Episode 2 - A Call from Heaven
This week, we look into the legendary origins of the Onaki people, particularly their pre-Onaki history. Specifically, we examine the rise of the city of Ona, Eleno's vision from Luminasuta and the governmental precedent he set, the impact of his successors, the neglect of the Gods by Halijon, and finally, the departure of Osaki and Ponsaka from Ona, escaping its untimely demise, enroute to the site of the city we would call Onaki.
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A contemporary sketch of Luminasuta.
A photo of the Spire of Ona's top portion, taken at the Sklondika Museum of History.
Transcript
Hello, and welcome back to the History of Onaki.
Episode Two - A Call from Heaven
Last week, we absolutely sprinted through two thousand years of regional history. We looked at an overview of the rise and height of the early Masutan, Palewasi, and Elosuta civilizations along with their literary works, the subsequent dark age inflicted by a far flung volcanic eruption, the arrival of Masutan refugees into the Aloki Sea region, and the current political status of the regions greatest powers, the Takeni, Nika, and Kanso Confederations, as well as the Konwali Empire. This week, we will start our overview of the founding of Onaki, primarily as told to us in Kepon's, *Rise of Onaki*. Although the body of Kepon's work is almost three hundred years old, his work on Onaki mythology remains the best in the business.
Now, the story we are about to tell is legendary, that is to say it is not strictly historical, and evolved over time. Our sources from the early Onaki period may claim this story as history, but they as well as us were working without any written records from this period due to the 2386 Sack of Onaki. The knowledge held in the minds of Onaki historians, along with a select few monument inscriptions, were all they had to draw on. Essentially, the further back we go in history, the less solid a historical claim this foundational story has. It is likely that some of the later figures in this story were historical, as they were in more recent memory, but the figures we will be covering today almost certainly are not historical. However, this story is not worthless to us. This is the narrative the Onaki people wrote about themselves in the 24th century, and the ideals they had of themselves were essentially frozen in time right here. Don't be too hard on them either, countless civilizations also only recorded their founding long after it was forgotten. Like how you may embellish your own biography, don't look down on them for a little legendary pizazz here and there. Now, where does our story start? A battlefield? A regular field? None of the above. Our story starts, in really the only place it could, Luminasuta's temple. I told you it would be on the quiz, but you didn't believe me! Why didn't you believe me!
Ahem. Anywho, where were we? Oh yes, Luminasuta's temple. Our story resumes at the end of the *Hesinokalumi*, a testament to its impact and longevity, with the banishment of Luminasuta's mortals to the Earth. The chosen people of Masutan descend onto the Earth, where a group of them established a grand and rich city named Ona! It was said to be a shining city of marble and gold, with obelisks and domes so high that they rose above the surrounding jungle canopy. The peoples of Ona constructed a grand temple to Luminasuta, which they simply called the Temple. The grand structure was said to have a dome so tall that clouds formed underneath it. The beloved first King of Ona, a man of over 300 years of age named Eleno, came to the Temple one day late in the evening to pray. As he was praying, he noticed the temple suddenly come awash with light. The planet Asaja, positioned perfectly in a oculus of the dome, shone brightly onto the dazzling mosaics of the floor. Eleno began to hear a voice, a woman's voice. She told him, quote "Eleno, you and your ancestors have built such a grand city for me, a city more grand than any other on Earth. However, a threat looms. Unlonso has afflicted the forces of a vast army from Santaka," Santaka being a prominent city in Elosuta. "In 80 days, they will come upon Ona with a thousand ships. Carry my visage atop your standards into battle so that I know you are of faith, and I shall ensure that you see victory." Asaja then left the dome's skylight, and the voice dissipated. Eleno did as he was commanded, hoisting a statue of Luminasuta in gold atop his army's standards and the masts of their ships. 