Iron Horse Parable

The Iron Horse Parable, a part of the Immaculate Texts, speaks of the final days of Pasiap’s earthly incarnation, when his goremaul was at rest and his tools had been drawn forth.

Pasiap’s mount during the war against the Anathema had been a horse forged of iron by his own hand, for no mortal beast could bear the might of the Earth Dragon incarnate. When the war was ended, It Immaculate of Earth ceased to ride and the Horse had no more purpose save to bear the tools of its master as he strode Creation building up mighty manses and fortifications. At last, Pasiap knew his time was done, and he departed from Creation to become one with the Dragons. The Iron Horse was left behind.

Many Dragonblooded tried to claim the Iron Horse, but it bucked all riders... only the Immaculate Dragons themselves could hope to tame such a creature. But, as years went by, the Horse was never distant from sites of building and construction, and as Dragonblooded architects bickered over additional ornaments and extra wings, the Iron Horse would come charging into their tents, spitting steam from its nostrils and scattering their charts and measures.

No one understood the odd behaviour of the Horse, until a young geomancer working alone to erect a manse was suddenly gifted with the aid of the metal beast. The only reason that was found was that, unlike his peers, he had remained true to the plans passed down by Pasiap before his departure, without allowing personal embellishment to change their nature.

This parable is seen as a lesson of faith and dedication, of preserving the teachings of the Immaculates in their absence and of guarding against heresies in one’s actions through the sins of embellishment and innovation.