Bjarne's Letters

Bjarne didn't keep a diary, but did write several letters to the woman he loves, an Avalon girl called Meg Cooper. These letters chronicle his first meeting with the party. When he left, Simson brought Idunn into the group. This was interesting as he had been playing Vesten, and was now playing Vendal. Which allowed the group to see the other side of the Vendal/Vesten divide.

Journal Entries - The Mask of El Vago, Tangled Strands, La Selva Fendes, Attack on El Morro, Return to Altamira,

(Tangled Strands Part 1)

My Beloved Meg,

It has been a long time since we have been together, but you are in my thoughts every day. I pray that you are well and healthy and I hope that we will be together again soon. The past few days have been quite eventful and I will attempt to keep my description brief.

Fionn (an Inish Pirate) and I managed to escape before the Crimson Roger attacked our vessel. We escaped to a Castillian port that was occupied by the Montaigne. Within a short time of our arrival, we ran in to a friend of Fionn's. At that same moment we also came across Reis and his men. Fate smiled upon us and we were spared from the blades of the crew of the Crimson Rogers. Reis spoke to us in a quiet voice but his menacing tone carried his words across the docks. He asked us if we knew the location of Bloody Bonny McGee. When no answer was forthcoming he told us to warn Bonny that he was hunting her. Later we discovered that the men, women and children in a nearby inn had not been as fortunate as we had been. Reis and his men had slaughtered everyone within the building.

Fionn's old friend turned out to be a Montaigne woman called Francine. She travelled with an assortment of companions who were each distinctive in their own way. There is Axel an Eisen mercenary, Father Alejandro a Castillian priest and Roberto who is a Vodacce youth. I am not sure if you remember Fionn. He is an Inish pirate with whom I have only shared one ill-fated voyage. However, I know that he sailed with the Sea Dogs and is a good man. His heroism never fails to astonish me but so too his knack for suffering near mortal wounds. Finn has the luck of the Inish - I have no other explanation for how he has survived for so long.

Francine is not of noble blood that I can tell. She and Fionn have shared a romance some time previously. During our stay in the town I discovered that Francine and the head of the contingent of Musketeers were very close. Fionn was not too impressed with this, but also not entirely surprised. Apart from having contacts with important people in the town, She is also the one with the most common sense. Watching Fionn and Francine together makes me realise how much I miss you. I did not realise quite how much pain it caused me until I got drunk and made a derogatory remark about Francine. The only other thing I'll say about this Montaigne woman for the moment is that despite her frail appearance she seems quite capable of looking after herself.

I have already mentioned Fionn's gift at acquiring new and interesting scars. Well, Father Alejandro manages to beat even Fionn in this endeavour. He has shown himself to be a capable swordsman. But he is too keen to draw his glass sword and shed blood for my liking. His greatest failing is his inability to back down and accept that he is wrong. From what I have heard and seen, he is like a child when it comes to the matters of the heart. His ego stands between him and his ability to express his feelings. Instead he hides behind his bravado and relies on his sword to do his talking for him. I have tended his wounds on several occasions within only three days. His scars are many and some are quite deep. But it is the wounds in his heart that I am unable to heal. That is a task that only he can achieve.

Axel is a simple man in comparison to the others in this motley group of adventurers. Often he remains quiet and in the background. But within the short time that I have known him he has made his dislike of Francine clear on several occasions. Very recently his world was rather shaken, if not turned up side down, by the revelation that a travelling companion of his for over a year was in fact a girl. Axel took the news rather well under the circumstances. Perhaps given time he will come to terms with this news, but it obviously a matter that his upbringing and training have failed to prepare him for. Which brings me around to Roberto. As you might have guessed, Roberto is the woman in disguise and her real name is Viola. She did a very brave thing by revealing her true nature. I have known men to chose mortal danger rather than accept the truth that was before them. During a raid on a bandit den I learned the true nature of Roberto as I tended to her gunshot wounds. She swore me to secrecy, but on the next day revealed her real identity. I am uncomfortable around the Vodacce, as I know little of their ways. Strange as this may sound, I have learned something of both the men and women by meeting Roberto/Viola.

