The Power That Preserves, Chapter 11: The Ritual of Desecration

[Furls Fire]

Wow, very good analogy about the CPR on Revelstone. I think what pushed Mhoram into probing the power of the RoD more deeply was the fact that he sent Covenant back. He thought that hope was lost. And you suggesting that Covenant "rubbed off on him" is exactly what I was thinking as well. I think back to the conversation he and Covenant had in the Illearth War, after Covenant was told he dreamed the truth. I think it was then that Mhoram gained a more clear understanding of Covenant. Like a door opening. Mhoram realized how important Covenant's unbelief was to him, a leper's defense against being responsible for his illness. Covenant needed that defense so he wouldn't be responsible for the Land. Unbelief, Oath of Peace, both defenses. Yet, prohibitive defenses. Mhoram realized that, and when it came time to put the power he knew to use, to save Trell and Revelstone from devastation, he found that he could use his Oath with the Power.

Spoiler

As Covenant did later on. He used his unbelief with the power of the wild magic.

[Fist and Faith]

Very nice danlo! Extremely good rundown on Mhoram's qualities!! I hadn't ever considered what his work on the krill tells us about him. I'd though stubborn, but not patient. Thanks for that!

And I think you shed a little light on how Elena's marrowmeld sculpture taught Mhoram the RoD. That's great, since Mhoram had thought that he couldn't articulate how it happened. I think you've gotten us closer.

And yeah, the CPR is a good analogy.

Buncha smiles for you!

[duchess of malfi]

That was a wonderful post Danlo -- that post and the interesting debate between Fist and Furls is what the Watch has always been all about to me.

[Earthblood]

I was thinking about how Danlo said the OoP sort of blinded the new lords and it occured to me that this is sort of our own American constitution (not trying to start a politcal debate - just an example) works in regard to our present United States. The founding fathers of our American govt and society set down a bunch of ground rules (constitution, bill of rights, etc.) in the mid/late 1700's. We in the 21st century have many battles over how to interperet thier words as they apply to todays situations, but how could Washington/Jefferson et al have had a clue about our advancements in technology, for example? And conversly, how can we fully understand thier motivations, without having actually lived in thier time?

I think the OoP was something the Old Lords developed in thier time, because of the knowledge they possesed from thier experiences in thier time, and over time, the ......intensity.... of the reasoning for the OoP was diminished and then lost, because of the lack of a direct need to remember WHY the OoP was developed. Life was good for a long time, and the OoP worked for everyone (for the most part) without question and without change, then the 'technology' changed - white gold showed up, and so a re-evaluation of the OoP takes place - not totally ignoring it, but shaping it to the New Lords time & situation. The Old Lords could never have contemplated EVERY personality, action and development that would eventually take place many millenia later which might necessitate a change to the essence of the OoP, nor would the new Lords immediately envision a need to make such a change, till TC and Mhoram showed up...

Just a thought, I'm starting to ramble....

[Earthblood]

I stand corrected (it was 2:30 am when I was posting the above...)

However, I guess my point remains.

The Old Lords did NOT establish the OoP, however, it was established as a result of the RoD, which was still many years prior to TC's arrival (and Fouls "revival"), so I guess I still mean the same thing. The OoP was established under a completey different set of circumstances and they still could not have foreseen the current Lords circumstances or personalities or powers (ie Mhoram). So it served them for a long time without change, until a different set of variables entered into the equation, and it began to (unknowingly) hinder the New Lords.

I think the same thing about the wards. Yes, they were potentially dangerous, if not used correctly, but by making it nearly impossible to figure them out they did possibly as much damage as they would have were they simply offered all at once.

It's kind of like telling your child "Don't EVER leave the house". The child dutifully obeys, and all is well for a long time, till there is a fire inside the house, which could have been put out with the fire extinguisher in the locked closet, which the child was given only the first number of seven and is required to figure out the other 6 by a bunch of vauge clues *deep breathe*. The fire rages while the child stays in the house, until he/she finally realizes in order to save himself, he MUST ingore the "stay in the house" order and leave the house. The parent, only thinking to protect the child from any harm outside the house, never forsaw the fire risk, because they had rebuilt the house out of the best fire retardent materials available at the time, and felt that ordering the child to stay put would be the best protection that could be provided.

I guess I better stop Raving for now...

[Fist and Faith]

Oh! Oh! I got one!

The parents tell the kid to NEVER play with matches. And, though he sees how they build the fire in the fireplace, he never tries, because, "Remember what happened to Susie down the street when she played with matches?" And then, one winter's day, the kid's home alone (let's now worry about what kind of parents leave their kid alone, ok?), the furnace goes out.

[Fist and Faith]

This is getting back to that really big debate about pacifism that I was a part of. I'll be more than happy to continue that debate in the TC forum. (It was in the Let's hear it for Mhoram thread, which I did not remotely intend for what it turned into. That's how it goes sometimes. ) But important things haven't happened yet, so we shouldn't do it here. But it should be mentioned, in light of our last two posts.

The problem with our two analogies is that you and I think there are clearly circumstances under which leaving the house and using matches are better than not.

