“Accounts of the Behemoth, Leviathan and Zizz - I and II”
– Protoiridine Certusemorand (1589-1726)
Summary: Elena Bartlett
“Accounts of the Behemoth, Leviathan and Zizz” by Protoiridine and (preemptively after Chapter 82) his student, present written chronicles of “subliterati streonus” (scattering, incomplete, fractal). It originally contained 137 “Chapters”, each allegorically recording events by year. The initial and final Chapters have been lost. However, on Chapter 82, Protoiridine obstructs his flow, gazing upon previous points as to categorise disputes by “topic these years share”. It served now to divide the work into eight “Topics”.
Topic 1:
Chapter 82 describes disputes of “Maxima and Minima” as the two “initiating parties”, represented by their Pacifican “leading parties”, which were presumed to be two separate forms. The High Tide would come first, before the Low Tide would reveal its’ consequential – A tombstone with writings on it on the shoreline.
When “the sun wheel struck against the sea” (03.00 PM on East), its western shadow fell in a manner which created the image of a “Behemoth”. The creature would exclaim: “The tombstone is death of life beyond it, so begins a new life on land”.
Going on to swore protecting the land from death so long as “Our new family, our new brotherhood, our new polity abides by freedom of its’ own conscience”. A short-name portmanteau was proposed combining this statement → Nas-Phili-Tae (Our new familial-polity).
Topic 2:
Includes “chapters” 29-39 (years 1617-1627). Chapter 82 describes that “two parties have changed, as more primatitis” (nobles, peerhouses) “would settle under Behemoths protection, each with ther own understanding of conscience”. “Conscience” in this time was the matter of dispute, today understood as core philosophy. The “parties” leading were the Pellmores (then called “Hussitists”, now “Old Church Catholics”) and the Darzens (then called "Sabellians annd “Ebionites”, now “Modalists”).
It begins with an event where the newly arrived primatii, Stonehams (various then, now Anabaptist) looking upon the tombstone upon arrival received inspiration to investigate a troubling “absentia” (non-existence).
On the Grand Council, they would present a piece of paper, first blank, asking other Earls to declare what their “conscience” told them that object was. All replies “a piece of paper”.
Secondly, upon writing: A drawing; A symbol; A scribble; And the word “word”; Asked the attendees again the same question, with an addition of “which descriptive proprietary holds more significance?” (the writings or the paper).Darzens exclaimed that it was now: “a paper with writings on it”, which was quickly disagreed upon by Pellmores, who said: “it is now whatever has been written, the paper is now a secondary medium”.
Finally, Stonehams asked how they trust their “conscience” when they disagree on which steps were taken to arrive to such arguments. The Darzens replied: “The paper I see with my sight still, the writings too, precedence of the paper appear first is what keeps this object a single particularity.” The Pellmores argued that: “The writings take precedence, as a paper with blank contents is not more than a medium”. Stoneham asked each of them again – “What are these writings-symbols meaning?” (What Stoneham attempted to reference with these symbols).
The written symbols were of five horizontal lines, five vertical lines, and five diagonal lines. Darzens replied: “Lines, each in their own direction, grouped. As for meaning, we cannot know of your intent.” Pellmores attempted to answer, “They represent, perhaps, divergence in conscience, by each of us here”.
Stoneham would then add a circle connecting the fifteen lines, exclaiming that: “They represent Behemoths protection. Our conscience may diverge but it is for this reason that we are now free”. However, Stoneham pointed out that: “Physicalities are dangerous and vile, they create divisions and trouble, my conscience tells me to abandon this property and focus instead on embracing the Realm of Behemoths shadows.” Merely the Fieldlers (also Anabaptist) agreed, after which the two primatii left the Council and would seldom attend it later.
