Tombs of the Lords both Old & New

[balon!]

This intrigues me greatly and makes me wonder about the lost Kevin's Wards. I wonder if a tomb of the old Lords exists, but was forgotten after the Desecration, i could definitely see Kevin hiding some powerful stuff there.

[wayfriend]

The only thing I can think of that resembles any kind of tomb in the Land is Atiaran's grave in Trothgard. It was described as a "grassy mound".

[balon!]

Totally New Lord style, the whole returning to the earth thing. I was wondering last night if there is a crypt in the bottom of Revelstone for some of the ancient Lords, long forgotten

[wayfriend]

I cannot think of anything to suggest that the old Lords even had tombs - so I am wondering if anyone else knows of any references to anything suggesting it.

[DrPaul]

I cannot think of anything to suggest that the old Lords even had tombs - so I am wondering if anyone else knows of any references to anything suggesting it.

Yes, that's also my recollection.

As far as the New Lords are concerned we are told that Prothall returned to his original home in the Northron Climbs and passed what remained of his life there. Something like that might well have been the norm for Lords Old and New. In the First Chronicles we see a high proportion of Lords dying in battle in TIW and TPTP, and we know that Kevin and many of his fellow Lords died during the ancient conflict with Lord Foul, but these were unusual times in the Land's history. In less fraught times it may well have been more usual for Lords to retire gracefully from Landservice once they felt their physical and/or mental powers declining with age, and return to their home villages.

Remember, too, that the Lords conceived their vocation completely differently to that of kings, dictators, statespersons, etc., in our world, and the glorification of individuals through construction of monuments, conspicuous graves, putting their corpses on display like Lenin, etc., may well have been contrary to the culture of the Land.

[Cord Hurn]

Remember, too, that the Lords conceived their vocation completely differently to that of kings, dictators, statespersons, etc., in our world, and the glorification of individuals through construction of monuments, conspicuous graves, putting their corpses on display like Lenin, etc., may well have been contrary to the culture of the Land.

I think that this is so, that monuments to themselves would be in conflict to their humble desires to live for serving the Land.

[wayfriend]

At the Battle of Soaring Woodhelven, there is some discussion of burying the dead soldiers. But

Gently, he laid Variol on the grass and lifted Tamarantha in both arms. Calling hoarsely, "Hail!" he placed her into the cleft of the burning tree. And before the flames could blacken her age-etched skin, he lifted Variol and set him beside her, calling again, "Hail!" Their shared smile could be seen for a moment before the blaze obscured it. So they lay together in consummation.

It seems from this, and from some other passages, that the people of the Land were as willing to burn their dead as bury them.

[shadowbinding shoe]

In my imagination the denizens of the Land bury their dead in unmarked graves where they will nourish the Land with their bodies.

The Old Lords and their people originated from Berek's homeland south of the Land. Burning bodies might be a holdover from that culture. Going out in a blaze of glory would fit their culture.

[DrPaul]

One thought that this thread has prompted is that in our reality we associate the word "Lord" with some kind of rulership, exercise of political power, possession of privilege, etc. The vocation of the Lords of the Land is somewhat different from what the word implies for us. This thought is probably best pursued in a new thread.

[DrPaul]

A final bite. At various times in The First Chronicles we see that the exercise by the Lords of the Lore of the Staff requires some physical and emotional exertion, at times to the point of prostrating themselves. And of course the exercise of the Lore of the Sword would have been quite a physical business. This strengthens my belief that the norm for the Lords would have been gracious retirement to make way for younger Lords once they started to feel that they were no longer up to the rigours of Lordship, and return to their family homes, rather than dying in office.

As for Tamarantha and Variol, I recall a character in TPTP (was it Atiaran?) explaining that there had been very few Loresraat scholars in the time immediatly prior to Covenant's arrival graduating to Lordship, so we may assume that Tamarantha and Variol decided that it was their duty to hang in there despite their advanced age, and maintain the Council of Lords at a workable number until suitable replacements could be recruited.