Steward of Brock's Heath
I, Jared of the Suns of Couros and Lepidean Librarian, instruct the Lepidean University to investigate the pre-Imperial but post march Marcher Old Morgan, Steward of Brock Heath. Possibly from the Upwold, who was the previous life of Asher Holt, also of the Marchers. This past life vision was experienced during the Winter Solstice 383YE. The aim is to prove the historical accuracy of the vision to the Axou guide priest who also experienced the vision.
Lepidean Librarian Jared of the Suns of Couros, Summer 384YE
Overview
During the Summer Solstice 384YE, the Lepidean Librarian instructed the archivists at the University to investigate Old Morgan, Steward of Brock Heath. This pre-Imperial Marcher was a previous life of Asher Holt, also of the Marches, who experienced a true liao past life vision during the Winter Solstice 383YE. This interest was apparently motivated by a desire to prove the historical accuracy of the vision to the Axou guide priest who had also experienced the vision but questioned its validity as proof of the power of true liao.
The main problem with investigating a past life vision is that, unless a visionary claims to be an already well-known historical figure or one involved in a celebrated event, there are often only fragmentary reports of their lives. The fiery interruption of Emperor Nicovar obviously exacerbates the real problem that many past lives involve non Imperial citizens, or people whose actions are important on an individual scale but lack the kind of impact that places them in history books.
In the case of "Old Morgan, Steward of Brock Heath" we were fortunate that the Librarian was able to provide us with concrete leads with which to begin tracking down records of his life, and that there has always been a strong oral tradition in the Marches supported by scholarship and books at Meade in Mitwold. We're indebted in particular to Angela of the Cloister, a sage and lecturer at the small but plucky University of Meade.
Steward of Brock Heath
Morgan of Brock Heath, steward of the Brockheath household, certainly seems to have been a real person. Living perhaps a century before the Cousin's War, they led a fractious household made up of farmers from across the Heath in Upwold. Their livery was dark green and white, and like many households with "Brock" in their name they used a badger on their banners. Their motto was the pithy "Our Land". As with many of the early Marcher households, they traced their lineage back to Dawn - in this case many of their ancestors seem to have marched from Coombe in Astolat. They had a reputation for being bloody minded, stubborn, and suspicious of outsiders that is notable enough to stand out in the Marches.
However, Morgan of Brock Heath - who goes from Young Morgan to Morgan to Old Morgan over the course of his tenure as is not uncommon in the Marches even today - is recorded as having been somewhat more progressive and open than his peers. It is difficult of course to be certain how much of this is "true" and how much is later writers ascribing characteristic to him that fit their version of the past. In this case however there is some supporting evidence that Morgan of Brock Heath was much less subject to the suspicion with which many of his contemporaries treated people outside the Marches.
One reason for this might be that his mother, Olivia, was apparently described as "fey". Further investigation by Angela Cloister has led to the suggestion that she was treated with a little suspicion by the Brockhearth household because she was born in Meade, and married Morgan's father Liam despite protestations from both their parents and the steward of the time (who we believe was Harold of Brock Heath). Opinions across the Marches varied, but there is a note in the journals of Arthur of Redston - a contemporaneous chronicler fragments of whose work are still kept in Meade - talks about the "townish manners" evidenced by Olivia during a wedding Arthur attended. This suspicion of the people of Meade is by no means standard for the Marches of the time - it seems more likely to be evidence of a particular insular streak in the people of the Heath during the time Arthur was writing.
Regardless of suspicion attached to his mother, it appears his parentage did not impede Morgan becoming steward when Harold died leading household warriors in a border skirmish with the Winterfolk. Apparently his courage in ensuring Harrold's body was returned to Brock Heath to be planted in good Marcher soil did much to endear him to the household, and duly saw him chosen as steward. As leader of the household he was apparently well known for his commons sense - for resolving disputes between the unremarkably fractious families of Brock Heath. He apparently enjoyed a lifelong friendly rivalry with Abbot Joyce of Sutton Abbey who commented in an exasperated letter to her cousin in Ashill that "even pilgrims will travel to Brock Heath for Morgan's justice before they come to the abbey and speak with the woman who brought them to the Way!"
Of particular note is his role in expanding the Brock Heath market toward the end of his life, which is inextricably caught up with the Marcher attitude to their neighbours in Miaren.
