Astronomy in the Land of Splendor

David Millians

The sky reflects the world. Much like the empire and the Underworld, the sky is full of dragons and an elaborate bureaucracy. The events and interactions occurring in the sky reflect and affect those in the inner world.

The Sun is an emanation of the Cosmic Dragon, and the Sky Ring (Orlanth’s Ring) is the guardian of the night. The Red Moon is a sign of war or illness in the outside world, possibly a sign of Sekever’s Return. (The Kralori have tales of moons in past ages. These moons have feminine attributes and the usual associations with Sekever.)

The stars are celestial beings, illuminated beings, liberated beings, heavenly places, visible poetry, and lessons. One is Tanye (Ourania), the first word, “Speech,” and another is the Dragon’s Eye (Arraz). Shang Mun the Heaven Gate ( Stormgate) is the Palace of the Sky Ring, and Dee Yoo the Hell Gate (The Pit) plunges into the Underworld. In the southwestern skies are the Peace Stars and the War Stars.

Different parts of the sky correspond to earthly realms, mostly Kralori regions. Based on events in the sky, Kralori stargazers and officials can anticipate events within Splendor, either supporting them for the common good or ameliorating disasters.

The Kralori believe that each person is associated with a star in Heaven, to which he should make personal sacrifices. Naturally, only those with time and wealth are able to do this to any extent, though this belief has inspired any number of common phrases of profanity.

Heaven’s Staff is composed of a mix of what westerners call planets, stars, and constellations.

• Lord Aptanace, elevated as the Sage of Heaven (Pole Star), is always at the Center.
• Gwang Yan (Zenith) is the Eye of the Emperor in Heaven and the residence of the Archexarch of Heaven.
• Gwan Jiah ( Lightfore) is Heaven’s Steward. During the day he is checking the whole Household of Heaven.
• Poo (Lokarnos) is the Servant. When he is not visible, he is replenishing the Household of Heaven.
• Chway Shee ( Entekos) is the Cook. Heaven has thirty-one days of feast and thirty-one days of fasting.
• Qing (Uleria) is the Lover. She serves one third of the night and reappears, refreshed.
• Hway Beeng (Shargash ) is the Great Guard, who has fourteen days of patrol and fourteen days of prayer and magical preparations.
• Hsiang Tow (Mastakos) is the psychopomp, always gathering souls to the east.

Prominent Constellations

• Hsuan the Dark Dragon ( Dark Spot)
• Hwayway the Great Dragon (Draconis Stella)
• Huday the Bowman ( Hunter)
• Loo the Willow ( Tree)
• Mung Hwan the Nightmares(Artia)
• Palace of Evil Sekever of the Four Vices (Bad One)
• Palace of Hway Beeng (The Sword Stars), which he is never able to visit.
• Shan Foong the Sky Fan
• Susu the Silent Stars of Reverence
• Tsang the Water Bearer (Lorion)
• Way and May (Twinstars ) are the Little Sisters of Heaven.
• Yanoor’s Palace (Arkat) is the residence of the doomed emperor.

The Light Dancers of the Horizons

• Tsow Dan the Morning (Theya)
• Hong Hoon the Evening (Rausa)
• Bing Lung the Freezer (Kalikos)
• Hwa Yan the Burner (Southern Jumper) is invisible to the naked eye, but Kralori astronomers remember it, know that it is still there, and record that its color changes over the eons.

Other Features of the Sky

• The Heaven & Earth Ribbons (Lonely Cry) allow Kralori magicians to ascend easily into the Sky during five nights of the year.
• Heaven’s Celebrations (Sky Storm) occur at unpredictable intervals around Aptanace’s Star and always signal good fortune. They are most common in the summer but most spectacular in winter.
• Mo Da the Silent Son (The Blue Streak) is a child of Thrunhin Da. He controls the tides of the world’s oceans and plunges from the sky to return to his mother at irregular intervals.
• Sho the Beast (The Jugger) moves haphazardly across the sky, sometimes hiding for many years but disrupting and even destroying the peaceful movements of Heaven.
• Yu the Fools (Lost Rocks) wander about the outer worlds and are sometimes visible in the sky. They bring vice and debauchery.
• Yun Hsing the Luck Star (One Night Wish) makes an appearance in the sky each summer, close to the horizon, and many gamblers and common folk make wishes or place bets at the time of its appearance.