Physical Appearance and Location

Across Tellest, there have been some trees that look like they have thorny bark growing upon their trunks.  Some have theorized that this is actually moss, but it may be an indication that the trees themselves have been afflicted by the strain, similarly to the races around the world.  Thistlebark tends to look like spurs growing out of the trees, though they aren’t as sharp as they appear.

Uses

Medicine

For many years, clerics have used thistlebark to alleviate fevers and colds in those who have come down with winter ailments.  It is worthy of note, however, that too much thistlebark can be fatal, especially for youngsters.

Magic

The pulp of thistlebark will create a sticky substance that can be used to aid in certain alchemical concoctions.

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Physical Appearance and Location

Because of its proximity or location upon rocks and its dark coloring, the moss or mold covering stones became known as rock ash.  Most often found in wet or damp places, like riverbeds, rock ash has an almost webbed appearance.

Uses

Commerce and Art

Due to its consistency and strength, rock ash is used for very many day to day purposes.  If used by scribes, it can be made into a dark pigment, usually black or grey.  It has also been sought after for its use as incense.

Magic

Though it is used in small doses as harmless odors, it can be brought together in higher concentrations to create flames and smoke.  Typically, this chemical reaction can have a slightly volatile reaction.

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In Mageborn, Gaston Camlann has agreed to tutor Adelia Kreegan and foster her strange new ability.  Along the way, she learns about magic in many forms, including how to harness it.  It is a whimsical tale, but it explains how Adelia became so confident, and what she did following the fall of her family.

I hope you enjoy reading Mageborn as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Chapter One: Introductions

The bluebird sang upon the stone windowsill, mere inches away from the jars of ancient substances.  Looking at the nearby dried roots, it would quickly hop toward them and then abruptly back away.  After each cycle, it would tweet its song as though it was trying to remain discreet.

A sweet-smelling spring breeze turned a page in the large nearby tome, and the small creature hunched low, considering a hasty flight.  The man who sat at the desk began to whistle.  His song seemed to soothe the bird – perhaps because it was identical to the earlier tune.

Gaston Camlann was known for such precise observations.  He was a man of great renown, gifted in many arts, both ancient and modern.  It was a wonder at all that he was able to excel at so many things.  He was, after all, human.  They didn’t live forever.

The wizard, who fancied himself more a scholar, was beginning to show his age.  His once attractive features had been replaced with wrinkles and rosy cheeks.  He wore a long, dark grey beard and moustache to hide most of his weathered face.  Long, wavy locks had been stricken a little brighter by the sun, nearing the color of snow.  He hid that indicator of his age underneath a wide green hat.

As he whistled a second verse to his winged companion, a series of knocks upon the door played the percussion in their song.  Gaston was so engrossed in his studies that he was ill-suited to notice, even when the rapping on the door grew louder and more frequent.

More aware than the sage, the bluebird hopped off of its stone pedestal, diving into the northern wilderness.  Gaston, shaken from his task by that sight, chortled to himself.  How easily Homer has trained me, he thought, recalling how often the bird returned to him.

Another series of knocks on the door had his full attention then.

“Yes, come in,” he pleasantly permitted.

The sturdy slab of elm slid open, and a well-dressed man walked in, his polished boots tapping across the floor.  To his left, a lazy feline laid peacefully, its tail floating to and fro as the visitor entered.  After removing his leather glove, the man reached out, petting the cat on its side.  Rolling over, the feline gleefully accepted the attention.

Gaston placed his quill down and turned to acknowledge his guest’s arrival.  “Ah, Edric,” the sage said, standing quickly and slamming his legs into the desk.  He winced but worked at ignoring the pain.  “It’s been some time.”

Preoccupied with the animal, it almost seemed that Edric would not find the focus to reply.  The black cat had wrapped its arms around the man’s wrist and was contentedly licking his knuckles.  “That it has, my friends,” the visitor finally said, giving a quick, rough little scratch to the cat’s belly before retrieving his hand.

“And what brings you to my dusty old closet on this beautiful day?  It’s not often that a White Knight of Gardone visits a meager hamlet like Forsynthia.”

“Forsynthia is anything but meager, and I believe it has evolved from a hamlet some time ago.  Also, my time in a white cloak has long passed.”

