The Morellic Creation Story

Last updated Nov 3, 2024

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Before the days of our mothers, before the Lunuth was first planted, and before men and gods drew their first breaths, were all things ordered by the Judges. And the two Judges lived in the forest of Ngwasai Oskaya¹. The first Judge was named ‘Udrui²,’ for it brought light to the forest, and the second Judge was named ‘Ena³,’ for it was an attendant in the darkness. And Udrui resided in the east, and Ena the west.

Now Udrui would often become tired, and would sleep in the cradle of the eastern horizon, and this would be the night. And in the night, Ena would emerge from the western cradle, to watch over and illumine the forest in the darkness. But the forest was empty, and lacked order, and was only dust. And so, when the two Judges would discuss their concerns, Ena said, ‘What is a forest?’ But Udrui had no answer, and so they discussed what a forest should be, for they were able to decree such a matter. And so Ena said, ’let stalks and flowers and leaves, all bearing fruit and seeds, to emerge from the dust.’ And Udrui made it so, and they emerged, and Udrui named them ‘plants.’ And the two saw what they had created, that it was good, and they were glad, and ate the fruits of the plants that they had decreed to emerge from the dust.

And so, Udrui went into its home, and slept, but the plants withered without the Judge’s light. And so Ena was afraid, and cared for the plants. And the Judge created clouds in the sky, that water may fall from them into the ground, and form rivers, and the Judge decreed that the plants should be nourished by the rains and the dust of the ground. And the plants lived, and they were thankful to their creators, and worshipped them. And it came to pass that the plants reached the ends of their lives at the appointed time, and let down their seeds, and their children sprouted from the ground, and ate of the dust of their parents.

The next day, Udrui emerged from the eastern horizon, and observed the rains that fell from the clouds and the plants that worshipped. But Ena was lonely, and came to Udrui, and said, ‘Should we be the only ones to enjoy the forest? Come, let us create angels as companions for ourselves, as a testament to our glory, that they might hold dominion over the forest, and worship us.’ And Udrui made it so, and a host of Angels emerged from the ether and began to make garden of the forest. And the Judges saw what they had created, that it was good, and ate fruits with the Angels. And the Angels were glad, and worshipped their creators.

And so, Udrui went into its home, and slept, and the Angels tended to the plants in the night and the day, for they were holy in the eyes of the Judges. And the next day, Udrui awoke, and illumined the whole creation. But Ena came to Udrui, and said, ‘Is it good that all things should be kept at the same level? For you and I are holy, and yet we share our portion with weeds, and the angels, who are beneath us and above the plants, they share our portion as well. Come, let us create high places for ourselves, and low places for the least holy of the holy things we have created for ourselves.’ And so Udrui made it so, and mountains arose from the ground, reaching into the clouds that nourished the plants, for the clouds were holy. And there were left chasms in the surface of the earth, where the water collected, and these became lakes and seas, into which the rivers flowed.

Now there was an angel which was unholy in the depths of its heart, and the angel was named ‘Eyolith Menna⁴.’ And Eyolith Menna hid in the depths of the ocean to hide from all things holy, for it was unholy. But as Ena was walking through the forest in the night, there was a rupture in the seas, and out of this rupture emerged a cloud which carried Eyolith Menna. And the cloud came to Ena, and spoke. ‘Peace and favour upon you, my shepherd in the night, my Judge over the forest.’ And Ena said, ‘Hello, you who are amongst the angels of our creation, what is it you wish to discuss?’ Eyolith Menna responded, ‘No unholy thing, my creator, only that you give ear to my musings.’ And so, Ena said, ‘Go on.’ And so Eyolith Menna said, ‘Do you see it well that Judges and Angels only should enjoy the forest? No, it is no good thing, and I say that it would be a good thing that you should create living spirits, formed of the darkness of the forest, for how will the Angels see you as great if there is no ungreat thing below you?’

But Ena was not amused, saying, ‘Is your method of worshipping me to make me to falter and marr the forest with living creatures of dirt?’ And Eyolith Menna said, ‘Nay, but to make you to be exalted. For what is one unholy thing when there is already a least holy thing?.’ And Ena looked to the ground, saying, ‘You are right to say that there is a least holy thing.’ And Eyolith Menna said, ‘Yes! And what is one more creation to feed upon the least holy things, to praise you, and to stand against you–to prove your greatness?’ But Ena was angered, saying, ‘Is it your wish to sway my hand from order and greatness? Be away from me, you evil thing.’ And Eyolith Menna said nothing, and crawled into the dark places of the forest, and was glad, for it knew it had corrupted Ena’s heart.

