew more and more powerful, and he became acknowledged as Beyond the Greatest of the Gods. His worshipers knew he could do anything.

However, one day his priests demanded that King Vith must sacrifice to Avanapdur too. The High God refused, saying he would never sacrifice to a low being. The people were so angered at this that they stopped all sacrifice to Vith and their ancestors, and declared that anyone worshipping Vith or his kin were low beings, worthy only of being killed. People across the wide land turned against each other.

People went to Mashunasan and begged him to make peace again. That was on such-and-such a date, and at the same exact moment Avanapdur looked surpriwed, and then sent for all his chiefs and kings and priests to come to him. Only the rightous, who still worshipped Vith and his family, stayed away.

He told them he had been summoned to see Mashunasa, and that he needed to have their proven support before he went. Some saw that he was afraid and departed from the company then and there. But most of the others made a great pledge.

Avanapdur went to see Mashunasan. He was accompanied by his greatest followrs, as well as a horde of people who were all expectant of some great event.

Avanapdur bowed and approahced the Great Mystic humbly, for he truely and deeply feared the Liberation Bolt. Mashunasan asked one question.

“Who are you?”

“I am what these people told me I was,” said Avanapdur.

“You are Queen of the Iradgenderi,” said Mashunasan, “Oren Parond, would you please dismiss this thing from here?”

“Oh No,” shouted the people and priests though, “You can’t do this to us. We refuse it, and we will prove our power with these tools and the backing of our god. We command it.” Indeed, that wasn’t too different from many war cries in the East Isles.

Then Oren Parond performed his exorcism and the Iradgenderi evaporated to nothing. At that moment all of those who swore that they had been part of the false god felt a part of themselves disappear with the loss and the truth. And worse yet, their lands which had pledged to support the god also went away, and placid waters washed in over the empty places to heal the wounds. This was how the islands got separated from each other.

Greg Stafford

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