History and Life of Father Cuthbert, Part I.


Matthew Cuthbert was born in Yew one cold winter day. Winter had come early that year and it was exceptionally cold. Due to a bad year food was scarce and there was famine in Yew. His parents both farmers had but one option to save the infants’ life, and so they took him to Empath Abbey. Long and cold winter took lives of many, including his parents’. To the age of five he was taken care of by the gardener, Herbert and her wife, Katrina. The same year young Matthew Cuthbert began school at the Abbey. Already from the start he showed great interest towards the Virtues, history and lore.

Years passed and he reached the age of eleven. Nature in its magnificence and all living things intrigued him greatly, and it happened more than often, that he was late from lectures because of his early strolls in the woods. At the time, a young Abbot of the Abbey, Father Jorge was not pleased when Matthew began to be late every morning and sought to correct him. As the lectures began 6 o’clock every morning after the morning mass, young Matthew was corrected by sending him to work at the winery from midnight to 5 in the morning, when the mass began. He learned much about viticulture, grapes and of the making of wine from old Farnham, and several years later his brother monks in the Abbey considered him as a master in wine making. Old Farnham was an elderly monk in the abbey and was highly respected, mostly because of the wine he made.

The Abbot, Father Jorge, was pleased as Matthew began to arrive on time to the morning lectures. What the Abbot did not know, was that during the nights old Farnham enjoyed very much wandering in the woods, and studying the birds and other creatures, and company on his strolls was more than welcome. Matthew enjoyed spending time with old Farnham and was intrigued with the knowledge he possessed. It seemed that old Farnham possessed some arcane knowledge of the nature which young Cuthbert had never heard of.

After reaching 16 years, Matthew still went to the winery at midnight, though it had been said years earlier by the Abbot that he had suffered his punishment. He went there because for 5 years now old Farnham had taught him something special every night. Their midnight strolls had formed into midnight lectures. He learned miraculous things during the nights. He was most impressed when he learned how to call swarms of insects to do his bidding and by commanding the wind he could swiftly cast them towards a foe that might be lurking in the shadows.

Young Cuthbert turned 18 years and he was properly accepted to the order of the monk’s, The Brotherhood of the Rose. The brotherhood custom was that at the age of eighteen after thirteen years of teaching and tutoring they were finally accepted as monks of the order. The festivities were grand and during these festivities each new monk received a seat in the council of the Abbey. Common tradition and also a requirement of a new monk was to spend five years “abroad”, in another Abbey or church in Britannia. Several chose Britain and some went to Minoc. Far south, Trinsic was also favoured and several of Cuthbert’s brothers went there. Cuthbert had not yet decided where he would go. He wanted to learn everything he could from old brother Farnham as he had gotten ill and no one knew how much time he had left. It was one evening that Cuthbert went to meet Farnham and found him waiting for him.
“Brother Cuthbert, please have a seat.” He pointed towards a seat and Cuthbert sat down. From a crate behind him, Farnham pulled out a bottle of wine and sat on the other side of the table to look Cuthbert in the eyes.
“Now my friend this is a very special wine that I have been keeping safe for years and years. I made this wine during that cold winter when you were brought here. There are not too many bottles left; in fact this is the last one.” Farnham said coughing. He opened the bottle and poured wine into their glasses. “I know you haven’t decided yet which abbey or church to choose from.” Farnham said. “Also this might be the last time we see each other” Farnham said calmly and continued though Cuthbert tried to protest. “Five years out of Empath Abbey is a welcome one and it opens your eyes. Though you might have already chosen a place where you intend to go, I have a task for you.” He said looking Cuthbert right in the eyes. “Several miles north-east of Trinsic there is a small village called New Paws. Brother, friend and fellow monk called Father Severinus is the spiritual leader and a mayor of that village. I am asking you to go there for he is wise and he has mastered the arcane knowledge we both so much love.” Again Cuthbert wanted to say something, but old Farnham raised his hand to silence him. “I have taught you all I know. I know that you want to know much more, and your interest towards the secrets of the arcane knowledge is burning inside you. Father Severinus can teach you the ways of the true arcanist, ways that even I cannot understand. He already knows that I am sending you to him and he is expecting you.” Cuthbert tried to say something again but was yet again silenced. “Tomorrow morning after the mass there is a carriage departing towards Britain. You will get on it and continue your travel towards Trinsic from there.” Farnham emptied his glass keeping an eye on Cuthbert and noticed that he hadn’t touched his glass. “Your skill and knowledge and all the virtues you carry within you will make you a great arcanist one day.” Farnham looked at Cuthberts glass. “Drink up, it will make you feel better” Farnham said getting up. Cuthbert wanted to say something but Farnham was already out of the door. Young Cuthbert emptied his glass and looked around him. That was the last time he ever saw old Farnham.

