Omake - Worth(y) of a Runesmith
Thorek Ironbrow has a swarm of apprentices.
There are many reasons for this, political and personal, but there is one that very few see.
It is kindness.
Thorek is perhaps the finest living runelord. All the Karaz Ankor are in no doubt that there are but two contenders to the title. Kragg the Grimm , and Thorek Ironbrow.
Kragg the Grimm shall never have an apprentice. He shall take none who are not worthy of his knowledge, all his knowledge, and with every year that knowledge increases. As do Kragg's standards. They have long since passed the point he will ever find a worthy apprentice.
Of course Thorek will never take an unworthy apprentice either. They just judge worth differently. But the world is not so kind as to judge soley by Thorek's standards. The world would expect an apprentice of Thorek's to be his equal in skill, or to at least demonstrate that potential.
Foolish of course, Thungi's apprentices had never been Thungi's equals, yet had been worthy all the same. Not that anyone alive could even compare to Thungi's apprentices, but the principle remained. It was gratifying, to be celebrated if the student could surpass the master. But it was not required. But the world did not judge by these standards, and the great flwa of many Dawi is that they judged themselves most harshy of all, for better or worse.
It would take someone truly exceptional to live up to the legacy of Thorek Ironbrow in the eyes of others, and perhaps more exceptional still to live up to his legacy in their own eyes. A heavy burden, almost unbearable for an apprentice, a heavy burden for the teacher.
Yet a problem shared may be a problem more than halved. Thorek will not change his standards of worth, but the world can be persuaded to see things differently. A single apprentice, perhaps even two or three, must face and carry the full weight of their teachers reputation alone. But six, eight, a dozen? Then no longer need any one apprentice be the Paragon. Each apprentice can merely be excellent (for no Runesmith has ever graduated from Apprentice without excellence) and that is enough not to bring shame to their Ancestors or their master.
Perhaps one day that Paragon come to Thorek regardless, emerging from the energetic swarm. But until that day Thorek's apprentices shall benefit from the kindness that ensures the eyes of the world, and of themselves, judge by Thorek's standard of worth.
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AN: In my last omake I wrote this line "... it is a terrible thing too to be apprenticed to one of the greats. Could any apprentice of Kragg the Grimm live up to his legacy unless they were Thungi reborn? Could any apprentice of a Lady Magister hope to settle for merely being acceptable?"
Then I thought about it, and Kragg's standards versus Thorek's stream of apprentices. And this came. Thorek wants to restore the rune knowledge of the Karaz Ankor, a swarm of apprentices helps ensure that less is lost and improves his political power. But why do something for two good reasons, when you can do it for three?
Hopefully I'm not totally misreading Thorek's character.
