Ostlea: A Land of Legends - Sheeplet & Rexling

***Sheeplet & Rexling*** is the third chapter in the Library book *Ostlea: A Land of Legends*. It is the sequel to Spring Eggstravaganza Origins and tells of the first time the Shelled Sheeplet and Shelled Rexling were created.

## Story

Sheeplet was a quiet village along the Road to the Ruins. Once, a very long time ago, the now humble inn hosted the wealthiest merchants on their way to the bustling cities. Even while the town enjoyed the luxuries brought by trade they never forgot their agricultural roots and survived even when travelers thinned and trade routes shrank. Due to Sheeplet's close location to the town of Duckle, it was one of the first locations to learn of the Shelled Duckle. A few of the braver villages had their own Shelled Duckle, and would bring them to help in the fields to help guard and maintain morale. In the town center, children and adults loved to play with Shelled Duckles as some were quite clever and could even learn complex
tricks!

One lovely summer afternoon a stranger made his way through the town. The villagers were accustomed to travelers and extended their hospitality to the worn newcomer, but there was something different about this fellow. He traveled with a large case marked "FRAGILE" and he demanded it be left near a large fire. He wasn't the friendliest sort but eventually said he was returning home from a hunting trip; what he was hunting he refused to say. The villagers gave him his privacy and returned to their games. While he was brooding by the fire, he spotted a Shelled Duckle. "What an amazing creature!" he exclaimed as he jumped from his chair. Seemingly from thin air, he produced a large net and had it over the Shelled Duckle's head before anyone knew what was happening.

The captive Shelled Duckle made quite a racket as the stranger examined it. One of the village children crept over to the traveler, and asked him to free the poor creature from the net. The Stranger looked at the child, almost as though he was trying to determine who or what could possibly have the courage to question him. The Stranger informed the child that the creature was a new discovery and should be taken to a museum at once. The Shelled Duckle made quite a ruckus at this--it didn't know what some of those words were but it understood that it meant it would be taken from its home. The Stranger tried every way he could think to entice the villagers to allow him to leave with the Shelled Duckle. They explained several times that the creatures could be crafted at the Spring Festival, but he had no time to go rushing about collecting things. He simply wanted this specimen. Because they would not relinquish the creature to him, he then laid a curse on the town, dooming the township to waste away and expire as clearly the intellect of the townsfolk had before vowing to go to the Spring Festival to obtain a Shelled Duckle. The townsfolk worried when the stranger left. They didn't like any guest to feel slighted and they were quite worried about the curse.

There was one child in the village who may be described as "not quite right" by his elders. He was nice enough and tried his best when given a task but sometimes he would look as though he were listening to something no others could see or watching something no one else could see. He was a bit clumsy and, though a few thought he was quite bright, he talked with a stutter and couldn't always get the right words to come out. The Shelled Duckle the Stranger had wanted to take belonged to the boy's father and helped watch over the boy. He knew that a Shelled Duckle was most loyal to the person who helped create it but Shelled Duckles were clever and could feel love and generosity, especially as they grew older and would be as loyal to the children of the owner or the partner of the owner. He resolved to make one for The Stranger, in a gesture of goodwill. The child wasn't actually concerned about the curse but was rather quite sure that The Stranger was terribly lonely.

The days that followed grew darker and darker for the town. The summer was hot and the crops suffered. The hard summer gave way to a harsh winter. The boy spent his days trying to help his family and collecting ingredients for a Shelled Duckle for the stranger, incase he ever ventured by again.

When the Spring Festival arrived the town was in a mess. The boy had to creep away to the town of Duckle to craft his planned special pet. The boy arrived and started crafting. He had supplies for several pets and made as many as he could. With his new eggs tucked safely in his pack, he returned to the town of Sheeplet and tucked them into a safe, warm corner of his home. He dutifully cared for the eggs and turned them every day. He was a bit dismayed when the eggs began to hatch and he didn't see Duckle feet sticking out. Rather, an odd fluff seemed to puff out of the egg and he despaired, fearing that he didn't craft the eggs correctly and the eggs would be failures. He continued to tend the hatching creatures diligently and eventually the eggs hatched into something quite unexpected. Rather than Shelled Duckles, there were quadrupedal creatures in wool. He brought the creatures into the town to show them off.