Topic 3:
Chapters 39-63 and years 1627-1650. Interestingly, mentions the term “Behemothian Liberationism”. Michiel Oyster used it in his “Sola Victorem” chronicles to describe a poorly understood sub-movement among Adamites and Saballians whose teachings would lead to widespread Waldenstianism by 1650. Oyster attributes Waldenstianism as the leading cause for both the Council of New Nessex and the Council-Synod of Mt. Sor being convened.
However, Protoiridine uses it in a completely different context. The “Parties” in these chapters are objects within the household of a single unnamed character. The dispute is over which object the character would “Take with him to the market in hopes of recognition as if they” (the character) “is precedential before all others on the market.”
The objects are: A violet robe; A staff; A gavel; A sword; A pot of gold; and a candle. The character prays to Leviathan for knowledge “Of things truly human but unknown to humans”. On Chapter 61., the character travels to the shore, past the tomb and submerges into the Ocean, seemingly drowning.
Chapter 62. opens with the character drinking “Root of the mandrake out of a white amber vessel past noon” before showing the Sword and visiting the market. Upon declaring himself “Precedential of all folk here”, the "Behemothian Liberationists appear from their ephedracea rhizomes of the shrubs" and fire 729 arrows at the character. Finally, Protoiridine says that “The other townsfolk paid no matter to this event”.
Topic 4:
Chapters 62-72 (1651-1663) continue the obvious allegory to the question of sovereignty but don’t mention any historical event nor person at the time. At Chapter 82., Protoiridine explicitly states that: “Parties then were none”. It’s written entirely in prose where every following statement is negating the previous:
Dispute begins with the question of Fairness, negated to be Justice, negated to be about Freedom. Protoiridine mocks in the same dialogue “character” both notions of “active” and “passive” freedom. (Clear allegory to negative and positive law) He exclaims that the former is “power” and latter “safety”. This is further mocked by the following character which states that: “Power without safety is lunacy, safety without power is servitude.” This is abruptly interrupted by the final statement: “Suffering is suffering and I must be grateful throughout, for the market matters not, but only that which can take and give live.”
The stylistic choice of Topic 4 certainly mimics the Book of Jobs intentionally. Although it remains unclear whether Protoiridine is parodying it or agrees with it.
Topic 5:
Chapters 76-81 (1664-1669) is where two “parties” are preparing to “end all disputed discussed prior”. The “parties” are:
- The Leviathan, “Paper with writings on it”, The Violet Robe, and “the Powerful and Safe”.
- The Behemoth, “Symbolic precedence”, A Pot of Gold, and “the Free and the Just” on the other. The “ones who left”, The Staff, and “The Fair” are being buried on the shore, which is where the two parties meet.
Each accuses the other of “Evoking all suffering, including death.” They arrange to settle who is to be responsible “In the Palace down the Western Hills, where we have rejoiced.” (slightly west of Fort Masontown today).
Upon arrival, confrontation fails, as “The robe is above gold, but the free are above the powerful.” Behemoth and Leviathan begin eating one-another, with their followers taking bricks from “The Fortress” to throw at one-another.
Chapter 81 stops by describing “An avian being flying from south and sitting stop the Hill, larger than both creatures, the beings scream freezes time to speak with me in what seems to be a resemblance of eternity.” Protoiridine is describing Ziz, furhther noting that “The avian told me, if it carried with them a Gavel, where did it materialise from, and why does it possess it?” Ziz negates law to Protoiridine but the Chapter abruptly ends.
Chapter 82: Notes near the end of it that there will be three more Topics, pleading the reader for patience.
Topic 6
Chapters 83-84 (1671-1672), though either written much later or by a student of Protoiridine, as the style changes. It begins by saying: “Ziz is awaiting my answer, glaring me down with white pupil-iris and black eyeballs; The shape in which the creatures’ neck had formed to cast down its’ head from beyond the firmament left me numb in grotesque fascination.”
It’s unclear why Protoiridine considers 1669-1672 to be “frozen in time”, though Sera Clayton suggests that the period might’ve been accompanied by a “Mini Ice Age”.
