The Brotherhood of the Sands
By Teresa Shannon
Thu, 23 May 1996
A Servant permanent settlement
Grounds
Hierarchy
Martial arts
Although the desert is weaker in the Force of Life, it was
thought prudent by the Servants on Rynne that a community
of Servants be set up to keep an eye on the Sheiks, represent
the life that is in the desert and protect travelers and traders
passing through. Consequently, about 700 years ago a
monastery to house and protect Servants was built within a
grove in the Crystal Desert about 40 miles south of the
Lanthian border.
Because of the relative barrenness and dryness of the land
many Servants do not like the desert stronghold, but those
servants finding themselves contemplative and independent
began to establish a quiet, effective and highly meditative
order. The barrenness lends itself to self-reflection and
meditation and various mental and physical responses arose
to mirror and finally embrace the landscape of the Crystal
Desert.
The Brothers have modified many Servant and druid spells in
order to draw more effectively from the Power of Life, and
yet not disturb the overall balance of the desert. The Force
of Stone is particularly strong here and the Force of Life is
prone to unexpected or unusual twists in the outcome of
spells. Brothers spending significant time in the desert who
return to more verdant lands find their spells in the Force of
Life to be extremely strong as they are used to working with
much less available power.
Grounds:
The monastery is built entirely of stone for there are rocky
outcroppings throughout the desert, and especially on the
border of Erthos. There is an extensive series of aquifers and
limestone bedrock beneath the shifting sands and this has
been taken advantage of. The monastery has three levels and
has a constant compliment of 25 brothers, with 10 devoted to
assisting caravans to and from Lanth and Erthos, 5 devoted
to wandering the desert and ensuring an environmental
balance in the fragile economy is kept (and keeping an eye
on the Sheiks, elemental mages and more powerful denizens
of the desert) and the remaining Servants maintain the
structure and grove and ponder and develop the life that is in
the desert.
A grove of pinon, palm, myrrh, and one old oak (800 years
old) constitutes the grove surrounding the monarchy and
creating a small green oasis within the desert. The Brothers
(as these Servants call themselves) have tapped into an
underground aquifer for the needs of the monastery and
grove. The monastery also serves as a way station for
pilgrims and caravans.
The monastery has a well, cells for travellers and stables on
the first floor, meditation chambers, kitchens, brothers' cells
and offices on the second floor, and training rooms on the
third floor.
Hierarchy:
A loose hierarchy is maintained as well as a revolving work
schedule so that each of the brothers, when in residence,
spend time gardening, cleaning, working and cooking and
dealing with the administrative and diplomatic tasks necessary
to maintain the structure. When a new Servant is sent or one
is "found" all the Brothers begin training the novitiate in
meditation, appreciation and survival skills in the desert, the
history and purpose of the Brotherhood and Servants and the
magic of the land.
An "Ancient Brother" is chosen by the brotherhood and
approved by the Servant administrative hierarchy on this part
of Lanth. This "Ancient Brother" is responsible in ensuring
good relations with the Thri-Keen and Lanth Overlords and
allowing for the privileges Brothers have in moving freely
through the territories of others. A certain amount of bribes,
agreements and magical recompense is used to secure the
privileges and so the Brothers charge small fees to travellers
accepting their services and using the monastery facility.
Beneath the "Ancient Brother" there is the Brother Secretary
and the Brother Chatelaine. The Brother Secretary is
responsible for much of the accounting and fiscal solubility of
the monastery and keeps accounts of goods and money as
well as paying it out when necessary. The Brother Secretary
is also a voted position.
The Brother Chatelaine is responsible for seeing to any
visitors to the monastery, meeting them and quartering them,
feeding them and answering questions they may have as well
as collecting fees to give to the Brother Secretary. This is a
revolving office depending on who is in the monastery.
There is considerable discourse between the Servants of
Lanth and the Brotherhood of the Sands and many Servants
will be sent to the Brotherhood to learn desert survival and
an appreciation of the life and magic that can be found there.
Martial Arts and Training:
In order to survive the desert and serve a useful purpose all
Brothers are taught how to survive in the wilderness.
Particularly rough extremes of temperature, lack of water and
dehydration, sun glare and sand storms pose a challenging
threat and the Brothers have been creative in meeting them.
Meditation provides a key survival tool. When meditating
the Brothers may conserve body heat and water well beyond
a normal human. Brothers may go as long as a week without
water is they meditate while walking and resting. They may
resist the cold by altering their metabolism and may even
withstand some of the travails of sandstorm by refraining
from breathing for hours. Methods of finding water, food
and shelter from the desert succulents and in the rock
formations are also taught. Brothers who roam the desert do
so with only a cloak, their tools and a waterskin and may be
out for several weeks at a time.
Brothers are also taught a peculiar martial art form that is an
extension of some of the defensive abilities of desert life, and
a meditative dance form from some of the outer fragments.
(Like Capoira, an African martial art, this is not an oriental
martial artform.) Typical of the style are graceful leaps and
kicks, fluttery hand movements and conservative blocks and
passes. The form has dynamic patterns based on the
scorpion or strike of the desert adder though much of it is
slower like dance and imitates the movements of the waving
palms, falling desert rain and shifting sands. It can be
mesmerizing to watch.
(
geocities.com/timessquare)