The Adventures of Brandar Odaron
Book 1: The Hidden Continent
Chapter 4 The Emissaries
When Odar the Old was declared Honorary King of the exiled Northrons, only the Andarians called him a king, for the Northrons knew him as the Chief of the Dunjilar Tribe, and later as High Chieftain of all Three Tribes. But these titles the sons of Odar retained through the years, while the Andarians came to call all of the Northrons the Dunjularians. Thus, as time would have it, the High Chieftain gained authority by tradition over the other two Chieftains, and that is how Brandar had full power, much as an errant king, to choose any Northron he may wish to go with him on his mission to the East, although it was not his way to order men against their will. Rather, he desired no man under his command who did not freely choose to be there. And when Brandar was given leave to go east, he exercised his authority and declared that his mission must involve no full-blood Andarians, for he deemed that none but Northrons would follow him to what may well mean their deaths. But he also wanted to repay the Realm of Andaria for safeguarding the Remnant of Odar’s day. And while King Tarl suggested to Brandar that Andarians should go, Brandar insisted that the task belonged only to the Northrons. Thus was it done. And so did the Seven come to be.
Brandar’s plan to go east was kept secret from the people of both Northron and Andarian heritage, where only officers of highest rank were used to assist the Seven in training for the task. But those officers were not given the plan, being told only that the Seven had asked to be exceptionally instructed to initiate surprises upon the enemy, and that the training must be done in secret to keep it from being discovered by the spies of MorLome roaming the streets of the City. And that was enough for them.
Six Northrons fighters Brandar chose out of all who would have gone with him. And two were those same cousins from his own tribe who had taken part in the slaying of the dragon Bitlawen. But others he chose from his many friends and instructors, though only two each from the other two Tribes. Most were older than Brandar, but one was nigh as young as he. Yet, all were honored to be chosen, and took Brandar as their leader, for he had proven himself many times on the Westmarch.
Brandar’s cousins were named Alak and Daram. And these were Warriors of high rank, with many years of experience on the Marches. But from the Bankari were stout men named Erek and Khalen, while from the Forchakar were hardy men named Rosth and Tomas. And these Six Volunteers proved loyal to Brandar in all their years of adventuring together. But each of them later became the focus of their own Tells, for they were to become the mightiest of heroes, and accomplished much good.
Alak Bakhas had been a Hero of the Westmarch, and became an High Captain in the Royal Army at Romin after the demise of Bitlawan, and had seen so much battle as a Wielder that Brandar made him his Second. And as with all of the Dunjilar, he was tall, fair of skin, golden haired, and handsome of face. Thirty-six years of age when Brandar chose him, he let his hair grow long, but his beard he kept shorn.
Daram Staendor had been newly-appointed as a Royal Guard after Bitlawan’s fall, having been a Sergeant in the Westmarch, and was then posted at the King’s Castle in Romin. So, Brandar made him third in command of his troupe, which he decided to call “Emissaries”. And Daram had the same build and look as his cousins, though he was not as handsome. At forty-two years, he was one of the older Emissaries, yet remained quite vigorous, and kept his hair and beard well-trimmed.
Erek Laiklond was a Prince of the Bankari, and a Wielder by long tradition of his tribe, though he had won renown by becoming a Hero by his own hand with the Westmarch Rangers soon after being appointed a Wielder. And Brandar made him fourth. He was but one year older than Brandar, freckled of skin and red of hair, as were all the folk of his tribe, but he was as tall as Brandar, was clean shaven, but kept long braided hair.
Khalen Barastir, also Bankari, was not as tall as Erek, but was as tall or more so than any of the other Volunteers. The eldest of the Seven Emissaries, at fifty-three years, he served as Master-At-Arms in the Army of the Southmarch, but was then Head Master of recruits for the Rangers of the Westmarch. And because he was such a good fighter, and one of Brander’s teachers, Brandar chose him, but must place him fifth. Yet, due to his age, the other Emissaries, even Brandar, paid him great honor; for all Northrons revere their elders. With freckled skin and a bald scalp, he had a bushy red beard, though streaked with gray. And due to his age, baldness, and graying beard, the others called him “Old Man”. Yet, only Brandar could best him in fighting skill.
Rosth Perestha was a Forchakar Warrior of renown, then serving as a First Lieutenant in the Cavalry at Romin, although he had gained most of his experience in the Southmarch. And Brandar made him sixth in command of the Emissaries. Fair of skin, with short dark hair, and the least in height, he kept his beard close-cropped.
