Branforth the Seer

Overview

Branforth the Seer was a member of the Omega Team.

Time Capsule

On 27th November 2009, the Omega Team time capsule was opened. Inside was Branforth the Seer's final letter.

1. I often dream of things unbidden, secrets reveal'd and secrets hidden, Future, past, or not to be, I cannot say with certainty, But in case I won't return, these visions from my letter learn, And so before Omega leaves... I here entrust you with these dreams.
2. The glor'ous monarch will defend, his homeland to the bitter end, An army built to soothe all doubts, but ripples show in upstart bouts, Make you choice: red blue or gray, choose who to spurn and who obey, You'd like to think there's no price dear, but the real world is not so clear.
3. I saw a mirror torn apart, thousand-spiraling work of art, Behind a veil was once a fool, now its creation is its tool, Suffered from a mighty fall, seeks again to consume all, To face it our heroes prep, to win just watch that first step.
4. A peaceful race comes from afar, a living message in a jar, Find they cannot grow any more, into new flesh they are reborn, Silence breaks by the gods thunder, coexistence cast asunder, Now just one culture slow to change, not evil pure but surely strange.
5. Bloated life which has not a peer, gobbles all that mankind holds dear, The hive will grow to rise and fall, all will battle the monster tall, Across the way a mirror flow'r, has no such foes slow its devour, Not placated with scraps to eat, it's rage shall spark leader's retreat.
6. A thousand men with javelin, fight to compound their master's sin, Darkly corrupt by twilight gaze, a secret deal to end our days. Hero, villain, that time forgot, what do they know that we do not? Side-by-side both sides excel, fighting for time-warped parallel.
7. Time's river's course is left to run, till shattered by the million suns, Eternal gear comes back to warn, all must beware the coming storm, From ice and flame and tests of will, forgotten deeds one can fulfill, Has he made strong by accident, those whose acts will despair prevent?
8. No purse to snatch or kid to nab, is fashioned by a novel lab, But legends writ and lore create, as cohorts play and strangers rate, Easy to praise; the virtues plain, of fighting just to entertain, Endless time spent in sirens dens, yet who will save real citizens?
9. The iron turns into crystal, their doomsday shall be missed til, When a pair of fives arrives, power flows and power drives, The spinning rod lives again, then destroyed in evil's den, Mere prelude to what bright hell, comes from drinking of the well.
10. Man kills brother; sets into motion, a hundred lifetimes of commotion, Meticulous manipulation, attempts to take this very nation, Within mirrors glow he finds a pawn, his trick forces them to take us on, We shall fall for his games no longer, that which challenges makes us stronger.
11. The web is formed in careful craft, since fatal rescue on a raft, Wraith- beast- hulk- thief- prepare for war, the mastermind will hide no more, Let loose the tide of villain mix, heroes will gain their own new tricks, And in the end; a world fini, unless the one stops destiny.
12. Create new thing which heals or harms, accelerate the race of arms, A million more to buy and trade, the inventors must all be paid, A flood of brains rain in the town, but evil lurks to bring all down, The helmed one strikes with draining web, the war comes to a crucial head.
13. You may have seen all that I say, or await it another day, Of many things I have not dreamt, events the gods have not yet sent, And do forgive this awful curse, the fates decree I write in verse, Wish I were there to interpret, but battle calls and must be met.

(signed)
Branforth the Seer

Fan Interpretations

"City of" fans on and off the official forums have interpreted Branforth's letter with some remarkable insights. Please bear in mind this is only speculation and assumptions; events may change later on to make some or all of this moot!

• The glor'ous monarch will defend, his homeland to the bitter end, An army built to soothe all doubts, but ripples show in upstart bouts, Make you choice: red blue or gray, choose who to spurn and who obey, You'd like to think there's no price dear, but the real world is not so clear.

Referencing Praetoria and specifically, Going Rogue.

The monarch refers to Tyrant or rather, Emperor Cole.

The mentioned army is likely to be combination of the Praetorian Clockwork, Seers, Praetorian Police Department, Powers Division and other groups under Emperor Cole's control.

Red, blue, or gray refers to side-switching for Villains (red), Heroes (blue), and the upcoming Rogues and Vigilantes (gray).

