Mother Earth: The Tale of Hellion
Sometimes, knowing the future hurts. I should know. I'm candidate for Seer.
My story begins on the day of my birth. I turned twenty-two that day, so I was already well about in exploring the world and making my mark on society. I was a sprightly little thing, not too strong but well-versed in the field of magic. My parents were both wizards and I myself have had a sort of prodigal power for some time now. I was named after the sun, but believe it or not, my best magic originates in the Earth.
On the day of my birth, I left my country in search of adventure. I had long ago paid homage to the deaths of my parents; now I was out and about in the world, ready to take whatever life could throw at me. I was financially well-off for my period, as mother and father were both influential soothsayers, so I didn't need to worry about money for at least a year. My first destination was a land so far off, no mapmaker had ever bothered to record it. I knew it well, for I often had dreams of the place.
My name is Hellion. I am a female, 22 years of age, and of reasonable beauty and grace. I have very short blonde hair, so short that some mistake me as a man, and bright gray eyes that shine with a great knowledge about many things. For a face I have something reasonably attractive, and for a body something quite sufficient. I wear an ordinary brown habit like the monks of Qlon Temple, and in my hand I carry the traditional staff of a mage.
As one who was well into adulthood, I decided to see the world one day. Having no ties or duties to anything except myself, I set about exploring this vast world which we all live in. The land I wanted to visit first was a place uncharted to all save a few: a land called Tyre.
Tyre was quite an exotic place. For a land unknown to the bravest of explorers, it certainly was well-populated. It held a massive navy, and was positioned by a river that would wield easy trade routes. The merchant's guilds that dotted Tyre were quite popular, and the diversity in that land was second to none. There went an expression in that land that stated "if you can't buy it in Tyre, then it probably doesn't exist". The first time I visited this land, I was surprised to see how accurate this expression actually was.
Tyre lies to the extreme-far east of the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia--in fact, well across the vast oceans that separate the continents. Few outside of its locality know of its existence, despite the fact that a great deal of diversity and trade circles around it. Being a psychic, I could find it with the greatest of ease; it was like finding grass in a meadow.
I hired a fearless sailor with an impressive schooner to take me to Tyre. As this was my first real destination on my journey, and quite possibly my last (I hoped to find a husband there somewhere), I was eager to let go of a little more money than I should have. The sailor, a brave man named Markus, was himself eager to explore these lands, so we struck a deal and set out into the vast oceans.
The journey to Tyre cost me 45,000 bits and almost a week of sailing. In this time, I learned the basics of seamanship, like tying knots and astronomical readings (I actually impressed a few sailors with my own skills) and how to weather storms. We certainly experienced our fair share of those!
One week later, we safely arrived on the shores of Tyre. Not only was it a significant naval power, as I mentioned before it was also big in the trade business. I vowed to one day participate in a healthy export of my own goods; for the moment, though, I bade Markus farewell and set about exploring the lands.
O Tyre, you are perfect in beauty. Your domain is on the high seas; your builders brought your beauty to perfection. Men of Put served as soldiers in your army. They hung their shields and helmets around your walls, bringing you splendor. Men of Arvad and Helech manned your walls on every side; men of Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they brought your beauty to perfection.
Many countries did business with you because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise; they exchanged slaves and articles of bronze for your wares. Men exchanged horses and mules and ivory and ebony for your goods; they gave turquoise, fabrics, linen, coral and ruby; they traded wheat, confections, honey, oil, and balm for your wares. They gave wine and wool, cassia, calamus, lambs, rams, and goats; they gave spices and precious stones and gold, and traded beautiful garments and multicolored rugs.
