Diarmadhi

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Diarmadhi is the fictional title created by Melanie Rawn for a sorcerer in her Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies.

The diarmadh'im, which means Stoneburners in the Old Tongue, are of the Old Blood and more commonly called Sorcerers. They are an ancient people long thought extinct and the mortal enemies of the faradhi, or Sunrunners. Like a Sunrunner, a diarmadhi uses light to communicate and cast spells, but their spells primarily use the starlight instead of sunlight and moonlight. The light pattern of a diarmadhi consists of three or four colors described as gemstones; each diarmadhi has a unique color pattern, and these colors represent facets of the diarmadhi 's character. A full blooded diarmadhi is also vulnerable to mirror spells. Water crossing has no effect on a sorcerer, and they are less susceptible to death by iron while casting.

Those of the Old Blood can be trained as at Goddess Keep as Sunrunners. The only way to tell if a Sunrunner is a diarmadhi is if sorcery is being performed. In the presence of sorcery, a dairmadhi wearing the faradhi rings will be burned by the special metal used to craft the rings. If the diarmadhi wearing the faradhi rings casts a sorcerous spell, then the rings tremble "as if in protest."

Contents

[edit] History

Sorcerers once ruled the Continent and Kierst-Isel, approximately fifteen or sixteen generations before the Vellanti War. They used the Merida as their deadly assassins.

Three ancients, Lady Merisel, Lord Gerik, and Lord Rosseyn, were caught in a love triangle. They led the war that sent the remaining diarmadh'im into hiding, fearing for their lives. While the diarmadhi were still ruling the Continent they lived on Dorval, the island home of the Sunrunners. Merisel, who was married to Gerik, wrote the Star Scrolls.

After the faradh'im defeated the sorcerers Merisel, Gerik, and Rosseyn, who was probably the father of Merisel's twin sons, moved the Sunrunners from their island castle to the far corner of Ossetia. They wanted to share their knowledge with the world and to gain new knowledge from the Continent. Merisel did leave the Star Scroll and histories buried on Dorval, however. She deemed the knowledge too dangerous and - at that time - no longer necessary. Whether she could not bear to let such knowledge be lost or she had forseen the war to come is unknown. The knowledge of sorcery that she and the others of her time knew was put to use in eradicating what was left of the diarmadhi 'threat.' The faradh'im, led by the three, drove the remaining sorcerers into the Veresch Mountains of Princemarch. During the dairmadhi purge, it was said that Merisel ordered the death of men, women, and children alike, gelded men, rendered women barren, and butchered babes with Merida knives. Rosseyn, who had fathered children by a diarmadhi, hid his children and kept them safe. The names of the three ancients are now forbidden to diarmadh'im "lest their wind-borne spirits find these last hiding places" (The Star Scroll 81).

Together Merisel, Gerik, and Rosseyn built Goddess Keep and forged faradhi rings with a special spell so that the metal would burn a diarmadhi 's fingers if sorcery was being used in his or her presence. Once the Sunrunners were established at Goddess Keep, Merisel and Gerik forbade their faradh'im to kill using their gifts and made them take an oath not to do so. Rosseyn did not take the faradhi oath.

Generations passed. The surviving diarmadh'im had multiplied in their rustic mountain homes, some venturing out to join the rest of the Continent, the Old Ways forgotten, others biding their time, waiting for their chance to rule once more. A chance to seize power came during Roelstra's reign. Members of Lord Rosseyn's line, had bided their time; they married a kinswoman to the High Prince, but Lallante turned her back on them, forsaking her gifts. Another chance at power arose when a young Mireva gave Roelstra's mistress the dranath needed to addict a Sunrunner. It was hoped that the Sunrunner would aid them once one of Roelstra's daughters married Prince Rohan of the Desert and mixed their diarmadhi heritage with his faradhi genes. This plan also went awry: Rohan married a Sunrunner named Sioned. Six years later, another chance arose: three of Ianthe's sons were taken to Mireva.

[edit] Star Scroll

The Star Scroll was discovered by Meath in 719, while he was the Court Sunrunner of Greypearl on the island Princedom of Dorval. The scroll was so named due to the drawing of a starry night above the words ' On Sorceries.' The Scroll contains sorcerous spells and was found with three scrolls of ancient history. The scrolls were all written in the Old Tongue and in code by Lady Merisel, the ancient leader of the Sunrunners. She wrote the histories to offer the key for the code: a twig symbol beneath a word meant that the word was supposed to have the opposite meaning. In the scroll entitled ' On Sorceries,' the twig symbol was before ingredients meant not to be included in the recipes. These ingredients would render the recipe harmless - in essence they were the antidote for the true recipe.