A smile crossed Gaston’s face.  “Just as always, you focus on the corrections while you ignore the questions.”

“Anything to gain a few extra moments to speak with an old friend,” Edric said.  “One of Jonathan’s birds came through.  Apparently, your pupil had just arrived at the toll road.  I don’t think she’ll arrive too long after I did.”

“And depending on the driver, the poor girl will be arriving without a coin in her pocket.  What a foolish idea those roads were.”

Edric paused, considering how to react.  A moment later, he was shaking his head while smiling.  “You know the countryside better than most, Gaston.  Between the beasts and the brigands, all of Daltain is a dangerous place.  But with paid patrols on watch… well, you know what Lord Kerrigan says.  Good roads b –”

“Build a better country, yes,” the old sage finished.  “And there’s quite a bit of wisdom there too.  Far more than this wizened old wizard cares to admit often, anyway.  And I’m sure those pampered, spoon-fed princes from Sungarden were happy to keep the hands out of their pockets.

“Ah, but I’m rambling again,” Gaston said.  “Are you staying for some time?  Can I offer you some tea?”

A weak frown could just barely be seen upon the retired knight’s face.  “Alas, my friend, I haven’t come to Forsynthia just for reprieve.  I’m moving a caravan of weapons up to the Basalt Flats.  Lydick should be awaiting me in the armory if he’s been properly advised of my arrival.”

Gaston nodded.  “Always too short, these visits.  No matter.  It will give me some time to stretch these old legs in preparation to meet the young lady.”

“And I’m sure there are a great many surprises you have prepared for this one,” Edric mused.  “I’m staying in Forsynthia for the night.  If my task is kind to me, perhaps we can meet for the tea later this evening.”

“I should like that very much.”

Following a polite bow, Edric turned and began out of the room.  He stopped beside the black cat and gingerly scratched beneath its chin.  “Farewell, Merlin,” the retired knight said.  “Keep your master from falling too deeply into those tomes of his.”

Once Edric had gone from the room, Gaston turned to his pet, glee etched upon his face.  “Worry not, my old furry friend.  You’ll have a new companion to play with.  There will be time for books later.”

Merlin let out a contented meow but remained on his side, even as his master stepped clear of the door and drew it mostly closed.

The young lady had stuck her head out of the carriage for most of the journey.  As the massive gates of Forsynthia parted, she considered that she had never traveled farther south.  Those thoughts quickly passed as the vehicle rolled into the town.

Although it had once been merely a fort for Daltainian soldiers, it had grown to serve as one of the jewels of the country.  Despite its rapid rise, it still preserved much of its rural origins.

When she had passed through the town’s gates, the young lady realized the entryway was merely for show.  There were no walls beyond that point, though a border of trees provided a sense of Forsynthia’s boundaries.

She swept a strand of blond hair out of her eyes.  Her focus shifted to the large keep at the center of the town.  Other buildings surrounded that one, varying in their distances.  Still, the place didn’t seem stripped of country.  Trees provided shade and natural gaps between homes and stores.  Gardens seemed to wind and intersect in beautiful arrangements.

The young lady couldn’t help but be enamored by the sights.

Before she realized it, the carriage had stopped just several hundred feet from the keep.

“We’ve arrived, miss,” the driver called out.

Blowing out a sigh, the young lady opened the door and stepped from the carriage.  A small breeze swept the bottom layers of her blue dress aside for a moment before she felt steady on her feet again.  Approaching the driver, she held out her hand.  “Thank you for taking care of the toll for me.  I had no idea you had to pay to use a road in this country.”

He reached out, accepting her offer.  When he saw the shining pieces of silver in his palm, he began shaking his head.  “No, miss.  I can’t take this from a child.”

“It’s yours,” she said, sounding much more assertive and wise than her age imparted.  “I get the feeling that over the next few months I won’t get many opportunities to use money.”

Slowly, he nodded, accepting her offer.  “I do hope you find what you’re looking for.  If the rumors are true, you’ll go far in life.  Master Camlann could be no better teacher.  If you’re ever in Viscosa again, I’ll make sure you’re looked after.”

“Thank you, Francois.”

Nodding once again, he clicked his tongue and snapped the reins.  His pair of horses began forward.