Now that I have told you of my new companions, I will tell you of our recent adventures. After our confrontation with Reis, we learned of some murderous bandits in the nearby hills. We approached a Castillian man and his Vodacce companion whom we suspected had links with the bandits. Fionn's attempts at diplomacy were less than successful. Axel made a rather unusual attempt that definitely caught their attention. It turned out that the Castillian man was a former bandit and that his Vodacce lover (former courtesan) was attempting to make him correct the wrongs that he had committed.

That very night we set off to deal with the bandits. It immediately brought to mind the tale of the hunter who entered the bear's den, but we could not think of a better plan. Alejandro managed to keep the guard at the door busy whilst the rest of us came to reinforce him. However, the ensuing commotion alerted the bandits who readied themselves for our assault. Fionn and Roberto courageously led the charge followed by Axel. The Inishman and Vodacce ran in to a hail of bullets and were only saved by the Eisen's calm demeanour in the face of mortal danger. Francine surprised us by throwing explosives deeper in to the cave. This gave the others the opportunity to withdraw. The ensuing explosion was not quite sufficient to subdue the bandits, but a little intimidation brought them to their senses. Their leader challenged our group to a duel for the fate of his men. Axel accepted despite being wounded in the shoulder. That evening I learned an important lesson. No matter how good a man may be at fencing, he is nothing without his sword. The Eisen ensured that the fight was brief and brutal. After he disarmed the bandit leader he proceeded to beat the man in to submission. The bandits and their stolen gold were handed over to the musketeers who looked at the recovered gold with a little too much greed for my liking.

Anyway, the next day the companions were planning to attend some funerals and so I made my excuses and headed off to the sea front. The salty air brought back fond memories of sailing on the high seas. In this place I feel more adrift that I have ever done at sea. In a vain attempt to quench my longing for you, I headed off to a nearby inn. There I found out that a Vodacce captain had recently lost a gift that he was planning to deliver to Caligari. The origin of this gift is likely to be interesting news to friends of Cameron who will probably want to find out more, but I am unsure of the location from which this news came. In any case, I spent that day looking for answers my many questions in the fields nearby town. Fate once again smiled on me. I came across the traitor and thief who had run off with the gift. The man obviously did not realise its true value. I am still ashamed by the manner in which I convinced the man to part with the gift. However in its place I left him a clean piece of parchment, marked only by a single large black spot. At the moment I know little about the nature of the gift. It is a secret that I will hold on to for the moment. I am uncomfortable with this secret coming out in to the light of day any right now.

Upon my return to town I discovered that my new companions had been rather busy. They had succeeded in removing large amounts of gold from the local inquisition fortress. Their general states of health indicated that the god had not come willingly. I did not pursue the line of questioning for too long, as I was not sure if I would be comfortable with the truth. Another two people who realised the cost of the truth that day were Roberto and Axel. The disguised Vodacce girl finally revealed her true identity to Axel after having travelled with him for over a year. The Eisen was understandably shocked, but he did not reject the idea outright. Instead we four men went to the inn to wash away our cares with a tide of ale.

This proved to be a mistake on the part of Father Alejandro who almost managed to become a permanent fixture in the town's graveyard by challenging an elite musketeer. His reasons for doing so were to see a young lady who (for reasons that are still not clear to me) was rather fond of the Father. Needless to say, his encounter did not go well. When he returned his face spoke volumes, the Castillian captains who fought the Sea Dogs in their Armada probably felt the same as Father Alejandro did that afternoon. Aside from the recent events with Axel and Roberto/Viola, Francine also seemed to walking around with a heavy heart after she had gone to see the captain of the Musketeers.

So this evening we go for a meal with the Governor of this town. One of the daughters of the Emperor of Montaigne is also here. It is expected that she will sell the conquered territory to the governor with the gold that my companions recovered. The runes spoke of Fury to the north. I pray that the Emperors daughter does not leave a storm in her wake. But I fear that it is already too late. This land here is like a field that has been without rain for too long.

