Trident of Jubilee Fiction

[EM Mystique]

Trident of Jubilee

A low growling moan echoed across the waters of the small harbor villages along the coasts of Skara Brae and down to Jhelom. The villagers went about their daily business in an urgent sense of anticipation and fear. The sky grew darker and the waves grew angry with each incoming crash.
Even the wizened old beggar who sat by the door of the pub was more fidgety than normal, and his incoherent ramblings had a note of urgency few were inclined to ignore. He was far from gathering crowds but those who passed would linger for a moment to hear his snippets of lore, rumor and history.

Suddenly an intense flash of lightning and crashing thunder sent shock waves across the lands. Dogs whimpered and barked running to hide, children were crying and parents were in a state of panic, horses were spooked into running wildly out of control. The blind beggar leapt to his feet with a grace and elegance that almost made him look young and healthy. Straight for the middle of the road and in the path of the oncoming horses he stood with his hands on his hips and an air of authority.

As the horses bore down on him he braced himself in the street put one hand out and yelled “STOP!” causing the horses to skid to an abrupt halt digging hooves deep into the dirt road and their bodies so close to the beggar that their breath moved his hair. Without missing a beat the old man turned from the massive beasts that almost trampled him to death, and with both hands raised in the air his unseeing eyes stared into the darkening sky.

“Woe to you, the fools and weak of mind and body! Curses on your heads, oh thee who thinks to play the thief on the likes of ME! I, The Oracle of Water, will avenge this treachery and those of the walking world Will Pay! Return to ME what is Mine, and your petty lives May be saved!”

As suddenly as the change came, it left and the old man was left in the street surrounded by angry and startled horses. It took several villagers to assist him in returning to his place by the pub.

The calm that had been gathering was suddenly a torrent of rain and winds. Boats in the harbor and off the coast were being tossed about like toys in the hands of a spoiled child’s tantrum. The horrible warning was opening before their eyes and the people were at a loss to know what to do.
A council of the elders was called quickly and voted to send a convoy immediately to the Queen. It must be discovered what all this meant and how to return whatever it was that had been stolen.

 

[EM Mystique]

Trident of Jubilee Part I

Saturday November 13th at 7pm PST there is a call to gather at the Counselors Hall to meet with EM Mystique to discuss a growing threat across the lands.
Come ready to battle the elements and save the lands from imbalance and chaos.
Your assistance is requested!
EM Mystique

 

[EM Mystique]

PART II

In stunned silence the Oracles of Earth, Wind and Fire huddled together. Finally in quiet deliberation it was concluded that the Priestess needed to be summoned to act as liaison between the populace and the Oracles. There would need to be a great quest in order to discover where the Item of interest was located and who may be the real culprit behind the theft.
The consequences for these actions was indeed heavy, and the reasons must be discovered. Even more important is learning the knowledge of the Trident’s importance and then to discover where it is kept.

To be sure the Oracles rarely interact with one another, more than not the meeting of one with the other is destructive. Tidal waves, tornados, earth quakes, fire storms all are outcomes of Forces converging. To this end none were familiar with the Trident or its use, to the others it was merely a trinket used by the Oracle of Water. The importance it holds became quite clear with the small invasion of Serpents Hold.

And so the Oracles proceeded with summoning the Priestess. Her answers would be most informative it was certain.

“Greetings to you most honored Elementals, may your powers be ever great and the worlds remain in awe of your magnificence. *deep sweeping bow* I am honored to serve. What is required of me, oh great and powerful lieges?”

The Oracle of Earth responded with the heart of all that was desired.

“The Oracle of Water has accused Us of stealing an item belonging to her. We know not of this thing nor are we aware of its location. What is this Trident of Jubilee, who has taken it, and how do we return it to the rightful owner?”

Shocked and a bit taken aback the Priestess gathered her thoughts a moment then began to answer their query.

In a soft fluid voice she settled into the tale of adventures from long ago.
“The Trident of Jubilee is a staff of Celebration and Remembrance used by the Sea gods. Its significance is in holding the power of balance on the worlds. It is, in fact, the Key to a cage deep in the Great Abyss that holds a great Evil. You see, long ago in the age of Great Heroes the lands were ruled by horrible creatures that wreaked havoc both on land and sea. When the heroes conquered these Titans of the Deep they forged a cage in which to hold the vile beasts. The Trident is the only thing able to release this fury. If it is not found before the rising of this month’s full moon all those that were locked will be free, their cells will fade and they will once again roam our lands.”

The Priestess released a heavy sigh and a low moan at the words she had just spoken and the weight of the consequences they entailed.

“It would be my suggestion,” she began “to gather a precious stone from each of the three remaining Oracle to give as an offering in Earth’s Great Stew. It will require from Earth, a rough diamond. From the Wind a sand stone quartz. From Fire a fire opal. Return these gems to me and I will offer them to the Great Stew. From that we will learn what more is required.”
The great effort and heavy burden that the Priestess carried caused her to fade into the shadows eagerly awaiting the offerings from the three Oracles.

