League of Bright Eyes
"We are the bearers of the Bright Eyes, may they never dim!"
We are the Bright Eyes, the descendants of the seventh son of the seventh son of the Red Emperor and the Queen of Vanch. We are the Pilex of Penkranthos, the Speakers of the Wheel, and the Keepers of the Two Coins. We are leaders within the Vanchite Trading Association, a powerful factor in the mighty Lunar Empire, but maintain the ways of wily Tunoral and industrious Negalla to bring our beneficence upon our folk.
The Bright Eyes of Vanch
People both in and outside of Vanch commonly refer to the Vanchite
families, houses, and tribes by the title or mask of Tunoral that
they prefer. These titles or masks include: the Bright Eyes; the
Gatherer; the Finder; the Hope in the Darkness; the Fish Catcher; the
Climber; the Surehanded; the Collector of Food; the Biter of Foes;
the Bearer of Masks; the Consort of the Dream; the Speaker for the
Folk; the Watchful; the Blesser of Villages; the Shining Eyes; Bearer
of the Spear of Hope; the Shadowed Face; and the Silent Paws.
The Bright Eyes are a prominent house (or Nest in the Vanchite vernacular), primarily situated along the Aryela valley west of New Lolon to the Oslir River. They govern the Doraryela Plantation to the north of the river and the Great Bull Collective to the south of the river, as well as the Riverjoin Estate at Penkranthos and the Pergeshi Bond around the Binding Place. They actively supported Pilex Wearomon of New Lolon in his separation from Imther, loaning him significant funds during the Imther Civil War, debts that Wearomon still owes.
Hero Band Opportunity: The leaders of the Bright Eyes govern the four estates. Hero bands are formed or hired sporadically to help maintain governance over the estates. The openness of the Bright Eyes Nest encourages new settlers and uses them to balance out or watch over the existing powers within those estates.
The Bright Eyes as Foes: The Bright Eyes Nest and estates contain the many broken bits of deities and magics which the family has gathered over time (just as Tunoral picked up and gathered broken bits of gods and spirits in the Darkness to aid his folk). A clan or tribe has learned that a broken spirit is held by the Bright Eyes and has formed the hero band to retrieve the spirit.
Resources: The four estates provide food and labor to meet the obligations of the Bright Eyes Nest to the Empire, to the King of Vanch, and to the needs of the folk within the estates.
Connections: They provide soldiers, labor, and tribute to the King of Vanch through his agent, the Pilex of Penkranthos. They provide food and trade goods to the Speaking Wheel Union and Vanchite Trading Association to bring to the Empire.
Components:
The Blood Nest: the Bright Eye heirs hold the positions of authority
and rule all within their estates.
Doraryela Plantation: using techniques and settlers brought from Dara Happa over many centuries, this plantation along the north bank of the Aryela River includes many families maintaining ancient traditions and rites. The people here have bound the Aryela and its tributaries to serve along many irrigation channels. Farmers and laborers live on square plots around a central stockade.
The Great Bull Collective: this estate south of the Aryela is a great ranch including the Red Bull of Vanch and odd herds of bison. The High Bull holds the Plough of Wahnakar, said to be an ancient relic from the days of the Broken Council, though the Sable Folk of the Hungry Plateau laugh at such statements. The Two Bull Horns, the Broken Hooves, and the Ring of the Cowbringers aid him.
The Riverjoin Estate: the marshlands surrounding Penkranthos are variously called the Riverjoin or Marsh Bottom. Here fishers and gatherers collect both the bounty of the water's edge and relics of the wars of Verenmars, though the ManDragon ruins are haunted and avoided by all.
The Pergeshi Bond: the Pergeshi opposed the Conquering Daughter and were the first Vanch tribe to fall to her power. They were bound to serve as slaves at the Temple of the Binding Place along the Singing Trail. The Bright Eyes inherited the Bond when the Pilex of Dayvus failed to meet a debt. The tribesfolk are all common slaves, marked by the Mask of First Binding, and are considered below even the Dog Servants of the Bright Eyes.
The Origin of the Bright Eyes
Tunoral was one of the attendants of Heliakal, Golden Age ruler of
the ancient land of Saird. When Heliakal marched off to the Hill of
Gold to face the Shadowed Horde, Tunoral aided his lord. When the
Shadowed Horde broke Heliakal, Tunoral saved the Bright Eyes of
Heliakal and carried them south and hid them away. When Tunoral was
captured by the Black-toothed demons, which ate his eyes, he traded
his Golden Song and the Clamoring Bark for a hole and a rope, which
he used to escape. With Negalla's aid, Tunoral retrieved the Bright
Eyes and took them for his own. With the power of the Bright Eyes,
Tunoral showed his folk how to find food and lost treasures to
survive until the Sun returned.
Harald
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