The Story of the Stones
The First Discovery
Living in the hills to escape conscription by the Cossacks, two brothers, Kiryl and Anton, discovered the first lifestones in the Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine. When a violent storm sent them seeking shelter, an old shepherd directed them to a hidden cave where they found the gemstones. Something about the stones called out to the brothers, and they each took one to remember their time in the cave.
After the Cossacks left, the brothers returned to their village, determined to defy the rabbis who collaborated with the Cossacks by supplying conscripts in exchange for being allowed to maintain religious control. Over time the brothers realized that the stones made them stronger. As long as he wore his stone around his neck, Kiryl was able to somehow intuit the thinking of others. For Anton, the effect of wearing a stone was different. He had no special insight into the thoughts of others, but his stone would radiate warmth when the choices he made were destined to turn out well.
With the help of their stones, both brothers prospered. Kiryl became a merchant, though he and his wife were only able to have a single child. Anton raised a large and loving family on his modest farm. When the Cossacks returned, a rabbi who was resentful of the brothers’ disregard for his authority and envious of their success directed the Cossack troop to Anton’s farm and his three growing sons. Even though Lev, the oldest, was not yet twelve, the Cossacks took him anyway to hold in a camp far to the east until he reached enlistment age.
Anton and his wife Lillian were heartbroken over the loss of their son. Kiryl shared their grief. To avoid further loss, and to escape the terror of the Cossacks, the brothers and their families left their village. They and their families made the difficult trek over the Carpathian Mountains, settling in a different country and prospering there. Kiryl became rich and powerful. Anton was less successful financially, but much loved by his family and friends. Many years later, Lev escaped from the army, making a long and dangerous journey to rejoin his family in their new land.
By the Tent Flap Sin Crouches
It was only natural that Kiryl and Anton wanted stones for their children, so they decided to go back over the mountains and find the secret cave. The old shepherd was still alive. Once more he led them to the cave entrance, but this time he cautioned them against entering: the mountain was moving, rocks were falling, and the cave was no longer safe. The brothers ignored the shepherd’s warning and went into the cave. What happened inside will never be known, but only Kiryl came out. He was wearing Anton’s stone, there were no new stones, and there was big wound on the side of his face. Back in his new country, he told a story of the roof collapsing on them, hitting Anton and fatally pinning him under a pile of huge rocks.
Anton’s family was skeptical, and so was Kiryl’s wife. In the months preceding Anton’s death, there had been increasing tension between the brothers, fueled by Kiryl’s jealousy of his brother’s growing popularity compared to the animosity he constantly faced as the richest man in the area. Kiryl hired a jeweler from a distant town to divide Anton’s stone, giving one piece to each of Anton’s sons. He had his own stone split as well, giving half to his own son. Further, he promised to raise Anton’s children as if they were his own, and care for Anton’s wife.
None of this assuaged the growing suspicions. Anton’s son Lev kept asking how Kiryl was able to recover his father’s stone if his body was buried under so much rock. Kiryl’s wife Danica left his household, saying only “By the tent flap sin crouches.” Kiryl never changed his version of Anton’s death and concentrated on being as good a father as he could to his brother’s children, and a protector of his wife. The scar on Kiryl’s face was a constant reminder of how Anton died. The attacks on his character eventually subsided, but there were some who couldn’t and wouldn’t forget.
The Trial of the Two Tests
Lev was one of those people. As the community of people believing in the power of the stones grew, the need for lifestones grew as well. It was no longer sufficient to split existing stones. Another expedition to the mountains was necessary, and Lev insisted on participating. If a new cave was discovered, Lev did not want Kiryl to be the only one knowing its location.
The trip was transformative. Alone together in the high altitudes, Lev saw another side of his uncle, and Kiryl earned his trust. Together they developed one of the core customs still followed by the Stoner community today, the trial of the two tests. The first test came when a Stoner reached puberty. His or her stone was split, and its owner had to learn how to meld the pieces back together. When that was accomplished, a Stoner was then allowed to exchange one of the pieces, their ‘love stone’, with the love stone of the person they intended to marry.
The second test was to meld the love stone you were given with your own soul stone. This was the more difficult of the two tests, requiring a clear mind, high moral values, and true love for your intended spouse. Passing the second test required the couple to work together under the guidance of their spiritual leader, the Mason. When both partners completed the melding process, they were allowed to marry. Such couples were called a ‘suitable pair.’
Other practices developed over time. When a Stoner dies, both halves of their original lifestone should be in their possession for the burial ceremony. A spouse retrieves the one of his/hers worn by the dead partner, replacing it with the original given at the time of proposal. A person who has never given away a lifestone has not led a particularly full or happy life. Such people are called ‘keepers.’ If one spouse is unfaithful, the stones that spouse is wearing, previously joined, fall separate; it is effectively a scarlet letter symbol. Stoners whose lifestones have separated are called ‘spacers.’
Shiners and Warmers
The two most important and valued stoner types are ‘shiners’ and ‘warmers.’ A Stoner leading an ethical life feels warmth, almost a glow, emanating from their stone or stones. Others can’t tell, but the wearer can; it’s a moral feedback mechanism. Stoners call it ‘feeling the warmth’; morally strong people are called ‘stone warmers’ or just ‘warmers’. Anton was the first warmer, and his son Lev was the second. For warmers, being able to make decisions about themselves comes with an obligation to help others.
Warmers understand the consequences of their actions, know themselves well, and especially act in accordance with the mythic moral values of perseverance, self-reliance, accepting responsibility, and experiencing life. In contrast, shiners are all about understanding others. A ‘shiner’ is attuned to the moods and intentions of those around him/her. Without their stone around their neck, they lose this sensitivity. Their stones begin to shine when they are sensing evil from others, or when they are sensing good intentions from others. The shine is transitory, and does not indicate good or bad, just that the wearer is getting a signal. This ability to understand the intentions of others carries the potential for misuse, as Danica called out when she left her husband Kiryl, the first shiner.
The Burden of the Lifestones
Lifestones give their wearers powerful advantages, most importantly an inner moral compass. Their ethical strength leads to more successful relationships with others. Wearing their lifestones helped Kiryl, Anton, and their families during their immigration to and assimilation into a new country. A community of Stoners is a population with higher moral values.
But along with the powers stones bring to their wearers, there is a burden, a responsibility to live up to the moral code associated with the stones. Stoners carry the conscience of the world. They feel more acutely the good and the pain of those around them. That responsibility is why some put aside their stones and don’t wear them, forsaking the benefits in exchange for not bearing the burden. Carrying that collective conscience is why Stoners fight for others.