Every hero a legend

 "When the legends die, the dreams end; there is no more greatness."

--Tecumseh (apocryphal)

If the world is a tree, its roots are legends. We cannot see them, but the sap rises. We cannot know they are real, but the tree sways in a storm. The world is grounded by faith in things unseen.

Here, belief makes the imaginary real. So be careful: when I tell you about a hero, you imagine who they are, what they are capable of. The feats of daring and might and mercy, you put yourself in their place. You give them a gift.

But so it is, with legends and heroes. We all believe in what our heroes do, even it is not true. Especially if it is not true. We do not know them, we have not seen these deeds, so our faith is weak. But we are many.

And for every resonance between the legend, and who they truly are--it ties them to us. We make them more Real, tougher to kill, stronger, world-shaking.

Achilles killing an Amazon, a scene from the lost epic Aithiopis, the sequel to the Illiad (precursor of the Odyssey).

This is the power of tales, this is the power of song, of love and tragedy and memory. Saints draw faith down like a river, heavier and heavier, personal. But Legends? They are wound round by blind threads of faith, thin, hard to escape, a net binding.

Here.

The path of a Legend calls many: warriors, charming thieves, swashbucklers, monster hunters, performers, and local heroes like yourself. If you would truly become one, ask yourself: what have you done? And more importantly, what do folks believe you can do?

Physical might and force of will are what a legend needs: the first to do great deeds, the second to be a compelling tale. You don't need to be strong, just dangerous and unforgettable. Some might call it charisma or magnetism, but I have seen enough sheep to know that a goat stands out. If you would be a legend, go your own way, and spread your story.

When you come to town, spend your gold and carouse and tell your boastful tales. Hire a singer to sing your praises in the taverns, or do it yourself. Live life to the hilt: let all envy you, but most importantly, let all talk about you.

The power will come as your fame grows.

Your name will no longer be your own. All heroes and villains are given new names by the people, often followed by an epithet. Already in the streets, they are calling you Brin the Bloody, and that is a dangerous one indeed.

What, you don't like it? If you want power, young Legend, you will live the stories they tell about you. It is not every day an Ogre dies to a lone spear.

But be wary: you are caught in a web. Fame is a dagger at the throat. If you become a villain in the eyes of the people, either lose your power or become a villain in truth. And yes, in this way, legends can become monsters. If we let them, stories can trap us in weakness, in error, in endless regret. What is an Ogre or a Dragon, but a thing caught in a myth it no longer tries to escape?

Legends never truly die, if their story lives on. Tyrants, heroes, killers, singers--all linger here, and if killed, wait just beyond the Veil to return. We are stones that history flows around, fires that refuse to go out.

So go forth, young hero, and may your deeds be told to children a thousand years from now. Burn bright.

-- A translation*, from Tradespeak, of Teller's counsel to Brin the Bloody in a quiet tavern, overheard and recorded by the scholar Raman, several years before Teller's Deathsong.

*For other entries in this collection, see 'Every Cleric a Saint'.