Nevertheless, it’s descriptively assumed that Ziz is renouncing law as source of its’ legitimacy over power, safety, freedom and justice. The manner in addressing this is novel - All other characters so far have either not questioned or questioned rhetorically, Ziz is the first to patiently await for an answer which it will not consider factual. So is also written:
– “If you are carrying a Gavel, you’ve crafted it by yourself, to serve as a scribe for that which you undertake.”
– “To whom would I scribe my undertakings if the same are successful in execution: What need is there to legalise or legitimise, if none are the audience?”
– “The need arises from ones’ own conscious, it is presupposed.”
An axiom which Ziz explicitly rejects, stating that:
– “Conscience may now be re-assembled; As it always has.”
Topic 7
Chapters 85-113, years 1673-1715. Written nearly entirely as a dialogue.
Ch. 85-88: – “I have suddenly been inspired by an idea”; Spoken inside the throne room, vast an majestic with no ears to hear, by the Elder Ruler of All-Proxima.
– “Truth. Alone as I am, I ponder, what is truth?”
– "Is truth that which it is by itself? If none are here, if I make conscience and emotions and attitudes, as I am, are those true? If truth were given an audience, If I were to permit their continued existence, If the audience was made conscious of all this; Would truth change, and how?
Ch. 89-91: – “You seem to have gone solipsistic in your dementia.”; Spoken from the balcony of the throne room, first among the audiences, the Court Nurse of All-Proxima.
– “Truth is a predicative adjective phrase-expression, or a normalised adjective. Nothing less and nothing more.”
Ch. 92-96: – “Truth, in informative interrogative sentences, is an abject verb.”
– “Truth, may be an argument. For instance: A truth is all which isn’t false.”
– “Truth, in any utterance which is coherent to more than one person is conditionally valid. To find true speech is to seek and eliminate or pronounce the determining causes, links and effects; Which compose conditions for truth.”
– “The mind of Leviathanism is of no utility to anything outside of silent fantasy. The object of Behemothianism is of no value without observation.”
Ch. 97-105. AS THE NIGHT COASTED HALLS WITH SHADOWS, AUDIENCE HAD ONCE AGAIN DISAPPEARED. BEFORE THE ELDER APPEARED A SINGLE DIM SPARK. CANDLELIGHT, WHICH BECAME DISTINGUISHABLE AS ITS’ OWNER APPROACHED THE THRONE, HELD BY A SPECTRE-BODY.
– “These pillars in your hall are cylindrical.” The spectre-body informed the Elder without speech, upon placing the candle before the Elder-Rulers’ throne.
– “Most pillars are.” Replied the Elder-Ruler. “What of it?”
– “…Most pillars aren’t perpendicular, architectural demand is that the bottom base radius is eccentric by greater value of radius length than the top base. Hence only, cylindrical.” From this point, only the spectre-ghost spoke.
– “The mind and the object, in this event your mind processing non-immediately-known properties of, the object being these pillars, are a single instance or event or process or phenomenon.”
– “The mind had not known of these properties until they have been observed, inspected and tested: The mind cannot know its’ own thoughts.”
– “The object would not exist or falter without prior similar objects being inspected by other minds; It is as this only because of prior thought about it.”
– “As per conditionality of truth, one can demagogue both a logically and a nomologically possible statement. The nurse is though correct that truth is a mere possibility.”
– “Temporarility-the passing of time, and Geometry-minded objects, are of highest order. The candles’ cylindrical shape had extinguished due to light during my statements.”
Ch. 106-113. Written without dialogue, though in prose.
THE ELDER RULER HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD BY DAWN. FIVE HEIRS WOULD APPEAR, DESIRING-DESIRE FOR PROXIMA.
I: “An illegitimate wedlock from below the prosperous palace. The child had grown under guidance of Survival-Valuing Strength and Power. Followers were former enemies. A swordsman now, the heir commanded this group of unruly thieves.”
