The Legacy of the Reinmaren II: THE OATH OF MACKEN

[GoodGuyMatt 7064]

 THE LEGACY OF THE REINMAREN

CHAPTER II: THE OATH OF MACKEN

Penned on the

2nd of Jula and Piov, 375 E.S
 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

CONTEXT

After the sons of Macken defeated their father and half-brother’s army in the battle of Hackam Heide, due to the father electing the half-brother as his successor, the sons of Macken gathered in the field, with the aim of choosing a legitimate successor to their tribe. All of the sons, despite uniting against their father Macken, and their half brother, Karl, had their doubts about selecting a potential successor from among them. Eventually, their middle brother Mathis Mackensen was elected at the price of swearing equal fealty to his brothers to the fealty that he would receive from them. This would later on be ritualised by all of the united Reinmarian tribes, who would enshrine similar sentiments to both their brothers and their men in their succession oaths. 

 

The Oath of Macken, in the modern context, is a series of oaths performed by an heir to one of the Reinmarian houses and the people of that house, along with their other Reinmarian counterparts upon his succession to the leadership of that house. The oath requires specifically designated men, in order to fulfill certain roles as the ceremonial event takes place. Upon the completion of the oath, leadership is considered to be transferred to the new patriarch.

 

Wer Rastet, Der Rostet.

 

THE ROLES

 

Depiction of a Reinmaren Heir and his Begleiter preparing for the Oath of Macken.

 

The Chief - The current patriarch of the House which is going through succession. If the Chief is absent or dead, symbolically a brother or the father of the patriarch would take his place. If either are absent, any kinsman of the chief.

 

The Heir - The Heir is the inheritor (Waldenian: Erbe) of the Chief’s position.

 

Begleiter (x2) - The Begleiter is, quite literally, a companion of the Heir and the Chief, often associated with a brother to them, or a brotherly friend. The Begleiter are often men with a martial disposition. The Begleiter oversees the symbolic transition of power.

 

The Mother - This role is specifically either a mother, a sister, or a close female friend of the Heir, who for the duration of the ceremony, is a symbolic mother to the clan, overseeing the bond between the Men and the Heir.

 

The Men - Even though the name implies that this group is a group of men, this group consists of all kin of the Heir, the other Reinmarian households, and fighting people who are close friends to the Heir. The main part of the oath focuses on the relationship between the Heir and the Men. The Men are a collection of the literal, and the symbolic, family of the Heir.

 

Hauptmann - Selected from among the Men. He is a representative of the Men, and speaks for them.
 

THE CEREMONY

 

Depiction of a traditional Oath of Macken taking place during the succession of Chief Enver Hosha

 

PREPERATIONS

 

In order for the ceremony to be ready to go, a good setting needs to be chosen, preferably a wide open space, where all the Men are able to watch the proceedings, and hear the Heir and the Chief clearly. Preferably, there needs to be a raised platform, where the Chief and the Heir can stand facing each other, in front of the Men. A small table is placed in the middle of the platform. On the table, there shall be a bowl of water, the Holy Scrolls, a bowl of salt, and a very large loaf of bread. In front of the raised platform, a long spear shall be stuck on the ground, displaying the horse blanket of the Chief.

 

The Chief first needs to be equipped with an ancestral weapon, preferably a sword on a belt sheath. He shall be standing on the platform, on one side of the table, with a hand on the handle of his weapon. 

 

The Heir is positioned in front of the Chief, on the other side of the table.

 

The Begleiter of the Heir holds the personal saddle blanket of the heir.

 

The Begleiter of the Chief stays put a few metres behind the Chief.

 

The Mother is below the platform, among the Men, but preferably in walking distance to the platform, staying put.

 

The Men are in front of the raised platform, looking up towards the procession.

 

Hauptmann is not selected yet.
 

THE CEREMONY

 

The Ceremony starts with an address from the Chief. He comes forth in front of the table to speak to the Men.

 

The Chief: "In the name of Gott, I charge you, sons of Reinmar. Select from among you, a man who shall speak for you, who shall take the oath on your behalf. Who shall say your words, who shall carry your burden."

 

The Men select a representative from among them, who takes on the role of the Hauptmann. He steps forward.

 

The Hauptmann: “Sons of Reinmar, our heads are helmets, our chests are shields. Our blood is stout, when our swords are out. Many heads have rolled ‘bout, in the grounds of our knoll. Many heroes have died for our goal.”

 

The Hauptmann: “Speak I shall today, with your tongue and lung. We shall swear with our brother young.”

 

The Hauptmann: resumes his position in front of the group.

 

The Begleiter of the Chief: “Yet another steps forth with glee, I wish you resolve as deep as the sea. Who would approach to take the sword upon his hip?”

 

The Begleiter of the Heir: ”[THE NAME OF THE HEIR] approaches, I decree.”

 

The Heir steps forward. “Hail, children of Reinmar.”

 

The Hauptmann: “Hail!”

 

The Men are encouraged to say “Hail!”

 

The Heir: “My path is your path. My wrath is your wrath. My arm is your arm. My harm is your harm.”

“May my head be sacrificed on your way, may my life be sacrificed on your grave, may my trait be sacrificed upon your gate.”

“Upon the front over, I see salt, bread and water. Shall I stray from our path, may the steel you hold point towards my neck.”

 

The Hauptmann: “Hail, son of Reinmar, The war of words is done. From now on, hope not to speak the lie that cuts the weak.”

“Smoke shrouds the sun, Earth staggers at the shriek of battle, new spun. And as the battle has started, your duty shall have begun.”

“From now on, speak as you do.”

 

The Chief: “Monn ve blauw riek, und rot sun triek.” 

(Old Reinmarian idiom. “May the sky enter, coming out with crimson.” Meaning “May we perish if we do not hold the oath.”)

(The "sky’’ is attributed to the blue sheen of a wet blade, with crimson representing blood.)

The Begleiter of the Chief approaches the Chief, removing his sword from his waist, along with the sheath. He approaches the other Begleiter, going over to hand the sword.

 

The Begleiter of the Heir takes the sword, going over to hand the saddle blanket towards the other Begleiter.

 

The Begleiter of the Chief removes the saddle blanket spurned on the spear, handing the saddle blanket to the Chief. He then proceeds to put the saddle blanket of the Heir to the spearpost.

 

The Begleiter of the Heir slings the sword onto the waist of the Heir.

 

The Mother approaches the platform, taking the bowl from the table. 

 

The Mother: “A chief without a tribe is not a chief.”

 

The Mother presents the bowl towards The Heir.

 

The Heir unsheathes the sword, and proceeds to sprinkle water on the blade, before going over to form a small cut on his own finger. He drips one droplet of blood onto the bowl.

 

The Mother presents the bowl before the Men, who each take a small sip from the water.

 

The Heir cuts the bread with his sword, onto very small pieces, enough to accommodate for every man. He takes one piece for himself.

 

The Mother again distributes the bread pieces to each man, who takes a piece. 

 

The Heir presses the bloodied finger onto the salt bowl. 

 

The Heir: “So my duty begins.”

 

Traditionally, a Priest baptises the new Heir.

 

THE CEREMONY IS CONCLUDED.
 

Depiction of a newly Oathed Reinmaren Chief after the Ceremony

 

---

Penned by, 

His Excellency Erich Barclay, Lord Treasurer of Hanseti-Ruska, Baron von Sigradz

 

Ser Osvald Barclay KML KC

 

[Capt_Chief26 1205]

Reinhardt “Time to swear fealty”