An Old Man in The Moose: The Histories of Mar Sara

[b3n|<3r|\|]

Foreword: I did a little research and couldn't find anything about Mar Sara. So I thought, "There should be something about Mar Sara!" So I've essentially made all this up. If anyone knows anything or finds any inconsistencies with other cultural histories I'll be happy to edit this.

Lightning flashed outside as the residents of Sileni chattered and drank the night away, warm and safe within a local public house, The Moose. After the victory in the Maraguoan War, many of the citizenry of Mar Sara had begun to celebrate in eager anticipation of the mysteriously delayed return of the Grand Navy and the Marchausee, and in this particular pub the proprietor was offering half price Sileni-brewed beer to anyone wearing a Militia Serviceman uniform as a symbol of their appreciation for the hard fight that had been fought for Yardistan. Of course, it was an empty gesture given the fact that no one had yet returned from the war, but even so the landlord found himself puzzled as he gave out many low-priced drinks to supposed soldiers. In truth, the main ones who benefited from the little scheme were the tailors down the street.

The door to the crowded pub creaked open and in walked Duke Benkern, incognito of course in a highly inconspicuous black cloak. He approached the man behind the bar and tapped on the wood. "Yes my Du- I mean sir, how can I be of service to ye this dreary evenin'?" inquired the bemused landlord, staring at the crown that sat on the man's head and the recognisable gold chain and signet rings he bore. "I'm looking for a man called Silenson." He nodded and gestured toward the corner of the room where an old man sat alone with a pipe in his mouth surrounded by smoke, warming himself beside a fire. Before him sat an empty glass. The barman gave Benkern a bottle. "Here. Take this if you want to keep him happy." The Duke thanked him, threw a gold coin on the bar - upon which was a face which bore a stark similarity to that of the man who had cast it funnily enough - and headed in the direction of Silenson.

"Jarvey Silenson?" The old man took his pipe out of his mouth and looked up at Benkern. "Who wantsh to know?" "Drink this and put in your teeth. I seek much and you know much." He glared up at the Duke. "I don't know anything. I'm jusht a shimple retired blackshmith who wantsh to live his lasht daysh out in peashe thank you very much." He began to struggle and get out of his chair, but the Duke stopped him. "I know who you are, and who your ancestors were, and what your name means. What I don't know, however, is exactly why or how they did what they did. So you're going to tell me." Silenson looked troubled as though he was debating with himself whether or not he wanted to have this conversation. In the end he relented. "It'sh and free drink a shupposhe," he said before he took a swig from the bottle Benkern had presented and replaced his teeth.

"So let's go over what I know," said the Duke. "Though I think it's worth telling you now who I am. Though you may not recognise me in these robes, I am in fact the Lord Duke of Yardi-" "Yes, I know, I know," interjected Silenson. "I couldn't forget your face if I tried, it's everywhere these days, on the coins, in the newspapers, on the walls in posters..." "Ah. Oh. I see. Well, okay then. So, what I know. I know your name means you are descended from Nicholas Silen. I know Silen was the founder of the territory we now call Mar Sara. I know he is the namesake of the capital of land, Sileni. What I do not know, however, why he set out, or where he even set out from, to find this land, or much of the histories of the land itself. I do know the land has changed hands many times, and for this reason my archives do not have much information about the land before the Imperial Republic took over the entire island. I was hoping you might know." Silenson stared pensively into the fire for a moment before he spoke. "The story of our land is long and arduous. It is a tale of prosperity and pain, terror and triumph. The best place to start, I think, was the very start - the earliest of times before recorded history - before even Silen was born.

"Mar Sara was, in earliest times, a colony of the Flying Islands of Jasonia, or Aeronesia. Governors of the province were appointed by the President and were invariably Enlightened Ones - that is, men from the Flying Islands up above. It was not called Mar Sara then. No, that is a much more recent name. Then it was known as 'Klathar', which is the only surviving word from that language. Indeed, it is known only as Klatharian now. This word is all my forefathers have saved - and it has a range of meanings. It can mean 'homeland' or 'the land of one's birth'; 'union' or 'brotherhood'; 'peace' or 'togetherness'. The original people of Klathar felt rather left out by the Jasonians. As an island state, they believed they too should have been raised, their people enlightened and their culture glorified in the skies. Sadly, it was never to be. The governors looked down on them and treated them as inferiors." Silenson chuckled softly to himself. "However it was the Klathars who ultimately had the last laugh in that regard. When Jasonia collapsed and the Flying Islands collapsed into the sea, they watched and cheered. Millions died and they cheered. Even women and children were overjoyed as the former capital islands of that empire hit the sea with a great cataclysm. The last governor was hunted down and killed. The first free Klathar state for hundreds of years was declared. However, their joy was to be short-lived.