History and Life of Father Cuthbert, Part II

I knew that Paws and now New Paws was the oldest existing town in Britannia. It was all in the books. Its history is long of which much is now long forgotten. Apart from that I did not know where I was really going. I remember saying something like this: “Is there an end to this swamp?” to which someone replied, “It depends where you are going to?”. At the time New Paws was somewhat prosperous town. Nothing big at all and it wasn’t rich either. It stayed alive and its people were happy. It was amazing that the swamp really could produce anything – at least everything the people there needed. There were farms that produced crops and vegetables. Fishermen brought fresh fish daily. I remember when I first met Father Severinus. Already then he looked old, much older than old Farnham had looked the last time I saw him. At the time few carriages drove to New Paws on their way to Trinsic, stopping at the Town Hall. Father Severinus was a tall and thin man. He was warm and kind from the beginning and I instantly felt welcome there. Father Severinus was the mayor of New Paws and he lived on the second floor of the Town Hall. Up north of the Town Hall were the rather small centre of the town, where I was accommodated. The Centre of the town consisted of small shops. There was the millers and tanner. Petre seniors shop that produced the town with fresh fish daily to name the largest ones. The room I received was small but I liked it. It felt like home. I found myself in the daily life of the town, helping in the fields, fishing, enjoying myself with others at the Cat’s Paws Tavern after a hard days work.

It was first after six months that Father Severinus spoke to me about the ways of the arcanist. Before that we had done our normal work, guiding the spiritual life of the town and helping it prosper. We were sitting outside the tavern smoking pipe when Father Severinus spoke, “Brother Cuthbert, am I right to say that you have settled well? And that you have found peace here?” to which I nodded and said that I was very well settled to New Paws. Father Severinus continued, “You have formed a special bond with the land? You can feel it?” I thought for a moment and answered. “I feel warmth though the pools of the swamp are cold. Though there also is something I quite cannot put to place.”
“Something confusing…perhaps?” Asked Father Severinus.
“Yes…something confusing” I answered.
“It is the fens of the dead that make you feel uneasy and confused when you communicate with the earth. Fens of the dead are always restless and in motion. You will understand this eventually.” Father Severinus said.
“Is it why you are here?” I asked him. Father Severinus smiled faintly and answered, “You see and understand much to be one so young. You are correct. There are things that live on the other side of the swamp, but they don’t come here, not while I am here.”
“What things?”
“I will take you to see them one day.”
“Where did they come from?”
“That is a question I cannot answer, for I do not have the answer for it. The history of the Fens of the Dead has long vanished into the murky pools of the swamps.” Father Severinus said.
“You said that they don’t come here while you are here?”
“They stay away because they know if they come here they will do my bidding. Also they keep away and leave us to our business. We seldom go there and they seldom come here.”
“You can control them?” I asked. He nodded smoking his pipe and said. “This is something I will teach you. There is a long and hard road ahead of you.”

I sat in the carriage on my way to Yew. After all these years and after all these roads I was returning there. I was 18 years old when I left Yew and went to New Paws. I was 50 years old when I returned. 32 years I had been away. Empath Abbey had a new Abbot, Father Malachi, but I suspected that the real power still lied in the hands of the old Abbot, the venerable Jorge. It felt good to be back after such a long time…

That day I did not know that five years later at the age of 55 I would receive a letter from my old friend and mentor...that day began a new chapter in my life...