80 days after Eleno received this divine message, a thousand ships indeed appeared over the horizon. The much smaller Ona navy was no match for a fleet of such monumental size. However, just as their ships began to come into range, Asaja began to eclipse the sun, blanketing the fleet in the darkness of dusk. Then, a furious bolt of lightning came down from the heavens and struck the masts of the Santaka ships. Their sails lit ablaze, as adjacent ships began to catch fire. Within the hour, the only remnant of the largest navy ever to be seen was reduced to smoldering driftwood. The people of Ona held a great celebratory festival for their victory, parading their king down the streets toward the temple. After a grand feast held in its halls, Eleno remained beneath the oculus, waiting. Then, yet again, Asaja shone its light into the grand temple, and her voice returned. She said, quote "I see you have done as I have commanded, Eleno. If you remain ever so dedicated to my worship, I will extend my hand to thee... You see, when I cast my mortals to the Earth, not all of them fell to the surface. They struggled endlessly, not willing to leave my presence. After a thousand years of their struggle, I granted them clemency. Setting them free of their bodies, I allowed them to fly amongst the stars, but never could they visit me on Asaja, or their brethren on Earth. However, I granted them one exception. On the eve of the New Year, they may descend to the surface of the Earth on a condition. If I deem those on the surface to be virtuous and living in my image, they may carry that individual to me when their time comes. I see myself reflected in you, Eleno. Live virtuously, and live among us on Asaja." The planet's blue disc left the oculus, and her voice faded. Eleno now had quite the shoes to fill.
Eleno spent the rest of his life in worship, and in providing his people with what he saw as virtuous acts. In many ways, it is this legendary figure of Eleno that defines what future governors of Onaki would see as virtuous. The text spends quite a length looking into Eleno's life and virtuous reforms in depth, but we will look at the broad strokes of it. Kipon, in his Rise of Onaki, would identify eight main categories of reform enacted by Eleno.
1. Ensure peace whenever possible. The city of Ona was never to attack another state or peoples unless it was provoked or seriously threatened, and peace would be bargained for almost any cost. Eleno would say, quote, "In matters of warfare, the paramount focus must be on defense, putting the protection of our people foremost. I shall be Luminasuta's shield. The strength of our walls, the resilience of our fortifications, and the preparedness of our defenders should be the pillars of our military strategy, not offense." Although this sentiment would define Onaki military strategy in its early years, to the point that in later descriptions of both Ona and Onaki in legend, the city was sometimes depicted as not having a standing army at all. Historically though, we have no reason to believe this. In a twist of irony, this doctrine of only attacking when provoked would be misconstrued by future leaders, either trying to bait a provocation or outright faking one from enemies.
2. The education of his people. Education was a big deal to Eleno. Reportedly being the only boy schooled among his family, he recognized the power of education to lift others up. He would establish a primary school system that was free for all citizens of Ona, and a specialized secondary school system that was paid, but well affordable for the common man. If a man wanted to become anything from a blacksmith to a statesman, he had every right to pursue an education to follow that dream. He complied with this to the point that he sent his own children to Ona's public schools.
3. Create great public works that benefit the people. From religious temples, to great forums, aqueducts, markets, dense housing, bath houses, libraries, and schools, Eleno oversaw the construction of more public works than any modern society could hope to sniff at. It is reported that the city nearly doubled in size and tripled in height in this part of his reign. Not only did these buildings serve a great public utilitarian purpose, but their beauty in and of themselves, Eleno thought, could sometimes be benefit enough for the people.
4. This fourth point is a bit controversial; Class equality among believers. Eleno ensured that all believers who dedicated their life to Luminasuta and achieving true virtue would be full citizens, and be equal in the eyes of Ona's governance. No oligarch or statesman had any more right than his fellow citizen, even to the point of elites living and working in the same public spaces as commoners. As Eleno would reportedly remark to a frustrated statesman, furious about having to sit among commoners to see a theatre performance, quote, "In the realm of Asaja, there exists no hierarchy aside from light and dark. The light of Luminasuta shines equally upon every believer, regardless of earthly titles or distinctions. For in the theater of life, we are all actors playing our roles, and our audience above sees no difference between any of her servants." Future rulers would rather fudge this point, often making a show of pretending equality existed where it clearly did not. But, as we will no doubt see in a millennia and change, these acts would eventually help to galvanize a republican movement in Onaki.
