Thread: Grimoire of Myths

Moon Nightshade We marked the dawning of our Third Age by the salvation of ourselves. Though the Dark was pushed back from our borders, expanding the safe regions, there was no knowing how far the Dark had spread. The people might well be the only surviving nation in the world. The people set about ensuring that their cities did flourish, making each of them able to support itself. Around each city spread a vast area of farms, bringing the food needed to sustain the people within. And so did the people begin to divide themselves into classes. The Lower class laboured for the benefit of all, the upper class, those that called themselves noble, looked to the protection and management of the cities. It was in this growing change of the people that others did rise up. Without an external threat to keep the people united, small groups and individuals did take it on themselves to make their own way through life, without regard to the cost to others. It was in this time that a new kind of figure entered into the lands. Bandits fell upon a farming community, looting and burning as they went, casting the survivors into the nearby land to attempt to escape. One of them found herself deep beneath the trees of the forest. And it was here that she found a new fate. Power had swollen across the land with the spreading of the First Fire, and in the forgotten places of the world, that power was collecting, ready to act, if only given a suitable purpose and direction. Though fleeing the bandits, she had wandered into the path of a wolf pack, and was now in flight for her life once more. She stumbled into the heart of the forest, wolves circling, until one of their number leapt for her. The blood that was shed reacted to the power within the forest, and in that instant, a something new was made. She found that the bite had caused her to have the power to assume the form of the wolf, and did so instinctively. Throwing herself into teh effort of surviving, she battled within the forest, and through desperate perseverance, she triumphed. Victory was now hers, and the wolves would fall behind her. Not content with this, she began to look elsewhere. Pack after pack of wolves were bound to her service through careful planning and strength. The strength of the beast married to a human mind made for an unstoppable combination. With a force of wolves behind her, she sought the bandits out. Vengeance was swift and deadly, falling on the bandits with fury and rage. The wolves tore through the camp, killing all that they found. Only a bare few escaped, bringing tales of wolves who attacked in controlled ways, and that a woman strode through them, guiding them, and then changing her very skin to that of a beast, and moving with the pack. Alarmed, and fearing another creature from the Dark lands had made it's way into the lands, the people did react and send out a force to try and corner this creature that moved under the light of the moon. She did not run, nor did she hide. She waited for them at the edge of the forest that had begun in the former wastes. Now a woodland that bore a ground cover of Nightshade, the forest was foreboding to the people, and they shunned it. The hunters came into sight, and found her sitting without fear, her face painted dark with the berries of the Nightshade, and smiling at their approach. Confronted, she explained that she was no creature sent to harm the people, and that she bore them no ill will. She had avenged her family upon the bandits, and made an offer to aid the people. She, and her new force of wolves, could cover ground quickly, and be able to hunt and limit the bandits of the lands. All she would need was their blessing, and to be left alone. Reluctantly granting this, they asked what name she might wish to be known as. She simply looked to the sky, and then to the earth, and announced she would be known by that which she was now known for. A creature of the Moon, bearing the mark of Nightshade upon her face. And so began her new fate, and she swept across the lands, aiding those she could. But to all things, must come an end. Moon Nightshade was brought to heel by the largest of the bandit clans, who sent his people out to hunt the wolves. Her force shrinking, she led them personally to seek the death of the leader of the bandits, one last attempt to bring low this man. She fought with the fury of ages, pushing through scores of bandits, leaving a red ruin in her wake, before confronting the leader. Their battle lasted a night, and both were sorely wounded. The Bandit prepared to withdraw, to save his strength, and return for another battle another day. But it was not to be permitted. Throwing herself into the attack, Moon Nightshade ran herself upon his blade, but in doing so brought him within reach of her lupine jaws, and crushed the life from him. The bandits did scatter, and the remaining wolves of her forces circled her, guarding her body as she began to return to the form she had been born into. She was laid to rest with the honour deserved by one who had dedicated so much to the betterment of the land, and the safety of the people. The people called her Queen of Wolves, for she had bound so many to her aid that whole regions had not seen the tracks of wolves in years. Her legacy lived on, as time would show that more like her did exist, people able to change their skin with that of wolves. We still sing of her, that we might be reminded that fate is not something to be feared and fled from, but rather embraced. By such deeds are heroes made.