You may be asking yourself the question why I associate myself with a foolhardy Inishman, a Montaigne of dubious virtue, a Vodacce girl in disguise and an Eisen mercenary as well as an angry priest? At the moment I have no rational explanation for this. The runes spoke of the importance of these people. Together they form a nexus, they are like a great ship whose wake causes ripples across the lines of Fate. I cannot read their futures, but I know that their actions will have far reaching effects. Until I can determine more I will stay with them and keep them healthy and whole. Their bodies are simple to mend in comparison to the wounds they receive in their pursuit of love. I see the frustration in their eyes when they watch their chance at love slipping away. At night I lie awake and wonder if our time together has come and gone - or if it has yet to blossom. I will pray for you tonight as I prepare to walk in to a future filled with uncertainty and danger. All my love,

Bjarne.

(The Mask of El Vago Part 2)

My Beloved Meg,

It has only been a short while since my last letter, but you fill my thoughts with each passing each day. In the morning I walk along the docks and listen to sound of the sea. My memories of you banish the dark storm of politics that imperils all those within the town. You are the anchor in my life that keeps me on a steady course.

The mood of my companions was rather sullen as we set of towards the governor's residence. We were unsure of what fate awaited us and the air felt charged. It was as if a great lighting storm was looming over us. My fears were not unfounded because soon after arriving the meal almost went awry when Father Alejandro refused to join in with the toast for the Emperor. There are fewer actions more insulting in Vesten culture than to refuse a toast. Of course, the act of proposing a toast is not a matter to be taken lightly. But the results of refusing to join in can be very severe, even fatal in certain circumstances. In the end the Father muttered a toast of his own and the moment of tension passed. Later on in the meal I managed to get Father Alejandro to join in with a toast to the Emperor, but that is a tale for another time.

It was not to be the end of uncomfortable moments during the meal. The Governor, Bishop and even the Emperor's daughter engaged in a war of words that was both subtle and frightening. Those Vendel who seek to emulate the ways of the Montaigne have a thing or two to learn about the war of words that can be fought during a "civilised" meal. My attempts to make the meal light-hearted by claiming ignorance on simple use of cutlery were not as successful as I might have hoped. During the meal the Governor in a round about way indicated that two of my companions were responsible for the death of the late Captain of the guard in this town. The Bishop admitted to using the townspeople as slaves in order to work in the nearby gold mines. At this point the Emperor's daughter realised that she was selling the land for money that she already owned. I had assumed that she would have made some inquiries as to source of the money. However, I learned an important lesson about the Montaigne: when it comes to money, they are rarely concerned with the source.

The Governor promised the Bishop that he would deliver the late Captain's killer to her on the next day. The other thinly veiled threat that was made during the meal came from the lips of the Emperor's daughter. She stated that she supported the deal going ahead - but that the land would revert to direct control by the Montaigne in the event that the current Governor passed away.

At one point during the singing ceremony the suggestion was put forward to have Elena take up the role of Governor. I saw that the Emperor's daughter was not comfortable with the idea of a Castillian back in charge. Also, the girl had barely come of age and I was not particularly impressed with her maturity or choice in men. Therefore I decided to raise my voice and make a statement that caused her to flee from the chamber. Thought my less than honourable action caused my words to stumble, I achieved what I set out to do. Had it been a choice between the current Governor and Elena's father then it would have been a different matter. The Father who had recently arrived to take over from Don Alejandro indicated his support for handing over the land to the "duly appointed governor" and then exited the room in order to comfort Elena.

The deal was done and the paper signed. Once we returned to the vicarage my suspicions about the new Father were confirmed. Although I was unaware that he was Elena's father, my instincts told me that he was more than he appeared. He seemed to take far greater an interest than might be expected and I had the feeling that he had a personal stake in making sure that the document was signed. Elena's father convinced us to stay until the next day. It was his intention to remove the governor from power and deal the inquisition a blow.

As you can imagine it had been a very event filled evening, despite the fact that Father Alejandro managed to avoid starting a duel. Castillian food has never been to my liking and their wine quite frankly turns my stomach. I was glad when the night was over and happy to have made it back to the inn healthy and whole.