The young lady turned around, looking at the long gardens that led to the keep.  Sighing yet again, she proceeded forward.

Wildflowers filled the air with a lovely spring aroma.  Forsynthia seemed brighter than most cities, as if the grass itself was somehow warmer.  Paths twisted and turned, spiraling back within themselves in confusing notions.  More than once, the young lady was forced to backtrack, finding herself lost at a dead end.

It could not be helped.  Besides the gorgeous flowers, exquisite topiary animals had been placed in the gardens.  She could not prevent herself from being drawn in by the distractions.

“They are beautiful, are they not?”

Her body had gone slightly rigid at the sound of the unexpected voice.  She had to fight back against all of her instincts, knowing that violence would likely be unforgivable.  “Captivating,” she said as she turned to address the sudden stranger.

“You must be Miss Kreegan,” the man said, bowing slightly, for his old bones might not have allowed him to bend much farther.

“Adelia,” she confirmed.

“Of course,” he replied.  “Welcome to our quaint town.  I am Gaston Camlann.”

She extended her hand.  “You are well met, sir.  And truly, this place is greater than I could have imagined.”

“I find that hard to believe, considering your stay in Viscosa.”

She grinned at the mention of the capital city of Raleigh.  “It was a magnificent place, to be sure.  I rarely saw any of the more impressive sights.”

“Ah yes.  Due to your time spent among the… Would you care to walk with me back to the keep?”

With a slight nod, she fell into place beside the old sage.  He knew the way better than her, yet he still seemed to weave a path in odd directions.

“My time was spent among the streets,” Adelia said.  “I didn’t know anyone in the city when I arrived, so for the first few weeks, I hid in an alley, almost in the trash.”

“Curious,” he said.  As she passed an inquisitive gaze his way, he continued.  “You seem a bright young lady, not at all as naïve as most your age.  You’re soft on the eyes as well.  One would think you could have easily found an employer at an inn or a tavern that would have bartered a sleeping arrangement for you.”

“Perhaps,” she said.  “But I didn’t want to throw myself into a situation out of any undue necessity.  A few nights in the streets… well that’s just like camping.”

“Well put,” the sage offered with a smile.  He stopped, urging the young lady to do the same.  “I must ask you, Adelia.  Why do you want to be a mage?”

She pondered the question for a few moments before grasping her shoulder, shrugging.  “I don’t know,” she said.  “The people who found me using magic seemed to think I was special.”

“Ah, and that you are, child.  But magic is special too.  There are a wide variety of them out there, and some will require much of your time.  That is the difference between a trick,” he said, producing a bouquet of flowers from behind his back, “and the arcane arts themselves.”

As he finished his statement, the topiary animals behind him almost seemed to move.  All at once, flowers bloomed upon the hedges.  Adelia’s eyes brightened to behold them.

“I would choose not to waste either of our time, Adelia,” the old wizard asserted.  “Is this something you truly wish to pursue?”

Without hesitation, the young lady nodded.

“Excellent,” he said, guiding his hand behind her back.  They began toward the keep once more.  “I had already invested quite a bit of time in studying up on you, you see.  I’m truly sorry about your parents.”

“How did you…” she began to say.  Recalling who she was in the presence of, Adelia let the words trail off.

“I know much about you, child.  Perhaps more than you do.  How well aware are you of your ancestors?”

She shrugged again.  “I never knew any of my grandparents.  They had all passed away before I was born.”

“And your father told you nothing of them?”  He hummed to himself but nodded.  “Most likely for the best.  You see, Balthaszar Kreegan, much like yourself, displayed some level of arcane acuity.  And, much like you, his first spell was that of a… frigid nature.

“Anyone has the propensity to study magic,” he explained, “to learn the arcane arts – to bend and shape reality.  There are very few who present such a gift without ever having turned a page on the subject matter.  You are a curious case but so, too, was Balthaszar.

“You are here to study the elements of sorcery,” Gaston asserted.  “You must know that I will be studying you just as intently.”

They had reached the entrance of the keep.  A stone walkway led beneath a drawn portcullis and through a pair of grand opened doors.

“I wish I could promise to be interesting,” Adelia said.  “I fear I may make a boring subject.”