And so the morning returned, and Udrui returned from the eastern horizon, and was looking over the forest, at all the things that had been made, when it saw Ena kneeling at the foot of the mountains. And so Udrui asked, ‘Why are you despondent? Is not the holiness of our creation enough for you?’ And Ena said, ‘Nay, but I am saddened by the unholy things I heard while you slept.’ Udrui said, ‘Unholy? There is a least holy thing, but no unholy thing in the forest you and I designed. Are you to suppose we have created an unholy thing?’ And Ena said, ‘Nay, for we have not created any unholy thing, but I have heard an unholy idea from the one who wished to marr our creation, the angel Eyolith Menna.’ and Udrui was angered, and said, ‘I will make it that Eyolith Menna is destroyed, and it shall be imprisoned above the clouds, condemned to burn in the night, and to be suffocated in the light of day.’ And Ena said nothing, for its heart was corrupted. And so Eyolith Menna was taken and condemned to burn in the night and be suffocated in the light of day, and was the first of the stars which are imprisoned above the clouds, and was the north star.

But because Ena’s heart was corrupted, it sat in the dark places of the forest, and was shrowded in shadow and the darkness of night. And it decreed, ‘I shall take the tar of the forest, and create spirits of the tar, and thus I shall name the spirits, ‘Darkness,’ for they shall be hidden from the light.’ And so the Spirits of Darkness were breathed out from the tar pits, and began to graze upon the forest, and destroy it. And Ena saw what it had created, and was glad, because it was corrupted, and saw them as a testament to the glory of the Judges and the Angels and the Plants. And the next morning, the Spirits of Darkness hid in the dark places of the forest, afraid of the light that had emerged from the eastern horizon with Udrui. And for longer than men have breathed in our time did the Spirits of Darkness live and hide in the dark places where they were formed.

Now the next night the spirits emerged to graze, and destroy, and consume the forest once more, and this they did every moment the light was not exposing their sin, for it was by this destruction that the spirits were fed. But once, as Udrui emerged from the east, and looked over the forest, it was barren, and empty, for the Spirits of Darkness had wholly consumed it. And Udrui was exceeding wroth, and came to Ena, and said, ‘What have you done?’ But Ena was silent, for it was corrupted. And Udrui said, ‘You spoke to me of unholy thoughts of angels in ancient times, and behold! This most unspeakable, this unholy thing has occurred; I see you have been corrupted. Do you think me stupid, that I should not know it was you to cause this? For no dust, no water, no plant, nor any angel could commit such an act of destruction as you have committed this day.’

And Ena had no words, but the Spirits of Darkness had a flame of anger ignited from within them. And the Spirits of Darkness emerged from the dark places of the forest, and Udrui was horrified, saying, ‘Are you the instruments of my companion’s sin?’ and the spirits spoke, ‘Nay, but we are your companion’s heirs.’ And Udrui said, ‘If you are its heirs, then let you inherit the guilt it gained from lending ear to Eyolith Menna, for you have destroyed the forest in your sin.’ And the spirits leaped upon Udrui, and battled it, and the land was overcome by darkness as the spirits murdered their god. And when the battle was done, the burning corpse of the Judge loomed from above the clouds, and there was no life within it.

Upon this, Ena saw clearly, and it said, ‘What have you done?’ For it was deeply sorrowful. And Ena said, ‘Do you suppose that you should consume me as you have Udrui?’ For it was afraid for its own life. And the spirits said, ‘Nay, for you created us. The light sought to expose and destroy us, but you lead us in the night.’ And Ena was wroth, and said, ‘Udrui sought to expose and destroy you not because it was evil, but because you are unholy, and you are the spawn of the machinations of a demon; look up to the north star, and let its fire serve as a reminder to you for the wages of sin.’ And the Spirits of Darkness were afraid, and said, ‘Surely, you would not burn us as the north star burns.’ And Ena said, ‘You burn yourselves in your iniquity.’

And so Ena decreed, ‘O, Spirits of Darkness, you shall be imprisoned within bodies of dust and souls of tar, and be subject to the limits of your flesh. Your bodies will be weakened by age, and worn down by the toil that you shall toil under the burning corpse of Udrui, that you should not starve, and thirst, and die. But you certainly shall die, for your appointed time will come, and you will burn amongst the stars, and your fire will only end once the punishment for your iniquity is complete.’ And the Spirits of Darkness were given bodies of flesh, and were beasts, and their flesh wept before their lungs first breathed.

And the host of beasts looked toward the sky, and with their first breath, spoke as one, ‘If we are to die, let our legacy not be cut off forever.’ And Ena looked down, and said, ‘Aye; I decree that a portion of you be set aside, and, as plants bore seed, you too should bear children, and your children should bear children. But you shall also suffer the agony of labour, as a reminder of your iniquity. And you shall have many husbands, and through them many children, and you shall be queens, with authority over others.’

