the_gneech | Symbols, and Stuff

Sauron, the dark lord of Middle Earth, exists in Lord of the Rings only in spirit form, as an enormous round eye ringed with fire, an all-seeing eye that sees more than just the physical world.

And what is the physical manifestation of Sauron? The One Ring ... a round circle of gold that reveals runes in fire ... the wearing of which hides you from physical sight and lets you see into the spirit world.

Man, there's a lot of symbolism packed in there. I don't know how much is intentional and how much just naturally came forth from Tolkien's mastery of literature, but it's an amazingly compact, tightly-constructed image.

And, it has some humorous side-effects. I have this mental image of Frodo's occasional donning of the ring (by slipping his finger through it) to be something like poking Sauron in the eye. >:) But that may just be my perverse nature.

Anyway, as I think about my fantasy story idea in the off-moments between saying "Would you like any pastries with that?" I have been looking for ways to include that kind of symbolism into my ideas. For example, the Brotherhood of the Morning Star was given that name because their purpose is to provide hope in the darkest hours, that light will return -- but also because its members are often on spiritual quests, "aspiring to the heavens," as it were -- and also because a morning star is a ferocious weapon, and some of the order's members are ferocious butt-kickers for goodness. (Remember, it was originally created as an order for paladins and warrior monks in a fantasy game.)

Using that as my jumping-off point, how could the unique abilities of the members of the Brotherhood, assuming they have any, use this symbolism? The key aspects of the Brotherhood are...

The search for truth, whatever the truth may be, about all things
The dedication to knowledge, and the preservation of same
Betterment of self, and through self, the betterment of the world around one
Renounciation of personal power, but...
Humble service to one's community (which tends to earn one a certain level of authority as a side effect)

Some thoughts for special abilities that come to me at the moment are...

Clairvoyance
Detecting lies
Healing
Magical knowledge (potions, scrolls, old tomes)
Network of connections; favor of "the common folk"
Nonlethal fighting techniques

Actually, Coren's curse of the black fire, a sort of "darkness incarnate," makes an interesting counterpoint to the Brotherhood's "pursuit of the light." And Coren, who starts the story as a volunteer guardsman for a small village, is certainly of the right philosophical bent to want to be a member of the Brotherhood.

Hmm...

-The Gneech ("Jump on my sword while you can, evil! I will not be so gentle!" -Minsk the Ranger, Baldur's Gate II)