Authors Interviewing Characters: A.M. Linden interviews Herrwn

THE VALLEY, THE DRUID CHRONICLES

Llwddawanden is a hidden sanctuary where remnants of a once-powerful pagan cult carry on their ancient ritual practices, supported by a small but faithful following of servants, craftsmen, and laborers.

Cut off from the outside world by both geography and conviction, the Druids of Llwddawanden continue to venerate the Great Mother Goddess and to view themselves as the first-born and favorite of Her mortal children. While the belief that the most important of all divine beings gave birth to their ancestors and that Her spirit inhabits the body of their highest priestess is a tenuous conclusion in view of their reduced lot in life, the Druids of Llwddawanden believe it and are, for the most part, committed to carrying on the traditions handed down to them by their forbears.

Herrwn, the shine’s chief priest and master bard, has the responsibility of overseeing the education of Caelym, the orphaned son of the cult’s previous chief priestess, as well as keeping the peace within the upper ranks of their order—two tasks that grow more difficult as the rivalry over which of the three highest priests will claim Caelym as his disciple grows, and as mounting conflicts between the current chief priestess and her only living daughter threaten to rend the fabric of a society that has endured for more than a millennium.

A.M. Linden interviews Herrwn, chief priest and master bard of the shrine of the Great Mother Goddess.

AML: It is a rare opportunity for an author to talk with a favorite character, particularly one whose story took place in the distant past. I appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule of recitations, rituals, and councils to meet with me.

H: It is my pleasure, and I will do my best to answer whatever questions you have for me.

AML: Thank you. The first thing I would like to ask is when you first decided to become a bard.

H: As for all initiates in the priesthood of our order, the decision of whether I was to become an oracle, a healer, or a bard was made by three Druid masters, one from each of those exalted fields. Having said that, however, I will also say that I never had any wish to be anything else, as my father was a bard, and his father before him. Neither do I believe there was any question about that choice, just as there was no question that my cousin Ossiam would be an oracle or that my other cousin Olyrrwd would be a healer—each of them entering his discipleship with his own father.

AML: Tell me more about your relationship with your cousins. As young boys you were very close despite your different interests, and yet Ossiam and Olyrrwd grew apart and seemed in constant conflict. Why do you think that happened? 

H: They each bear some responsibility for this, as I told them on numerous occasions. Ossiam was always of a somewhat prickly nature, although certainly justly proud of his special relationship with the spirit world, and so he was all too quick to take offense at the witticisms Olyrrwd now and again directed at him. And as hard as it is for me to understand, Olyrrwd never trusted the sincerity of Ossiam’s prophesies, and was apt to challenge them, not only in private but before the high council. Still, I believe there were no differences between them that could not have been resolved if I could have persuaded them to speak to each other with courtesy and respect.

AML: Another question I’ve wondered about is whether, in view of your many years of training and vast knowledge of the epics that are believed to contain all of the wisdom that has been passed down from the beginning of human history, it seems unfair to you that the ultimate leadership of your cult rests with a priestess who may have no qualifications other than being female and of sufficiently high birth to belong to the highest ranks of your order? 

H: Does the natural order of things—that those who have the power to give life should have the ultimate authority over how it is conducted—seem unfair to me. No it does not . . .although . . .

AML Although?

H: Although there may have been some among us, the highest priests of a shrine dedicated to the worship of the Great Mother Goddess, who chaffed at knowing that in the world outside of our valley it is men and not women who rule.

AML: Going back to your cousins, Olyrrwd and Ossiam. They, like you, achieved the highest rank open to men, Olyrrwd as the shrine’s chief physician and Ossiam as its foremost oracle. Yet neither of them was ever chosen either as a consort or to take the part of the Sun God in the summer solstice fertility ritual. I admit to assuming that it was Olyrrwd’s physical impairments that accounted for his being celibate, but Ossiam was physically fine and was quite good-looking, at least in his younger days, and yet he too remained single and childless. Did he ever say whether he resented this or felt slighted, in particular by neither Caelendra nor Feywn choosing him?

H: First, to respond to what you said about Olyrrwd—although it is true that he declined all the offers he received to be a woman’s consort and that he did not take part in the sacred fertility rites, he was not childless for he loved our disciple Caelym as a son and that love was returned. And as for Ossiam . . .no, he never said to me that he harbored any resentment towards the women who did not choose him.

 AML: I’m glad you mentioned Caelym. In a few words, could you tell me about your last disciple?

H: In just a few words?

AML: I’m afraid that’s all we have time for.

H: What color is my hair?

AML: A very light silvery gray.

H: It was brown before Caelym entered into my classroom,

AML: I see. Thank you for sharing your insights with me today. Perhaps we can discuss Caelym more fully at another visit. 

H: As you wish. For now, please convey my best regards to the story-tellers of your time.

—

A.M. LINDEN was born in Seattle, Washington, but grew up on the East Coast before returning to the Pacific Northwest as a young adult. She has undergraduate degrees in anthropology and in nursing and a master’s degree as a nurse practitioner. After working in a variety of acute care and community health settings, she took a position in a program for children with special health care needs where her responsibilities included writing clinical

reports, parent educational materials, provider newsletters, grant submissions and other program related materials. THE OATH began as a somewhat whimsical decision to write something for fun and ended up becoming a lengthy journey that involved Linden taking adult education creative writing courses, researching early British history, and traveling to England, Scotland, and Wales. Retired from nursing, she lives with her husband, dog, and cat. Learn more about the series at DRUID CHRONICLES 788AD.

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Category: On Writing