Legends of Belariath

Chirot History

The Great Tome of Sheara

The history of the Chirot is recorded in a large book of wondrous antiquity, The Great Tome of Sheara. In it the histories of the creation of the world, the origins of the twin gods, Sheara and Kiroaja, and of their followers are described. It is said to contain the original magic used to create the Earth, spells to call and command the spirits of the earth and air, as well as the true names of all Chirot who will ever be born and die. This book is kept in Sheara's Chamber, now the most holy place for all Chirot. Here is a brief portion of that history:

In the beginning there was nothing, nothing but a great void of darkness and spirits without purpose. One day, through some weird twist of fate, two spirits collided and merged and created the first of the winged ones, called Kiroan. He bore a human resemblance, though with ears of a bat and wings of a bird. This Kiroan was the Father of all the winged races. But he was flawed because two different spirits inhabited him. He knew this, and split himself into two different parts. The first was female and she was called Sheara, formed with the wings and ears of a bat. The other was male, Kiroaja, with the bright wings of a bird. They worked hard, in cooperation and friendship to create the first realm. Together they formed the earth and sky, plants and animals, imbuing everything in its turn with spirits from the void. It took a thousand millennia for them to complete their grand task. When it was finished, Sheara and Kiroaja looked back into the void, finding spirits there with which to form their greatest creations: Beings to populate that realm and give it purpose. The followers of Sheara were called Chirot, and the followers of Kiroaja were named Kiroan.

So it was that the Great Kingdom arose. The twin elders ruled fairly and justly for a time, but Kiroaja secretly resented Sheara, for of the two she was most beloved by her kind. Kiroaja began to plot secretly against Sheara, intending to banish his sister into a different realm. One day the Kiroan amassed in the throne room of the palace, and Kiroaja opened a black and dark gate and Sheara was cast into it. With the elder spirit out of the way, the Kiroan started subjugating the Chirot, enslaving them unjustly and inflicting cruel tortures.

However Sheara was far from defeated. She had been exiled to a small space, embedded deep within the mountains of Belariath, now called Sheara's Chamber. She used her powers and called upon the Elementals of Earth, spirits she had freed from the void and bound during the early creation of The Great Kingdom. With their assistance Sheara was able to find portals back to her world and she reopened the gate into which she had first been cast. However, the effect was not what she had expected. She suddenly found herself bound to both worlds, The Great Kingdom and Belariath, able to travel between them at will. And in that binding, her Chirot followers had changed as well, becoming mortal. Sheara sought justice, she and her Chirot attacking Kiroaja and his Kiroan in the first of countless battles. As they died in The Great Kingdom, the first Chirot began appearing in Sheara's Chamber on the world of Belariath.

Sheara worked long and hard to assist her new people on Belariath. She taught them the ways of binding the Earth Elementals to their service. She taught them skills and directed their learning, so that the Chirot progressed quickly and were able to form communities. Sheara gave her people the Trance and Mastery of the Air, commanding them to practice their magic and warrior arts so that they might better serve her in The Great Kingdom. As time passed and the Chirot race grew stronger, Sheara was able to find a way to reward her people. The fallen warriors no longer appeared in Sheara's Chamber now, but instead Sheara wove fate so that when a warrior fell in The Great Kingdom, his spirit would be reborn to mated Chirot as an infant. This would enhance her people's joy by teaching them the value of life and reminding them that death is not an end. Chirot History on Belariath

Chirot History on Belariath

The Dwarves debated long and hard, questioning their lone survivor closely before finally deciding the world was probably large enough to leave that particular mountain range alone. They had problems enough with the Dark Elves, who were much less polite than this strange new race, often returning only the head of a Dwarf to deliver their message.

TThe Magi and Torian, on the other hand, have had no such warnings. They are the only races towards which the Chirot show active aggression. Real wars have not been fought as of yet, but skirmishes are common. The Chirot regard this as the natural order of the things, opportunities to further the cause of Sheara, and valuable training before the battles in The Great Kingdom. The opinion of the Magi is unknown, but when questioned, the response of a Torian warrior is very revealing: "They're a *censored* bunch of *censored* *censored* and *censored* !”

Each city is governed by one of the Elders, the wisest of the Chirot, who are responsible for the mundane day-to-day operation. They watch over things affecting the physical health and well being of the Chirot, trade, diplomacy, and the military. The religious leaders, the senior clerics of Sheara, who are also responsible for the spiritual health of their race, guide them in all of this. Below the Elders, the Chirot are organized into a loose hierarchy, with duties and responsibilities apportioned by suitability to a particular task or skill. All Chirot are considered warriors, regardless of their position in society, or their skills with arms.

It may be thought that Chirot are without personal ambition, sacrificing self-pride for the good of the race, and to some extent this might be true. But all Chirot aspire first and foremost to be recognized as great warriors for Sheara, whether through skill at arms, or ability with spells. They take great pleasure improving themselves and finding opportunities to display their proficiency. Part of that recognition is being elected to the position of Elder, which is considered a great honor. When an Elder’s chair is vacant, all the Chirot take part in the nomination and voting of a replacement. There is no politics involved and a consensus is usually achieved well in advance of the actual event. Several times in their short history, some that have been elected have attempted to decline the honor, in favor of someone they feel is better suited, but to the Chirot this only serves to confirm the wisdom of their choice.

Recently, over the last hundred years or so, it seems the Chirot have been seen more often, though they are hardly considered a common sight. As they feel more secure in their cities, it is natural for any race to begin exploring the world around them. Chirot warriors, mages, and artisans have begun traveling throughout Belariath, though rarely lingering long in any one place. They collect knowledge that may prove useful, not just to their people on Belariath, but to their brethren striving for victory in The Great Kingdom. It is thought that Sheara has perhaps commanded them to seek new methods and weapons in the hopes of finding a means to end her struggle with Kiroaja.