Greywolf's Ironclaw Page

Greywolf's Ironclaw Page - The Wanderers

To the ancient eye, the night sky was composed of but the stars and moon, and the hazy trail that the Repense have dubbed the Spilled Wine. But some of these stars refused to stay in place upon the velvety canvas where they belonged. These wandering stars perplexed ancient observers. If they are tracked over time, they are found to travel - occasionally turning back - along an unseen trail that passes through the constellations that comprise the Repense Zodiac. This line is known as the Ecliptic Plane, and it is this same path that the sun travels along.
In ages past, the Repense assigned names to these wandering stars, and dutifully recorded them in their observations. Other cultures about the world have noticed them as well, and have their own names for the Wanderers (also known as the Planets), but the diligence of the Repense is unmatched in the study of the night sky. Hence, their names for the Wanderers are commonly accepted in most scholarly circles throughout Calabria.
Before the advent of the worship of S'allumer in the lands of the Bisclavret - and, by extension, the Repense - the Wanderers were supposed to be heavenly beings in service to the court of the gods. Hence, they traveled through the heavens, doing the bidding of the gods, whereas the gods stayed in their rightful stations.
Due to the advent of the law of cuius regio, cuius religio in the lands of Bisclavret (whereby the religion of the king is the religion of the people) the Repense have changed the nomenclature of their charts to accommodate the new world-view. Whereas the Wanderers were once believed to be mortals that had been granted immortality by the gods, now they are "saints" in the service of the Light, still keeping their original names and roles, despite the slight change in title.
In horoscopes of the Repense, it is very important to know what constellation one is born under. More complex horoscopes also take into account the position and phase of the moon, as well as the positions of the Wanderers at the time of birth. If by chance one of the Wanderers should be passing through the dominant constellation at the time of one's birth, this is seen as having an additional influence upon one's life.
The Five Wanderers

There are five planets that are visible with the naked eye.

St. Brangaine - The Mouse Star
Brangaine is the fastest of the Wanderers, though she keeps close to the sun, meaning that when she is visible, it is only shortly before sunrise or after sunset, depending on her position. According to tradition, she is the scroll-bearer and messenger of the heavens. Her rune is therefore that of the Scroll.
Her role in horoscopes is that of a bringer of omens - for good or ill - from the heavens.

St. Wynne - The Doe Star
Wynne is distinctive for being the brightest of the Wanderers; through a telescope, she can be seen to shine a faint blue-green. She is typically seen either in the late evening or early morning; like Brangaine, she does not depart far from the sun. Her role in the heavens is that of a servant and water-bearer. Her rune is that of the Vase.
In horoscopes, she figures heavily into predictions concerning romance.

St. Weylyn - The Wolf Star
Weylyn is noticeably red in color. His role in the heavens is that of a huntsman and archer. His rune is that of a Bow and Arrow; the Bow of the Zodiac belongs to him, and a conjunction of the Wolf Star with the Bow is seen as a significant portent.
In horoscopes, the Wolf Star is sometimes a harbinger of war and conflict; he is also associated with searching (hunting), and when the Wolf Star approaches one of the six "beasts" of the Zodiac, he is referred to as being "on the hunt."

St. Trahern - The Bear Star
Trahern is the smith of the heavens, possessed of legendary strength and skill, and he is known as a formidable wrestler. His rune is that of the Anvil.
In horoscopes, whereas the Wolf Star is often seen as a harbinger of conflict, the Bear Star is a harbinger of the end of conflicts ... one way or another. In horoscopes, his role is multi-fold; he plays a role in predictions concerning conflict, whether martial or commercial, and he is associated with traits of strength, courage, and craftsmanship.

St. Condan - The Cougar Star
When viewed through telescopes, Condan appears to be slightly elliptical in shape. It is said that in the most powerful telescopes of the Repense, it is possible to see that the Cougar Star actually has a ring around it. In legend, Condan is a brilliant architect, engineer and artist, serving the court of Heaven. His rune is the Compass.
In horoscopes, the Cougar Star is far less ominous in its alignments than the other Wanderers. However, if one is born under a sign that the Cougar Star is passing through, it raises expectations that the child will grow to be especially inclined toward artistic and scientific pursuits.