Introduction. The story about the two brothers of the small fishing village of Nepris tells us not only about the changes in the relationship of two brothers during their lives. It is also about the Goddess of the Sea, Baveras, who had their hand in the fate of these people - Baveras, the Cold and Deadly One, but also Baveras, the Helping and Caring One. In this story you will find out about both her sides. 
 

here once were two brothers, children of a fisherman and his wife in Nepris. One was named Alof, he was the older one, and the other was called Marin, being two years younger. Alof was a very aggressive child, and didn't make life easy for his smaller brother. In fact it was said that he didn't care much about Marin. Everytime there was work his parents needed to be done, Alof managed to delegate most of it to his brother, and everytime when there were some advantages to obtain, Alof claimed them for himself and Marin received little, if anything. There wasn't much Marin could do - he was the younger and the weaker, and so he accepted his fate.

One day, the two brothers, who were still in their teens, fished together in their ducraer far off the coast. Suddenly, there was a wrenching movement in the nets and as Alof tried to investigate what was the cause for all this turmoil, an enormous swordfish freed itself from the net. In it's desperate efforts while leaping out of the sea, the swordfish hit Alof with its pointed sword. Alof stumbled back, bumping his head on the gunnel, then he rolled into the sea. Marin witnessed the scene with horror and without thinking, jumped after his brother, rescued the unconscious body and dragged him back into the ducraer, thus saving Alof's life.

This event changed Alof. He was so thankful to his younger brother that he started to treat him differently from then on. He even vowed that should something happen some time to Marin, he would also risk his own life to save his brother's.

And so time went by. The brothers grew up and while Marin remained in Nepris, fishing like his father and grandfather, Alof moved to Ciosa, where he became a merchant. Every now and then he visited his younger brother, but there came a time when the contact seemed to break off and they led their separate lives. Marin eventually married the neighbour's daugther and she became pregnant soon after the ceremony. Everybody was happy in expectation of the soon-to-be-born baby and there was a big discussion on how to name the little fellow.

One day, Marin's wife, Amra, lay in throes of agony. What all had hoped would be a great celebration of childbirth, in fact turned out as long hours of labors for the young mother. Being soft and fragile, she struggled for more than a full day with the birth, and though the midwives did their best to save her life, it seemed hopeless.

At the same evening heavy clouds formed over the Mithral and a storm broke out, so intense and terrible that fishermen would speak of it for generations, causing a lot of damage at the Mossy Rocks Cove region. In the midst of the storm Amra struggled with her baby and her life but as morning dawned, neither was her baby born, nor had Amra perished yet from her strains.

When the sun rose, fishermen brought further ill news. A ship had obviously capsized on the cliffs during the storm and various crates and at least one dead body had been found already. However, there seemed to be good news among the bad ones as well, as one of the crates contained a rare medicine, composed of exotic gunthreed leaves which only grow at specific parts at the continent of Nybelmar. The medicine was said to not only have strong effects to soothe the mother's sufferings during childbirth, but could also provide strength.

The Neprisian herbwoman immediately recognized the medicine and knew it was a last chance to save Amra or her unborn child, and so applied it hurriedly.

And indeed, only shortly after the treatment was used, a little boy was finally born and he was healthy with the eyes of his father. Amra, though weary and exhausted, also recovered from her pains very soon afterwards.

It was not until the next day that the proud father discovered that the dead man who had been washed on the coast, and whose medicine had saved his wife's and child's life, was his brother Alof.

Marin prayed for a long time for his brother's soul to find its way to Baveras's embrace, the Sea Goddess whose nearness he had once more experienced in these hard times. He also thanked her for the gift of new life she had granted to him.

Days later when the ritual bathing of the newborn took place in honour of Baveras, it was an easy decision for who the young parents would name their son after.

"Alof", Marin said, and Alof would only be the first of three children that Amra would bore her loving husband in the coming years.
 

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