Woad Movie

S01 — Session 7

1625, Earth Season


Season, Week, Day

Earth Season, Harmony Week, Fireday and Wildday

Events

Dramatis Personae



As before, the log will be recounted with extracts from Berra JarangsdottiHumaktisaga, from The Sonnets to Mellia, Sweetest of Healers, White Lady of Esrolia, The Lay of Serala, Lance of the Cold Sun , The Death of Rajar or The Sonnets to Vestra, Grey Lady of Wisdom, and NalaTiwrSaga. {insertions} will occur in another cynical or sarcastic voice, best recalled amongst the Unicorns of Prax. Footnotes for the interested are included at the bottom of the extracts. [Editorial comments will be bracketed thus.]



[Our story picks up again with the Lay of Serala.]

Our Lady of the Cold Bright Spear
Wished to ride out wider, far and near
Her wish to lead her fellows o’er the land
And let them for all the goodness stand

Her wisdom for the horses lore1 This is again foreshadowing of the future of Serala (assuming this poetic epic refers, as generally assumed, to the mighty Grazelander Hero of that name) with its huge reliance on horses.
Companions most plainly saw
And Berra called upon her sage advice
And heard her words of horsedom wise.

[And then they rode north, leaving Mellia behind. NalaTiwrsaga picks up the tale]

When bandit lies dead
In road a duck is to blame
Tiwr cannot eat a man
2 The meaning here is unclear. Unicorns have never been carnivorous, and it seems unlikely that it would be suggested that the Heroic mount of Nala would behave so. Some sort of joke is clearly implied, therefore, but the cultural context of it is, alas, lost to us.

A grumpy unicorn
Makes for a grumpy woman.
Ernalda forgive:

Never laid to rest
Bandit cannot find his due
Lasting damnation

[For some reason, the stay at Wilmskirk is not viewed as worthy of documentation in the saga, but the Sonnets to Mellia pick up her tale as, once again, she is stuck behind, tidying up.]

The Bless’d white lady rode3 Again, implied reference to horses here, but archaeological and documentary evidence in regard to the historical Mellia implies a love for carts and sometimes chariots. It is assumed that this change has been made for political reasons to make the healer seem more heroic. then swiftly north,
For sickness from Whitewall was driven forth4 Whilst the Sonnets do not specifically claim that Mellia was solely responsible for dealing with the sickness outbreaks in Whitewall in the Autumn of 1625, it implies it. .
Alone she rode, but feared she not some ill
For White Ladies do bear such wide good will
That none against them plan or harbour wrong
For reasons listed scorefold in this song!
And thus she came on D’Val fallen foe,
She would not let him lie as carr’ion so!5 The emphasis on the great heart of Mellia is another important point in her tale, as it anchors the moral centre of the whole myth cycle.

[The others not having bothered to bury the body in the road, being too busy discussing whether to commit casual murder, Mellia was left, as ever, to tidy up.]

Coming close, comrades met.
Cruel Cold cursing
In Wilmskirk’s Warmth
Warriors waiting on healer

Once met Mellia the masses,
Marshwards made Berra her mark.
Others Northwards Out
Obeying Oaths, onwards
.

[Switching back over to the Sonnets to Vestra]

Snaking o’er the verdent valley, em’rald road
Coiling on. Wyrm like winding onwards strode
Vestra viewed it, understanding, sharing
Kenning Dragons children, Wyrm Friends daring

Saw their dragon path, and knew her own
A sign from Lhankor Mhy most plainly shown
So she led them swift onward to Boldhome
Her knowledge them to inscribe in Lhankor’s tome.

[We leave the last word with Rajar’s script.]

Kallyr hearing them
In Boldhomes Warm Earth Season
Sending to Kero Fin


What Really Happened

Notable Moments and Quotes

  • 1
    This is again foreshadowing of the future of Serala (assuming this poetic epic refers, as generally assumed, to the mighty Grazelander Hero of that name) with its huge reliance on horses.
  • 2
    The meaning here is unclear. Unicorns have never been carnivorous, and it seems unlikely that it would be suggested that the Heroic mount of Nala would behave so. Some sort of joke is clearly implied, therefore, but the cultural context of it is, alas, lost to us.
  • 3
    Again, implied reference to horses here, but archaeological and documentary evidence in regard to the historical Mellia implies a love for carts and sometimes chariots. It is assumed that this change has been made for political reasons to make the healer seem more heroic.
  • 4
    Whilst the Sonnets do not specifically claim that Mellia was solely responsible for dealing with the sickness outbreaks in Whitewall in the Autumn of 1625, it implies it.
  • 5
    The emphasis on the great heart of Mellia is another important point in her tale, as it anchors the moral centre of the whole myth cycle.
  • 6
    She thought he needed to know what had happened in case he had been sent for help, so he would not bring the wrong help and/or waste the time of other Humakti – Berra