The Courts of the Kings

  The Courts of the Kings (or, more simply, The Court) is an elaborate religious structure dominating the culture of the Northern Walkingfolk. Associated with the lunar cycle, the Court provides mythological explanation for the phases of the moon, and for the supernatural occurrences that appear in The North.   It is a direct influence on narrative traditions, as well on cultural practices such as the community figures of Teln and the use of the Telling Deck.

Mythology & Lore

Figures of Note in the Lunar Cycle

The Courts feature two dominant figures:
  • The White King, which represents the Full Moon, and who is often depicted as a skull
  • The Red King, which represents the New Moon, and who is generally depicted as a man. It is culturally acceptable for depictions of the visage of the Red King to vary, as his true face is obscured, but he is usually shown in red and black facepaint, wearing red attire.
  There are six secondary figures:
  • The Pen, who is associated with the Waning Crescent
  • The Bannerbearers, who are associated with the First Quarter moon (who carries the banner of the Red King) and the Last Quarter moon (who carries the banner of the White King)
  • The Key, who is associated with the Waning Gibbous
  • The Book, who is associated with the Waxing Gibbous
  • The Gate, who is associated with the Waxing Crescent
The figures of the Key, the Gate, and the Book are prominent features in additional mythology.
This article is a work in progress. Please stay tuned for updates!

Articles under The Courts of the Kings



Cover image: Kkaxe River banner by M Kelley

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!