Inside the courtyard, several people were busy with their daily routines.  Gaston didn’t give her much time to dawdle.  He guided her to a flight of stone steps toward the second level of the keep.

“You would be surprised, young lady.  While a wizard’s studies are never truly over, we begin to sway from the arcane slightly in our old age.  We begin to… specialize in a particular field of normal study.  I know a fellow up north who studies dragons.  He actually coined a name for himself – a dracosage.

“At one point in my travels,” he continued as he led her up a flight of wooden stairs, “I met a man who searched the world for various magical artifacts.  I’ve even run across a gnomish alchemist that sampled hundreds of different water sources across Tellest.”

“And what about you?” Adelia asked.  “What is your specialty?”

The pair stopped just in front of a slightly opened door.  With a grin, the sage turned to his young pupil.

“I prefer to see what makes people tick.  Every one of us is different, and some are much more peculiar than the rest.  You may consider yourself dull, but I assure you, I will learn as much from you as you do from me.

“Now, this room will be yours for the duration of your time spent in Forsynthia.  After long days of studying through tomes, attempting new spells, and collecting reagents, you’ll find this place very endearing.”

“Thank you, Master Camlann,” Adelia said.  “You’ve been very hospitable.”

“Just Gaston will do,” the sage said, opening the way for the young lady.

She took a single step inside but froze when she saw the black beast upon her bed.

“What is it?” the sage asked.  Upon receiving no response, he stepped into the room.  A wide grin crawled upon his face.  “I see you’ve met Merlin.”

“You know it?” she asked before shaking her head.  “Of course you know it.”

“Now this is the kind of human element that interests me,” Gaston said.  “Why such a fear of a small cat?”

Blowing out a large sigh, she steadied herself.  “When I was a little girl, I had an… experience.”

“No matter,” the sage said.  “It’s perfectly understandable to be a little apprehensive of them.  They did, after all, descend from dragons.”

She stared at him quizzically.  “I can’t tell if you’re having a laugh at my expense.”

“Absolutely not,” Gaston asserted.  “Once, all of Tellest was overrun by dragons.  They were the fourth race that the gods created – after men, dwarves and elves.  In the beginning, all of them were friendly and worked in harmony with us.  But we grew fearful.

“Legend has it,” the sage said, “that an elven wizard named Sarisla found the means to transmogrify creatures.  One day, he approached the largest, meanest looking dragon and ensnared her with a lovely song.  While she was captivated, he set his magic loose on her.

“Before she knew it, she had shrunk down to a fragment of her size.  Scales had given way to fur.  Horns shifted and stretched until they sufficed as whiskers.  She was with a litter, but of course, all the young inside her had transformed too.”

“So Sarisla had created a brand new race,” Adelia mused.

“Consider it,” Gaston said.  “Cats have dragons’ eyes.  They can fall from up high as if they’re almost flying.  There’s even, supposedly, a group of kaja in the south seas who apparently learned how to breathe fire once more.”

Merlin meowed, as if giving credit to the story.

“Of course, it would also explain some of the caution that felines prefer with us.  Perhaps it’s a good idea that you give this terrifying beast a wide berth,” he said, winking indiscriminately somewhere between the cat and the young lady.  “Come, Merlin.  Let us give Miss Kreegan some solitude.  I’m sure she must be quite exhausted after her long journey.”

The slender black cat did as instructed, hopping off of the bed.  Before it left the room, however, it rubbed against Adelia’s leg.  She quietly sighed as it continued into the hall.

“Rest easy, child,” the sage offered.  “Tomorrow is an important day.  It marks the beginnings of your studies.  Today ends the quiet life of the country girl.  Tomorrow… Tomorrow you become initiated in the arts.  You’ll be one of the greatest witches this world has ever seen.

“In the meantime,” he said, “feel free to explore Forsynthia a bit.  If you manage to get lost, the people are incredibly kind.  If you need me directly, I’m the last door on the right.”

Adelia nodded.  “Thank you, sir.”

With a smile, he shut the door behind him.

The young lady was left alone to ponder her decision.

Chapter Two.

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How it was Acquired

During Michael Kreegan’s first visit to the city of Atalatha, the festivities for Alicia Mane’s birthday party were in place.  A contest had been set in motion in one of the fairgrounds, wherein brave men could attempt to make their way through an obstacle course without being knocked down.

