The Arcanomen

Our ancestors possessed powers and protections that were lost upon the destruction of a machine that had only one function, providing each person with a name. Genre: Mythology   Excerpt:Tempest and storm. Disease and death. Creatures who hunted humankind as prey. Beings who pursued humankind out of evil longing. The name generated by the Arcanomen provided protection from all these dangers. If any harmful influence, be it demon or disease, tried to possess a person, the name would respond. It would twist and shift. It would examine and adapt. It would block and shield. And if that was not enough, it would attack…   The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the Wheel of Fiction. Thirteen spokes. Eight are the themes from previous seasons. One is "Turn Again." One is a wild card. And three are covered in question marks and will be revealed when the wheel lands on them. See a story trailer and a (satisfying) video of the wheel turning here: The Arcanomen This episode landed on CHALLENGE. I challenged myself to write a very short myth. Find more stories and episodes inspired by challenges here: Year of Challenge.   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork?Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   NEWSLETTERS Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me)  Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   FICTION-WRITING ARTICLES & RESOURCES (New)Come and explore the Fictioneer's Field Station.   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written? I have a method. You can learn it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "The Arcanomen" Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. PatelNarration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production: Nila L. Patel   Music:"To Falgalown" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro)"Shadows and flames" by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Outro)"Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)"Shadows and flames""Immortals""Runes""Before the shadows""Onirik""To Falgalown""Haven" Tracks by Andrew Sitkov and Nicholas Jeudy are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market. Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev MarketChanges made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.   Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description:Digital drawing. A machine. Large central disc at center resembling an astrolabe, but without any markings around the rim, and only one pointer. The disc is supported by one small leg at left and a larger apparatus at right with a large hand crack attached and a small spinning lever below the crank. All other parts are behind the central disc. At left are arrayed three smaller discs with hands of various shapes and lengths. Left top, a polyhedron with knobs and circular openings. Above center, three pointers. Right top, a ring facing forward orbited by three rings at vertical and symmetrical angles. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along support left at right.