The next day promised to bring more violence. This time the violence took the form of bared blades and gunpowder, as opposed to the threats and accusations of the night before. As a child I was often told: 'never be the first to start a fight, but always make sure that you finish the fight'. That morning my thoughts were very much about leaving town as soon as possible, but we still had some unfinished business to conclude. With that thought lodged firmly in my head I set off to gather some support in the pirate community. Several rounds of drinks and the 'news' of the governor being in possession Cameron's gift bought the support of Captain Virago and his Vodacce crew. Although it was not entirely true about the governor being in possession of the gift, he did qualify as a thief and villain.

As we made our way through town we passed by men belonging to the inquisition sending the townsfolk back to their houses. One of their numbers attempted to convince us to return to the inn, but Captain Virago was very forthright in expressing his opinion on this matter. Within a short period of time we made our way to the governor residence where we came upon a mass of people fighting. The inquisitors, musketeers and followers of El Vago were fighting each other. The pirates and I rushed to join the melee and make our way in to the house. Whilst I did not want Virago to learn the truth of my little deception, I decided to enter the house in the hopes that the governor died before the truth was uncovered. At a later point during the fighting I had the presence of mind to turn the pirates against the inquisition by hinting to Virago that the Bishop had the artefact. Even as I write this letter I am not entirely certain why I did this, except that I felt a sudden desire to make sure that the pirates did not injure the musketeers or their new captain.

The final confrontation with the governor was a bloody contest of wills. The musketeers that he had protecting him were well trained and for a while seemed as if they would gain the upper hand. Father Alejandro surprised me by taking my place in a fight so that I might tend to Roberto's injures. His act of sacrifice cost him dearly as the musketeer dealt the Father several grievous wounds. Never the less the guards were dispatched after some time. Just as Don Alejandro managed to painfully make his way over to his beloved Elena, the villainous Governor took her prisoner and threatened to kill her if we did not let his escape. The agile Captain Virago made a timely entrance on to the balcony at this point. This gave Francine enough time in order to use her guns to good effect on the governor. Axle and I made sure that Virago beat a hasty retreat and took his remaining men with him. With the governor now gone and Elena's father taking his rightful place, it looked like our task was completed.

To my knowledge no further blood was spilled that day and I was glad to see that the loss of life had been minimal. We spent a few days recovering from our wounds and saying our farewells. During a discussion about where to go next, Helena (the Vodacce whom I mentioned in my last letter, who helped us in defeating the bandits) burst in to the room to tell us that her fiancée had been arrested and was due to be hanged. As I stated previously the strands of fate that bind these people together are powerful indeed. Though I am not a fate witch, I can see this in the runes and feel it on the wind. Speaking of fate witches, it appears that there was one such a woman in the town during the fight. From the hints dropped by my companions I have figured out that a fate witch played an important role in Fionn's life at some point. This is something that I will have to ask him about some time.

Today the future looks brighter than it did a few days ago. I pray that I will see you once again soon. Your absence has left a bleak winter in my heart that awaits your return. All my love,

Bjarne

Tangled Strands Part 2

My Beloved Meg,

Much has happened since my last letter to you. My companions and I have been carried along by the Song of the World across the lands of Castille, but you are ever the beacon of hope within my life.

Shortly after leaving the port town, we encountered the Vodacce woman known as Helena with whom we had launched an attack against a bandit stronghold. When we came across her she was in some distress and not without good reason. Her beloved Ramón was due to be executed in a nearby town within a few short hours. As we started off towards the town we came across a Montaigne roadblock. Finn produced a large bag of coins and this enabled us to pass without incident. Watching the guardsmen greedily take the money reminded me of the same looks the Eisen mercenaries have before they take on a commission to "harass" a Vesten village. My heart was filled with sorrow at seeing the same greed reflected in faces of soldiers across Théah.

Once we arrived in the occupied Castillian village, the sight that greeted us was of a gallows built in the Village Square. There were approximately thirty to forty guards as well as a Lieutenant and a Sergeant. The villagers appeared to have been forced in to the square in order to witness the execution of one of the countrymen. As my companions formulated a plan and moved in to position, I was overcome by memories of such displays by my Vendel brethren. Many a Vesten had to watch a family member pay the ultimate price in the pursuit of freedom. At first I sought compensation from the Sergeant for the toll we were charged earlier in the hopes that he and his men would go to punish the guardsmen outside the village. However, the man surprised me by handing me some Sols. Surprised and outraged that he should try to "buy me off" I launched a verbal assault and accused him of trying to cheat me for more money. My hasty attempts at formulating a rune failed miserably as I was unable to control my anger that was fuelled by memories of the injustices of my home isles. His men quickly overcame me and wrestled me to the ground.

