The Old Kingdom: The Caves of Esseck and the Everburning Torch

Transit

The Ushkagoosh Valley is located just outside Esseck town, on the south-eastern edge of Mustain province. In walkable distance from the town, access includes regular shuttle services, taxis, and carriages.

Reaching Esseck is slightly more difficult, as train services reach only as far as Dorsden. Busses from Dorsden depart twice daily, and cost around 2N a ticket. The ride itself will take about an hour, so make sure you bring along a book to read. I highly recommend a history of the Everburning Torch, as its full history is quite interesting.

The Place

Also known as the Esseck Crater, the Ushkagoosh Valley holds a massive network of caves, tunnels, and underground structures. Spanning a distance almost as large as the town of Esseck itself, the turning tunnels are are a mishmash of volcanic tubes and natural erosion.

Discovered centuries ago, the Caves of Esseck are covered with ancient cave paintings and filled with artifacts and historical curiosities. No less than seven major religions and cultures can trace some ancient influences to the Caves of Esseck.

The Wall Paintings

Collectively known as the Esseck Cave Paintings, at thirteen different locations along the many tunnels of the winding cave system, there are wall paintings that are no less than seventeen centuries old.¹ These paintings are some of the most famous cave paintings in the world, both because of their incredible condition and their impact on the historical understanding of the region.

Due to both the dry climate in the region and the relative protection provided by the steep cliffs of the Ushkagoosh Valley, there has been remarkably little erosion and weathering of the paintings, and even less now that safeguards and protections have been implemented by the locals. Most of the paintings are not open to the public, and are available only to scientists with appropriate credentials and official passes given by the local government.

The paintings themselves are all made from primitive dyes and stains. The red and yellow dyes appear to have pollen from local flowers in them, meaning they were likely made from the petals of daisies and fen-roses. There is also a progression between the paintings that suggests an evolution of tools from feathers or twists of grass to animal hair brushes. The paintings themselves depict a wide range of subjects, from hunting and gathering to depictions of local flora and fauna. There are even repetitions of simple designs which many anthropologists believe is the beginning of a written language.

There has been some debate over the “little people.” Repeated throughout the paintings are two different representations of people. One is painted much shorter and wider than the other, and is regularly painted with an odd hollow chest. What these “little people” represent is largely uncertain. Some believe that is proof that another race of people existed alongside these ancient people — perhaps the origin of countless elf and goblin myths throughout cultures. Others insist that these are paintings of children, the empty chests symbolizing a lack of wholeness or a need to grow that these primitive people revered.

Unfortunately, of the seventeen locations there are only two open to public viewing. This is for safety reasons, both the visitors’ and the paintings’. No flash photography of any kind is permitted, nor any kind of artificial light. This limits viewing times to dusk and dawn in the wintertime, as this is when the sun is best angled to provide the best ambient lighting.

Due to this lack of photographs, visitors to the Ushkagoosh valley should keep an eye out for “The Esseck Book of Ancient Paintings,” a collection of recreations painted by Lady Habel Pellingbrook by express request of the Esseck Council of Visitation. According to the official reports, she studied the cave paintings for a month, and then took three more weeks to find the perfect shades of red and brown to capture what she called “the great beauty of the ancient soul.” Whether she has captured some ancient soul or not, these recreations have become the official record of all the paintings, both available and unavailable to the public, and so you should consider buying a copy from the local gift-shop.

The Everburning Torch

Generally, the Everburning Torch of Esseck is considered part and parcel of the Caves of Esseck as it is located almost in the center of the Ushkagoosh Valley. The Everburning Torch has been classified as a pillar, a tree, or even a lighthouse from some ancient culture. Whether it is a natural phenomenon or a constructed structure is still hotly debated among archaeologists and geologists to this day.

The torch itself is a weather-polished stone tower some hundred feet tall, with a circumference of twenty-nine paces. Towards the top sits a small alcove that reaches a little more than half-way through the tower. There is a small hole in the center of this tower, and a bright blue flame burns in perpetuity atop this hole.

Scholars have been studying this flame for years and are only a little closer to finding out what is fueling the flame. The prevailing understanding is that ancient volcanic activity resulted in the Esseck Crater’s stone to become an odd mix of pumice-like vesicles and rigid geometric cracks, similar to basalt pillars. This formation of rock extends down far enough to reach a large pocket of mineral oil located directly beneath the torch. Capillary action draws this mineral oil up to the surface, where the flame was lit either by a local primitive tribe or, perhaps, an errant lightning strike. Over the centuries, the oil has continued to be drawn up to the flame where it is burned away, leaving behind the mineral residue needed to gradually construct the giant tower.