 

[EM Mystique]

Citizens of Sosaria gather at the Counselors Hall in Serpents Hold November 17th, 7pm PST to meet with the Priestess of the Oracles. We gather to find the secret locations of their Gems in order to create the Earth’s Great Stew.

 

[EM Mystique]

Part III

She stood in the center of the room watching as the throngs of brave warriors dispersed. Their task complete and now the business of tending wounds was at hand. The urgency they exhibited in this call to arms was indeed a testament to the heart of these people. Spoils of battle were divvied and the victors returned to their routine eagerly awaiting the next task.

Finally alone in the still quiet of the Great Hall, only the flickering dancing shadows for company, the Priestess smiled a sad smile to herself as she remembered the days battles for treasures from stingy Oracles. She opened her hands to reveal the Gems from Earth, Wind and Fire. The stones were cool in her tiny palm yet the power they possessed would either help save the world or destroy it.

Slowly gliding across the cool stone floor towards the bubbling caldron the lithe figure began to chant the incantation that would summon the powers she required. Circling the boiling Stew and softly murmuring one by one she added the Gem to the pot. Each in order with their special commands they dropped erupting anew the violent churning liquid. With each Gem her words became more forceful and louder until the final Fire Opal dropped.

Her hands raised she summoned fire and lightning to charge the magic brew to bring forth her part of the quest. Dipping a long ladle into the Earth’s Great Stew she retrieved the dark shimmering elixir of Coal and Oil. Pouring it carefully into a special vial she watched the Pot vanish into a mist.

In a flurry of a wind storm the Priestess was whisked away to a special place where an ancient tree grew gnarled and twisted by the four winds. Its branches and bark grew in erratic directions tossed about by the arguments of the corners of the earth. The Twisted Tree stood in the vortex of the Oracle of Wind’s domain listening to all the whisperings that floated in the breezes. The Priestess knelt and poured her Elixir into the trees roots to waken its knowledge. A soft groan came from the Tree as the Priestess spoke into its wood the concern and desire for knowledge. With a shudder and moan the Tree released one Fluttering Leaf engraved in its veins was a map that could only be revealed by Fire.

Once again the wind storm carried the Priestess to a dying volcano where Fire’s Ash and Embers were used to expose the Map on the Fluttering Leaf. Whispering the desire into the Leaf as the Embers worked their magic slowly began to show a location on the map.

Not only were the Coordinates revealed, but the true nature of the original Crime became known. Back in a hidden Valley where the Wicked Blackthorn built a castle lives a group of Savages. A young Savage warrior trying desperately to earn his place in the tribe got hopelessly lost in a forest quest. Tripping over an ancient root he fell into a river. Being washed downstream he was unceremoniously deposited onto a small outcropping of stones. In the middle of the stones was a “stick” that had been jammed into a crevice. Angry and frustrated the young boy kicked at the stick loosening it from its stone bed. Reaching down to retrieve the item a surge of electricity flowed through his body.

The power that flashed knocked him out for quite some time. When he woke he felt different, the Trident he held in his hand seemed to be magically drawn to him. He stood on feet that did not feel like his, and with a voice that was deep and sinister he commanded a wish that whisked him back to his village in the blink of an eye.

Once he returned to the village the Elders tried to claim the new trinket from the simple boy, but each was met by a horrible death. Finally the boy decided to place the Trident of power in a central location where he felt would be best kept from the wicked selfish Elders.

The location was indeed sound, but the depth of the Elder’s foolishness was profound. They each hired a Shaman to try to magically retrieve the Trident with the understanding that which ever one succeeded that Elder would then be the owner of the Power. Each Shaman in turn tried their craft and each found their efforts horribly horribly thwarted. In the end the boy finally decided to summon two great Guardians to protect the Trident and do his bidding. The concept worked, but the boy was killed leaving the changed Shamans and the Guardians without a leader to guide or to control their actions. They protect the village but at a price. Each morning one villager is sacrificed to the Guardians to maintain their strength.

When the Priestess heard the tale and discovered the location of the Trident of Jubilee she raced back to the Great Hall to call again the warriors of the land. A great army would be needed at the Place of Convergence in order to end the Oracle of Water’s fury and to rescue the village from their own misfortune.

Once the Guardians are defeated and the Shamans put to rest the Trident will be returned to its rightful place deep in the Dark Ocean. It is hoped that will be sufficient to stay the anger and appease the Oracle.

 

[EM Mystique]

Join the Priestess of the Oracles at Serpents Hold Counselor’s Hall on Tuesday Nov 30th at 8pm PST to find the Trident of Jubilee.