O Tyre, the east wind will break you to pieces. All your goods will sink to the sea in a shipwreck, and all who handle the oars will abandon their ships; the mariners and all the seamen will stand on the shore. They will raise their voice and cry bitterly over you; they will sprinkle dust on their heads and roll in ashes. They will shave their heads because of you and will put on sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and with bitter mourning. As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament concerning you:
"Who was ever silenced like Tyre, surrounded by the sea? When your merchandise went out on the seas, you satisfied many nations. With your great wealth and your wares you enriched the kings of the earth. Now you are shattered by the sea in the depths of the waters; your wares and all your company have gone down with you. All who live in the coastlands are appalled at you; their kings shudder in horror and their faces are distorted with fear. The merchants among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end, and will be no more."
Ten years into the future, my predictions would come true, and Tyre has since been forgotten from history.
After leaving Tyre, I decided to journey to my next town. Actually, it was no town, but an empty valley with nothing more than bones. No matter where I looked, I saw nothing but whitewashed remains of humans; their skeletons, and nothing more. Long, long ago, before the birth of many nations, this land used to be very fertile; a land flowing with milk and honey, so to speak. The citizens of that land had fought hard and journeyed long for this destination, but now…
Emptiness.
These bones were of the house of Clai. Their bones are dried up and their hope was gone; they are cut off. But…… I found hope for these bones as I wandered through the valley. Their graves are going to open up again and the dead people will be brought up from them; they will be brought back to the land of Clai, and the very gates of the city will open up again. A spirit will be placed in the people and they will live, and they will settle in this land.
So it is as I have seen, and so it came to pass, many, many years later, when a kind ruler gathered together the survivors and permitted them to live in these lands again. I never did return to that place, nor Tyre, but I know that Clai prospered greatly and later became a great magnificent city; Tyre was reduced to grasslands, and not even a passing army realized that a city had been there before.
I do not bring curses when I travel, only what I see in the future. I cannot help this strange ability of mine, yet it does happen, so I have little control over it. I have seen many things in the future, some so far off that my great-great-grandchildren will be ancient and weary before the events come to pass; others have happened in the span of a second, such as a flock of birds passing over, or even the death of a man.
I explored more cities in my travels to the distant east, and prophesized for many of these lands, whether privately or publicly. I met a famous king while on my journeys, one whom history remembers well for taking my advice. His name was Melachoir, and he even went so far as to pay me for my visions. His future did indeed look bleak, but unlike so many I prophesized for, his future could be changed by his own actions.
That land later became quite famous and prosperous, and would last well beyond my own death. I did leave that place, though, and I brought a mate with me. He, too, was quite gifted in the ways of clairvoyance, and though I was his senior, we got along quite happily and bore many good children.
I decided to journey back to my land of birth when I turned forty-two years old, so in other words, I spent an impressive twenty years abroad. Taking my husband and my then-five children (I did expect at least one more), I hired a boat bound for home. Imagine my surprise (seriously, imagine it, because we all know how difficult it is to surprise a psychic) when I discovered my old friend Markus captaining the boat again!!
On the way home, Markus and I spent many hours catching up on "old times", and I told him of my escapades and my predictions. With my skills three times more powerful than they had been a score earlier, I was able to steer Markus' ship away from any storms, and thus took the hastiest route towards home. Upon reaching familiar shores, Markus declared I would make a wonderful navigator, but I had to humbly decline his offers. My skills laid elsewhere.
With my family in tow, I spent a few more years traveling and foreseeing the future. I was paid handsomely here and their, and with my husband's help, I told of many future historical events. I even told of the Succession War to Geil Ruegner, as well as his own demise in the battle. I spoke of the Golden Era to Barbarossa, but warned him of one who brings back loving memories of old.
After giving hints of a civil war in the empire, I retired to Teien and lived out the rest of my days as a local prophet. I was paid a minimum wage, but after my children left to pursue other careers, and after my husband passed on, minimum wage was quite a lot to live on. All in all, I can say that I've had a pretty good life. And yes, I knew I would be well-involved in that civil war.
Imagine my surprise--once again--when I was asked to succeed Leknaat as Seer for Toran!!
The End