The other accepted theory is that the tower was built by an ancient culture, perhaps the same one that occupied the Caves of Esseck. Some scholars believe the weather patterns in the valley were much colder and the surrounding area much hotter in the past, thus blanketing the valley in a semi-regular thick fog. This would have given the Torch a practical use as a means of navigation for ancient humans when hunting or gathering food. How they built such a tower is still a mystery. What is clear, however, is the sides of the Torch have been carved with symbols and ornamentation, up to nearly half its height. The design of the carvings mirrors that of the cave-paintings, and so most scholars believe the Torch held some significance to the ancient society that lived in the Esseck Crater.

Whatever the Torch’s origin, the flame has burned bright and hot for over an estimated seven centuries. Several local religious practices and folk traditions have incorporated the Everburning Torch into their rituals. The local winter festival, for example, involves decorating the area around the torch with lights and evergreen branches. Effigies of local messiahs and martyrs are often hung in front of the torch, now that directly hanging objects on the torch is expressly forbidden.

Unlike the cave paintings, viewing the Everburning Torch is a year-round activity. Consider visiting in the springtime, when the area surrounding the Everburning Torch is filled with musicians, dancers, art displays, and other entertainments.

Accommodations

Esseck has a large number of suitable accommodations for travelers of all shapes, sizes, and budgets.

My personal favorite spot is a large hotel by the name of Hotel d’Anrii, on the corner of D Street and Blackberry Ave. Near the center of town, Hotel d’Anrii is one of the most luxurious hotels I have ever experienced. For an admittedly steep cost of 20N a night, you are given a lavish bedroom with adjoining bathroom and kitchen. Food is provided on request and for a reasonable additional fee, prepared or raw depending on your own proclivity towards cooking.

Each room has its own dedicated servant who will provide the services of butler and maid to you during your stay. They prepare meals if asked, take care of cleaning and unpacking your clothes, and have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the city. Highly trained professionals, travelers should be aware it is considered highly disrespectful to offer tips. They are well paid and protected through a servant’s union that was passionately fought for over several years.

The hotel has a wide variety of rooms available for renters’ use, such as a gym, indoor pool, restaurant, dance-hall, game room, and bar. Regular events are held in many of these rooms for no additional charge, including a weekly social in the dance-hall.

If you are looking for a more relaxed or thrifty option, the Silver Cloud Hotel on Goosewood lane is an ideal choice. They offer per-night or weekly purchase options, ranging from 5N to 10N a night. The rooms are cozy and comfortable, with plenty of options for additional amenities through an à la carte process. The proprietor of the Silver Cloud Hotel is a welcoming woman by the name of Childe Ramono. She can often be found in the main entry, greeting visitors and chatting up her guests.

The cheapest option is certainly the Plaza t’Sol, on the outskirts of the city. On the corner of E Street and Rye, Plaza t’Sol is a safe and well-frequented flop-house, with dormitories and small rooms with beds and private bathrooms. For 1N or 2N a night, you can be sure of a solid nights rest, though this is certainly not a recommended choice for people with more than a single suitcase or backpack’s worth of luggage.

Things to Do

Daytime

Though the Caves of Esseck and the Everburning Torch are easily the highlights, the city of Esseck is worth a visit in its own right; especially since the Caves can be suitably experienced in a single afternoon for anyone not obsessively devoted to spelunking.

The Esseck Council of Visitation funds and operates multiple official tours every day, showing visitors the small portion of the Caves open to the public, often pared with a small historical and cultural lecture to provide context. The tours range from one to two hours long, and cost 1N a head. There are several alternate touring companies that include other regions in their tours, such as Complete Esseck Tours, which provides a full day tour that covers both the Ushkagoosh Valley and the city of Esseck itself. Another worthy option is the Skybird Tour Package, which includes tours of the Caves, a lecture on the Everburning Torch, four restaurants, and seven beer-halls and bars across the city. Marketed as a tour-cross-party, it is well worth the 3N a head price.

As for daily delights, Esseck has one of the best statue museums I have ever been to. For only a single note per head, you may visit the Esseck Palace of Statuary and enjoy the fruit multiple famous sculptors’ labors; including Michelangelo, Ndove, Bourgeois, Ogunsanya, Reprenti, and Koov. Apart from the statue museum, there are multiple theatres, parks, art houses, a zoo, and countless bars to soak up the local culture.

Dining in Esseck is a delight, with multiple restaurants providing cuisines from across the world. My personal favorite, and a must-visit for any vacationer, is the Molly Sten Bistro on the corner of B avenue and Westerly street. Be sure to try their Roasted Greens appetizer, as I have never tasted such a rich and flavorful sauce. It makes the common vegetable base really sing.