Spoiler

But for Mhoram, there are NO circumstances under which it is better to abandon the Oath of Peace than to keep it. (The debate was my attempt to convince people that this view of life is completely valid in every way. And that absolute pacifism is also.) And since the Oath made it impossible to use Kevin's Lore, the Lore had to be abandoned. I suppose it could be said that he had to abandon it briefly, because he figured it out so late in the game, there was no possibility of winning with their Oath-impaired Lore, and he thought he could resist the despair that they so feared. But that's not the same as saying, "OK, Kevin's Lore and the Oath are incompatible. Let's give up the Oath, and hope that nobody ever completely loses themselves."

But I wouldn't expect many people to say that we should all stay in our houses forever, or that matches should be given up.

[ShadowLurker]

I think that this debate would be a great one to bring up to SRD at Elohimfest. It would be amazing to see just how close Fist and Furls came to what he had in mind with all this.

The paradox of power, a double edged blade. Great stuff!

[Furls Fire]

bump for clarsen...

and oh my goodness, Isaiah was the last one to post to this thread. siiiiiiiigh, my heart

[duchess of malfi]

I think that this debate would be a great one to bring up to SRD at Elohimfest. It would be amazing to see just how close Fist and Furls came to what he had in mind with all this.

The paradox of power, a double edged blade. Great stuff!

Ah, Shadow.

At least Shadow's expressed wish came true...we did turn this debate over to SRD at Elohimfest.

[Furls Fire]

Yep, and I'm sure he heard every word of it too

Peace, Isaiah

[sindatur]

POWER

When last we left the brave defenders of Revelstone, they were under attack from a creeping doom unleashed by Satansfist. An infection of despair flowed into the Keep. There watching alone from the watchtower, Mhoram wrestled within himself:

Then he could hardly master the passion of his futility, the passion which urged him to strike at his friends because it blamed him for failing the Land. A wild hopelessness moved in him, shouldered its way toward the front of his responses. And he alone of all the Lords knew how to make such hopelessness bear fruit.

But the High Lord remembered himself and his purpose. First the Keep must be freed of this virulent misery. Calling the Gravelingases together, Mhoram utters the true secret of his power:

"We have mistaken our purpose. The Land does not live for us--we live for the Land. Gravelingases, you must turn your lore to the defense of the stone."

We live for the Land. The despair of its defenders should not destroy it.
Perhaps Mhoram was not the only one in Revelstone who needed such might. He who had suffered most in the Land, real or imagined, at the hands of Thomas Covenant, sought such authority:

The roaming of Trell's eyes had an insatiable cast, as if they were going blind... Then, without hesitation, he became urgent. "High Lord, tell me your secret."
Mhoram was taken aback. "My secret?"
"It is a secret of power. I must have power."
"For what purpose?"

Revelstone was recovering due to the strength unleashed by the gravelingases. Earthpower was fighting the ill sent by Satansfist:

"Do you feel it?"
Amatin nodded with tears in her eyes. Trevor grinned.
A change was taking place under their feet.
It was a small change, almost subliminal. Yet soon even the Hirebrands could feel it. Without either heat or light, it warmed and lit their hearts.

Revelstone would not yet fall to despair. A great feast was prepared and their strength surged. They looked into the eyes of Despair and it flinched:

More and more people came, drawn by the music, and the Lords, and the reaffirmation of Revelstone's granite. Supporting each other, carrying their children, dragging their friends, they fought their fear and came because the deepest impulses of their hearts respodned to food, music, rillinlure, rock-- to the Lords and the life of Revelstone.

Despite their victory within, the defenders of the Land still faced a great army outside. Time passed as the Giant-Raver and his troops restored themselves and prepared for another assault. It would prove to be a terrible attack indeed. Satansfist resurrected the ancient dead to assail Revelstone as he had against Revelwood. Against such a force, the Lords and Gravelingases could not hold and the great tower of Revelstone was lost.
Mhoram and Trevor spoke about these forces massed against Lords Keep and glimpsed a terrible premontion of both the present and future.

"I have felt it. Lord Foul holds the Staff of Law."

Something else was wrong but this ill came from within Revelstone and it was not the work of any Raver. The anguish of Trell was great:

"While we watched over him from the doors, he wept and prayed, begging. High Lord, it is in my heart that he begged for peace. But he found no peace.

Trell broke his Oath of Peace and resigned himself to utter despondency. But from that he unleashed the power he sought from Mhoram:

Hot waves of desecration radiated in all directions from the council chamber...
An inferno raged within it. Floor, tables, seats--all burned madly, spouted roaring flames like a convulsion of thunder. Heat scorched Mhoram's face, crisped his hair. He had to blink tears away before he could peer down through the conflagration to its center.
There Trell stood in the in the graveling pit like the core of a holocaust, bursting with flames and hurling great gouts of fire at the ceiling with both fists. His whole form blazed like incarnated damnation, white-hot torment striking out at the stone it loved and could not save.
The sheer power of it staggered Mhoram. He was looking at the onset of a Ritual of Desecration. Trell had found in his own despair the secret which Mhoram had guarded so fearfully, and he was using that secret against Revelstone.

