Part IV: The Pawn of Prophecy
Chapter 8: The Well of Wyzdom
Timeline: Drokka History
Despite being marketed by the Drokka High Priests as the Holy of Holies – the place where The Gods spoke to their chosen ones. The Well’s physical structure was imposing. Located deep within the cavernous heart of the mountains, the well was a gaping abyss, its depths shrouded in darkness, with an occasional glimmer of phosphorescent minerals hinting at unseen depths.
In reality The Well of Wyzdom was really nothing more than a (seemingly) bottomless pit that [I’d helped] the Drokka priests discover a couple centuries prior to Hacktor’s time during a period of Drokka expansion throughout the Rhokki’s. A geological anomaly – the well was just a deep fissure in the earth’s crust that emitted “eerie” sounds due to subterranean air currents and shifting rock formations. These sounds ranged from haunting wails to rhythmic drumming, creating an atmosphere of otherworldly mystique. As nobody could explain these ominous noises, opportunistic Drokka priests took it upon themselves to offer a religious solution – ascribing the pit’s strange music to be ‘the voices of the gods’ – naturally the Drokka priests also claimed that only a Wyze One could interpret the god’s voice.
Thus was born The Well of Wyzdom – yet another means for the elites to control the people. Rituals conducted at the Well became grand spectacles designed to awe and control the masses.
The High Priests, adorned in elaborate robes and masks, would chant and perform dramatic ceremonies, always claiming to commune with the gods. They interpreted the Well’s sounds, delivering ‘divine’ messages that conveniently reinforced their authority and justified their demands for loyalty and offerings from the people.
The location of The Well led to the establishment of a religious capital in what would later become the region of Iztak that Gydyan I gifted to his family – The Naves. With the birth of Iztak, and commands from the gods (conveniently) pouring forth from The Well, the Drokka’s religion exploded in influence. Iztak quickly became a bustling hub of religious activity and pilgrimage. The city grew rich from the constant flow of pilgrims seeking blessings and wisdom from the gods.
The Naves clan, in particular, prospered, building magnificent temples and palaces that further solidified their dominance and Wyze One’s of the Nave clan became almost as powerful (and rich) as Kon-Herr’s. The other families of elites allowed the Nave clan to hold a monopoly over the faith because the Naves recognized their tenuous hold over that money-stream and thus always made good to play ball with their peers (at least on the surface).
With all the elites in on the game, Drokka churches became the means of transferring any money that made it down to the commoners back to the rich. Uneducated and without options, the people were easy sheep for the Wyze Ones to control and the commoners happily followed whatever directions the priests gave them. Over the centuries most Wyze Ones were savvy enough to recognize the benefits of propping up the royals and ruling class at the expense of the people.
It was a win-win for everyone who mattered and it gave the Wyze Ones easy lives – so long as they continued to align themselves with those in power.
But Mirkir wasn’t like most other Wyze Ones of the past.
He viewed the Well not just as a tool for control, but as a conduit for divine prophecy and a means to instigate the wars necessary for the Drokka’s salvation. His fanatical devotion to Rhokki’s commands made Mirkir realize that those End Times would never occur if the Drokka weren’t fighting wars. As a result, Mirkir hated Baldur and his awakened cronies who worshipped money instead of following Rhokki’s divine commands to exterminate the hated Derkka. Because of this Mirkir wanted a change – he wanted to rule – but without royal blood himself he needed a pawn through which to do it.
Enter Hacktor.
Once I got him under Mirkir’s control, it wasn’t hard to move Hacktor along his journey – particularly because I had long since taken over as the voice of The Spirit of the Well again. Given that Hacktor was a royal balkery — and that he was Mirkir’s Beloved — Hacktor was given access to The Well more than anyone save Mirkir himself – that meant I could speak to Hacktor directly.
Oh Mirkir was still kept in the loop – because the priest believed he helped Hacktor to interpret what the boy learned — but in reality, it was my interactions with Hacktor that decided the course of the Drokka’s fate.
I’d love to tell you about one of my little talks with Hacktor – care to listen?
The Apocrypha of Azazel 