The Prophet's Song
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To codify Marcus' more artsy side and establish lore for future RP.
- Image Credit: Annie Stegg
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: "Rokanan's World"
- Media Name: Visitation From Eshara
- Format: Painting
- Distribution: Unique
- Length: Minuscule; it's only a painting.
- Description: Visitation From Eshara is an oil painting by Marcus Dinn. It depicts Eshara, the Shaalite goddess of desire, obsession, and madness.
- Author: Marcus Dinn
- Publisher: N/A
- Reception: The painting, along with several others, were exhibited as part of a collection. It received a warm reception from the galactic community, but isn't particularly well-known outside of art circles.
Oil on canvas, 900 ABY.
CONTENT INFORMATION
The painting's central subject is Eshara, here depicted as a winged woman seated in a tree. Her posture is relaxed, black feathered wings curling around her, and she is looking off to the side as if lost in thought. The tree has some green vegetation growing on the bark, but its branches are barren of leaves. Stars and a waning crescent moon can be seen in the sky behind her; it is unclear if it is dawn or dusk.
Eshara's clothing is lavish, with multicolored silks, shimmering gossamer, and various pieces of glittering jewelry. Shaalite horns sprout from her head, wreathed by a crown of leaves and red flowers. Long, thick black hair hangs loosely about her shoulders. She is beautiful, with pink cheeks, a rosebud mouth, and beguiling dark eyes. Her right sleeve has fallen down, baring some skin, just enough to be enticing. Her feet are bare.
The painting was made at a time when the painter had fallen under Eshara's spell. She is thus depicted as desirable and enchanting. Not long after the painting was completed, her true nature was revealed. Yet this moment remains frozen in time, a reminder of how lovely, enthralling and innocent desire can seem at first.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
"I think this is Eshara, the Goddess of Desire, Obsession, and Madness. She's a Shi'ido, and the widow of Kolinahr, the Trickster God, whom our father killed. Maybe she kidnapped Marcus as revenge. But that all happened ten years ago—you'd think she would've taken her revenge at an earlier date." - Eloise Dinn
Marcus originally painted Visitation From Eshara as a personal piece. He'd had recurring visions of a woman with horns and wings, and as was his custom had sketched what he saw. Eventually, the woman in his dreams came to him and sat in the tree outside his window. He transferred his sketch to a canvas and painted her over the course of several nights.
Of course, the woman's intentions turned out to be less than kind. She was seeking revenge for the murder of her husband Kolinahr, whom Marcus' father had killed ten years earlier. She lured and kidnapped Marcus, bringing him to her fortress across the sea and intending to take him as her mate. Marcus was rescued by his sisters Eloise and Altrea, along with Eloise's master Amani Serys-Organa. After Eshara's death, Marcus opted to sell the painting.