Despite the dangers, Michael snuck into the obstacle course, and managed to win, against all odds.  The man who had organized the obstacle course was offering up a ruby encrusted, silver pendant that was shaped like a heart.  When he attempted to keep the pendant from Michael, his family and a stranger, Stephen Caista, fought for his right to it.

Later that night, upon meeting with Alicia Mane, he gave her the item, which had been dubbed the Heart of Ariyas.

Attributes

The Heart of Ariyas bestows mystical powers upon its wielder.  Both clerical and fire magic seems to be readily available to whoever wears it.

Early Events

Over a decade after Alicia was given the Heart of Ariyas as a gift from Michael Kreegan, she attempted to visit him at an inn, The Centurion, following another contest he had taken part in.  When he did not arrive, she planned on leaving.  Brigands assaulted the inn, however, and she was forced to defend herself.

With the powers of the necklace, she was able to thwart her aggressors.  Unfortunately, the fire magic that she cast resulted in the complete destruction of the inn, along with the inhabitants inside, including its owner, Peyton Garus.

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General

The Sky Talon is one of Kaos Kreegan’s magical antiquities.  It is also one of several that he cannot explain his possession of.  In the year 976, a sizable portion of Kaos’ memory had lapsed.  One day, he woke up in a field in southwestern Raleigh, the Sky Talon among his belongings.

Attributes

At first glance, the Sky Talon appears to be naught but a mundane grappling hook.  Unlike its commonplace counterparts, however, it can rest in midair.  Whoever wields the Sky Talon can will it to lock into place, where it will act as though it has hooked onto stone.  Likewise, the wielder can express their desire to release the hold, which will drop the device into their hands.

Early Events

Upon waking far from home in a strange land, Kaos realized that he had acquired several items that he was unfamiliar with.  Among them was a simple looking grappling hook.  Unfortunately, because of its innocuous appearance, Kaos was unaware of its uncanny ability for quite some time.

Kaos activated the Sky Talon for the first time without being conscious of his actions.  Beset upon by goblins, he ran for his life, and was keen on leaping from the height of a waterfall, praying that he would land safely within its gentle embrace below.  He realized his err too late, however, when the sight of the rocks caught his attention.  His prayer instead landed upon his nameless grappling hook, which he desperately swung toward the rock face.

Miraculously, he believed he caught himself on one of the waterfall’s jutting rocks on his way down.  As he carefully ascended the cable of the hook, he realized the truth.  The grapple was merely resting in midair, answering his prayer in the most insane way he could think of.

Ongoing Operations

Once Kaos was aware of the grappling hook’s amazing characteristics, he gave it the name Sky Talon.  It became one of his more regularly used tools, gaining him entry into hard to reach places and offering him escapes when they were sorely needed.

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From the Desk of Gaston Camlann