5. Creation of a fair and just legal system and law code. Eleno created a law code that was posted for the public of Ona to read. He also ensured that all citizens accused of a crime would receive a fair trial in a court of law. Although this would not always be true in the future, the significance of law and court would forever be a distinct hallmark of Onaki civilization.
6. No man or woman shall go hungry. Eleno would implement a comprehensive food dole program, giving a rice allotment to each household of Ona. This would increase for married households, and doubly so for families. It was of precedence to him that no child were to ever wake up hungry. Over the course of his reign, starvation and malnutrition reportedly shifted from one of the largest causes of death in Ona, to there being not one death whatsoever by the end of his reign.
7. Cultural preservation. Eleno was a vast supporter and patron of literature, art, and history. In his grand public works, artists would be commissioned to paint grand frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the structures, while the floors were often mosaiced in beautiful patterns and portraits. His libraries and temples would be full of literature, and reportedly, every new or unique text found to enter the city would be copied by a scribe and held in the king's personal library. This library, said to stretch higher than almost any other structure in Ona, was thought to hold a million books.
8. Finally, the right to life. Eleno would abolish capital punishment, and restricted exile only to the most heinous of crimes where someone's continued presence would harm others. He believed that, as Luminasuta told him all her descendants could live among her, even men who committed heinous crimes now, could reform themselves later in life. Often, criminals would not be sentenced to a stay in a prison like we know them today, but rather to a place outside the city, one of rehabilitation and growth. In addition, Eleno would ensure that all men had a right to be cared for in illness and in death. Although the writers of this text had no grasp of microbes or modern medicine, it is described that he ensured proper religious ritual and care upon ones transition out of life as a right. His holistic approach to the right to life went beyond mere survival, seeking to create an environment where individuals could thrive and contribute meaningfully to the city.
Okay, back to our story. After a hundred and fifty years of strong leadership and reform, Eleno began to grow frail and fragile. He knew his time had come, and so, after a grand celebration, his family carried him into the Temple on the eve of the New Year. Placing him on a bed of flowers directly beneath the oculus of the dome, Asaja once again shone down on Eleno. A visage of his body rose from the floor of the temple, appearing to be lifted by human-like figures made of stars. Most fascinating, the figures and his visage could only be seen through Asaja's light. Eleno looked upward, smiling, as his soul ascended to the skies. Thus ended the reign of Eleno, a 450 year masterwork of governance fit for a first king.
Quick note on this ascension. This is the origin of a historical ascension ceremony the Onaki people would employ for funerals throughout much of their history, and not to worry, we will see it again. It's up to you if you would like to take the soul bit literally once we transition from the legendary to the historical, but I will note that we haven't observed such behaviour in modern history. However, given the other, let's say oddities, of the city of Onaki, most notably the Sovereignarium, which supposedly had the same souls seen through the light of Asaja thing going on, I would not be completely surprised.
Anywho, after Eleno's passing, on the New Year's day, his eldest son Jamonku was offered the kingship. Being the first transfer of power in Ona's history, there was no precedent, and Eleno left no will. However, Jamonku is said to have stated upon this offering that, quote, "I am humbled by this honor, but I believe my father would have wished otherwise. In the spirit of his vision for a just and virtuous realm, I must decline the kingship. I am not fit to be a king, I have not lived my life in severance to this city and its people. True leadership lies in virtue, not lineage. Therefore, I suggest that the kingship be bestowed upon Tonwasa, my father's grand architect, a man whose wisdom, integrity, and dedication to the well-being of our people align with the principles that my father held dear." And thus, Tonwasa was offered the crown, and he accepted.
