| Blue Brigade | |
| |
| Description | |
| Organization type: | Cult |
| Doctrine: | Purging the world of vanity |
| Sub-groups: | Blue Feather Club, 'Striga Force' (when aligned with the Pure Ones) |
| Headquarters: | The Great Ga'Hoole Tree (formerly) |
| Personnel | |
| Founder: | The Striga |
| Leaders: | The Striga (deceased) Nyra (to an extent) (deceased) |
"Hope she's not going through an early molt. The Striga and Field Marshal Cram want all the owls that we're supposed to bring in full feather. Burn better that way."
"Scouring. That's the word we're supposed to use. Scouring - not burning - remember? That's the one the Striga always uses. It's their redemption. Cleanse them so they can rise to Glaumora."
-Two Blue Brigade owls discussing their practice of burning other owls
The Blue Brigade was a cult created by the Striga with the intent of eliminating all vanities from the world. The Striga believed a "Great Scouring" was coming that would mean the end of the world. All the owls would die and only a few would go to Glaumora. Their members all wore one of the Striga's blue feathers tucked into their plumage.
The group would go on raids across the Southern Kingdoms, breaking into hollows and forcefully taking any items they deem unnecessary such as art, jewelry, toys, and most important of all, books. Books created with the intent of learning were permitted, but any fictional piece of literature, poetry, joke book, or book of legends was to be taken. They were called "skart." All these items are then burned.
Description[]
Members of the Blue Brigade donning their blue feathers
The owls of the Blue Brigade are notable for their fanatic devotion to their mission. Owls who refused to give up their "vanities" or who resisted them were marked with a singed blue feather placed outside their home. Kalo refused to give up a book of legends until it was ripped from her talons and thrown into the fire, and she later tried to piece together the charred remains to restore the book. This led to her burrow being marked, forcing her to flee. Once marked, the only hope of the owl family was to flee and go into hiding. If they were caught, they would face trial by fire for keeping an unclean habitat - a home profaned by the "vanities" and "skart literature" that they refused to give up. If the owl could escape the strong fibrous green vines that bound them to the stake, while reciting the Glaux Creed, before they were burned to death, they were deemed innocent. The Glaux Creed was invented by the Blue Brigade. Its exact text was not listed but it was said to be a jumble of words about the hagsfiends, lustrous pearls, rich fabrics, and the dark and haggish ink of skart pages printed by the "monster" - the printing press. There are no known instances of owls that survived the trial by fire. Many charred skeletons of owls who were burned alive were found. Doc Finebeak also surmised that once the Blue Bridgade was done burning works of art, they would start burning artists, such as Madame Plonk, as singing and music were considered useless vanities.
The burning of owls were officially called "Scourings." The Striga considered burning an owl in fire redemption for their selfish love of vanities. Doing so cleansed them of their sins so they would rise to Glaumora in death, thus saving them from being damned to Hagsmire.
When recruiting owlets at the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole, the Striga called his group the "Blue Feather Club." He lectured to the owlets on his beliefs that they would soon die and the dangers of vanities, how their love of them would keep them from rising to Glaumora. They were supposed to burn their toys and favorite possessions to prove their humility. He also gave each one a blue feather. The adults paid little mind to the club, not realizing what was being said, seeing it only as a club for young'uns.
History[]
Exile[]
The Striga has manipulated Coryn into send out the Band under the pretense of a weather experiment. Their first hint of the Blue Brigade is the smell of burning paper on the border of Silverveil and Shadow Forest. Meanwhile, at the Great Tree, a visit from Trader Mags gives Otulissa and Fritha more information about the Blue Brigade: The Striga has been in the Southern Kingdoms longer than he's been at the Great Tree, groups of owls have been seen gathered around small fires, all owls who've joined receive a blue feather which they display in their plumage, and among the things they've burned are paper and shiny things. The librarian, Winifred, also chimes in that several books are now missing from the library.
One night, as the Striga leaves on one of his "contemplative journeys", he's followed by Doc Finebeak to the Barrens. He observes the Blue Brigade harassing the Burrowing Owl family who Coryn helped, particularly Kalo, who refuses to give up her book. Having built a pyre, they rip the book away from Kalo, burning it and any other "vanities". She demands to know who's responsible. The Striga declares that this is done by order of King Coryn as he bathes in the light of the flames.
Meanwhile, the Band heads for Ambala to talk to Mist. She, the eagles, and the flying snakes, fill them in on the activity they've seen: raiding, burning, stealing books from the Tree's library, all in the name of Coryn. Unbeknownst to them, Tarn, the Burrowing Owl who was Nyra's captain, is spying on them. While he hates wearing a blue feather, he must look out for his self-interests. He later reports to the Striga that the Band were consorting with a scroom. Upon hearing this news, the Striga plans to sneak his Blue Brigade into the Great Tree on Punkie Night under the cover of masks. As the Band leaves Ambala, they discover a notice that declares them guilty of hagscraft and defectors to the Northern Kingdoms. Twilight, however, is too shocked by another discovery: the charred skeleton of an owl lashed to a burnt stake.
