Spark to a Flame

S01 — Session 33

1626, Fire Season

Season, Week, Day

Fire Season, Disorder Week

Dramatis Personae

Events

As before, the log will be recounted with extracts from Berra JarangsdottiHumaktisaga, from The Lay of Serala, Lance of the Cold Sun , The Death of Rajar, and NalaTiwrSaga. As with last time there will be extracts from the Sonnets to Varanis, and also The Sonnets to Mellia, Sweetest of Healers, White Lady of Esrolia, additionally, we will be seeing the Sonnets in Praise of Xenofos. We begin to see entries here from The Lays of Finarvi. There will be brief reference to the Accounts of the Travels of Irillo Goldentongue. Editorial commentary will be recorded [thus]. Both the {“D”} and “T” voice appear in this selection of extracts.

[“Good afternoon. I trust you have made a useful study period out of our enforced absence last week. No? You decided you would rather spend your days out of your heads on energy drinks and vodka, and watch debates in the parliament? Well, constant bickering and character assassination attempts probably does count as preparation.

Now, we reach the segment known as the ‘March into Darkness’. von Sturm here has the definitive analysis, if your tastes turn to the esoteric, (and times being what they are). Garin- yes, that Garin- is more of a literalist on the details. I shall leave it to you to decide who is right. We begin with Sonnets to Varanis, who does much of the heavy lifting for this lecture. I assume none of you are allergic to iambic pentameters.”]

Varanis then to mighty Kallyr strode
Her path becoming then a night shade road.
“Great Prince, I have an oath most grim ensworn
To find and light that flame- long from us torn!

Not for my pride or pui’ssance do I act
But for your Kingdoms ancient sacred pact!
Both kinfolk and a thane to you am I
And with this sworn word shall I live or die!”

Wise Kallyr to her deepest thoughts bestirred,
And pondered long on what her ears had heard.
And tho’ she fearéd that her kin would die
She knew this act was right, the thane must try.

[“But wait, I hear you say. The Fellowship is broken, is it not? (Note… that is an excellent phrase that an academic wishing to write a work of heroic fantasy should try and squeeze in. I shall have to remember it.) Well, yes. And where are the other members?”]

When unicolts talk,
It’s good to mention these things:
Commas. Full stops. Full. Stops.

“So proud. So. Proud.”

[“It would appear that Nala travelled into Prax, with the unicorn colts. Naturally there she met the army of Argrath of Prax. As the same poet says, “]

The earth is weary,
never meant to bear armies.
Sandalled feet flake her.

[“Things get a little more obscure, however, when the poet writes,”]

Try instead, seeress,
seeking secrets deep within
that damp the soul down

[“There is considerably less evidence of the actions of Irillo and Dormal, but we find archaeological evidence in the depths of Rhegos, where a recent underwater dig has found another Darktongue Stella, inscribed with the words:”]

,,Negotiation begins.
In Rhegos, humans press their flesh.,,

[“We also have an unusually meditative entry from the Accounts.”]

What price service?
To Clan: estimated 100L loss in potential earnings over the year.
To Cult: Estimated 200L loss in potential earnings over the year.
To Sartar: Gain of 2 hides of land. Gratitude of Princes, uncertain value.

{“I really have no idea if the Duck is playing me, or I’m playing him.”}

[“Moving back to the main ‘Thread’ of the Heroic Journal, I’m sure you will identify a few notes of late. Varanis is called back in Nochet, and rejects the call, acting as one would expect, as a spoiled noblewoman. She meets the mentor- perhaps Berra, perhaps the whole group of Heroes. But in an internal sense we see the whole matter playing out again in the discussions in the Palace, where Varanis and her companions meet with Kallyr and Eril.”]

Red handed Finarvi to the halls of princes came
Where blades were to the hand of command tame
Varanis a path to the most glor'ious battle sought
And Blade Thin Eril, then a noble path to glory wrought.

Rajar met Khans Khan1Or, as the Spurious Rajar has it:

Our honest Bison
By words plunged into error
Fears no Battle Boobs
Hearing of Snakepipe Hollow
Cheer’d for glor’ious death!
2I do not like haiku.
This line here is holding space.
First line says it all [fn]

_
[fn] This demonstrates either the spurious Rajar, like the mythical one, getting maudlin into their beer, or, like the marginalia in much later texts, is an anonymous scribal plaint against monotony of form

Xenofos heard the paths of death and glory
The Lunar paths and Snakepipe gory
The Dark path to the Queen of Trollfolk sent
Where routes to Darklands thro’ the veil a-rent!

Brave Berra bade
Bright bladed lord
Let them know the Night Necklace
Where Noble-God’s Knight prevailed!

Speaking Sagely she
Sought a safer way.
Taught thrice-hailed Sword-Thane3 Whilst the Bright Bladed Lord is doubtless the High Sword Eril, it is a little unclear if the Sword-Thane is Eril, or Varanis. Thane of Swords would be a kenning for a High-Sword, but could also refer to her Thane, albeit presuming the future ‘Sword’ status of Berra,4 And “teaching” a High Sword a well known Humakti tale might be regarded as insolence of the highest order, surely unworthy of Berra. ,5As a further complication, Berra JarangsdottiHumaktisaga lacks in many of the time-giving cues of the Sonnet style of Varanis or Mellia, and so it is impossible to tell where this particular teaching moment takes place. It could be that Varanis was taught over the course of some days, after the meeting, or that the teaching was in the presence of the Prince of Sartar, and thus would have been an admonition to other Humakti present – indeed not worthy of Jarang’s Daughter.
Tales of Time past quest!

What Really Happened

Session Quotes

  • 1
    Or, as the Spurious Rajar has it:

    Our honest Bison
    By words plunged into error
    Fears no Battle Boobs
  • 2
    I do not like haiku.
    This line here is holding space.
    First line says it all [fn]

    _
    [fn] This demonstrates either the spurious Rajar, like the mythical one, getting maudlin into their beer, or, like the marginalia in much later texts, is an anonymous scribal plaint against monotony of form
  • 3
    Whilst the Bright Bladed Lord is doubtless the High Sword Eril, it is a little unclear if the Sword-Thane is Eril, or Varanis. Thane of Swords would be a kenning for a High-Sword, but could also refer to her Thane, albeit presuming the future ‘Sword’ status of Berra
  • 4
    And “teaching” a High Sword a well known Humakti tale might be regarded as insolence of the highest order, surely unworthy of Berra.
  • 5
    As a further complication, Berra JarangsdottiHumaktisaga lacks in many of the time-giving cues of the Sonnet style of Varanis or Mellia, and so it is impossible to tell where this particular teaching moment takes place. It could be that Varanis was taught over the course of some days, after the meeting, or that the teaching was in the presence of the Prince of Sartar, and thus would have been an admonition to other Humakti present – indeed not worthy of Jarang’s Daughter.