"It was around this time that my ancient ancestor began his voyage. Nicholas Silen, you have mentioned his full name; he was a noble of ill repute in the court of Yardistan. He had been a wealthy landowner but contention with the Kaiser at the time had left him penniless with nothing but his name left to comfort him. He called in every favour and pulled together everything he had left for what he believed would be the last journey of his life. A ship was built, the SS Southern Star, to carry Silen, his family and a few loyal men to a new home far from the lands of their birth in Shireroth proper. Like the elves of Khaz Modan had fled persecution in Elwynn to live free lives in So'Sara, Silen hoped to find a land of his own in which he could be free. Even before he set off he called the land 'Mar Sara', a bastardised phrase from the ancient tongue of the Elves that means 'Keep of Wealth'. He said the phrase had appeared to him in his dreams, along with a great white marble castle with at its centre a tower that went into the clouds above, in which treasures of immeasurable wealth were to be found.

"After over 8 months of sailing, Silen, his family and his crew finally arrived at the land Silen had dreamt of. As soon as their boat touched the beach, Nicholas jumped out and lay prostrate on the floor, kissed the ground and called it Mar Sara." At this point Silenson stopped to throw some wood on the dying fire. "Now, during the long voyage Silen had undertaken, the Kaiser with whom he had conflicted with had passed away to illness and in his place was a Kaiser of noble and true virtue. Before he ascended the Golden Mango throne he had heard of crazy Nicholas Silen and his voyage in search of a new land filled with wealth. He believed that the land of Mar Sara did exist and soon sent fast ships out to find Silen, filled with troops and supplies. After another 15 months they found Silen; by this time he had set about creating a new community. Nicholas had met with the Klathars and had become firm friends - they had helped him build a small town for his people and theirs. He had found freedom and peace. Many of those that left Yardistan originally had learnt Klatharian, and many Klatharians spoke our language. However, when the reinforcements arrived, it became less simple; with the sight of troops bearing the arms of the Kaiser of Shireroth, Silen was was brought back to memories of his days as a noble of Shireroth, along with a cocktail of emotions. An emissary that travelled with the troops informed Silen that the new Kaiser would grant him a title of nobility for the territory he claimed for the Imperial Republic. Silen accepted; he was made Count of Mar Sara, and the Klathars were integrated into the new County. Their free state was abolished, replaced with promises of a new future within Shireroth.

"Silen ventured into the previously unexplored South with his new forces. His Klathar advisors warned him that previously other men had arrived and forced out the Klathars there, even burning down settlements and putting whole communities to the sword. When Silen's men arrived there, they found what the Kaiser's emissary had suspected - explorers from the Southern empire of the Barony of Treesia and Fabon. The island of Mar Sara was divided into two halves by diplomats from both nations then and there - the North was to be Shirerithian as part of the County of Mar Sara, the South was to be Treesian as part of the Ultimata region of the modern-day continent of Tapfer. No official policy was affirmed with regard to the Klathar natives, but generally Silen noticed that as time went on more and more of them migrated into his half of Mar Sara, complaining about harsh treatment by the Treesians." Silenson's voice was getting raspy. "Get me another drink, my Duke, and I shall give you the next part of this story."

To be continued, of course.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Find Ryan Caruso and ask him about Mar Sara. He was once nominally in charge of the area, and created a lot of stuff on the area's pre-Jasonian history.

[b3n|<3r|\|]

I found his So'saranin stuff (here). Sugar, where did I leave that link to the old Mar Sara forum... anyway I don't think it had anything.

Anyway thanks Scott, I'll find him.

[b3n|<3r|\|]

At once the door to the tavern was kicked down and a large band of men dressed in YAC uniforms marched in. The startled barman went over to protest at the kicking down of his lovely door but a piece of gold was thrown into his hands before he had a chance to open his mouth. One of the Corpsmen came up to the Duke, who was completely engrossed in the old man's tales. He whispered something in his ear. Benkern's face quickly became one of anger. "So, Silenson! What is this crap you have been feeding me?! Apparently the noted scholar Orion Andreios has presented the County archives with a series of volumes detailing the true histories of Mar Sara. Have you anything to say in your defence before I have you locked up for bare-faced lying to your Count and Duke?" The old man blew smoke in the face of the angry noble, before grinning. "Perhaps, good Duke," he said slowly, "you should do your homework before you go searching in bars for the ancient histories of your territories?" He sat back and signalled to the barman for another drink. "Duke Benkern is paying." Benkern sniffed, before leaving quickly. Dammit. The old fool had him there.

Summary: All of that was crap I guess! Ryan's better, older stuff is kinda contrary to this. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

Epilogue

The night went on. The rain continued to pour. Jarvey sat alone with his pipe and glass, a pensive look on his face. As time passed, the bar slowly emptied, as work had to be done the next day. At about midnight, when all others had left, the proprietor sat opposite the old man. They grinned at each other. "I guess they'll never know the truth eh Silenson?" The old man nodded and, winking, said, "Better off that way I think. Can I sleep here tonight?"