Festivals

The Everburning Torch is the center of multiple festivals during the year, and each is worth its own section. While I can’t detail each one here, I can list several of the more popular and interesting ceremonies.

• The Dance of the 77 Eyes

  The Dance of the 77 Eyes is still performed every summer solstice, even though the faith that birthed the tradition has long since faded into antiquity. While the solemnity and respect of the dance are maintained, it is largely performed for tourists and sightseers.

  A full day production, the Dance of the 77 Eyes begins with a celebratory breaking of fast in the morning. “Kannik,” a special toasted bread with seeds, is the traditional food, though nowadays it is served along with a wide assortment of jams, meats, muesli, swabit, tea, coffee, and all manner of alternative options.

  Traditionally, you are expected to eat this breakfast alone and without speaking, while contemplating the divine. I myself have never done so, and few attendees feel the need to remain silent, often talking with neighbors or friends as they enjoy the early morning.

  The Dance begins in earnest two hours before noon, and continues until the sun is directly overhead, causing the Everburning Torch to show no shadow. Be aware that there are several measures of silence during the dance; if it is part of your culture, do not applaud during these silences! These pauses are moments intended for the audience to once more indulge in contemplation.

  Once the performance is complete, you may applaud if you wish, though the traditional means of showing appreciation is tossing small pebbles on the ground surrounding the Everburning Torch. This is a nod to the old practice of throwing coins for the performers, when coins were still used as currency in Esseck, instead of scrip and notes.

• The Holy Patience

  The Holy Patience is a religious sect that celebrates and heralds the return of the Messiah, a holy figure whose presence will result in a Utopian society for all. While the faith is far more complex than that simple description makes it sound, the High Holy Day of Waiting focuses on this one simple tenet.

  Held when the first snows begin to fall, the faithful gather at the Everburning Torch — called the Messiah’s Beacon — and sing hymns in praise of their Messiah in an attempt to guide their soul towards the light. While most modern sects believe this is symbolic, believing the true way of guiding the Messiah back to our planet is through acts of charity, several Orthodox sects take the process far more literally. They bring special charms and incenses purported to strengthen their spiritual energy.

  The day ends with the Patient Parade, a procession from the Everburning Torch towards Esseck. The procession itself is long and guests are forbidden to take part. Instead, you may watch the parade of faithful as they sing and carry flags and censers along the road.

  I myself have found the ideal time to arrive at the Everburning Torch around the Holy Patience is an hour before dusk. This will give you plenty of time to enjoy the singing before the parade begins, while not letting it overstay its welcome.

• Taxation Festival of Exchange

  A strange festival to be sure, the four-day long festival was born from an ancient edict of a local Baron who ceased all taxation for a week if the populous instead gave gifts to each other. The peasantry took part gleefully, as the practice of exchanging favors and gifts was commonplace. The wealthy, however, resented the Baron’s offer, and so they each gave a gift of thirty-three notes to each other.

  While the history continues from there, a yearly festival began which adopted this form of gift. For four days during the spring, visitors to the Everburning Torch are encouraged to exchange notes and scrip in equal amounts; traditionally any amount ending in 3: 3 scrip bills are obviously highly prized. Shopping is a common activity during the festival, though expected behavior changes greatly: due to the wealthy’s pomposity, shoppers and festival-goers are expected to exaggerate and play-haggle with every exchange. When swapping notes and scrip this can be quite amusing to do, as you attempt to argue with another why your money is, for example, so much prettier than theirs.

  Several other financial traditions have evolved into the festival, including formal dissolution of debts and contracts, loan forgiveness, and even reading of last-will-and-testaments. Children are not left out of the festivities, as the Stone Demons — adults in masks and long robes — give money-pouch pastries to children who purchase them with a stone. Traditionally, the child must convince the Demon to take the stone, either through again the over-the-top salesmanship, or through empty threats of throwing the stone at the demon. This tradition stems from a folk-tale where a precocious child banishes a demon by selling the demon the very rock the child would have thrown at them, if they go away and leave the child’s town in peace.

  Money-pouch pastries are small sugared dumplings with fruit centers, and are common treats during the festival.

• The Holiday of the Twenty-eighth Saint

  Of the hundred Saints that dominate the state religion, the Twenty-eighth was born and died near Esseck, and their miraculous life-story heavily involved the bringing of fire and light to the downtrodden. Small wonder, then, that the Everburning Torch is sometimes called the Twenty-eighth’s Lantern, and is the focus of several holidays and religious practices.

  The Holiday of the Twenty-eighth is held on the fourteenth Wednesday following the first full moon of the year. It is a relatively sedate celebration when compared with the other festivals and holidays surrounding the Torch, but it is still a time of merry-making and joy. Small gifts are exchanged at dusk under the Torch’s light, and visitors are encouraged to join in the fun.