            ‘I’ve never looked down upon such beauty, as the day I stood upon the peak of Mount In’Adell.’
            Thundar Proudfist wrote that in his book, “The Mountains of Lustra”.  The writings were a memoir of a minotaur, who had been bred into a warlike society, who longed for a change to his scenery.  He traveled the whole of Lustra, before finally ascending the aforementioned mountain in the final passage of his book.
            Tellest is an aged world.  The trees and mountains are testament of that.  Wisdom abounds in the landscape surrounding us, and the wind carries the secrets of old.
            The gods created Tellest from a hunk of molten lava.  They breathed life onto its surface, cooling the fires wrought upon the plane.  They cried tears of joy, which created the grand oceans and lakes.  They cultivated Tellest’s solid form, and grew great fields and trees and mountains.  Through the gods, Tellest was born.
            Life on Tellest was born soon after.  The gods populated the planet with all manner of beast, from the lowly mouse, to the great dragon.  Multiple types of flowers and herbs sprang up from the dirt, helping to color the once dismal world.  But Tellest still lacked beings of greater knowledge.
            The gods decided upon three greater races that would live upon the surface of Tellest.  Each would live of their own free will, able to make their own mistakes or victories.  It was up to the three to decide how they would proceed through life.
            The elves were the first to walk this earthen plane.  They were the first mortal children of the gods.  They were jealous of their creators, though, and many had forsaken them.  The dwarves were created next.  Their loyalty to the gods has earned them great favor, and many had thrived with the blessings of Golernus.  Humans took presence afterwards, formed in the true image of the gods themselves.
            The three races vied for the love of their creators, warring and meddling with each other until the Elves banished humans to the depths of the deepest mountains, the dwarves also playing their part in the third race’s exile.
            But this greatly angered the gods.
            They had not created mankind to simply be wiped out, never to be seen again.  A cataclysm of rage and fury tore the world apart, ripping the world asunder and sinking parts of it to the ocean.  Volcanoes shot up from the depths of the seas, creating new, hostile lands.  Storms shattered the single land mass into a series of continents and smaller isles.
            Following the Sundering, the gods created  scores of other creatures, and other races.  The orcs, gnolls, kobolds, kaja, lagano, minotaur, and many others took face on the planet, each with their own unique views on life.  If the elves and dwarves thought the world was theirs alone, they were mistaken.
            Then, over nine hundred years ago, the first of us men began climbing from our earthen holes.  We escaped from our exile, appearing in every corner of the world, ready to live anew upon the surface.  We had forgiven the elves and dwarves, and found new allies waiting for us in the orcs, minotaur, kobolds and kaja.
            Together, this world is ours.
            Together, we will thrive.

The World

General

The world of Tellest is vast and varied.  Gaston Camlann, one of the leading historians of the human race, has said that there are infinite possibilities that abound throughout the lands, the deep oceans and the treacherous underworld.

While Tellest can be beautiful, it can also be cruel.  Scattered across the globe, the goodly races struggle to make the most of their lives while protecting their lives and livelihood against the darker races, like the gnolls, the lagano and the goblins.  The deep oceans are filled with even stranger evils, like murkgills and levians.

Yet, among all the frightening unknowns, the humans, the dwarves and even the elves have banded together to push forward.  Though cataclysmic events like the demon wars and the rise of the great dragon Batrura have shaped the world, the people who call Tellest home are not easily deterred.

Continents

Tellest is composed of several large land masses.

The major continents are Lustra, Ravane, Saveon, Astranus, Draconis, Mistfall, Lionel, Erenea, Algea and Tarson, in order of their size.  There are also two archipelago continents called Numasa and Brittanea.  In the deep south, a glacial continent called the Frozen Abyss also supports a small amount of life.

Each of these land masses supports a variety of life and has a rich history, whether it be the haunted isle of Japel Brae in Brittanea, the Forgotten Sands of Xumedar in Lustra, or the lands of Vissicus in Lionel, where demons from Evarice have peaceably settled.

Magic and the Strain

In Tellest, magic exists as a sort of radioactive tapestry.  It is part of the world the same way the weather is, and in that form is called the aether.  Various practitioners of the arcane arts tap into this world between worlds, and create magic with the powers it bestows.

Because of its presence, the aether can bestow its gifts on people even unbeknownst to them.  This is called the Strain, and it has blessed many people with uncanny powers.

The races all inherit their gifts differently.  Humans are the tried and true champions of Tellest, who toil with their identities and the harsh way they are treated.  Dwarves very rarely receive the Strain.  When they do, it’s a sign that they’ve become their own clan leader.  They are essentially thrown out of their original clan to start a new one.  Elves share the strain amongst themselves, but typically their powers are very limited.  As an example, the Whisperwind elves can teleport anywhere they’ve been before, but only twice a day.  Even the darker races experience the strain in some cases. Harpies, for instance, gain the title of Matron, and can take additional male consorts.

Technology

980 years after the return of man, technology has begun to rapidly change the face of the world.  The gnomes, especially, have begun taking spectacular risks, some of them quite inane, in the name of science.

Coupled with magic, nearly anything is possible.  In Raleigh, in the city of Atalatha, a tinkerer named Maximus Xanders has created a clockwork steed that he calls Equinicus.  In the seas south of Draconis, the various pirate lords have been working on a projectile artillery weapon with more accuracy than a catapult.  The gnomes of the Golden Council were supposedly even able to make fully functioning automatons – recreations of themselves to serve as a proxy in basic tasks.