Andry was the one to discover the twig mark's significance. He, Hollis, and later Segev worked to translate the scrolls. Andry and Hollis performed an experiment using the twig theory in order to prove to Lady Andrade that he had correctly interrpreted the twig's meaning; they made two batches of paste, one exactly as the scroll described and one omitting the twiged ingredients. The paste made following the twig translation caused a burning sensation, while the other paste did nothing. Water nullified the burning paste.

Both Pol and Andry (as well as Rohan and Sioned) studied the Star Scroll and have used its contents.

[edit] Sorcery

Diarmadh'im favor the light of the stars; instead of Fire and Air, they use Water and Earth. The name diarmadh'im, which means 'Stoneburners,' was gieven to them because of the manner in which they perform their spells. They - in multiples of three and preferably ninety-nine - form a circle around a rock cairn. The leader, using three anchors, draws on the present sorcerers' powers, calls down starfire, and weaves it around the circle of stones, igniting them. Within the burning stones a sorcerer can conjure not only images, but scenes of life happening far away.

Like the faradh'im, sorcerers have Man-making and Woman-making nights, but instead of wrapping themselves in shadow and using voices only for pleasure they are able to actually alter their appearance with spells. For example, a crone can look, sound, and feel like a young woman.

There is some sorcery that only kills sorcerers.

[edit] Circle of Ninety-Nine

The Circle of Ninety-Nine is a powerful diarmadhi gathering. It is used to cast especially powerful spells and for the coronation of a diarmadhi leader. The number three is important to diarmadh'im as it holds power: three gods, three moons, three winters between dragon years and gathering of Princes, and three lands (Desert, Mountain, River Meadow). The sorcerer must claim leadership and then be validated by the elderfolk. A rope of gold, silver, and bronze is placed around the claimant's shoulders in the Ku'al, or 'mind-circle.' This rope symbolizes the diarmadhi 's authority and his or her bond of service to the diarmadh'im. If the leader should break the bond, or if he/she acts against the elderfolk, then the diarmadh'im of the Ku'al strangle the leader with the rope.

[edit] Rabikor

The rabikor is a duel of sorcery; the name means 'crystal battle' in the Old Tongue. There are certain rules which apply to the duel, but only if both combatants agree to the terms at the onset of the duel. If no terms or rules are mentioned, then the set rules do not apply and anything is legal. If the rules are agreed upon and one is broken, then even if the rule breaker wins his or her claims and challenges are forfeit.

Rules

  • The battle is between two combatants.
  • All Elements can be called and used.
  • The Unreal can be conjured.
  • A perath is woven from three persons on each combatants' side. Should a member of the perath die, he or she will not be replaced. The winner of the duel demolishes the dome. Perath, which means 'talon wall' in the Old Tongue, is a woven dome of light in which the rabikor is fought. It protects the combatants from outside interference.
  • Physical touch and weapons of iron, bronze, gold, silver, or glass are forbidden.
  • Dranath will be taken in equal measures and in front of witnesses at the start of the duel.

[edit] Abilities

  • Call Elements: Water is the diarmadh'im element of choice, but they can also call Fire and Air. A faradhi can call Water, but it is not officially taught and is considered unusual.
  • Conjuring: Using starfire and burning stones, a sorcerer can see what is going on in the world. With an object holding memories, a sorcerer can conjure those memories. Sorcerers can also watch another person in Water if they an item belonging to that person.
  • Disguise: Sorcerers can alter their appearance and voice by creating an image over their features. When wearing their new image, they feel as if they're in clothes cut for a different person. This is one of the more difficult spells as the diarmadhi must constantly maintain the illusion.
  • Memory: When concentrating, a diarmadhi has a photographic memory. Sorcerers can also conjure memories using an object that holds memories.
  • Preparation: A powerful sorcerer can 'prepare' another diarmadhi. Should the prepared person fail their duty or rebel, the sorcerer can stop the person's heart with starlight.
  • Ros'salath: Means 'warrior's wall of dreams' in the Old Tongue, this creates a woven wall of invisible light. When the enemy runs into it they sees their most terrifying horrors. The shock and terror can either send the enemy running, knock them unconscious, or kill them, depending on the strength and version of the ros'salath.
  • The Unreal: Imagined horrors can be conjured to attack and frighten. Real or solid objects can be incorporated into the image and used during an attack or duel.

