Die another Day

S01 — Session 20

1626, Sea Season

1626, Sea Season, Harmony week Windsday through into the early hours of Fireday

Dramatis Personae

Events

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, and NalaTiwrSaga. Joining us this time will be extracts from the Sonnets to Varanis. Editorial commentary will be recorded [thus]. Both the {“D”} and “T” voice appear in this selection of extracts, and there is one brief excerpt from The Accounts of the Travels of Irillo Goldentongue.

[Greetings, and welcome back. I note several of you have made reference to plans for what you will be doing over the Winter Holidays, and I think you will find the answer is ‘Reading Ahead for this Class’. You will find details in your inboxes on your return. Now that this troubling question has been easily resolved for you, we shall move to today’s lecture. Now, I have heard from reliable sources that some of you have murmured in the Junior Common Room that I have been wasting your time on an obscure set of poems from this most fascinating period. Now, of course, I refute the suggestion that examining these particular neglected gems is a waste of time, but in order that I shall not be completely excoriated in your student feedbacks1Narrator’s Voice: but he was completely excoriated, I shall stretch a point, and bring in a more well known poem of the same era, which I fancy some of you have already identified have crossed the narratives of our previous poems last session. So, to start with Sonnets to Varanis today]

In that day of peace, there was a noble feast2At this time period noble feast’ would contain no double meaning. It was simply a feast to which the nobility were invited, to make up the main part of the guests. Still, the moral difference between nobility and poor existed in Esrolia already at this point, and in much of the nobility – but not among the hoi polloi – elsewhere.
Many gathered, Varanis not the least
Bedecked in gems, gold and copper bands coiled
Her body silk wrapp’d, her hair both piled and oiled3So notable is the description of her general attire in how it differs from the armour of the Guard Lieutenant Serzeen that many posit two Serzeens, adding to the general confusion of lineage in the 1620s summed up by the sage Llewun as ‘delicious’.

But more than this, in flawless honour cloth’d4 Throughout this poem we are constantly, nay to nauseum, reminded of Varanis’ honour. This is her motif, as it were, although it is important not to confuse the “civilised” honour of Esrolia with more recent codes. Here the reminder is in the form of emphasising the richness of her attire, and then saying, “but her honour was more.”.
To noblest fights and purest struggles oath’d
Of Saiciae, a Noble Princess5 This is pure hyperbole. There is no evidence in literature, archaeology, or records that Varanis was ever treated as a princess in Esrolia, even if House Saiciae held a Queenship, which it did not, at this time. she
Above the lesser sorts and aliens6 Obviously, this is aliens in the sense of ‘foreigners’ she sees.

But as all guests are sacred, so are they,
And none within her halls will dare to prey
‘pon their weakness without her mighty arm
In vengeance raised to do them deadly harm!

And so ’twas, when evil Lunar spite tried
To strike a hapless merchant7 Wiermonken has identified this merchant as Irillo. , then she cried
Vengeance, and leapt like unto a mighty hound
Bearing bow and archer down to the ground!

Fearing no mortal foe, needing no aid,
Triumphant without e’er needing her blade
Varanis sav’d her Liege, her kin, the guests
From Sartar sent, which Orlanth loves the best!

Led by Goldentongue, with Sword and Urox rare
And other kin, with Praxian Maid fair
And later join’d by Pure Mare and Lady White
And Trollkin who slunk in by dead of night!

And these Varanis greeted all as guest,
And with her noble presence they were blessed.
Her sword with theirs against this affront grave
As they did seek their fallen Prince to save!

She shew’d8 sic mercy as great as her pui’ssance
Perceiving the true foe she gave then a chance,
“Speak truth to us swift, and you may yet live,
Prosper, protected, and we shall forgive!

Lie or deny, and we must with sorrow
Dispatch you before the dawn of tomorrow!
Your clan can be savéd, your folk repriev’d
If your words are honest, and are believ’d!”

With this the evil traitor spoke her fill
And spoke of Onjur’s plans to do them ill!
Of how he sought to thwart their noble plan:
Kallyr to gain the living world of Man!

Rock’d by this secret tale of Sartar’s woe
And how it struck the Kingdom as a blow
Varanis wept the bitter tears of pain
And swore she’d aid them help her rise again!