The townsfolk of Sheeplet were surprised to see the creatures. They inquired the boy where he had obtained them, and he admitted to sneaking off to the festival. They determined that taking the eggs from the Spring Festival so quickly must have turned them into these new creatures. A small procession of villagers formed as they wandered to the Spring Festival following the small flock. When the town and creatures arrived at the Spring Festival, all the celebrants wanted to know how to make the new creatures. The townsfolk explained, and the next few days saw clever crafters trying to make the new wooled creatures. After many attempts, it was determined that if the creatures were taken to the town of Sheeplet they would hatch into the new creature and so were dubbed "Shelled Sheeplets."

The spring saw an end to the harsh weather that had plagued the town. Where Shelled Sheeplets roamed the plants flourished and the town elders proclaimed their achy joints didn't complain so much when a Shelled Sheeplet was their companion. The company of a Shelled Sheeplet could break a fever within the day and their wool was found to help speed the healing of cuts. Whether Shelled Sheeplets are simply good luck or if the discovery of the creature and finding the origin satisfied the curse no one will ever know. The Stranger never visited the town again and the boy was never brave enough to ask after him later in life.

However, unknown to the townspeople of Sheeplet and Duckle, The Stranger had indeed gone to the Spring Festival to craft a Shelled Duckle of his own. He spent a tiring number of hours collecting the necessary items before rushing off, leaving the town behind and still quite irritated that he had to go through the long and drawn-out process of obtaining the creature for himself. The Stranger found himself returning to the town of Rexling, where his hunting had taken place in a forest outside the town.

Returning to his room at the local inn, he gathered the materials together and began the task of crafting a Shelled Duckle. Quite pleased when the egg began to take form, he tended the newly born egg with a tender care that most others had never been graced with the opportunity to see from The Stranger. When the egg revealed a scaly tail instead of orange Duckle feet, he an odd combination of emotions: shock, ire at the fact that the new creature was clearly not a Shelled Duckle, and a burning curiosity at the new discovery, soon followed by giddy excitement.

When the dinosaur creature was at the extent of its growth, legs, head, and tail all poking out of its shell, The Stranger ushered it outside and called upon the villagers of Rexling. "Come! Look as I bestow upon you this new discovery!"

The people, amazed and excited by the dinosaur, wanted to know how to make more of them. Through a process very similar to the discovery of Shelled Sheeplets, it was soon known that these new dinosaurs could only be made when crafted in the town of Rexling. Likewise, they earned their name as Shelled Rexlings and were frequently seen in the town afterwards. The Stranger, having gained the momentary fame he desired, left the town of Rexling to return home, with his Shelled Rexling by his side. Originally intending to take the creature to the museum of his home town, he found that he simply could not bare to be parted with the reptile, who he had come to view as a friend. Finding that a hole in his life--one he had not even been particularly aware of--had been filled, The Stranger lived happily with the Shelled Rexling as his loyal companion.

Today, Shelled Sheeplets are loved by many. It has been discovered that their wool makes excellent bandages as long as it is freely given by the Shelled Sheeplet. Infection is far less likely if a wound is bound with Shelled Sheeplet wool and the rate of recovery is greatly improved. They are said to improve disposition and simply their company can decrease the discomfort from arthritis and other chronic conditions. They are a favorite companion to healers, elders and mothers of young children. Where a Shelled Sheeplet wanders is sure to flourish so they are often let out into gardens on sunny days. Many would claim that a Shelled Sheeplet brings with it good fortune, but few would use one as a charm. Shelled Sheeplets are less obstinate if they are not with their original creators but they have a very strong will and can not be forced to do things they do not wish to do. Male Shelled Sheeplets are sometimes territorial and will bash heads in disputes. Female Shelled Sheeplets can be enough trouble by simply refusing to do something but are not as dangerous as their male counterparts.
Alongside them, Shelled Rexlings are also loved by a vast majority of Ostleans. Fiercely loyal partners, they are seen guarding towns and accompanying wandering travelers, yet make for the greatest friends when a job isn't in need of being finished.

## Links

* Ostlea: Land of Legends
* Sheeplet & Rexling