Now our legend takes a departure from its more story-like narrative and now presents us a king's list that is far too long, displaying the lives of various virtuous kings and the lessons which they taught their people. Although none of the kings are stated as explicitly poor, many have very brief descriptions and even more audacious lifespans, so I'll save you from the boredom of hearing of them all. I'll mention a selection of the most significant of these kings, starting with Tonwasa. Tonwasa ruled in the image of Eleno, but as expected of an architect, with a focus more on buildings for public works. He oversaw the construction of a great expansion to the Temple, as well as transforming more practical structures, such as apartment buildings, restaurants, and storage depots, into architectural marvels. It was said he turned a dull city into one of gold. He would rule for two hundred and fifty seven years. The next would be a man named Wisaka. Appearing to be a philosopher king, Wisaka emphasized the importance of humility and empathy in leadership. He strengthened education and food programs and expanded them to the whole populous, not just citizens, ensuring that the less privileged and non-religious received support and opportunities to thrive. His education of all would reportedly codify the Luminasuta religious cults into their society. He would rule for three hundred and forty eight years. The first queen to ascend appears to be a woman by the name of Ewelali, referred to here as Ewelali the Wise. Known for her fair and equitable judgement, Ewelali focused on advancing intellectual and educational pursuits. Under her rule, Ona became a center of learning and innovation, attracting scholars and thinkers from across the region. It is said that during her rule, scholars first mapped the stars, the seas, and land, as well as establishing the fields of astronomy and mathematics. She would rule for a record five hundred and thirty two years.
Now, our story format finally resumes. Each of the rulers of Ona would pray beneath the oculus of the Temple each night, just as Eleno once did. However, after Eleno's second message from Luminasuta, one was never heard from her again. This cycle of kings, stable and prosperous, was said to last almost three thousand years. Okay, I've got to step in here so we don't get confused. This three thousand year number makes no sense, and is far longer than Ona could have conceivably existed. Even if Eleno and his city magically appeared at year 0 on our timeline, it would only be fifteen hundred years old before the dark ages definitively began. This number is hogwash, and illustrates just how in the dark these writers were. Alright, back to the story.
The final king of Ona would be King Halijon, where the story narrative resumes. Halijon was chosen by a relatively unnotable king, King Lito, whom all we know about is that his love for potato and eggs. This love was so great he held a city-wide festival for everyone to at least try them once. He served for 32 years before supposedly slipping on the stairs. Oh no! Anyways, his chosen successor was again, Halijon, a 15 year old boy who loved the theatre. Supposedly, Lito saw Halijon in some sort of play, and was so charmed by the virtuous character he portrayed, the actor must be fit to be king. Great going Lito. This is gonna go awesome. Halijon took the throne, and immediately started doing a whole lot of... well, not much. The Ona bureaucracy was sound enough not to need a king to shout orders, as Lito's administration stayed largely in place after the transition of power. However, as Halijon grew older, he began to indulge in the pleasures of being king. He squandered resources on extravagant personal pursuits, spending his time organizing lavish parties, surrounded by courtiers who fueled his hedonistic lifestyle. The once-efficient Ona bureaucracy began to crumble under Halijon's lackadaisical rule, as the king paid little attention to administrative affairs. Important decisions were postponed or made impulsively, leading to a decline in the overall stability of the kingdom. Taxes were mismanaged, and corruption seeped into various levels of the government. Things were not looking great. Then, Halijon made the most egregious change of all. As all kings had done for thousands of years, each night Halijon came to the great temple to pray. It was clear he was not earnest in this prayer, but duty was duty, and it was easy enough to take a quick kneel on an evening walk. However, in the 8th year of his reign, Halijon decided he had had enough. If Luminasuta had never responded to a king again, what purpose was there praising her? What good have the gods ever done for anyone. As such, on an unrecorded day, Halijon stopped praying to Luminasuta.