Tomas Loksom, also of the Forchakar Tribe, was another Hero of the Westmarch. A Scout, and a mighty hunter, he had become Second Marshall in the Army at Romin, and Brandar chose him as the sixth Volunteer, though he was not the least in fighting skills, and later came to the fore, due to exhibiting great wisdom. Only slightly taller than Rosth, he had long brown hair, tanned skin, and preferred to be shaven.
As for Brandar, he was the tallest of the Emissaries, and indeed among the tallest of all Dunjilarians. And he was very strong, swift, and agile, and was thrice hailed in the Andarian Games as the best fighter in the land. With long blonde hair and a very handsome face, he was a favorite of the maidens, and also kept himself shaven.
Now, while Brandar must make assignments of rank as a matter of course, none of the Volunteers viewed their positions as truly implying status, for they were all among the best Warriors of Andaria, and were friends, with much respect for one another. And they soon kenned that Brandar himself viewed them all as his peers, and not so ranked. But each of them would also later command great armies of their own. What is more, as I was imbuing their Gems with magic, I studied these men, and gave to them what powers it seemed was best suited to their nature.
Here are the powers bestowed to the Seven by virtue of their magical necklaces, which they named “The Wizard’s Gifts”, and the gems they called “The Wizard’s Gems”. But the Tells which grew up around the Emissaries after their return mentioned often their use of those magicks, so that later Tells called the necklaces the “Seven’s Magic Necklaces”, or the “Emissaries’ Necklaces”, while the jewels were called “The Gemstones of the Emissaries”, and also “The Gems of the Seven”, and so on.
Each necklace had the same kind of fine silver chain, with no hasp, but was affixed with a different precious gem. And the necklaces could not be destroyed, either chain or gem, and the magicks could not be thwarted but by a God, though their forces of active magic could be depleted with prolonged and constant usage. All of this, of course, I had explained to the Seven, while teaching them the words for activating the given powers. So also did I inform them that each gem held the powers of its sisters, as long as they all remained within so many paces from each other. Nevetheless, later Tells would identify each of the Seven with the gemstone attached to his own particular necklace. And that is how I now describe them now.
Brandar was given a silvery pearl, which gave to him the strength of a Giant, by which he may leap like a locust, or uproot trees and toss them far and wide. And Alak was given a clear diamond that gave to him long far-sightedness, and the ability to see through smoke and fog, and through the darkness of a moonless night, or through the blackness of the deepest caverns ‘neath the tallest of mountains. But Daram was given a bright red ruby, that allowed him to shoot great blasts of fire from his mouth, by which he may turn to ashes all wood, and melt even the hardest of metals. Erek was given a green emerald, giving to him healing powers, with which he may rapidly heal any wound to himself or to anyone upon which he lay his hand and spoke the proper word. Khalen was given a violet amethyst, which imparts great speed, superior dexterity, and long endurance, so that ever might he dodge an arrow or spear, or anything else thrown at him, as the mongoose evades the fangs of the cobra. And Rosth was given a yellow opal, which allowed him to shoot from his eyes deadly beams of sunlight, which no demon of the UnderRealm can withstand. But Tomas was given a blue jade, which let him cast bolts of deadly lightning from an outstretched fingertip. And this power would later become that most used by all of the Emissaries when they were fighting side-by-side.
Again, the powers inherent to each gem were selected to match some natural aspect of its owner. Thus, Brandar received the Pearl of Giant-Strength because he was already quite strong. Alak had the Diamond, as he was keen-eyed, and Daram was given the Ruby, for he possessed a fiery spirit. Erek was given the Emerald, as it seemed to me that he was in need of being healed of a superior opinion of himself. But Khalen owns the Amethyst, as I noted that he was naturally quick, while Rosth holds the Opal, due to his piety. And lastly, Tomas was given the Jade, for he was ever the most calm in mood, but could strike at need as suddenly as a thunderclap. Thus, given those magicks, and their disguises, the Seven were made ready for their journey. And by those magicks did they succeed in surviving what would otherwise have certainly meant their doom.
Other magical items, and mighty weapons, I could have given to the Emissaries, and perhaps I should have. Yet, at the time I feared that the magic of so many magical possessions may reveal the Seven to the enemy too soon, and so would they likely have been caught and killed despite their magicks; as there were many powerful Mages among the enemy in those days. And I had my hands full fighting against them. Thus did I provide disguises for the Seven, and gave them the necklaces, which I devised to be undetectable as long as they remained inactive. So it was that the Emissaries were made ready.