[edit] Mirrors

Diarmadh'im can perform and are susceptible to mirror spells. There are four types of diarmadhi mirrors.

  • Dalaaji: This mirror shows a static image of a living person. When a faradhi or halfling gifted person is named, their image appears surrounded by an aleva of their colors; the more gifted the person is, the brighter their aleva shines. When a sorcerer's name is spoken the mirror goes black. If the person named is deceased, then the mirror swirls grey and blank. Andry found one on his 'sorjourn' in the Veresch. He destroyed it, when it revealed that Brenlis was dead.
  • Daltaya: Means 'shadowcatcher' in the Old Tongue; Pol used one in Skybowl to speak to the Vellanti. In order to use this mirror and come to no harm, one must be related to all three of the ancients, Lord Rosseyn, Lady Merisel, and Lord Gerik.
  • Kazniradi: This is the kind of mirror Mireva used on Chiana. It can ensorcel an individual and allow a sorcerer to control or greatly influence that individual.
  • Kenida: Means 'glass voice' in the Old Tongue; not much is known about this type of mirror.

[edit] Genetics

The diarmadhi gene is dominant, while the faradhi gene is recessive, though not competing. This means that if someone is diarmadhi, then his or her children will be diarmadhi regardless of the other parent's genetic makeup. It also means that a person can be both full diarmadhi and full faradhi. A full diarmadhi and full faradhi can't cross water comfortably, but are invulnerable to mirror spells.

The people of the Continent have one of these six gene types:

  • Full Faradhi: water crossing makes them very ill, vulnerable to death by iron while casting
  • Halfling Faradhi: can't be trained as a Sunrunner, some feel itchy if there is a spell being cast
  • Full Diarmadhi: vulnerable to mirrors, can cross water
  • Full Diarmadhi and Full Faradhi: crossing water makes them ill
  • Full Diarmadhi and Halfling Faradhi: crossing water makes them ill, vulnerable to mirrors
  • Blind: can't be trained as a Sunrunner, suceptible to mind suggestions by dranath and diarmadhi mirror spells

To see a chart of how diarmadhi and faradhi genes are passed down, please refer to Melanie Rawn's Official Site.

[edit] Known Sorcerers

Main article: Sorcerers of the Old Blood

Here is a list of Known diarmadh'im. Until 719, sorcerers were thought to have fallen into legend, so many gifted individuals thought they were faradh'im. If a sorcerer is in the hierarchy of Goddess Keep, his/her biography can be found in the Sunrunners of Goddess Keep article.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
  • Aldiara: Born in 722, she dressed as a lad to infiltrate Yarin's ranks. She saved Rohannon's life by purging him of a dranath addiction.
  • Iliena of Snowcoves: Princess of Dorval and Yarin's siter
  • Maara of Feruche: Riyan and Ruala's daughter, she was decended from Lord Gerik.
  • Mireva: A sorceress who planned to breed a diarmadhi High Prince, first using Roelstra's wife, the his grandsons, Ruval, Marron, and Segev.
  • Morweena: One of Pol's Sunrunner trainers.
  • Pol: Born in 704, he was Rohan's son by Ianthe, though did not know the truth of his birth until 728. It was through Ianthe that Pol inherited his diarmadhi blood. Pol was truly the High Prince of all, as he was both a full diarmadhi and a full faradhi.
  • Riyan: Born in 699 to Ostvel and Camigwen. Riyan did not know he was a diarmadhi through his mother until he was a grown man. In fact his father and mother didn't know it.
  • Ruala of Elktrap Manor: Born in 700, she was the beloved granddaughter of Garic of Elktrap Manor. She is a direct descendent of Gerik, the ancient sorcerer.
  • Ruval: Ianthe's oldest son. He challenged Pol's claim on Princemarch in a Socreer's duel.
  • Tirel of Firon: The young Prince of Firon, whom Yarin held captive during his coup.
  • Torien: Chief Steward of Goddess Keep under Andry
  • Urivel: Chief Steward of Goddess Keep under Andrade
  • Yarin of Snowcoves: Born in 690, he tried to take control of Firon from Laric, but the Keep was reclaimed.
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