the Fate of the Dōminarians

Chapter 1

It was the best of times it seems. The best of times for the people of the Turf. 1000 years of peace within the borders, created by Ulfner, put in place to ensure peace among all the nations. Today is the anniversary of its creation and all the people are preparing their homes for the blessings they would receive from the church of Ulfner for being peacekeeping, law-abiding citizens.

Hūlgar was a day of familial festivities and traditions. All the parents of the children would teach family traditions to each of their children each year starting at the age of seven. Smithing, archery, hunting, healing, foraging and crafting, all the services their families had worked in for generations. Once the teaching was done everyone attended a festival in honor of Ulfner, creator of the Turf, our home. His image is shown all over town, hung high on banners.

Ulfner is said to be the god of inner peace and patience. The story goes like this: Ulfner came to the plane of Dōminaria, our planet, and sought to end the warring of the nations. There are four of them now, thanks to Ulfner according to legend. Before him we were in chaos, incapable of peace between the many warring tribes that lived here. He came to the conclusion that as long as there was no space to convene in times of stress, anger and crossed lines, we'd all kill each other. He created the Turf, a place where fighting was illegal, where you couldn't hurt the other guy if you tried.

He created the borders. 15 miles of dead land between each of the nations, with our eastern portion having special borders. Our borders revoke any and all ability to hurt anyone from any being that crosses them. You lose your powers unless you're a healer. It's just part of the magic. A calming feeling washes over you, your inner peace and your anger and arrogance vanish. You become capable of thinking clearly and rationally all because of Ulfner. He vanished once he created the Turf, giving himself to create the magical border of the east. He opened up negotiations between the countries, created the alliances that formed the four nations and ended the war.

Now back to the festivities, there were large handmade banners with his face on them a dark maroon shade of fabric with an almost golden thread depicting his face. Angular and strong yet soft and compassionate. They were hung all the way down the streets and alleyways, crisscrossing above little stands that put out treats for the kids, drinks for the adults and 'peace and happiness.'

I had no traditions though. I never got to sit on my fathers shoulders and reach up to touch those pretty banners. I didn't learn new skills like archery, or smithing. I was raised by the nuns of the church, alone, the first of my kind. The only child of my kind.

An orphan.

It was unnatural, unthinkable and unforgivable. None of them ever seemed to understand what happened to my parents and since I was just a baby I don't know either. To the people of the Turf, my people I suppose, blood is thicker than water. To transgress against one's brother is to be banished, exiled forever from the community, but I don't have any blood here. It's unthinkable to abandon your own child

I was found by a farmer over by the border one evening crying my eyes out. No note, no parents, just a newborn in a basket left sitting on an old farmers porch. He took me to town and gave me to the nuns. He had lived a long life and couldn't keep up with a baby anymore. Plus I wasn't blood, I was foreign. It's been almost 18 years since that night and my birthday is in two weeks. There was a ceremony planned by the nuns to celebrate my coming of age.

Under the nuns, I learned to make remedies for the people. Salvs and potions to heal those in need. Helping the unfortunate was their calling, but it wasn't mine. It all felt so miniscule because I've always felt I was destined for something great, something important! My name should be remembered for something other than being the first orphan of my people. Something that would wash away the image that besmirched my name from the day I was found.  But for right now I'm still a little orphan Caspian helping the nuns who raised him.