True North

True North is a story written by Seishin No Uwagi and illustrated by enkaiein. It originally ran in Issue 55 at http://s2b2.livejournal.com/, and will be mirrored at http://www.shousetsubangbang.com/mirror/.

Summary

In ancient Mesoamerica the Gods demand sacrifice so that the crops will grow, the earth will turn, and the sun will always rise. When humans sacrifice themselves to sustain the Gods, the greatest sacrifice of all may be the hearts of those who play the ball game.

Story Notes

- The myth interspersed with the story text is a modified version of the Hero Twin saga, part of the Mayan Popol Vuh mythos. An online version of the Popol Vuh (with annotations) can be found here, though better translations exist (See references).

- Historically there is no Mayan God of the North Star, despite an otherwise extensive astrological pantheon. During the Classic period the part of the sky that we identify as 'true North' was empty black space that the Mayan called "The Heart of the Sky." Polaris has only recently shifted to occupy its present day location. The story plays with the idea that Polaris was made and placed in the sky by a Mayan God.

- The version of the ball game shown in the story was a complete invention of the author. Very little is known about how the ancient Mayan played the sport and there were many versions of the game depending on time period and geography. Some commonalities included: Players could not touch the ball with their hands, and the hips in particular were used to 'throw' and receive the ball. Balls were made of rubber and were generally quite heavy. Courts could vary in size but were typically enclosed by parallel lines (the court in True North is an oval, the only complete departure from historical fact in the portrayal of the ball game). Players likely wore leather hip guards and heavy girdles that offered protection and could lend more force in propelling the ball. Courts could include stone markers and/or rings; the purpose of these structures in unclear, however it's thought that passing the ball through a ring was a game ending event. Teams could include either 2, 3 or 4 players per side. The ball game was considered a sport for royalty, though was not limited to them; it was also highly ritualized, with sacrifices of players being a probable occurrence (though how common of one is not known). For an explanation of the Ball Game as it is played in True North, see section below.

- All other portrayals of Classic Mayan culture were taken from the literature (see references).

- The character of Cimi was inspired by The Good Life by Three Days Grace

- The character of Ts'ii (Kulal) was inspired by True North by Bad Religion