Here we are introduced to a very, very significant figure, Osaki, Halijon's younger sister. Osaki had always been the studious sibling, and although looking up to her brother, found the lavish pleasures of the royal palace to be too superficial for her. Instead, she spent her days in libraries and temples, reading and understanding the nature of the universe, the state, and their gods. Lately, she had become concerned with Halijon's increasingly frivolous lifestyle, but that was none of her business. When she received word that Halijon had stopped the ritual of prayer, she was understandably horrified. The legacy of Eleno would not be smashed, this was definitely everyone's business. That night, sneaking past guards and through crevices in the structure, Osaki made her way to the central dome of the Temple. Kneeling in prayer, just as the kings had always done in millennium before, Osaki peered up as Asaja transited the oculus. To what I would imagine was complete surprise, Osaki began to hear someone speak to her. They said, quote, "Osaki, heed my words... A great calamity shall envelop this world and this city in ten day's time. Do not dwell on these words, for you must flee from this place." Osaki cried out, "Oh Luminasuta, why do you punish thee? For I have come to worship in my brother's place." The voice responded, "Please forgive your brother, as he walks a path not of malevolence, but of neglect. However, the bonds that tie him to the me are frayed, I cannot warn him of the calamity. I ask of youone thing. Board a ship and sail north, and when you reach the coast, head alongside it heading north still. I will guide you to a place where you may start anew, to a piece of me which has fallen alongside you... you will know when you reach it." Asaja left the oculus, leaving Osaki alone with her thoughts.
Immediately, Osaki took to action. She had connections all over the city, to merchants, scholars, priests, and further. When she told them about her revelation in the temple, they did not entirely believe her... A poorly drawn out prank, or the wind perhaps? Well, that was until Halijon got on the pulpit and announced to the public that yeah, he wasn't attending the public service this morning because he was kinda done with the whole religion thing. "Not cool, Halijon," they probably said, but still not willing to upend their lives to make any action for or against either Halijon or Osaki. Only one man was willing to assist her, Ponsaka, an ethically dubious merchant, whom we would call a treasure hunter on a good day and a pirate on a bad one. Upon hearing of Osaki's revelation, Ponsaka immediately agreed. What riches could possibly be found that were a literal piece of Luminasuta? Even if it weren't true, it was an excuse to venture further than any Masutan person had (deliberately) sailed. The Pihano sea was known to be treacherous at times, and as we are well familiar today, the site of devastating tropical cyclones. Even further north, the waters became rough and icy even in the summer, to the point they became impassible. Needless to say, Ponsaka was on board.
Ponsaka controlled a guild in Ona, one of the most powerful merchant guilds there at the time. Supposedly, its central complex, guarded almost religiously, was filled with enough weapons to outfit a king's army and his enemy's with some to spare. Ponsaka rallied his men together like never before, and put together a fleet of seventeen ships to sail north, with as much supplies as they could carry. Although Osaki would have brought the whole of Ona with her if she could, there was only so much that could be done. Instead, she brought a couple specific artifacts. Most importantly, an artifact which she stole from the great Temple, Luminasuta's Shard. Thought to have been an large piece of quartz with a teal hue like Asaja, it was said to be a piece of Luminasuta's shield. This quartz would survive even past the sacking in 2386, and would persist until an unknown day sometime in the fifth millennium when it passed into history. Although almost certainly not from Ona, this historical artifact deserves its legendary origin. Along with many texts including the Hesinokalumi, Osaki brought with her great works by philosophers, historians, and kings alike. One of these works, the Ona Compendium, is said to have been taken by Osaki from the Temple, and was supposedly the main source for this work. However, if the work was real, any mention of it before the legend of Ona was well solidified are absent from our records. There is but one object supposedly brought by Osaki from Ona which we still have with us today. The Spire of Ona was taken from the top of the city's gates, an admittedly crude bronze spire in the shape of two twisting snakes, a symbol of everlasting strength in both Masutan and Onaki culture. This spire also appears at the top of Onaki's old city gates, and was certainly a genuine historical artifact, although likely given its legendary origin long after its historical origin was forgotten. The spire would be sold by an unknown Soli minister to a faraway Anonan king named Jorke in 4611, where it remains in a museum to this day. It is honestly astounding such an artifact is still with us.
Anywho, with these artifacts and precious supplies aboard, both Osaki and Ponsaka set out from Ona with those 17 ships and thousands of men, just a day before the event Luminasuta had warned her of. When Halijon found out about this, he was rightly furious, but as Ona had no standing army, what was he to do but yell. It was all for naught, anyhow. The next morning, morning never came. The sky was dark as night with clouds, and it began to rain ash. This black rain never stopped, burying the city of Ona under ash and its own rubble. It is said that Halijon would die after the dome of the great Temple collapsed in on itself, himself praying for forgiveness for his foolishness. Osaki and Ponsaka would sail onward, sure to be delivered to their new home, the city to be known as Onaki.