Mhoram and Tohrm aided by Amatin and then Loerya fought Trell's desecration. With Mhoram's new power, that which could destroy or preserve, he supported Torhm. The combined strength of the Lords would prove victorious. Secrets would be revealed and faith would shine in a stone.

In its center, the gem of the krill blazed with a pure white fire, as radiant as hope...
[Mhoram] With his new might, he gripped the krill and pulled it easily from the stone... He turned to his companions with a smile that felt like a ray of sunshine on his face.
"Summon Lord Trevor," he said gladly. "I have--a knowledge of power that I wish to share with you."

Perhaps the New Lords have proven themselves greater than the Old Lords. Perhaps Mhoram surpassed Kevin. This chapter is both emotional and thought provoking. I only hope I have done it justice.

Very well done indeed Kins. I agree, Mhoram Despaired and prevented a Desecration Ritual, Kevin created one.

I read the 1st and 2nd Chronicles back to back, and a second time when I got them 15 years ago *Poor state of mind). I'm revisiting them now for my third "read" via Scott Brick's Audio Books. I hadn't really remembered Mhoram's character very much, and it's been like a first time watching Mhoram grow up to this point, and I can really appreciate, as if for the first time what Mhoram becomes in this book/chapter. Definitely Mhoram surpassed Kevin, IMHO. Lore in the Land seems to be more about understanding yourself than the Lore you know, so Kevin may have known more Lore, but, Mhoram is greater. I yearn to know the story of how the land or the story would change if Morham followed Amok to the 7th Ward after this Chapter rather then Elena in the last book? Would Morham have been ready for it if he hadn't known of Elena's mistakes?

[sindatur]

Kinslaughterer, you did a great job! This is one of the best parts of the whole book. The resolution of Mhoram's personal struggle regarding the "knowledge of power" he had is wonderful!

I really don't have anyone to talk about this stuff with so some of my understanding of the book is kind of underdeveloped, I think. What do you guys think is the secret knowledge that Mhoram was afraid of - the knowledge of the Ritual of Desecration? I think it is passion - well, maybe passion is not the right word, but it is something akin to that. The Oath of Peace rendered the lords kind of impotent. I think Mhoram discovered that allowing himself to really feel strongly about something allowed him to tap into his power and use it!

You guys are probably all thinking, "Duh! Has she even read these books?" But I am kind of an empirical person (black and white - have to see to believe type person) so sometimes my intuition doesn't work very well!!

I agree, passion doesn't quite cover it on it's own, it's more a "Passion to do what you must" without giving into despair, the Lore is strongest when you "annunciate" your intent mentally. Apparently, normally when you come to this understanding you are so desperate that this passion to do what you must includes killing that which you love to save it from a horrible life of servitude. And...when Fangthane is at his worst and strongest he drives people to enact their despair, use their Primal instinct, not their brains.

[Cord Hurn]

Somehow, you just know that Mhoram is going to prevail against Satansfist's attacks in this chapter because of the innovative solutions he comes up with for resistance of despair.

"We have mistaken our purpose. The Land does not live for us--we live for the Land. Gravelingases, you must turn your lore to the defense of the stone. Here, in this place"--he touched the radiant floor with the heel of his staff--"slumbers power that perhaps only a rhadhamaerl may comprehend. Make use of it. Make use of any possible lore--do here together what must be done. But find some means to seal the heartrock of Revelstone against this blight. The people can provide for themselves if Revelstone remains brave."

As he spoke, he realized that he should have understood these things all along. But the fear had numbed him, just as it had ice-bound the Gravelingases. And like him they now began to comprehend. They shook themselves, struck their hands together, looked around them with preparations rather than dread in their eyes. Tohrm's lips twitched with their familiar grin.

Without hesitation, High Lord Mhoram left the Gravelingases alone to do their work. As he walked along the tunnel away from the courtyard, he felt like a man who had discovered a new magic.

For four days and four nights, High Lord Mhoram did not leave his post. He rested and ate to sustain himself, but he stayed at his station by the refectory wall. After a time, he hardly saw or heard the people moving around him. He concentrated on the stone, wrought himself to the pitch of Revelstone, to the pulse of its existence and the battle for possession of its life rock. He saw as clearly as if he were standing on the watchtower that Satansfist's livid power oozed close to the outer walls and then halted--hung poised while the Keep fought to remember itself. He felt the exhaustion of the Gravelingases. All these things he took into himself, and against the Despiser's wrong he placed his unbreaking will.

And he won.

As others have said, Mhoram is mightier than Kevin, though he knows less lore, because he understands himself and the Land's need more thoroughly.

[dlbpharmd]

Three cheers for Mhoram!

I love these chapters in TPTP!

[Cord Hurn]

Three cheers for Mhoram!

I love these chapters in TPTP!

I whole-heartedly concur, DLB! As entertaining as TPTP's Covenant chapters are, the ones with Mhoram are the best!!!