Welcome to the Codex! Every Friday, we will focus on one topic from one of the upcoming books, or one of the books that have been published. The Codex will review what is commonly known about that topic in the world, even if just at a scholarly level. There will still be mysteries, but if you are interested in learning more about something you read in the book or in another blog post, the Codex is the way to go.
The Stone of Fate is one of Mathklyr's greatest mysteries, all the more so because its existence is not generally known to Mathklyrian citizens. Oh, there are books and poems that hint at its existence, or may even mention it by name, without describing or indicating where it is, or what it is for. But the Stone of Fate serves an essential purpose in the life of a Mathklyrian Emperor.
The oldest Imperial chronicles - at least in their unabridged version, accessible only to the Emperor and a few others, such as the High Priest of Lady Oinrin - indicate the Stone fell from the sky several thousand years ago, possibly as early as the founding of Mathklyr itself. It is implied in such chronicles that the Stone was a gift of the Lady, though there is no definite acknowledgment of this anywhere. The Stone rests in the Hand of Destiny, the location where the Sevenfold Burial places the mausoleums of Emperors.
It is unclear whether the Stone fell there, or if it was carried there by the Emperor who found it. Nowadays, the Stone sits on a dais-like structure at the center of the Hand of Destiny, where the Crowning of the Emperor takes place. It resembles a rectangular altar, roughly hewn from a jet-black stone which looks almost like obsidian, though without as much shine.
During the Crowning of the Emperor, the Stone reveals veins if blood red swirling through its stone interior, as if awakened by the ceremony itself. It is believed by Emperors and priests alike that the appearance of these swirling stripes is the first sign that Lady Oinrin accepts the new Emperor and grants him sovereignty over Mathklyr.
It is likely the Stone is responsible for an Emperor's longer lifespan, as Emperors who were Crowned on the Stone have been known to reach 200 years of age, despite being human, while their uncrowned siblings (as well as a handful of Emperors who did not get Crowned on the Stone) displayed standard human lifespans.
The purpose and power of the Stone is unknown, though its significance to the Empire of Mathklyr cannot be overstated, even though its presence is widely unknown...
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