The distraction that I had caused enabled my companions to take the initiative. Alejandro came up under the gallows in an attempt to free Ramón. At that same moment the heroic figure of El Vago appeared and spurred the crowd to action. Francine made the mistake of turning her gun towards El Vago and the crowd was swift to act. Fortunately Fionn was nearby to help Francine get out from under the feet of the mob. Roberto joined Alejandro on the stage and locked blades with the executioner. Unfortunately for the Father, the Lieutenant that he was fighting was a far superior swordsman.

All was not lost as we gained aid from an unexpected ally. From what I was able to piece together afterwards, a Castillian girl who had been living rough had the gift of fire sorcery and she caused a brazier near the gallows to set fire to the building nearby. The flame moved as if it was a living thing and despite being held on the ground I could clearly see this marvellous feat being performed. With a cry of "fear my Vesten sorcery!" I struggled to throw off my Castillian captors and struggle to get free.

At this point Alejandro and Roberto leaped off the scaffolding as Helena had just finished cutting Ramón loose. Finn came to my aid and Francine's timely shot kept the executioner from cutting down the Father and Roberto in their bid to get clear. As each of us was now free and ready to leave we were faced with the Castillian guards forming a musket wall that was pointed right in our direction. Helen and Ramón had looped around some buildings and were coming back with our horses, but alas it did not appear that they would reach us in time.

Again the mysterious girl came to our rescue as she sent a column of fire racing down the line of guardsmen. With a roaring flame the fire cut down the guardsmen and set off their musket and powder horns. The stench of burned flesh and smoke powder was overwhelming. Without waiting to see who would act next Helena and Ramón rode through the square and brought us our horses. We rode hard out of the town towards the forest in a desperate bid to out distance out pursuers. But no pursuer was forthcoming; the Castillians had suffered too many losses and had no intention of following us in to a haunted forest.

Once inside the forest we came across a Vodacce woman whose carriage had recently been attacked by bandits. The attackers had disappeared before laying a finger on the fate witch as they obviously valued their lives. At this point events become stranger still than everything else that had occurred recently. Helen, Ramón and I were near a tree that was struck by lightning and our horses bolted. We were carried through the forest by our mounts and realised that the horses were running in a specific direction. They brought us to a monastery about which I can reveal little. The monks were very generous and kind. They saw to our needs and informed us that our companions were in great danger. However, it was up to them to figure out how to break free and return to us. As if by magic Alejandro and Roberto stumbled in to the monastery grounds. The monks brought them refreshments and spent some time with them. A short while later Alejandro and Roberto set off back in the direction that they had arrived and disappeared from view.

A while later we met up with our friends in the exact location where they had disappeared. Each of them was chanting a phrase about getting out, although the exact meaning is lost to me at this moment in time. Whilst in the monastery I was able to find out a few things that have greatly disturbed me, but it will take some time to piece together. This could be one of the greatest riddles of Théah and it will take some time to piece together.

Presently I stand at the border of the forest, just a few days ride from Vaticine city. I hear the call of the sea and long to stand upon the deck of a Vesten ship, but for the moment the Song of the World carries me in another direction. I pray that the winds of fate will bring us together soon. There are moments when I turn as if to share with you one of my thoughts, but then I realise that you are far away. However, you are ever in my thoughts and close to my heart. All my love,

Bjarne

Attack on El Morro

My Beloved Meg,

What a truly magnificent city this is, nothing that I have seen before can compare to the grandeur and beauty of this place. Amongst its many wonders is the most famous University in the Théah, the Church of the Prophets, the Palace of Walls and Hierophant’s estate. There are also entire districts filled with taverns, churches and residences for the cardinals. If so many self-righteous and bigoted men and women of the cloth did not inhabit this city, I would consider staying here for some time in order to pursue my studies.