Now when the Spirits of Darkness had murdered Udrui, the Judge’s power was great, and when it died, an energy proceeded from its spirit. And this energy overcame the forest, and warped the laws of nature, and thus the cosmos was so warped that it shattered into a myriad pieces. And once the spirits were given flesh, Ena took the beasts, and put them in the shattered realms, and it sowed new seeds into the barren soil of the realms, and thus emerged new plants. And as the fragments of the body of Udrui flowed overhead to fuel the plants which the beasts consumed, the beasts had children, and their children had children, and it came to pass that they forgot their ancient knowledge, and they knew not how their mothers murdered the sun, and shattered the realms into pieces, and condemned their children to prisons of flesh. And so the beasts had proliferated across the remains of creation, and made for themselves homes upon the planets. And it came to pass that the beasts’ children had unfolded into different species, and kinds, and races.

Now the Judge was sorrowful that the beasts had forgotten all things holy, and it said to Qherenna⁵, the angel of dirt, ‘have you seen Shinra⁶, whose kind dwells amongst the trees? Let her most favourable husband lie with her, and let the seed sown within her womb be an herald of faith of all things holy, that the beasts should believe and remember through her seed.’ And so Qherenna agreed, for it was faithful. And in the land of Kharra-Eyan⁷ lived the woman called Shinra, who was advanced in years, and was barren. And at dusk did Qherenna come to her in a dream, saying, ‘Shinra, let it be known to you that you shall be the vessel to carry the seed of faith.’ but Shinra said, ‘What are you? Have you come to take me in my sleep?’ And Qherenna said, ‘No, but I am come to show you the will of the Judge. You believe that I am come to take you in your sleep, but I say that you shall be blessed to see your daughter live till the day she is counted among women, then I shall take you.’ And Shinra was afraid, and said, ‘This cannot be, for you are only a dream; be gone from me!’ But Qherenna was upset, and said, ‘I rebuke you in the name of Ena the Judge, for we are holy.’ And Shinra said, ‘you are holy? I have not heard of such beings.’ and Qherenna said, ‘Yes, and it is for this sake that you shall be the vessel to carry the seed of faith.’

And so Shinra was swayed, her heart was opened. Seeing this, the angel said, ‘Shinra, you who are blessed amongst the women of your kind, let it be known that it is Ena’s will that you should carry a child, and when this child is born you will name her Eyorna⁸, for she is the seed of which I spoke.’ But Shinra said, ‘But, holy one, I am advanced in years, and have passed the time of birthing; my progeny is but an empty plain where nothing grows, not even the weeds; I am barren.’ And Qherenna, knowing this, said, ‘You percieve yourself to be barren, but it is this disbelief that salts the earth of your flesh. Believe in all of the holy things and bring forth your child.’ And so Shinra believed, and it came to pass that she laid with her most favourable husband, and was with child. But when the child was born, Shinra was afraid, and said to her husband, ‘Surely I will die if this child is to be the seed of faith.’ And her husband was unfaithful in his heart, and said, ‘Then let us name her not ‘Eyorna’ as the angel commanded. For if she is not named Eyorna, then you surely will not die upon the day she is counted among women.’ And so Shinra named her child ‘Keille⁹,’ against the commandments of the angel Qherenna and the Judge.

And so it came to pass that Keille grew in the disbelief of her mother and father, and she was a forager for her family. And the day before she was counted among women, on the last day of the seventh month, it happened that as she laid her head upon the ground to sleep, she was struck with a dream of the angel Qherenna, who said, ‘Keille, listen and behold the angel of the dirt upon which you slumber!’ And Keille was surprised, for she had not seen an angel till that moment, and said, ‘What are you?’ And Qherenna said, ‘I am Qherenna, an angel amongst the holy ones of the Judge.’ and Keille said, ‘Have you come to upset my family?’ For when any mention of holy things was made, her mother went silent. And Qherenna said, ‘Nay, but to bring faith. I tell you that you have been brought up in the falsehood of the disbelief of your mother and father, and I am come to call you to be a prophet.’ And Keille said, ‘Dare you not to dishonour my mother and father.’ But Qherenna said with a loud voice, as thunder, ’they bring their dishonour upon themselves, Eyorna.’ And Keille was as if she were struck, and said, ‘What is this name, Eyorna, that you call me?’ And Qherenna said, ‘I tell you that this is the name that you ought to have been called, in accordance with what is good in the eyes of the angels and the Judge, for you were sown in the womb of your mother for the purpose of being a seed of faith among your kind.’ And Keille said, ‘You must teach me of the decrees of the Judge if I am to be a prophet.’ And so Qherenna said, ‘Yes, and I tell you that before the sun rises in the morning, you will have been shown the decrees of the Judge, and you will truly be the prophet you were made to become.’

And so Qherenna disappeared into the dream-ether, and The Judge, Ena, emerged from the darkness. And Keille trembled, for she could not comprehend the vastness and greatness of the moon before her, in her dream. And Ena turned around to face Keille, and it’s face was not obscured in shadow, and said, ‘do you now see and understand that I, the Judge, am holy?’ And Keille said, ‘yes,’ but she found it difficult to speak, for she was so afraid. And Ena said, ‘you find it difficult to speak in my presence, but I tell you that after the sun rises in the morning, I will speak through you, and you will speak well.’