#helrem

After all this time hinting in various ways that Yuder might be Helrem's deceased grandson, I don't believe Kuyu would give up on that idea, not when all that's left to do is confirm the kinship between the two.

I believe Kuyu added this other baby to the village where Yuder was rescued just to maintain the ambiguity that Yuder may or may not be Helrem's grandson, especially since the fact that Helrem never met her daughter-in-law or her grandson makes it even harder to definitively confirm their kinship.

Introduction. Tiberius riding Hypocrites over his completed gate.

Tale 1:The Legend of Tiberius gate (chapter 1 - Of Tiberius and Helrem 1/4 ) part 1. Stories of Beginnings

no warnings

Tiberius Blacstorm was one of the last mages. In Eldan Cynedom, mages were the only form of magic users in the beginning. The Beast Kings of Fey, each a tenth of all magic, made magic houses, which would allow a percentage of people to be born closer to their magical ether. The resulting mages, became the first ones able to learn and use magic. They were meant to be the mediators between fey and men; brining balance between the invisible domain of the shadow veil, and the dwelling of humanity in the day veil. Mages used Ealden Anglain runic, the language of fey, to manipulate magic as it flowed through them. Because of that, mages are said to be able to speak with fey, control weather, wield and make legendary tools, summon elements, move through matter, control any living thing, and travel unfettered into the shadow vail. Magic users were rare in olden times, for the population was smaller, and to harness magic, one had to not only be a mage, but learn lore and spells from one. This resulted in most Mages having specialties. For example, Tiberius was a mage called a Warlock; The crafters of mythical tools, places, and spells.

Mages had an affinity for magic that others did not possess. even if someone was born into a magic house, magery was inaccessible. Thus, it used to be a blessing to have one nearby as a magical resource. Few people were in magic houses then, and the chances of encountering a mage was low. As for the houses themselves, there are five for each of the ten beast kingdoms of fey; Fifty in total, and each group of houses inhabiting a specific nation. Tiberius was a mage born into the house Blacstorm, of the raven kingdom, in the Land of The Grand West. He never knew his parents, but he loved and used magic from the start. In the span of his life, Tiberius was present for vast changes in the world, while being completely oblivious to it. Common folk would soon be able to use magic, and become wizards. As a fine youth, Tiberius was too preoccupied with his dreams; He wished to craft something that would aid the bond between all humans and magic. He wished to build a gate in an isolated and valley of his homeland. A gate would create a magic forest, in which the shadow veil was thin, and fey could move between veils.

Tiberius was adopted by Helrem Monafyra, and his son Murdoc. Both of which were also mages. Tiberius grew up in The Far North, by a forge, where he was trained magery by Helrem. He was rescued by the Mage Queen of The Grand West. She would often receive magical wonders from Helrem. It is said she could control time. Her charity meant Tiberius learned more then how to be a Warlock, but what it was like to have a father and brother. Tiberius was raised kind and ambitious, in a cozy and warm mountain cabin. Strewn with journals, and smelling of sod and soot. While Tiberius was to be a Warlock, Murdoc was to be a seer; An observer, recorder, and teacher of magic. To do this, Murdoc kept journals with illustrations, as all mages do, to preserve humanities encounters with the enchanted. It was in fact, Murdoc’s journals waited to be filled with tales of a changing world. Murdoc, unlike Tiberius, had wanderlust in his dream to see magic around the world; and thus the ability to witness all forms of wonder and misfortune. While the boys had grown and left home, Helrem had a dream of his own, as well. He wished to share his love of magic with all common folk, so they may understand, love, and wield magic like mages.

Living in a secluded mountain of The Far North his whole life, Helrem had no idea what people were like. He lived in a splendorous world of friendly fairies, dragon fire steel, and songs that made light like stars. This is the spirit he used, to make spells and wands for everyone born into magic houses. But though magic is neither good nor evil, people can be either. His gifts made with love, were now in the hands of men who wished to use it against fey, mages, and soon each other; whether from greed, obsession, or fear. For all the common folk knew of magic, was the terror of the shadow veil, the uncanniness of fey, and the grand power of mages. Though some folk did actually adore magic and fey as mages, they were not able to overcome the most powerful forces of the day veil: love, and fear of losing it. But Helrem would not live to see magic wielded as weapons. He lived his last days making spells, tools and wands; selling them to merchants to spread across the lands. His last breath was an affectionate word to his son Murdoc, in old age in the same cozy cabin he loved.

Meanwhile, Tiberius worked on his gate and tower. Naturally, he was unaware of the advances in wizardry, wars, and modernization across the lands. He had secluded himself to a forest, in a great valley, to work on his masterpeice. Though Murdoc would occasionally visit, and a trading post opened near the isle, his only company while working was his familiar, a condor named hypocrites. Familiars are summoned from the soul, and share emotions and sensations with their masters; Thus they make excellent companions, comforts, and partners. Necessary when one lives alone, as Tiberius did. One could even ride a familiar, by adjusting a its size. How else was Tiberius to travel the valley, and see his work take form? It made Tiberius lose himself to his craft, and cause the whole world to disappear. It is fair to say Tiberius was both a man of great dreams, and thus serene vacancy.

As Tiberius worked away, the locals began to fester in fear. They started calling the shadow veil the dark realm, and consumed propaganda of the terrible and dark magic of mages. As they began to have access to Helrem’s spells and tools, they sought to take control. The village that was not far from Tiberius Gate, quickly filled with whispers of his work, that would to bring the dark realm to their doorsteps. But Tiberius, as all mages, did not fear the shadow veil. Mages were so in tune to magic, that it felt soothing to them. No mage who heard these outrageous claims, could understand them. For they knew the true heart of magic; An unbiased, timeless, and childlike wonder. Tiberius’s work was not of malice, but like many mages, it was of charity for all. So filled with love, Tiberius was blind to the villagers increasingly nasty glares, when he went into town. He just waved politely. As far as Tiberius was concerned, many mages had already made gates all over the world; each designated to a kingdom of fey. After all, Murdoc told him all those communities turned out just fine.

Gates were carved of stone and rune, and were used to travel to the shadow veil, to meet the Beast Kings, and hide tools of great magic. Tiberius’s gate would be no different. Aside from some minor adjustments. It would allow mages to travel between gates, to other kingdoms of men, by walking to another gate through the shadow veil. Only one of the many benefits of having a gate. Each one had a special fey kingdom it opened to, and magic forest around it. As for the alterations, Tiberius’s gate was designated for all ten kingdoms in the shadow veil; Thus, it was massive. It also opened directly into the center of the shadow veil. But all gates need to be opened once finished. Once a gate is made, a mage must go dark upon it. Going dark, and having magic travel through someone in a blinding intensity, can be dangerous, but also thins the veils, and opens the gate. Additionally, a mage must then remain in the gates magic forest, to maintain it. The steady flow of magic though a mage kept the veils blurred.

 But Tiberius was wrong about one thing, when it came to the small isolated gates around the world. They had become targeted by those with wands: the wizards. Common folk could now use magic. Most gates were now abandoned and closed, as wizards murdered their once precious mages. The valued bringers of joy and harmony, were soon treated like harbingers of misfortune. The communities were not fine, and Murdoc didn’t want to defile his brother’s dreams, and withheld the truth about magic in the hands of common folk. Gates, and their magical forests, became feared, avoided, and forgotten; Their magic forests neglected. As mages died, so did their magic, and history. Yet, Tiberius still preserved his magery in journals, and painted unicorns, in his happily ever after; from the comfort and safety of his tower, on a gate that no common folk dare visit.