Word quickly spreads to the Guardians that the Striga and his Blue Brigade are waiting until Balefire Night to begin what they call the Great Scouring. Back in the Barrens, the Burrowing Owl family has been marked with a singed blue feather. To protect her family, Kalo has already left. Cory decides to go see Coryn to get some answers, only to pass multiple smoldering pyres. He goes yeep thinking they're burning the Band, but is saved by Gwyndor, who tells him that they steal his coals to make their fires, and they're only burning effigies of the Band. The Blue Brigade, as well as several other owls, throw assorted articles onto the pyre. Field Marshal Cram lights it, and the Blue Brigade owls dance, chant, and cheer.
Cory is refused by the guards, all Blue Brigade members, to see the king. Although he talks his way in, the Striga quickly has him thrown out. Having finally regained his senses, Coryn reads the flames in his grate, while a Short-eared Owl "keeps him company". Coryn soon leaves, declaring that he's off to the Spirit Woods to talk to scrooms. The guard reports this to the Striga, who decides to use this as an opportunity to take over the Great Tree, knowing that there are now enough of his Blue Brigade in the tree to take it by force if any inhabitants continue their devotion to Coryn.
In the Shadow Forest, a Great Gray and a Great Horned are looking for Kalo to take her back to the tree for the Scouring. Coryn, Kalo, and the Rabbit manage to kill them, but at the cost of the Rabbit's life. Balefire Night has then arrived and the Band plot their return by pretending to be greenowls, owls dressed in green moss and leaves in celebration for the night.
The Blue Brigade captured Bubbles, but not Trader Mags. While Field Marshal Cram questions if the Striga is worried about those loyal to the Band, the latter declares that he has given the owls a simpler way, particularly the children. Three "Marches" are arranged for the owls of the Great Tree to burn their vanities during the celebration. It starts with the March of the Toys for the owlets. The youngest are made to burn their owlipoppen, down-stuffed toys they sleep with. Younger owls also burn their favorite toys, like a tail clip, and Bell sacrificed a berry necklace she made. Bell is apologetic for her siblings as she has realized the Striga was manipulating her, but right now she plays along so he doesn't suspect he has lost her loyalty. During the March, several Blue Brigade members pry vanities from the children, and then sing praise to the Striga, while he whispers to Cram that Bell is now his. Following this are the planned March of Diamond (for the adult owls to throw away their vanities) and the March of Scurrilous Books, exclusively burning skart books, something the Striga also calls the March of Pride. During the last march, the Striga planned to tie several "prideful" owls on pedestals amid the confiscated books and burn the owls with the books. He plans to use this execution to teach the owls of the Great Tree to obey him.
As Elvan buys the Guardians time, Quentin sneaks them their ice weapons and they hide them in their greenowl disguises. When the March of Diamonds is supposed to start, the Strix Struma Strikers, led by Otulissa and Pelli, charge the Blue Brigade, beginning the battle. Cram's wing is taken off as the battle begins. The greenowls throw off their disguises and join in with the rest of the Guardians. More Guardians take tinder set aside for them, which supposedly was for the bonfires, and ignite it to also get their flame weapons. Taken by surprise, most of the Blue Brigade was unarmed and hurried to get their battleclaws. Nurse maid snakes herd the young owlets away. Still blaming herself for supporting the Striga, Bell slipped away to help her mother. It is a melee of smoke, flying ice chips, and sizzling branches. Some Blue Brigade members have by now gotten battle claws and are fighting, not just within the canopy, but within the hollows of the tree's trunk. It is the first battle within the Great Tree in its history. Bell grabbed an ice splinter chipped off in the fighting and killed a Barred Owl dueling with Pelli, but she was then taken hostage by the Striga. He orders everyone to drop their weapons and they obey, but he is sent flying by Tengshu using the Breath of Qui, and Bell is rescued. The Striga makes his escape with a few followers, but the rest were dead.
The War of the Ember[]
In the following months, the Striga and Nyra form an alliance to 'reawaken' hagsfiends into the world. Tarn returns to Nyra's service and what little is left of the Blue Brigade is merged with the Pure Ones and are situated in the Deserts of Kuneer, then take formation in Beyond the Beyond in the Battle of Long Night. Both the Striga and Nyra are killed, albeit at the tragic cost of Coryn's life, and what little remains of the Pure Ones are routed and presumably scattered to parts unknown. It is unconfirmed, however, if any of the Blue Brigade were with them or if they had all been slaughtered.
Notable Members[]
- The Striga (leader)
- Field Marshal Cram (second-in-command)
- Kalo's Adversary
- Short-eared Guard
- Coryn's Opponent
- Tarn (formerly; rejoined the Pure Ones)
- Other Blue Owls