Today's Continuity Question

[merlinscribe]

Is it Mosirinde's Covenant or Arilcarion's Art of War that forbids Lightborn from taking the field as combatants in the wars of the Hundred Houses?

Comments

Mosirinde's Covenant

[(Anonymous)]

"She had already shattered Mosirinde's Covenant and brought the light born into battle. She rejected Alicarion's wisdom to fight without decency and without honor, forcing them to do the same."

Re: Mosirinde's Covenant

[merlinscribe]

Thank you! Precisely the citation I was looking for.

Very Truly Yours,

James Mallory, Writer

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Continuity question Jan 26

[(Anonymous)]

I believe that it is Arilcarion's Art of War that prevents the lightborn from being combatants. Mosirinde's Covenant dealt more with power and the forbidden sources thereof. It was she who forbade the use of blood magic and of draining the land and proscribed the drawing of power from the Flower Forests.

Re: Continuity question Jan 26

[merlinscribe]

Bravo!

Did you know that the Otherfolk/Beastlings/Beastmen call her "Mosirinde Truefriend"? There's a story behind that, I'll wager...

Mosirinde's Covenant

[(Anonymous)]

I'm pretty sure Viel explicitly states that the promise for the Lightborn not to take the field of battle is separate from the covenant. At least that is what I understood from her discussion with Thoromarth in Chapter 10. Here are some selected bits from that conversation: "But you know that the Lightborn do not use their arts in war... The Covenant is not the same thing as that promise... The Covenant is our pledge that we will never draw so much power from the land that it sickens and dies... So we wrap ourselves in custom and let the lightless think it is a vow."

Re: Mosirinde's Covenant

[(Anonymous)]

So in conclusion I think the answer is that neither Mosirinde's Covenant nor Arilcarion's Art of War that prevents the Lightborn from taking the field of battle but rather a combination of fear, misunderstanding and custom that do so.

Re: Mosirinde's Covenant

[merlinscribe]

Bravo! Thank you!

[(Anonymous)]

I do not believe either of them forbade the Lightborn in battle, I think the only mention of it is in the "Song of Amrethion.." In which it mentions the Lightborn taking up arms in battle, I sadly forget the exact text.

[merlinscribe]

Quite right! And here's the section of the Song that has so far been published:

For twice upon five hundred lives, the Throne of Shame shall sleep unknown
And Celephriandullias-Tildorangelor a haunt of shadows lie
The Happy Lands shall ring to blood and battle through the wheel of years
While all who husband hidden secrets die.

Though many seek to gain the golden crown, no worthy hand shall gain its light
And brother vie with brother for a prize no House can claim
While Darkness breeds in lands unknown and marshals armies bought with blood
Against the day false promise is made true.

When stars and clouds together point the way
And of a hundred deer one doe can no longer counted be
When peace is bought with maiden mother's blood
And those so long denied assert their ancient claim
When scholar turns to sword, and warrior to peace
And two ford rivers swelled with mortal gore
When two are one, then one may speak for all
And in that hour claim what never has been lost