Foreword: The Caged Bird's Song

One of the oldest tales in Fallmen culture, The Caged Bird's Song was well known and widely beloved prior to the Persecution lead by King Tobias of all those deemed 'unnatural' by the College of Priests, including individuals belonging to the Twelve Wayfarer tribes, the Fae, and those possessing innate gifts such as Blood magic or Velle Meum. With its allusions to magic and Wayfarer culture, the retelling of The Caged Bird's Song was subsequently suppressed, and it soon disappeared from public memory. As well as being one of our oldest oral traditions, The tale of The Caged Bird's Song is also held within scholarly circles to be one of the first recorded references to the phenomenon of the Seer, a recurring gift in many cultures.
According to Wayfarer tradition, Seers are individuals who are said to have the soul of a bird and are therefore gifted with the ability to see the truth. Wayfarers believe that those with the gift are beloved of the Triple Goddess and possess the ability to see the truth of all things past, present or future. The way in which the truth is perceived is unique to each individual: some may see them as visions or flashes, as dreams or as stories or songs. Although the means of acquiring such knowledge differs between individuals, it is generally understood that the individual perceives the truth as it exists in that moment, meaning that some truths are not bound in stone, so to speak, but may be influenced by the passing of certain events or the actions of certain individuals.
Other cultures also speak of those that can see the truth, although their traditions offer different explanations for these individuals' powers. Mauranians believe that those born neither male nor female are favoured by the Great Mother and share in their wisdom, whilst the peoples of Summer, particularly of Dirakh, believe that those blessed by The Potter, the god of craftsman, the arts and magic (who is associated with Orus in Dirakhi culture) are gifted with the ability to see what lies beyond. Whilst the origins behind the gift of Seeing varies between peoples, certain details are common in every tale regarding these individuals. According to legend, Seers can easily be identified by their amethyst and yellow eyes with slightly elongated pupils; thick, almost feathery hair and sharp, beak like noses. Seers are also said to possess a strong affinity for birds and the ability to communicate with them. Individuals with close relationships with birds may be seers. Whilst it is generally agreed that most seers are born with their abilities, there is an account of at least one individual who received the gift after consuming the fabled potion of wisdom and knowledge.