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Physical Appearance

Rainbow flutters are a specialized breed of butterfly that some say was borne from a series of magical cantrips.  The first collection of spells gave plain butterflies very colorful wings, while a secondary spell made each flap of the wings resonate their color into the air.

Rainbow flutters look like common moths, except that their wings glow colorfully.  The flap of their wings leaves a kind of magical residue, briefly letting a streak of color remain in the air.  When they are sedentary, the color drains from their wings, leaving them less noticeable to predators.

Where Found

Rainbow flutters are generally found in warm weather climates, during the day.  For a brief while during sunset, they are also active, which is when they are most noticeable.

Caterpillars

Rainbow flutter caterpillars are interesting in that there is no way to distinguish between one and an ordinary caterpillar.

Religion and Good Fortune

Symbolism in Religion

When rainbow flutters are seen in bulk, it portends to the ascension to the heavens.  This belief is shared by many cultures, though differs greatly.

Some believe that if a swarm of rainbow flutters is seen, it foreshadows a death occurring soon.  Others believe that it means a death has occurred.  To those who believe it means a prior death, it is also believed to be a good sign.  It means that the one who died has been judged worthy of the heavens, meaning they lived a good life.

Symbolism in Fortune

If a rainbow flutter swarm is found near a newly built home, it symbolizes good health and wealth. 

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Creation

Vialoth was created by Galvan, the blacksmith of the gods, along with its counterpart Azaros.  Galvan supposedly used the lava from Mount Rockbane to forge the metal used in the gauntlets’ creations.  He then used the water from Glenborough Falls to cool the metal.

The metal itself has never been identified.  Because it has not been found by traditional craftsmen, historians have begun to refer to the god-forged metal as infindium.

Into the Wrong Hands

According to popular scholar opinions, after Galvan crafted the two gauntlets, he moved them to a location on Draconis, where he would then guard over the two magical relics.

During the demon wars, Semia’Laz, the fallen angel, attacked Galvan in the hidden location where Azaros and Vialoth were kept.  Semia’Laz and Galvan did battle for a long time, before Galvan was finally bested, and forced to flee to survive.

Semia’Laz proceeded to move to retrieve the gauntlets.  First, he discovered Vialoth.  As he was on his way to obtain Azaros, he met with a goblin named Rellix, who had pilfered the gauntlet for himself.  Semia’Laz attempted to slay the goblin, but Galvan and his brother Obsam returned, and began to attack the fallen angel.

While Rellix escaped, Semia’Laz fought on.  The two gods had arrived fully equipped, using tremendous magical equipment to try and defeat Semia’Laz.  But against the fallen angel, no final blows could be made.  He survived every terrible attack.  The gods were not so lucky.

Galvan had made the two gauntlets with a passion that placed them high above any other relic ever crafted.  Vialoth was powerful enough to allow Semia’Laz to lay a fatal blow upon Obsam.  Distraught and fearful, Galvan took his brother and escaped once more.

Use

Semia’Laz utilized Vialoth in all its terrible power to smite humanity, and any other races that would stand in his way.  Town after town, city after city fell to the fallen angel’s bloodlust.  It is said that the gods themselves were fearful of Vialoth’s wielder, and as such, none would dare attempt to usurp his power.

It was not until the brave antics of a wayward knight and his allies that Semia’Laz was truly advanced upon.

Romus Youngblood used Vialoth’s counterpart, Azaros to secure a killing blow on the fallen angel.

Disappearance

After the death of Semia’Laz, it was determined that both Azaros and Vialoth should be hidden from the reach of mortals and demons alike.  Both gauntlets were lost to the winds, and neither has been seen since.

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Physical Appearance

Lumibugs look like fireflies, except their abdomens do not glow in a specific color.  Lumibugs are said to change their blinking color based on their mood.  Therefore, when threatened, content, scared, calm, and mating, they all display different colors and shades.

Where Found

Lumibugs are generally found in warm weather climates, during the day.  For a brief while during sunset, they are also active, which is when they are most noticeable.

Death and Offspring

Death

When it is time for a lumibug to pass on naturally, it is said that they fly high into the sky, where they become one with the stars.

Offspring

Whenever a shooting star is seen, it supposedly is dropping off the larva of adult lumibugs.

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