(To read part one of the
Midland Wars, click here.)
Part 2 - Sanctuaries
When great swathes of the Southern Fields burned in war, the survivors went to the Keepers of Eamidthéo, the great Keepers’ House which stood beyond the river which was then called the Agréarg*, but in later ages would be called the Ameragh River, in honour of the Lady Ameragh** after whom this House was also later named.
The people chose two leaders to go ahead and speak to the Keepers, one from Guldargan and one from Treddian. They crossed the wooden bridge and asked to speak to the Wíslic. As they told their story to the Wíslic and the Elders of the House, the Keepers took pity on them and decided that a sanctuary would be made for the people. But, knowing that there were a very many people in the Midlands who were suffering, the Keepers decided that the refugees would be given land free of charge if they would agree to share their surplus food with the others of the Midlands, regardless of the kingdom they belonged too. The two leaders returned to their people and told them what the Keepers had said.
Many had been disillusioned by the cost of ongoing wars of greed they cared little for and said that they would share what surplus they had with others in need if it would mean that they could live in peace. But others were unhappy and said that they would just become the Keepers’ slaves. These people moved further east, towards the mountains, where they settled close to the border of Morgeneard.
Those who wished to stay moved across the river to the lands east of the House of the Keepers. Here they formed a new people and built new homes. Through their hard work the land produced a bounty of food and they were able to keep many in the Midlands from hunger and starvation during these dark years. They were the first who were known as the People of the Keepers to those of the Midlands and beyond and some of the greatest healers and scholars have come from among them.
During this time the Keepers of the Midlands guarded their lands and those parts now known as the Sanctuaries closely. While the Eastern Keepers – on the eastern coast of the Continent – had long since had their own guards and soldiers and all the Eastern Keepers were taught some form of self-defence or the use of a weapon, the Houses of the Midlands only served as repositories of knowledge and though many diplomatic talks between kingdoms or parties were undertaken, they had not needed to resort to violence. In the future, however, and most notably during the battles with the Fáll, they became an integral part in the keeping of peace in the Midlands.
Sanctuaries were formed around the Houses of the Keepers of Eamidthéo in the south as well as Théotriewe in the north. The Keepers’ House of Holt Haliern, however, had been hidden in the Great Wood for many centuries and there was no land around it which could be made a Sanctuary quite like that of the other houses and only took in a few people which they would then lead to one of the other Sanctuaries. Holt Haliern, however, already had one of the greatest of libraries in the Continent and scholars of all the kingdoms embroiled in war sent their most prized texts and copies of their texts to the House for safekeeping.
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| Photo courtesy of nkzs at http://www.sxc.hu |
*Agréarg (a-gree-argh) was an ancient name, literally meaning “River of the Grey Mountains”, the Grey Mountains being the name of the southern part of the great mountain range which formed the border of the Midlands in the east – from the border of Morgeneard southward.
**Ameragh was the Wíslic of Eamidthéo, who calmed the dragon Skáhag. Read more about her here and here. She is remembered in the sad song “The Maiden of the Stars”.
Maps, maps and more maps!
I'm putting some finishing touches on a few small maps to illustrate this part of the history - holding thumbs that I'll have them finished by Friday... otherwise I'll have them ready for next week's Worldbuilding Wednesday.