It's easy for us today to take for granted the ubiquitous presence of the Navarr in every nation of the Empire, but in pre-Imperial times this was very much the exception rather than the rule, In the early Marches in particular, the Navarr were treated with a certain level of suspicion despite their role in helping the Marches pass through Miaren. "Memories fade," as Angela of the Cloister points out. "And all too often it is easy to wonder what someone has done for you recently."
The main bone of contention was the habit of the Navarr of leaving their own land - the woodlands of Miaren - and "wandering" across the Marches. The purpose of the stridings was poorly understood by most Marchers, and the situation made worse by the fact that in many cases the ideal place to site a farm was near a trod - benefitting from the residual spring magic that emanates from the magical pathways we now take for granted. For many of Old Morgan's contemporaries, the Navarr were a peculiar vagabond people who did not appreciate the importance of taking and holding land, of putting down roots.
On top of this, the tradition whereby Navarr help people who are unhappy move to somewhere where they can feel fulfilled was very much at odds with the Marcher tendency to remain in one place throughout their lives. There were unpleasant accusations that the Navarr would "steal people away" - in reality a misunderstanding of the guides calling to help people start new lives. These kinds of accusations are not limited to the Marches of course - they appear in all the pre-Imperial nations to some degree. For their part, the Navarr were as committed in pre-Imperial times to walking the trods and slowly draining the power of the vallorn as they are today - but again few people understood quite what they were doing. Indeed, there are sad records that suggest attempts to actually explain it were sometimes met with hostility - with the idea that the Navarr might be spreading the curse of the vallorn through their peregrinations.
The Market
Brock Heath market was a moderately successful gathering of farmers held monthly under the auspices of the household and the watchful eye of the Steward. These were very much Marcher affairs, for Marcher people. Traditionally, only the largest markets such as the Stockland Fair, attracted folk from farther afield than a day's walk away. The Brock Heath market was no exception, at least initially. During the latter days of Old Morgan, however, the market became increasingly welcoming to Navarr travelers, apparently due to the influence of the steward himself.
At first there was resistance both from within the household itself and from the neighbouring farms. A bailiffs report, preserved in the Meade collection, speaks of a fist-fight between "red-faced vagrants and stout farmers at Brock Heath Market" that speaks of a slow period of acclimation. In the end, however, it became clear that there were many benefits to inviting the Navarr to take part in the market. Also in the Meade collection is a preserved letter from the abbot of Sutton Abbey enthusing about the influx of healing herbs brought by "those elusive wanderers out of Miaren" and the fine dragonbone her monks had purchased at the Brock Heath market.
This is not to say that the traditional Marcher suspicion of outsiders was broken down overnight, or that the Navarr were easily welcomed in contexts other than their attendance of the Brock Heath market, but the slow process of wider acceptance was surely begun in Old Morgan's lifetime. It would be satisfying to ascribe Old Morgan as having been responsible for improving relations with the Navarr across the entire Marches, but that would certainly be overstating the facts. Certainly other households in Upwold saw the benefits to House Brockheath from welcoming trade with the Navarr, and some of them followed suit, but it's likely the same kinds of interactions are taking place in other parts of the Marches at the same time, independent of Old Morgan.
Death
Old Morgan died of natural causes in his seventieth year. Following Marcher tradition he was interred in the soil of his farm, and an apple tree planted on the grave. His funeral is notable because according to contemporary reports - another letter from the Abbot of Sutton Abbey - reported that a number of Navarr were in attendance. Apparently this number included the old man's grandson, who it seems left his home among on the Heath to travel with the Silverbell Striding and "wore the thorns and briars of the Miaren wanderers with pride."
Morgan was succeeded by Lillian of Brock Heath, who continued to welcome Navarr visitors to the market. She is notable primarily for establishing a regular trade route through Miaren with the assistance of Silverbell striding that saw Marcher grain exported to Oldheart in Astolat, and the import of Dawnish brandies to the markets of the Marches. This appears to have established a pattern - although by no means an unbroken one - of Brock Heath stewards having increasing comfort looking beyond their borders and exploiting the connections they made to bring greater prosperity to their household than might have been possible had they remained "simple farmers".
Brock Heath Today
The Brockheath household fought at Hepton Bridge on the side of the pro-Imperial faction. The steward of the time - coincidentally also called Morgan - led her household with distinction and while she died shortly after the battle of wounds received, her family remained resolutely on the side of Henry of Meade. In the three centuries since the fortunes of the household have risen and fallen, but the Brock Heath market continues to attract Navarr traders from Miaren to this day.