With the war between Montaigne and Castille still going on, the many landed gentry are now without a home. Their servants form great lines around the Palace of Walls in a bid to secure estates from those nobles whose lands are still within free Castille. The name for the Palace is quite apt as it represents to me the walls that the people of Castille build between themselves. Each passing day divides them more and their only hope appears to be the living rune whom they call El Vago. This legend-inspiring figure is all that is good about the Castillians. He has the courage to break down the walls that divide his people and forge them in to a nation that can reclaim their land and dignity.

Anyway, I digress from describing my journey. Once we had arrived in the city I followed Father Alejandro in to the church district. My goal was to locate a church dedicated to healing so that I might increase my knowledge of medicine. Whilst Alejandro was busy visiting his sister, I spent time talking with a priest who was in charge of a hospital church. The man had many preconceptions about "barbarians from the north" and was rather surprised by my knowledge of the healing arts. I was careful to avoid discussing religion and focused instead on the various ailments of his patients. It was invigorating to once again talk to a professional although he was unable to teach me anything new. Before leaving this church I requested a letter of introduction for the University so that the guards there would not turn me away immediately.

When Father Alejandro came back, I noticed immediately that there was something different about him. His encounter with his sister had changed him, although not physically. Rather there seemed to be more fire in his eyes and his voice, but it was more focused than before. I do not know what he and his sister spoke about or what she showed him. Encounters with family can be bitter or sweet and Alejandro’s appears to be a mixture of the two. He did not speak much after we went to look for the others and I did not press him for information.

Whilst walking past the Cathedral I came across Fionn. He too appeared a little shaken up and informed me that the group would be meeting up at an inn two down from the Priest's Sanctuary, called the Reformed Jenny.

The University is a scholar's dream world. It is a treasure beyond description holding knowledge from ancient times to the present. All of the gold and silver within the churches of the city do not compare to the worth of the knowledge contained within the University. My first goal was to see if I could meet up with a friend of Cameron's. I know that he is a man of study and had hoped to encounter one of his friends. Alas it was not to be, but I did come across a man who studied at an institution that could not be seen. This man was most friendly and helpful. He helped me to locate books about the time before the good old days, as well as medical literature. After some study I was able to determine that the gift that I have mentioned previously appears to be able to transform light in to sound. The purpose of this eludes me still, but perhaps it is a power source for windup devices to operate continuously throughout the day.

I was in the middle of reading up about the process of childbirth and complications that can occur when Father Alejandro entered the study room. His manner was cold and I could see that he was not in the best of moods. This was confirmed by his clumsy attempts to spy on what I was researching. Never the less, I was able to have a little fun by pointing out some detailed sketches of the birthing process that caused the Father's cheeks to flush. Perhaps I will continue to bring up this topic from time to time in order to remind the Father of his lack of trust. The others may think me slightly mad, but I hope that Alejandro will understand my message. If not, then the others may learn a thing or two about childbirth.

In any case, it is time for me to go and meet up with the others. I realise that this letter is a short one, but the visit to the University has left my mind filled with new ideas and wonder. It will take some time to digest all this knowledge and for the pieces of the various riddles that I am researching to fall in to place.

Last night I dreamt of you and I lying under the moon at the edge of a great lake near to a forest. There were strange shapes moving within the lake, but we were protected whilst lying in each other's arms. The cold night air caused our bodies to give off a fine mist as we moved beneath the furs that covered us. In the morning when I awoke from the dream my heart ached so greatly that I was unable to draw breath for several long moments. Being away from you has now become a physical hurt that I pray will soon be healed by being together soon. The vividness of the dream haunts me still. All my love,

Bjarne

Bjarne stays with the group through Altamira where after the fight with the fencing school in the monestry he met with one of the living runes. The rune Bevelgese (Empathy) charged him with a great duty to try and unite his people. Travelling on to Hafen, he joined the party on ‘The Albers’ and it’s fateful voyage. Unknown to the other characters, he is responsible for freeing Vincent the Vesten murderer. Bjarne leaves the group when he joins Cosette on the Explorer ship ‘Discovery’ in her hunt to stop her old Captain McCormick and Khered-Din.