We were born in the year ????, sons of Madoc ab Willim
a Baron in the Snowdonia region of Wales (Wealth +3). We were raised to be future
leaders. Until our tenth year, were we as normal as any others. At this time, certain
thing happened which would lead us to believe that we were not like others our age. My
brother and I seemed to be able to tell what others were thinking.
One day in late Fall, Fagan and I were riding in the hills,
when we got separated. This was not unusual, so I thought nothing was wrong. It was then
that I heard my brother, not with my ears but with my mind. He was in danger and needed my
help. I rode to him as fast as I could. I got there and saw a large black bear about to
kill my brother. He was trapped under his dead horse. He could not move (-1 uncommon
fear: being unable to move). I leapt from my horse with sword drawn. Again Fagan spoke
to my mind telling me to stop. There was a long pause as Fagan looked the bear directly in
the eyes. The bear then backed away and sat down. I was able to free my brother, he had
many broken bones (-2 decrepitude). I was able to get him atop my horse, and we
made our way home. The strange thing is that the bear sat there and watched us the entire
time.
When we got back we told few of the details of what
happened. My brother explained how he could read the mind of the bear, and how he saw that
the bear had two cubs, was hungry and needed to feed its cubs. Fagan explained how he was
able to assure the bear that we would not hurt it or the cubs, we would leave it alone if
it moved away. I did not fully believe him, thinking he was delusional from the pain.
One person which took particular interest was an advisor to
our father, Constans. He lived within the keep but had separate living quarters
from all the other advisors to our father. He would ask us many different questions, about
many different things. Sometimes it felt as though he was "inside" our thoughts.
Fagan and I enjoyed the time that we spent with Constans. Our father spent little time
with us. He did not like Fagan and his peaceful ways (-1 non-combative). He wanted
his oldest son to be the great warrior that he was, someone who would be fit to run the
lands when he passed on. I tried to be that son for him although I think that he resented
the time I spent with Fagan and Constans.
As we were to learn, our father had a habit of inviting
beautiful ladies of his land into his private court on a regular basis(-1 infamous
family). It was an invitation that could not be refused. Some would remain within the
keep for seasons, others remain there still. If they have the misfortune of becoming 'in
the family way', they would be forced out. Most having no place to go. Father would deny
that any offspring was his, and the good Lord help anyone that tried to press the issue.
His temper ran hot, and he would not thing twice about striking a lady. This would
infuriate Fagan(-1 weakness: defending beautiful young ladies). On one occasion,
Fagan actually defended one such lady in public court. Father jumped from his chair, still
holding his knife. I feared that Fagan had gone too far, I could see from the look in
fathers eyes that he was beyond rational thought. Fagan stood his ground. Just when it
appeared that nothing could stop the inevitable, father stopped, dropped his knife and
left the room. Although I never asked, I have always suspected that Constans had something
to do with fathers sudden emotional change.
For you see, Constans is a magus of the house Jerbiton a
member of the order of Hermes. He had powers and abilities that we had only dreamed of. He
wanted to have Fagan and I become his apprentice. We both welcomed the idea. Fagan wanted
as little to do with our father as possible, and I wanted to learn about things that I
would never learn about trapped within the walls of the keep. Over the years we learned
many different things about the mystical world of magic.
Constans is a member of the covenant Mnemosyne which
has no permanent location. There are eight other member, all Jerbiton, and all advisors
for other nobles. Each member is associated with one of the muses [Calliope-epic poetry;
Clio-history; Erato-love poetry; Euterpe-lyric poetry; Melpomene-tragedy; Polymnia-sacred
poetry; Terpsichore-choral dance and song; Thalia-comedy; Urania-astronomy]. Within the
covenant they are referred to by the name of their muse, with the Redcap Justin the
only one who knows for sure the name and location of each member. Lab and lab books are
"hidden" in each members living quarters through mentum magic. The eight members
are scattered around England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Meetings are held every other
year and arraigned by Justin, most of the time in a central location for all concerned.
Due to the nature of the covenant, no new members are allowed. However members can be
replaced but only by someone trained by the replaced member, and must be skilled in the
muse that is missing. Constans, and therefore Fagan and Gwair, follow Melpomene,
muse of tragedy. Each member devotes his/her life to gathering as much information
associated with the muse that they follow. If they come across anything that would fall
under another members muse, they are sworn to forward this information onto the
appropriate member. Since Justin would only visit every other season or so, I think that
each member had an arcane connection with the other members, although it was never
revealed to me.
Constans trained Fagan and I. With the passage of each
year, we became more knowledgeable. However, during our fifth year a change occurred.
Fagan and I had each shown some simple ability, but slowly over time, my ability faded and
Fagan's ability grew. It was then that we determined that Fagan had the true gift(+1
gentle gift). We also determined that Fagan was better without my presence in the room(+1
Special Circumstances). When my brother and I are within an arms reach(-1 Del.
Circumstances), our minds seem to become one. Sometimes, this does not allow him the
proper concentration need to manipulate the forces of magic. Although there are times that
it is quite useful, such as dinner in the great hall when Fagan makes fun of our father,
and I am the only one to hear him. Or the time that father wanted to take a piece out of
Fagan's hide for releasing a young woman from the service of our father without his
permission. I was able to warn him that father was looking for him without actually being
in his presence, although it tired my terribly.
Over the last couple of years Fagan has had a recurring
dream. He is visited by the spirit of Arthur, King of the Britons. Arthur tell
Fagan to recover the "Thirteen Treasures of Briton" which are artifacts
spread throughout Europe(+1 Driving Goal). Fagan is told by the spirit that the
treasures will "give you power and the power to fetch me". He has not revealed
much of these dreams to me, but I can see that they are slowly becoming an obsession for
him.
Shortly after Fagan passed the gauntlet, Constans gave him
a book. The book was bound in leather, with a scene of Arthur, King of the Britons
stitched into the cover. Constans told Fagan to write "the truths" that he sees
every day into it and it will become a source of great power (+1 Secret vis Source:
book). Fagan has done what he was told, and each season he finds in the pages of the
book a peppermint leaf, which is made of pure mentem magic.
Over the years I have been able to see my brother grow to
the man he is today. He is able to get the respect that is normally reserved for great
warriors or kings by the simple way that he deals with people. Most deal with him
honestly, and those that don't are often caught within the web of their own lies (+1
Clear Thinking)(+2 Piercing Gaze). He treats men, and especially woman, with
honor. He understands that each of us has been given a lot in life, but only together can
society function. The peasant must pay the local lord a portion of what has been harvested
from the fields, but in return, he gains protection from wandering bands of thieves and
cut-throats. Each can not function without the other. It is for this reason that I would
follow my brother to the ends of the earth, for he is a person that I would gladly take an
arrow(+1 True Friend).