#stormfallwebcomic

Imagine, for a moment, the world as it once was. Imagine the terrible trembling of the earth and the great storms that ravaged the sky eons ago. Imagine the monsters of unfathomable size that stalked the land, destroying and eating anything that moves. Imagine countless fields of crops lost to pestilence, and your friends dying from famine and disease. In that time, so many thousands of years ago, the human race was few in number and quickly dwindling in the brutal hellscape that our fair earth once was.

Those people that remained lived in a single, well fortified kingdom, struggling to survive in this dark and cruel world. Among those people were five siblings, children of the last king who shared power to help their people survive. Each sibling experienced the suffering of the human race, and knew they could not persist much longer.

Thus the five siblings went to the temple of the Goddess and asked of her: “Please, Goddess, you have placed us in this world, and yet we cannot survive. We beg you to give us the power to not just exist in this world, but to flourish! Give us a chance to live!”

Hearing their plea, the Goddess looked down upon the people and saw how they struggled. Filled with pity, she said to the siblings: “The power you seek rests within five spirits of nature in your world. Each of you must quest one out, and they will grant you a gift of their power to aid you.”

And so the siblings went down the mountain and their separate ways to seek out the spirits.

The first and eldest sibling, Owena, sought out the spirit of the Ocean. Mighty and brave, she gathered around her a battalion of trusted comrades, and together they confronted the monsters that prowled the land around the kingdom, heading for the Ageless Sea. But as they approached the sea, they saw before them an even greater horde of beasts. Undaunted, Owena led her people into a great battle, leaving hundreds of corpses in her wake. But they were outmatched, and after three days of war many of her own had fallen to the unending tide of demons. As the horde closed in around her, Owena felt her heels hit the water’s edge. Desperate, she turned and looked out upon its majesty. She saw how the water, with time, eroded all in its path, and took what it wanted with unrelenting force. So she asked of the ocean: “Give me the power to win the battle against these hordes of monsters, to protect my people, and achieve ultimate victory!” The Ocean read her valorous heart, saw how she bled for her kinsman, and granted her this gift.

And thus Owena and all who choose to follow her wield the magic of unending force and are unmatched in battle.

The second sibling, Ioreth, sought the spirit of the Sun. He was a healer among his people, and was known to be noble and kind. He could not, however, bring himself to travel far from his kingdom in search of the Sun, for many of his comrades, including his wife, lay dying after a recent battle. For three days and nights he cared for them to the best of his ability, but many were beyond the tools of mortal men. As the sun rose on the fourth day, he sat in its warmth, clutching his wife’s dying body, and begged of it: “Please, Sun, grant me the power to mend the wounds of my fallen brethren and free them of disease. Death reaps too great a harvest, so allow us to live in this world a while longer.” The Sun, glowing with radiant light, saw Ioreth’s tears and granted him this gift.

And thus Ioreth and all who choose to follow him are great healers and use their power wisely to help those in need.

The middle sibling, Urna, went immediately to the spirit of the Earth. Wild and free-spirited, she spent much of her youth wandering the forests near and far from her home, despite her siblings’ warnings and the roaming monsters. Therefore she already knew where to find the ancient and withered tree that housed the long-slumbering Earth spirit. Travelling far beyond the ruined crop fields and burned grasslands, to the deepest of the last remaining forests, where the wildlife itself protected her from monsters, she found to it, and resting upon its roots, whispered gently to it: “Grant me the power to restore life to your forests, your fields, and your fens. I will make the soil fertile again, so both my people and the surrounding wildlife may be given plentiful harvest, and we may all continue to prosper in this world.” The Earth stirred at her devoted words, knew her familiar touch as a denizen of the forest, and thus granted her this gift.

And so Urna and all who choose to follow her breathe life into plants, ensuring plentiful harvest and even creating new life of their own, so that none will ever again starve.

The fourth sibling, Emrys, was not sure what spirit it was he should seek. Passionate and whimsical, he returned home and lived among the people instead, trusting the answer would come to him in time. While there, however, he saw how they scraped by, hurt, and wept, despite his siblings’ gifts, for they were all terribly sad and had lost much in their lives. Longing to bring them comfort, he gazed at the endless sky and dreamed of wondrous things; stories and ideas he wished could be brought into the world to lift their hearts. The playful spirit of the Sky saw how Emrys’ mind soared with boundless imagination and so it granted him the power his heart desired but lips did not speak.

And thus Emrys and all who choose to follow him are artisans, makers, entertainers, and storytellers, for they can conjure things from their very mind into the world itself, and such a power brims with possibilities almost as infinite as the sky.

Finally we come to the last and youngest sibling, Alwyn. Sadly, the truth of his tale has been long lost to time, and we are left only with speculation and rumor. Most agree he was an outcast, and chose to wander the world instead of staying safe with his people. Some say he fought with his siblings, others that he sacrificed much to protect them. Perhaps only those of his descendants who remain in the Aenmoore Vale know the truth, but to all others his fate remains a great mystery.  

The most common telling of the tale, told at the Choosing Ceremony and accepted by the Magistrates, is that Alwyn never received his gift from the spirit of the Moon. In those days, the moon shone bright and full every night, changed color with the seasons, and its light breathed life into many plants that thrived under its nighttime glow. But they say a great beast appeared after the last of Owena’s crusades, the last of its kind to ravage the land. The siblings united to defeat the monster, but it was cunning. Before Alwyn could receive his gift from the moon, the monster destroyed its spirit. The Moon died, becoming the soulless rock it is today, only reflecting the Sun’s light. And thus we are robbed of the fifth aspect.

But that’s not a very satisfying end, is it? It leaves many questions unanswered. Why can Alwyn’s descendants, an entire race of people, not choose another aspect and wield magic? Why do so many remain secluded in Aenmoore Vale? Why did Alwyn not receive his gift at the same time as his siblings, before the beast appeared?

Many have proposed answers. Some claim Alwyn was a villain who fought with his siblings, so the Goddess herself cursed him and his descendants for eternity. Other say Alwyn hated magic and swore off it. Some even claim Alwyn took the Moon as a lover, and was cursed for such a forbidden act.

Some tales whisper that Alwyn did indeed receive a gift from the moon, but it has remained a close kept secret among his people. But then why can it not be chosen at the Ceremony? Why keep it a secret? And what could it possibly be?

Whatever the truth is, that is for those of the Moon to consider. The rest of the four aspects, Sea, Sun, Earth, and Sky, can be chosen by anyone at the Ceremony and their wonderful powers passed on. Above all, the truth of this tale is this: Such mighty gifts were given by the Goddess and the spirits to protect both humanity and the world. No one gift is greater than any other, for each fulfills a different purpose. Develop and use your gifts wisely, for they are marvelous indeed, and you will help to shape the future of our world.

Scribe’s Notes:

Decent turnout, one guy in the back won’t stop coughing, though. Think he has the West Plague? Should probably see a Sun Aspect for that but then again… he doesn’t look like he could afford it. And there’s a crying baby, why is there always a crying baby at shows? Little girl in the front must’ve just had her Ceremony and chosen Earth, she was making a flower bloom in wilt over and over again to impress the younger kids. That’s actually pretty impressive for her age! Hopefully servicers don’t haul her off.

Sorry. I shouldn’t mention stuff like that. I’m happy for her, but she could do to be a bit more discreet if she’s that talented. The servicers always take the Earth folk.