  The only other tradition of note during the Holiday of the Twenty-eighth is the practice of Wine-sharing. By custom, you must never drink anything you purchase yourself, but instead must only buy a drink to give to someone else. Modern practitioners say this is a fun and engaging way to meet new people as you ask them their drink preferences, while detractors say it merely adds another arbitrary step to your evening.

Evening

There are far fewer events and tours to indulge in during the night. In Esseck proper, the bars and taverns remain open, while several night-clubs open their doors. I always make a point to visit The Circle in downtown Esseck, as the owner is a friend of mine. I’d be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to at least take a look.

As for the Caves in the Ushkagoosh Crater, there is only one tour that remains open during the evening: the Night Tour. This official tour is largely the same as the morning tours, though only showing four of the locations normally shown during the day. As the only selling point of this tour is seeing what a fraction of the public caves look like at night, I generally do not recommend this tour except for the exceedingly curious.

Festivals

Several notable festivals are held during the evening:

• Praising the Shadowcaster

  The Cult of Shadows is not as dark or sinister as its name may suggest. According to their faith, it is this world that is a shadow, a mere illusion cast on a thin membrane of reality. They believe there is a more “real” world — call it the spirit realm if you like — which we are all shadows of.

  On the week of the Winter Solstice, the Everburning Torch is home to the Celebration of the Shadowcaster, the undefined source of “light” that casts all of the shadows that make up our reality. Open to both believers and unbelievers, the festival is an extensive feast that includes heavy stews, thick savory breads, and roasted butter-sprouts. The traditional drink is a warm mulled sour-ale, but both sweet-beer and wine are becoming more common.

  At midnight on the third day of the festival, the believers are encouraged to join in the traditional Song of Praise. Unbelievers are asked not to sing, but are instead allowed to ring bells. Suitable bells may be purchased during the festival, and come with a free sheet of music to play along with.

  All other days, street music is played all around the Torch, both modern and traditional. Those wishing to experience the festival would do well to make reservations in their hotel of choice early, as this is one of the more heavily attended festivals.

• The Purple Page’s Fortnight

  This is, interestingly, the only festival of renown that includes the Caves of Esseck themselves in the ceremonies. The centerpiece of the Fortnight is a candle-lit procession that begins at sundown on the last day of Summer. This procession leads towards the caves, and weaves in and out of the tunnels before ending at the Everburning Torch, where the candles are all placed that the base of the spire.

  Naturally, only the public portion of the Caves is available to this procession, and the candles are not allowed within a few feet of the Torch, but the spirit of the procession is maintained. The Purple Page is a messianic figure in the local Duanda religion, a faithful servant who lost their martyr knight to a fiendish devil. Lost in their despair, they traveled the land searching for their knight. In their madness, they began to believe everyone they met was their knight, and so became a symbol of service to others, charity, faithfulness to shared humanity, and celebrating nobility.

  After the procession, those who walked are given a drink of warm local brandy called vach, and a small bowl of wuusht; humble fare to remind us of those who have less than ourselves.

  While in ancient times the holiday ended there, nowadays there is night music, stronger drinks, and richer fare available. They are not to be found near the Torch, however, but on the streets of Esseck, for those who wish to partake.

• Otago’s Feast

  The Feast of Otago is a celebratory holiday held on the last Thursday of the second to last month of the year. It is a harvest-festival of sorts, though over the years it has evolved to incorporate the winter holidays of several different traditions. During Ortago’s Feast, a span of time from sunrise to sunset, both professional and amateur chefs are encouraged to create large numbers of bite-sized foods and bring them to the Everburning Torch. These foods are shared among the festival goers, with the only rule being that you may only ever sample a dish once.

  Some restaurants or professional chefs require payment of a few scrip for their samples, but most charge only the time it takes to hear the tale of Otago and his Feast. This tale is a simple folk-story about a fell Ogre’s monthly feasts of flesh and bone, and the hero who sent him on a chase throughout the countryside. The Ogre was only able to grab a single bite of food at every farmhouse along the way until he was finally satiated, fell asleep, and the hero cut his head off.

  The telling of the tale has become a tradition in itself; often the early portions of the tale are skipped entirely only to begin with the chase, with each teller describing a different elegant and glorified meal the Ogre must only sample a bite of before running off again. The traditional phrase is: “And with one bite, the Ogre ran off again.”

  While many cultural historians have tried to establish a folk-justification between eating bite-sized food and chasing away ill-fortune, such as suggesting the more you eat the luckier you will be the next year, most of the locals just accept that it’s a great way to eat a lot of food.