Roleplays of Brackern
Brackern's Temple Opening
The opening of a temple in Mozyr, Brackern's Region, sometime after escaping from the madness that engulfed him.
The morning was cold, gloomy and overcast. "Winter is certainly not willing to let go easily," thought Brackern as the procession set off from his estate. A village clergyman walked alongside Brackern, and the Lord was flanked by Sir Neomus and Sir Lyons, with each of them having a couple of bodyguards apiece. Behind them followed various officials and petty nobility, coming more in the hope of gaining favour in the Lord's sight than for any actual piety Brackern was sure.
Even though it was already ten in the morning, lanterns were carried in the procession. Fortunately the temple was located just far enough off the estate to be quiet, but not too far to walk. As they came around a bend in the path, the small two-roomed building could be seen ahead and below them. It was located at the bottom of a large dell with a few small trees dotting the area, but was dominated by lush, soft broadleaf-grasses, ferns and sweet honey-clover covering the ground of the dell. A small stream whispered through the dell from the one side, losing itself at the other within the groundcovers.
The dedication took about half an hour, and during this time it gradually grew lighter and warmer. As the village priest announced "I now consecrate this temple to the Earth, may it, the region and the Elements be blessed", the clouds parted so that a broad shaft of light lit up the dell and gathering. "A sign", murmured Lord Brackern. He was most pleased, and could scarce recall when last an event such as this brought him such contentment.
Unfortunately the press of time did not allow them to stay there beyond the ceremony. They had still to attend the feast celebrating spring, the temple opening and the coming of Sir Lyons. And then depart at Midday to reach Grazne coming even-fall.
Lord Brackern sighed with regret and led the procession back toward his estate.
A Series of Visions that Brackern Experienced
The warm summer wind played through the fields of barley and wheat, setting the golden fields a-dance. The wind came on, to ruffle the simple brown tunic and pants, making his light cloak twitch and flap restlessly. From his vantage point on the small hillock, he could see the dark smudge on the horizon that was the Mech forest.
Closer at hand, he saw a small copse of trees and decided it would be a perfect spot for his meditations. As he made his way through the barley field, the whisper of the wind through the leaves sounded like a hundred voices, speaking to each other, speaking secrets that only the Earth knew. He stopped, entranced, for a time, and when he came round he found that he was sitting down in the field and the sun had moved past its zenith already.
Shaking his head slowly, he stood up and saw the trees just ahead. The glint of water showed a stream coming out of them, and feeling thirsty headed on to it. After several long, cool draughts, he sat down, enjoying the shade and coolness. The stream murmured softly, and lay down. Just for a minute, he thought.
As he lay there, the sound of the stream seemed to grow louder, surging and swelling. He found himself on a cliff top, witnessing a fierce ocean, storm tossed and raging, followed by calm waters. Thereafter he 'saw' many images, some that he had seen before, some (before?) his time, some perhaps from the future, some timeless. The fresh plum blossoms in spring, the many soldiers taking Itaufield, peasants labouring in a field harvesting wheat, solid, tall mountains that he did not recognize, a rich harvest festival (or so he guessed), and many others. The final three were that of swallows, setting off in flight, followed by the sun making a red path in the sea, and finally that of a frozen river.
As he stood on the river, he imagined he could hear the water flowing under the ice, and gradually the view faded, to be replaced with darkness, yet he could still hear the water. As if from under a great weight, he slowly awoke. As he came to, he realised that the weight wasn't totally imagined - his body was covered in leaves! How strange! he thought to himself. The sun was still in the same position as when he fell asleep, so it couldn't have been too long...
The sound of the stream (the river in the dream?) made him realise that he was very thirsty...and hungry! Just how long had he been sleeping for?!
Commemoration of the Fall of Earl Solomon Ironheart
A letter to the realm
Nobles,
As you have heard, Earl Solomon fell defending the region that he loved so well. It is a tragedy - that such a worthy man should be taken from us so young. His loss is a loss felt by us all, and we to a man and as a realm are poorer for it.
However, this loss is not total. As he returns to the elements from which he was formed, I know that he shall still be with us; so long as there is one of us that remembers him, thinks about him and cherishes his memory, he shall live on here, just as his spirit lives on, freed of the earthly shackles.
May his soul be at peace, and I look forward to the day that we meet again.
Farewell, friend.