Chapter 5 - The Library Of Dolls

From the Beyond, in the Land of Iron Sands, BeeSheep travelled by the direction of Abner, son of Hudon, to the ladder, which he used to descend from the Forged. Having arrived back on the land, BeeSheep was gladdened for the sun, and for the trees, and for the flowers.

As you know, the ladder descends into the land Shinar, East of the well there.

BeeSheep followed the compass tied to him with a scarlet thread. It led him along a path, a highway in Shinar where there were a great many traveling merchants. For one day, he rode with a spice trader and helped sell fennel and basil. For two days he rode with a coffee merchant, and he assisted pouring goat’s cream into the brews. And for the third day, BeeSheep rode with a parchment merchant, and he did not help sell anything.

Now Xassan is a great city, and it is built in three parts. The outer part is the Outer District, and it is where many of the peoples of the city live. The middle part is known as the Kaolin District, it is where the kilns are fired, and it is where the kaolin, feldspar, and silica are. The innermost city is the castle, and the library with a great garden and courtyard between the two.

It is in Xassan where the Pesel live. (The people made of porcelain.) 

There is a great market for the Pesel, as the artisans compete to craft the most beautiful and elegant idols. Among the greatest of the artisans is Vullana, for her Pesel helped build the castle. Martarch, whose Pesel are the most beautiful. And Tylla, whose Pesel work in the Library of Xassan.

When BeeSheep entered the city, he flew straight through the districts, over the walls between them and straight into the library.

The Pesel who work in the library have porcelain the color of ivory. And their details are painted in a dark amber hue. Their job is to collect books and place them in the correct order of the library. They also act as scribes, making copies, and preserving older manuscripts.

“Welcome friend BeeSheep,” spoke the Pesel at the door. He greeted BeeSheep warmly. “May I be your guide in the library this day? My name is Alakko, and I am the eleventh of the Alakkos. It would be my pleasure to help you through the library, for it is a grand library indeed.” (He said this because to walk from one end of the library to the other would take a half day.)

BeeSheep was grateful for the help, and so Alakko-11 became his guide through the library. 

BeeSheep wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for. All he knew was that he was searching for his goddess, Livadi of Far Meadows. He buzzed this information to Alakko-11.

“Indeed,” said Alakko-11. “We have many books recounting tales of digyr, and how they opened their eyes against Livadi of Far Meadows. We will search for them and see if any have within them knowledge that we do not yet possess.”

So Alakko-11 took BeeSheep up to the third story of the library, and there, BeeSheep saw many peoples from all across the land.

There was an owl-kind, reading a book on grafting peaches. There was a Druskan, reading a collection of narratives from spice farmers. And there was a philosopher, who was contemplating what it meant to read.

The library was filled with many people, and just as many Pesel to guide them. But the section that Alakko-11 brought BeeSheep to was filled with scrolls, and few people were among them. BeeSheep began to fly up and search the scrolls, reading their title tags.

“Here,” spoke Alakko-11 pulling a scroll from a lower shelf. “This is a report from a scribe at the time when the amalgamations were at war.” His porcelain eyes read the text faster than any man could.

“Alas,” he spoke again. “No hint for your goddess’ location. Worry not, little friend, we will search until we find what you seek.”

And for many hours, BeeSheep and Alakko-11 searched the shelves of the library of Xassan. After the ninth hour, BeeSheep fell asleep on the table. And while he slept, Alakko-11 recruited the help of two other Pesel. Their names were Marcus-3 and Tivoli-2.

And when BeeSheep awoke from his slumber, the three Pesel sat awaiting him. He buzzed in apology for dozing off, and he saw that before them there was a single clay tablet.

“We have found something that may be of value to you,” spake Alakko-11. “For behold, an ancient tablet written by ‘the ones who came before’ speaks of the Digyr of Far Meadows. It does not say where she is, but it speaks of a creature of Sidar, Digyr of Deep Forests. For the Psychophant was there when the digyr opened their eyes against Livadi.”

And BeeSheep buzzed a question.

“Indeed,” spoke Tivoli-2, for her knowledge was in monsters and their kind. “The Psychophant is a most dangerous being, but if you wish to find your goddess, he may be the only person who can direct you to her.”

BeeSheep nodded in understanding, and with a buzz he thanked them each for their hours of labor.

“Before you go, friend BeeSheep,” spoke Alakko-11. “If it would be allowed, I would ask of you one thing.”

And BeeSheep wagged his stinger for he was eager to grant it in return for their immense help. (For BeeSheep liked the Pesel greatly.)

“As you know,” continued Alakko-11. “The digyr did not open their eyes to create us, for we were created by men. Thus, we are not like men. When we pray, BeeSheep, we have no god nor digyr to pray unto. When you find your goddess, Livadi, beseech unto her, for our sakes, that we may pray to her, if of course we have found favor in your sight and in hers.”

And BeeSheep, deeply moved, agreed to their request. Then bidding them farewell, he began to fly to the Kadisha Valley, in the land of Bsharre where indeed there are great forests of cedar.

Translator’s Note – In Sir Richard Harrington’s three thousand page book “Pesel, the Perfect,” he dives deeply into the nature of the Pesel. It cannot be overstated their significance in the city of Xassan. The entire economy of the city revolved around their furnaces, and their ability to produce living dolls. The Pesel were created to assist humans in every possible function, and the artisans who created them became celebrities across the land. Some Pesel, though never quite treated as humans, became wealthy and even started their own furnaces to craft their own dolls. Truly, a remarkable thing that the BeeSheep encountered the city of Xassan. I highly recommend Sir Harrington’s aforementioned book, for it contains a telling of when Alexander the Great encountered Xassan, and its curious Pesel.