Choosing who to spurn and who obey can refer to the numerous moral choices in Praetoria.

• I saw a mirror torn apart, thousand-spiraling work of art, Behind a veil was once a fool, now its creation is its tool, Suffered from a mighty fall, seeks again to consume all, To face it our heroes prep, to win just watch that first step.

Refers to the Shadow Shard and to Rularuu.

• A peaceful race comes from afar, a living message in a jar, Find they cannot grow any more, into new flesh they are reborn, Silence breaks by the gods thunder, coexistence cast asunder, Now just one culture slow to change, not evil pure but surely strange.

Refers to Kheldians, an alien race from across the galaxy who require hosts, along with Warshades who are reformed Nictus.

• Bloated life which has not a peer, gobbles all that mankind holds dear, The hive will grow to rise and fall, all will battle the monster tall, Across the way a mirror flow'r, has no such foes slow its devour, Not placated with scraps to eat, it's rage shall spark leader's retreat.

Refers to Hamidon in The Hive, along with the Devouring Earth. The mirror flow'r refers to the Praetorian Hamidon, who with much less opposition managed to almost completely destroy the world.

• A thousand men with javelin, fight to compound their master's sin, Darkly corrupt by twilight gaze, a secret deal to end our days. Hero, villain, that time forgot, what do they know that we do not? Side-by-side both sides excel, fighting for time-warped parallel.

Cimerora, the Cimeroran Traitors, along with Romulus Augustus' corruption by the Nictus. Side-by-side both sides excel refers to the Cimerora zone being a co-op zone, with players of both sides fighting alongside each other.

• Time's river's course is left to run, till shattered by the million suns, Eternal gear comes back to warn, all must beware the coming storm, From ice and flame and tests of will, forgotten deeds one can fulfill, Has he made strong by accident, those whose acts will despair prevent?

Ouroboros and Mender Silos' warning about The Coming Storm. Additionally, the Pillar of Ice and Flame, which the Menders use to travel through time.

The second part of the verse might refer to player characters gaining Incarnate powers.

• No purse to snatch or kid to nab, is fashioned by a novel lab, But legends writ and lore create, as cohorts play and strangers rate, Easy to praise; the virtues plain, of fighting just to entertain, Endless time spent in sirens dens, yet who will save real citizens?

Refers to the Mission Architect system.

• The iron turns into crystal, their doomsday shall be missed til, When a pair of fives arrives, power flows and power drives, The spinning rod lives again, then destroyed in evil's den, Mere prelude to what bright hell, comes from drinking of the well.

Possibly refers to five archetypes on each side of the fence, Power Set Proliferation, and/or the Well of the Furies.

• Man kills brother; sets into motion, a hundred lifetimes of commotion, Meticulous manipulation, attempts to take this very nation, Within mirrors glow he finds a pawn, his trick forces them to take us on, We shall fall for his games no longer, that which challenges makes us stronger.

Lord Nemesis, and the period when he became Emperor of the Americas.

• The web is formed in careful craft, since fatal rescue on a raft, Wraith- beast- hulk- thief- prepare for war, the mastermind will hide no more, Let loose the tide of villain mix, heroes will gain their own new tricks, And in the end; a world fini, unless the one stops destiny.

The web - Arachnos, which Lord Recluse has been building since the events shown in the novel Web of Arachnos.

Wraith is Ghost Widow, Beast is Captain Mako, Hulk is Black Scorpion, and Thief is Scirocco. The Mastermind is presumably Lord Recluse.

Let loose the tide of villain mix refers to City of Villains itself.

Unless the one stop destiny - Operation: DESTINY, along with the player's role in the scheme of things.

• Create new thing which heals or harms, accelerate the race of arms, A million more to buy and trade, the inventors must all be paid, A flood of brains rain in the town, but evil lurks to bring all down, The helmed one strikes with draining web, the war comes to a crucial head.

Inventions, the Auction House, and Brain Storm Ideas

with draining web - Lord Recluse's plot in Statesman's Task Force.

• You may have seen all that I say, or await it another day, Of many things I have not dreamt, events the gods have not yet sent, And do forgive this awful curse, the fates decree I write in verse, Wish I were there to interpret, but battle calls and must be met.

The gods likely refer to the Developers.