| Brangwyn The Pale-Breasted | |
|---|---|
 ' | |
|
Organization |
The Coven of Seven |
|
Year of Birth |
Unknown |
|
Height |
5'11" |
|
Eyes |
Green / Golden |
|
Hair |
White |
|
Relatives |
Undisclosed Daughters |
|
Stats |
Unknown |
|
Alignment |
Unknown |
Brangwyn (Also, "Y'fron-Gwynn" or "The Pale-Breasted") is the premier bog witch in Blackmarsh and one of the few remaining members of the Coven of Seven. Claimed by some to be as old as the Miasma itself, she is a recurring character within many eras of Blackmarsh's history. Rumors to her origins have indicated that she might be a green dragon, marsh spirit, demon, or even the Miasma itself, but none have ever found conclusive proof of any such truth. Instead, she remains an enigma that is near omnipresent within the Miasma.
Surprisingly staid for one of her learning, she is known by her neutral tone. Although she rarely undertakes adventuers on her own, she has encouraged many women to explore their minds and seek solutions to their own problems, often to the detriment of those that fail to take her meaning before it is too late. She is often critical when she believes a person is capable of more and does not mask disappointment when it is earned.
When sought, she is found not by following any particular direction but wandering the Miasma. Eventually, those that would know her opinion are likely to find an old gnarled tree, and the woman within a cottage beneath it.
Attributes
Following her ritual of rejuvenation, Brangwyn has regained a surprisingly youthful and vibrant appearance. She remains tall and lean, though the sterness of her expression seems to have softened as curvature has returned to her cheeks and her lips have gone from thin and dry, to full and vivacious. Within her left eye remains the hallmark of her appearance: the pale, golden glow of the Gift through which she witnesses beginnings and ends.
Appearance in History
The first mention of Brangwyn in any history appears around 1000 BP, when the legendary "Y'fron-Gwynn" appeared in present-day Blackwood to defend the Blydcydwyd against the encroachment of the House of Grimm. In these early tales, which often seem more folklore than history, she was a woman of pale complexion and fierce disposition, that upset several war parties with the aid of her followers. The Blydcydwyd, an azotha offshoot, were a darkly complected people and the name "Y'fron-Gwynn" was likely a bastardization of "Pale Breasted" -- a supposition supported by the art of the time depicting a bare-chested woman overcoming her adversaries. In some depictions she is shown with wings, though this is likely a reference to the reverence she was awarded.
This Y'fron-Gwynn was both feared and worshipped by the Blydcydwyd, who had learned in some tales to be wary of awakening her before it was time for her to act, and in others found her to be a compassionate and generous soul whose only desire was to protect them from the harm outsiders brought. Their bravest warriors, it was said, often competed for the right to act as her consort. In many tales, despite her striking appearance, there was an otherworldly beauty attributed to her. If indeed this woman is the same as Brangwyn, then at the time of her actions her hair was golden and her features, quite strong.
It has never been determined what became of her consorts or their children, but it is implied that to be either was an honor.
Between 900-800, the Blydcydwyd were nearly erradicated and chased into the same remote hollows they now possess in Blackwood. The likeliness of Y'fron-Gwynn and Brangwyn being the same person is nearly confirmed here, when Omthar Grimm and his wife, Esilia, began to wage war against the encroachment of the Amani warlord Mando'zul and his council. Brangwyn and a small host of Blydcydwyd aided in beating back the Amani and as a result, the nearly exterminated azotha were permitted to hold onto what land they yet possessed in what was viewed as undesirable land.
The relationship between Brangwyn and Esilia is a complicated one, which likely contains far too much detail to be found within this margin. However, it should be noted that they each saw something of value in the other and ultimately each led to the creation of the marshmancers as they are known in the present day. Unlike Esilia though, who found her immortality in the form of becoming a marsh spirit, Brangwyn appears to remain corporeal.
As history became more defined in realism and less in folklore, Brangwyn's appearance became less frequent but more precise. She is often associated with the Battlemaidens of Blackmarsh and appears to have been, at most times, antagonistic toward the House of Grimm. If indeed the same woman that was known as "the Pale Breasted" is that which presently lives in Blackmarsh, then she is responsible for more deaths within the House of Grimm than several wars combined -- wars which, it would seem, she aided in orchestrating.
Present Day
Brangwyn's most recent exploits can be tied to Eleanor Bayne, whose Coven of Seven sought to stave off the grasp of the House of Albrecht. She trained many young women in the ways of the bog witch, and more importantly, aided them in retaining what knowledge had been lost over centuries. As a cruel twist of fate, the jaegers that were used to hunt her witch companions were themselves of a martial descent come of the Blydcydwyd that Y'fron-Gwynn had several times saved from extinction.
Following the Midday War, Brangwyn vanished from the public eye. She appears frequently within the Demimonde and offers guidance to young women that would seek to become one with the Miasma. Tied to both Tamsyn LaVette and Edevyn Bayne at one point, she became disappointed with both women for differing reasons and vowed to seclude herself for a time.
When the marsh spirit, Ylda, sought to corrupt the process of creating a new Guardian of the Marsh, Brangwyn arrived to aid the others in defeating her. Unfortunately, she was nearly stricken down but was aided by the spirit of Eleanor the Crow to return to health.
Shortly after her return to health, she was informed by Lorwick of the Effyldar that an ancient foe had returned. Lorwick, incapable of dealing with the problems of the day, bade Brangwyn drain his energy and replenish her own so that she might allow his clan to survive into the morrow. She agreed to do so after some convincing and was restored from his sacrifice. After grieving his loss, she shapeshifted into some manner of flying creature and sought vengeance against the returned foe.
Relationships
- WIP