LION'S CALL
[an alternative universe Dragon Age story]
There is a place in northern Thedas, shrouded in mystery, that holds secrets older than the first uttering of the Chant of Light. It is a land of magic so potent that it could decimate all of Thedas if it fell into the wrong hands, but it is also a place so pure that the darkest sinner would find themselves resolved of all wrongdoing. No one knows where this place is located, save for those who inhabit it. The only way to set foot on the shore is to be invited by someone who calls this land home. Those who do not live within it's confines forget its location instantly upon leaving, even if they are mere inches from the shorelines. All they remember is that it is beautiful, and they only know it by a single name: Torerra.
In the lifespan of Torerra, there has only ever been once incident of someone stumbling across its location without being invited, and even still,1000 years later, the residents do not understand how the man found it. A young boy, no more than thirteen years of age, washed up on the southern shore one evening in the late summer months. His clothes were shredded and bloody, his body was smattered with bruises and deep cuts. He was the only survivor of a genocide so terrible that it has been stricken from the history books for fear of such an even happening again.
This young boy was taken in by the country's monarchs and watched over for many days before he showed signs of recovery. Once he woke, he found himself cared for, clean, and uninjured. Not moments after his waking, he was attended to by a kind elderly woman named Ashaira, who allowed him to ask any number of questions he desired, though she did not promise to answer them all. When he was satisfied with how much information Ashaira was willing to part with, he relented, and the elder took him to see the king and queen, Their Majesties Quentin and Mona Lydes.
Upon being presented to the young couple, the boy bowed his head and knelt, and acknowledged that he had trespassed. He surprised them by accepting whatever punishment they found him worthy of receiving, and the two found they could not punish a child who had been through hell before he'd stumbled across them.
Gently asking him to rise, Her Majesty spoke first, her soft-spoken voice a comfort. She gave the boy sanction, and informed him that he would be adopted by them at a later date, once they knew more about his character. The monarchs then asked the young boy his name, and he revealed it without hesitation: Xavier McDarren, of the Free Marches.
His Majesty announced Xavier as the prince of Torerra, a proclamation that was protested at first, but once Xavier's character and integrity were investigate, the citizens became more forgiving of his intrusion onto their traditions.
Xavier grew and flourished, and eventually came of age to be tied to one of the country's many eligible young ladies. There was quite a fuss among the families as to whose daughter he would be tied to; so much so that the monarchs declared that he would choose for himself in order to keep biases out of the match. However, his choice would shock the entire country.
He chose Siobhan Lucas. She was the daughter of an old family that wielded an extraordinary gift, a gift that was both respected and feared: the gift of Fire Spinning. Fire Spinning was a delicate combat practice involving swords, daggers, and primarily magic from the Inferno school of magic. It was a dangerous style, but it was beautiful as well as deadly, and extremely rare.
Xavier's new parents, however, declared his match agreeable, and the two were married that same afternoon in a simple ceremony. To show his full commitment to the family, Xavier chose to take his wife's last name, casting aside his own. Ten months later, Siobhan gave birth to a baby girl with eyes the colour of molten amber and hair as red as the hearth-flame.
Every female descendant of Xavier and Siobhan Lucas born since their first born has possessed three similar qualities: amber eyes, fiery red hair, and the gift of spinning fire.
Now, 1000 years after Xavier stumbled across Torerra, it is still as hidden as it has always been; there are no texts on it, no maps of it's location. Visitors still do not remember even a single detail of the country once they have left. Nothing is known of the religion, government, culture, or language.
The magical presence felt from that corner of Thedas, however, has only grown stronger over the years rather than waned, something that has many scholars and arcanists intrigued as to just how much power lies beneath Torerra; and how soon it will be unleashed.