Beneath her sight, a strategem was hatched
Which struck t’wards the hidden foe ‘gainst them match’d
Varanis set herself to guard her ward
With no aid save only trollkin, Urox, Sword

{“So, where do we find a body in Nochet these days”}

[Now, I trust I have adequately fulfilled your desire for the more oft quoted examples of this genre, and we can I trust see precisely how this is meshing in with the interplay of tales I have regaled you with previously. It is a mistake to only rely on a single source, when we are attempting to tease out the realities of the distant past in this manner! A typical issue of the time occurs when we bring in the The Lay of Serala, Lance of the Cold Sun, which has a small segment on her riding out, which draws emphasis to the paranoia of a plains warrior in such a setting. ]

And thus the Lance sallied forth, as guard to the sly Dormal’s plan
Though she trusted him as much or as little as she did most any man.
Through the ambush hiding canyons of Nochet’s stone built hills
She rode, past barracks made to look like inns, and Warpriest’s towers like to mills!

And when at last his prize was near, he bade her wait as he strode
To places hidden, where she would not return, if in she rode.
Waiting patient, like the Sky eternal arched above,
She sat in silence, whilst the quiet man did onwards rove!

{“Is that a crossbow, or are you just pleased to see me?”}

[Meanwhile, it appears Nala escorted Mellia back to the Great Hospital, as told at some length in the Sonnets to Mellia, and rather more tersely in NalaTiwrSaga]

Amidst the towers of her city fine
Mel’ia rode as if ‘pon a crow drawn line
Her guardians speaking fast to vanquish doubt
None in Nochet would put a healer out

And ‘pon the Sacred steps of marble white
There sat a Hulting bravo in open sight
Unarmed- at least he seem’d – in Arroy’s care
Using carvéd marble as finest chair!

He bade them peace, and spoke of Dormal’s sin
And leaving them, he turn’d and wandered in
They followed , and Mel’ia bade Nala pause
For none may harm within those sacred doors!

No ambush but talks
Who would have thought it ends with
Unicorn admired ?

[Back at the Palazzo, if I may call it so, of House Saiciae, we find Berra in reflective mood, whilst Rajar demonstrates a more practical bent.]

Foes fear fighting
Forthrightly but flourish fire
We fain must force fight
On Fleeting Phantom foes!

Attack from Ambush angers
All who All-Sword approve!
How to help Humakt to
Hold foe hirelings to redden hilts?

Moon-sword, madness wielding man
Must be mightily matched!
So no shame settle on
Sartar’s Swords and Spears!

If there is bed sleep
If food, eat, and drinks then drink
Till time to ‘wait war!9Yes, there is a Spurious Rajar stanza about the entire happening, and it too concentrates on Rajar’s inner thoughts.

When soppy bison
Meets Serzeen of the Great Axe
Should he slash or crush?

[We close with a gnomic comment in ‘The Accounts‘]

Today I die.
Soon rise, like Issaries lightbringing
Gods willing, to profit.

What Really Happened

Notable Moments and Quotes


Related Logs

  • 1
    Narrator’s Voice: but he was completely excoriated
  • 2
    At this time period noble feast’ would contain no double meaning. It was simply a feast to which the nobility were invited, to make up the main part of the guests. Still, the moral difference between nobility and poor existed in Esrolia already at this point, and in much of the nobility – but not among the hoi polloi – elsewhere.
  • 3
    So notable is the description of her general attire in how it differs from the armour of the Guard Lieutenant Serzeen that many posit two Serzeens, adding to the general confusion of lineage in the 1620s summed up by the sage Llewun as ‘delicious’.
  • 4
    Throughout this poem we are constantly, nay to nauseum, reminded of Varanis’ honour. This is her motif, as it were, although it is important not to confuse the “civilised” honour of Esrolia with more recent codes. Here the reminder is in the form of emphasising the richness of her attire, and then saying, “but her honour was more.”.
  • 5
    This is pure hyperbole. There is no evidence in literature, archaeology, or records that Varanis was ever treated as a princess in Esrolia, even if House Saiciae held a Queenship, which it did not, at this time.
  • 6
    Obviously, this is aliens in the sense of ‘foreigners’
  • 7
    Wiermonken has identified this merchant as Irillo.
  • 8
    sic
  • 9
    Yes, there is a Spurious Rajar stanza about the entire happening, and it too concentrates on Rajar’s inner thoughts.

    When soppy bison
    Meets Serzeen of the Great Axe
    Should he slash or crush?