The Robe of Alakash

Rogvir Thorvarsen of the Thorvarsen Farm (it was his farm) was out in the woods, sawing down trees with his sons and dragging out the logs to his sawmill with his sturdy draft-horses. The war was on every one's mind, two worthless princes had declared war on each other and overthrew their father the Jarl. Armies of mercenaries marched all over the land, laying waste to every village, town and city they found. It was sheer madness. "Come on, we need to get these logs in before the first snows." said Rogvir to his sons. "Father, mother needs us to help her chop some firewood." said his boys. "Fine. Just help me get this last log strapped to old Shellie" said Rogvir. The strapped the newly de-branched tree to the draft horse. The boys ran off to the house and Rogvir grunted. He suspected that his boys were going to run off and court two attractive girls in town (one of the few not burned to the ground) So he knew he was stuck with the work. He walked his horse down the forest path and suddenly saw a glimmering light and then an explosion of light. "Rogvir! Rogvir!" cried the light. "Who are you?" said Rogvir in amazement. "I am Alakash, the god of mercy and compassion, take my robe and go forth and preach peace to your dying land" said the figure of light. Rogvir was absolutely stunned. Who was he? "I know your thoughts but I also know the thoughts of the priests and they are not with me. Go and I will reward you when you pass on to Yvalyedda" and just as suddenly as the light appeared, it vanished and upon his shoulders was a robe of white.

He took his tree down to the farm and continued as though nothing had happened and he prayed for some sort of a chance to go out and preach. The next day, a traveler came to
his farm with bad news. "Rogvir the Freeholder, Prince Firnhanhir is seizing your farm. You are to leave within two days. It is suggested that you join the army of the Prince." said
the messenger. "I will defend this farm with my life." said Rogvir evenly. "Then the Prince will order all the merchants to not sell to you and he will declare you an outlaw." said the messenger. Rogvir knew he was beaten. "I will tell my wife and sons." he said. He gave them the bad news and his sons told him that they decided to join the army of their
ruling Prince. He told his wife and she wept and then fell on a dagger, despite his best efforts to save her. He wept aloud, like a man who lost everything, because he did.

He remembered the white robe and decided on a bit of revenge. He went to the camp of the reigning Prince and began to preach that all men should lay down their arms and end the war. When the Prince ordered the soldiers to kill him, the soldiers found that they could not seize him or get ahold of him. He waxed bolder and preached harder and men began to weep. Even the Prince was stunned. "You are speaking for a god!" he cried out loud. "Then repent in the name of the god of peace!" cried Rogvir. The Prince kneeled down and kissed the robe and stood up and made a declaration: "I shall disband my army and let my brother be the Jarl! I shall go into exile and walk as a beggar in forgiveness of my sins!" he cried. Rogvir smiled and left the camp. He discovered the location of the other camp and went to the other Prince, Prince Valdhiem, and gave him the news: "Behold, your brother has resigned the battlefield and Alakash has made you the Jarl." said Rogvir. "Seize this madman!" cried the Prince. The soldiers tried to seize him but they could not get their hands on him. Rogvir preached and the army wept at the multitude of their sins. Finally the angry Prince saw the truth and fell to his knees and cried out; "I am not worthy to be the Jarl, let my brother be the Yarl! I shall go out and be a monk and walk barefoot in repentance of my sins!" Rogvir was now confused until he heard, booming from the sky: "Go to Prince Bjorn and make him the Jarl. He is the youngest of the Princes and he stayed out of the bloodshed and he is indeed clean." so Rogvir ran to the Royal City of Olmsborg and met with the youngest Prince.

"Rogvir? You say that this is true? Indeed it is rare that a god intervenes in the events of men but it is the will of Alakash." said the youngest Prince. The nobles of the land had heard of the twin miracles of the surrender of the armies and they believed Rogvir's testimony only after asking many witnesses. Prince Bjorn was made Jarl that same month and the land returned to rebuilding. Finally sensing that his call was over, Rogvir handed the white robe to the Priests of Alakash and he went back to his farm. His sons, both unharmed, joined him there and they set about getting ready for winter and burying the mortal remains of their faithless mother. A full winter passed and Rogvir sensed that
he couldn't go back to being a simple farmer in his feilds in summer and in the mead in winter. Once the snows cleared, a visitor stopped by and confirmed that the farm once again belonged to Rogvir. He thanked the messenger and the messenger said, "But there is one more thing. The High Priest of Alakash returns the robe and asks you to be the messenger of Alakash, going out into all the known world and preaching peace." said the messenger. So the white robe once again donned his shoulders. Rogvir signed the farm over to his sons and went out to the other Kingdoms and preached peace, stopping wars in their progress and even denouncing wicked and evil rulers and putting them to shame for their misdeeds. At first, the other priests were not convinced but when they saw his work, they quickly believed and spread the news far and wide.

Rogvir came to a bitter land filled with clan feuds and major wars and spoke with the people and their leaders. They all repented and laid down their weapons. He came at last to their King who fell to his knees when he saw Rogvir coming. "Pass laws to strengthen the rule of law in your land and put the clan chiefs out of their places of authority." said Rogvir. The King did as was commanded and that land repented and changed it's ways. As time went on, Rogvir could sense that the evil gods were building up an immunity to the Robe. Finally he sensed that the Robe itself was losing power and he hastened to return north to his native land. One day, the Robe simply vanished from his knapsack and it was done. He hastened back to his farmstead and was greeted warmly by his sons. The Jarl had already sent messengers declaring him a National Hero and he was surprised at the sudden adulation. "I am merely a man!" he cried out to the crowds that came to greet him. He retired to his farmstead and wrote books on what he saw and experienced.

The gods were not finished with him yet. The god sent another messenger, this time with the staff of Alakash. "Use this staff to heal the sick and the broken-hearted." said the messenger. Rogvir knew it was a request he could not refuse and went out and did what he was told. Thousands of men, women and children were healed of their infirmities by the staff and Rogvir insisted that he was only a messenger of the gods. He traveled the world over with a small cadre of priests and monks and healed people and preached that people should prepare their foods correctly and boil the water before they drink it. One day when Rogvir was out in a distant and strange land, he felt the need to sleep and he died of old age, being 120 years old. His followers took his mortal remains back to his native land and buried him at his farm. The Temples build a major Temple on the site of the farm, after the sons of Rogvir gave them a fair price for the land. Rogvir was declared a saint but his staff had vanished. One of the monks remembered that Rogvir kept a journal and had his clothes and donated both to the Temple. Several major Paladin orders were formed at the Temple over the centuries. The land did not fall back into warfare for another 700 years.

Thus ends this tale.