Connects to: 00.02, 07.08, 11.32, 13.20 16.16.01 and 25.04.01. Lying across a valley of the Draugmere Peaks is a stone. A man could walk for ten minutes and not reach its end. Deep carvings of animals and plants cover its surface. At one end, a great lion’s head has been carved into the rock. At the other end, a man’s head – eye sockets empty and wild – has been carved. The stone is roughly rectangular, and striped with many different colours and varieties of rock.
When the Long Day has begun, taught a lion priest, all the faithful will gather by this rock. They will wash their feet in the river that runs beneath the stone and then take their places upon the stone. The King Himself will come before us with the sangreal, and each will drink from it in turn. The Lion Himself will come before them, dragging the body of Old Leviathan behind Him. By the time He has brought it before them, it will have cooked in the radiant heat that marks the end of days. His claws will slice through Old Leviathan’s thick skin and out will pour steaming blubber and tender meat. The faithful will eat well. Finally the King and the Lion will go together down into the dark places of the earth and bring back the Dragon, who will gnaw through the mountains to make homes for the faithful. The faithful will rest easy.
According to the quiet monks of the Stern Way, this rock marks the tomb of a stone giant emperor who once ruled the world. His body still lies buried beneath the river, and it is his face and his symbol – the roaring puma – carved into the table. He was not blind; the carving of his face was adorned with two ruby eyes as big as millstones, but they were long ago looted by the Pirate Kings. The giants scoff at pilgrims of the King in Splendor, but do not harm them.
Connections
- The Enigma (07.08) is a pilgrimage site for adherents of the Stern Way.
- A monastery of the Stern Way lies on the borders of Thring (13.20).