II: “The eldest child from within the palace sent to a fortress. The eldest child commanded a group of banner men, with Violet long-shields. Grown under the guidance of Responsibility-Valuing Fairness and Violet robes.”
III: “The youngest child from within the palace, residing in mothers’ chambers. Grown under the guidance of Opportunity-Valuing Safety and Pots of Gold, taught by the mothers’ affair, Privy Councillor for Treasury. Commanding a network of intrigue within this court, enough gold to buy all forces, and the best Commander.”
IV: “The Forgotten Middle Child, left at a young age in pursuit of mountainous liberty and autonomy. Now reviews and stamps letters and proposals from the common-folk, hearing their disputes and settling them. Grown under the guidance of Consequences-Valuing Freedom and Justice. Commanding the common-folk, for this Gavel was righteous.”
V: “The Lost Child, found as an infant by the Court Apothecarian while they were searching the wilderness for tincture components. The Alchemist had brought the child into the palace, Chambers for Apothecary, located in the lower back section of this structure and kept away from public sight. Grown under the guidance of Virtue and WisdomFromOthers-The Lost Child learned to value Information and the dim Candlelight they’ve spent next to reading the Guardians’ notes.”
VI: "A word told The Illegitimate Child that the rulers’ wife have had an affair, whose child yet, unlike him, lives prosperously. The Youngests’ mother would raise burden on the common-folk and gather more forces for protection. This had annoyed The Middle Child, overworked with complaints over both the burden and the banditry. They have sent a request to the Fortress of the Eldest Child. The Eldest Childs’ knights were called for inauguration, if they kept the commoners relieved of bandits.
The request led to both The Illegitimate and the Eldest Child dying in a gruesome siege, where the City had run out of treasury and food. Seeing struggling common-folk as more mercenaries crowded the palace had made The Middle Child possessed with anger, killing the Councillor and then his mother. The Youngest Child then demanded his mercenaries attack his Middle sibling-Which had angered the commoners who now lunged at the forces."
A BLOOD-FILLED THRONE-ROOM IS EMPTY ONCE AGAIN. YET, THE DECEASED ELDER-RULERS’ BROTHER ENTERED, INFORMED BY THE LOST CHILD THAT A PLAGUE HAD STRUCK THE CITY, ON THE NIGHT THAT THE CHILD HAD SPREAD WORD TO THE CITY ABOUT THIS THE AFFAIR.
YET, THE APOTHECARY CHAMBERS PERSIST STILL, UNTOUCHED, NOW UNDER THE UNCLES’ REIGN.
Topic 8:
Originally chapters 114-137, years of 1715-1726. Chapters 125-137 were lost:
The parties return to Topic 5, with Protoiridine playing an active role in preventing the “dispute settlement”, now being granted the ability of summoning Ziz’s scream by a poorly explained ritual.
Climbing atop the Western Mountlands, he found a watch-tower, which had a “telescope-akin apparatus within”. The telescope was aimed at the shore where Leviathanists and Behemothianists attended the funeral. However, Protoiridine points its’ sights directly into the Sun, staring at it…
The winds howling, trees breaking and a cosmic scream once more occurred, before Ziz’s wings blocked the Sun, casting a “Shadow darker than attics” upon the entire country. Before losing sight, an event which Ziz signs of when flying back, he can observe that the funeral attendants had dispersed. The Leviathan drowning back into the Ocean and the Behemoth venturing east (From Western Mountlands, this means South) into the Southern Mountalnds’ cloud-forests.
Ch. 127-125 open with Protoiridines’ monologue, which is abruptly cut:
“Virtue is not the moral Fairness, nor the athletic Strength, nor the wilderness Freedom; It is not a subjugation to the Judgement of a Gavel, nor a paramour of Gold or Violet Robes; Virtue is the Collective web, the sky view, the sacrifice of unworthy to build anew; Eternal and Monadic in bei—”
Topic 8 then abruptly ends.