Diaries The Saga Of Berra — Fragment 2 23

1626, Storm Season

Into the world of the heroes walked Berra
Finding the path to the place where he waited
Seeking the Sword of the Boldhome Humakti
Seeking the way to do honour to Eril

Stripping the seeds¹A common removal of fertility. The seeds of plants were often burned or sacrificed also, after a first Separation had been achieved by removing them from the wood used for burning. from a cedar-of-needles²Identified as the juniper mentioned elsewhere.
Berra burned branches of juniper bitter
Angrily spitting its sparks in the darkness³While neither Berra nor Lord Eril are deemed particularly linked to the Rune of Fire and Sky, this does indicate also a rebelliousness against nature, more likely to be on the part of the initiate than the hero.
Burning itself into ashes it flourished⁴The indication here is that the twigs survived to do their task despite being altered, a common theme in the surviving parts of the Deed of Eril

Music was played that Lord Eril had written
Played on the bone that was brought from his burning
Taking a knife made of bronze from its birthing⁵A conceptually ‘pure’ bronze knife, or one which was made of godbone already mixed in the correct proportions when found.
Berra drew life from a rooster in bindings⁶A living animal, tied for sacrifice, as opposed to enchanted, placated, or overcome by force or guile.

Armoured she was as her status befitted
Hair was unbound and was free on her shoulders⁷Thus indicating a lack of helmet, perhaps, as well as a particular hairstyle.
Then came the hero to walk with the living
Marking the cross on the face of his Rune-Lord⁸In this particular case, the word may refer to Berra’s status within the vision, and not a prescience introduced by writing with hindsight.

Questions to Duck (further hypothetical version)

Why the hell did it have to be ERIL anyhow?

• 1
  A common removal of fertility. The seeds of plants were often burned or sacrificed also, after a first Separation had been achieved by removing them from the wood used for burning.
• 2
  Identified as the juniper mentioned elsewhere.
• 3
  While neither Berra nor Lord Eril are deemed particularly linked to the Rune of Fire and Sky, this does indicate also a rebelliousness against nature, more likely to be on the part of the initiate than the hero.
• 4
  The indication here is that the twigs survived to do their task despite being altered, a common theme in the surviving parts of the Deed of Eril
• 5
  A conceptually ‘pure’ bronze knife, or one which was made of godbone already mixed in the correct proportions when found.
• 6
  A living animal, tied for sacrifice, as opposed to enchanted, placated, or overcome by force or guile.
• 7
  Thus indicating a lack of helmet, perhaps, as well as a particular hairstyle.
• 8
  In this particular case, the word may refer to Berra’s status within the vision, and not a prescience introduced by writing with hindsight.