Alright, I think that's where we'll stop with the legend for this week. I'm sorry for skipping so much of the narrative and wonderful tension the original provides, but we do not have all day. I would really encourage you to pick up a complete translation of the original legend, you can find plenty of them online for free. I think it's time for some analysis!
The very evident inspiration of this legend from the Hesinokalumi makes a lot of sense, its almost like a sequel. The Hesinokalumi was a well known and widely believed origin story of man in Masutan and now the Aloki basin, not to mention its gods being the foundation of Onaki's early religious cults. Basing the story of your city's founding on an already foundational text gives it legitimacy to the eyes of the reader. The layman may think, well, if the oracle orated the Hesinokalumi to us, and that's definitely true, then the story of our city's founding must be true too.
Kepon's analysis tells us that he believes these early myths to be very, very shrouded in historical fog, to say the least. He states in his Rise of Onaki that, quote, "For the modern scholar, I believe it is right to dismiss these first tales as entirely legendary. As described, the kings and queens of Ona are likely not historical, but rather the Onaki's interpretation of what they believed a model king should be. The leaders chosen by the city of Onaki do fit some aspects of this image, and the city rewarded them with that title. However, as we well know, it was entirely possible to deceive the city so thoroughly that monsters regularly made their way into office. In addition, the city of Ona, absent from our records until after the sack, is certainly ahistorical." For myself, I'm inclined to agree, but not entirely. Kepon wrote *Rise of Onaki* long before archaeology in Masutan really hit the ground running, so we can't really discredit him for not having three hundred years of modern context. Thankfully that's not much of an issue, as what has come to light since mostly confirms his position. As we know, despite dozens of research expeditions into the region of Masutan claimed to house the city of Ona, there is no evidence of a city of its size ever have existing. If Ona were to have existed as described in this legend, it would be mentioned all over the historical record. It would have not only been the biggest city in this region, but among the largest in the world. In fact, if it were indeed real, Ona's ascribed population would not be surpassed again by another city in this region until Onaki did in the thirty seventh century. I would also argue that this region of Masutan would have been incapable of hosting such a large population so early, industrial agriculture would have been needed to host such a large population on that small footprint. In addition, there is no evidence of large sums of marble or gold being exported from Elosutan kingdoms on the scale needed to construct Ona, especially in the time period ascribed in the legend.
However, unlike Kepon, I'm not willing to dismiss the legend outright, and many modern historians agree with this stance. We know from other regions of Masutan that these names, Eleno, Halijon, Osaki, etc, were common in the period prior to the dark ages. From what we know of Onaki writings immediately after the sacking in 2386 and inscriptions on buildings from before it, we see little evidence of these names being common during the legendary Onaki period. To me, this means that the authors could not have drawn these names from contemporary people at the time of the sacking, but rather historical people. Although the described lives of these figures are likely fictional, and their audacious lifespans even more fictional, I would argue that the names they are ascribed to may not be. There very well may have been a great virtuous king named Eleno now lost to history, who ruled in Masutan in the second millennium. Unfortunately, we will never truly know. Along those lines, we also know of other temples in Masutan from that period dedicated to Luminasuta in historical texts, presumably on a much smaller scale and with differing building materials.
Essentially, what I am trying to say is, don't entirely discount what we've read about today. If I had to make any conclusion from the text whatsoever, this portion of the legend shows that the people of Onaki remembered their Masutan past. They knew they were migrants, they had some sort of understanding of their real history. I just wouldn't be surprised if it is essentially a work of Hesakalumian fanfiction. Although the narrative may not be true, this story is very important.
Next week, we are going to jump right back into the legend with the founding of Onaki. It only took us two episodes! Osaki, yes, the name is not a coincidence, and Ponsaka will truly found the institutions of early Onaki.