Part XVI:The Faceless Queen
12th of Felsite, 383The blue-grey light of early dawn was giving way to the first rays of sunlight when the companions woke up. They gathered their equipment and made their way down to the Shady Shark, the main hall of Twilighthum, to break their fast. Zes the muskrat man and Pethit the newt woman were already up, and before saying more than good mornings they went to fetch gruel from the kitchen for their guests.
As the companions were in the middle of their rather watery breakfast, they were surprised when a giant bat lumbered into the room. A few were fearful, some went for their weapons (Edzul among the first as someone who had encountered such beasts in the deep mountain halls), with Idar pointing a shaking finger at the bat and spurting a spray of gruel while trying to scream. However, Zes quickly calmed them down. The bat was no monster: it was the pet and hunting companion of Zes.
“Do not fear Thalu, my friends,” the muskrat man said as he groomed the hair of the bat and shushed it, for it, too, was a bit frightened. “He is quite a docile creature and quite the charmer. Right Thalu?”
After finishing eating, with very little talk during it, the companions prepared to leave and say goodbyes, asking for last minute directions and if there was anything in the forests they should be wary of. And there was. These were savage wilds, after all. Giant beasts roamed these lands, though blessed they were, and even such rare creatures as sasquatches were plentiful here.
“Hm. So the remains of the ape-like creature at your bridge was of a sasquatch then?” Maloy asked Zes, scratching his big floppy nose.
“Yes, indeed. The bridge
display has kept most of them away, but every once in a while one of the sods creeps over the bridge or swims across the streams,” Zes said. “It never ends well for them. Poor buggers.”
“They still cause quite a ruckus,” Pethit added. “Dangerous creatures. They could rip off the arms of a human, easily.”
“Or other body parts,” Zes nodded and began twirling his whiskers. “That is something even an elf queen has to fear. Especially when these beasts band together after a harsh winter, their empty bellies aching for a meal.”
“Huh. That sounds awfully specific,” Galel said, squinting his eyes with suspicion. “There's a story behind this, right?”
“Why, yes there is, in fact,” Zes replied with a satisfied grin. He straightened himself, cleared his throat and began telling a story, “Let me tell you a story, a story of an elf queen. Ahem, right. Lulo Eyìimara -- Lulo Spikessummer, that is -- was one of the queens who led the elves of Ula Tefe. Humble beginnings she had, born to a herbalist and trapper in...in...in... Um... Drats, it seems I've forgotten the name, but in some human hamlet, anyway.”
“Trimmedkindled. Part of the Distant Confederations,” Pethit came to the aid. “Or was. Now it's under the rule of the evil necromancers, like the rest of the east coast.”
“It is not any better in the western parts, unfortunately,” Maloy added with a heavy sigh. “Much of our kingdom is damned by the walking dead and lawlessness grips the land. The mere thought of it saddens and infuriates me.”
“Yes, yes, understood. Now, if you will, let me continue with my story,” Zes muttered and waved his paw dismissively at the two. Once again he cleared his throat and continued, twirling his whiskers at the same time. “So, she hailed not from Ula Tefe, but from a human kingdom, second daughter in the family, if I remember correctly. There was nothing special about her youth, really. She married her childhood love when she was but a teen -- very young for an elf, if you ask me.”
“That marriage didn't last long, though,” Pethit said as she listened to the story that she seemed to be quite familiar with.
“Yes, maybe a couple of years or so. And no children,” Zes said with a nod. “But she had other affairs after that, I think. Ah, I almost forgot: she also worshipped a god of the humans. Was it Pass... No, Po... Pi... Pissall?”
Galel began suddenly coughing uncontrollably, almost choking on his own spit. “You alright, buddy?” Dimbulb asked the ostrich man, slapping him a bit too hard on the back.
“Ow! Yes, I'm fine!” Galel snapped at the hippo man. “I just found the name hilarious. Piss-all, haha.”
“PESSAL. Pessal the Taciturn,” Pethit said firmly and crossed her arms, glaring at Galel, then at Zes. She then turned to Coni, who wasn't paying much attention, being more interested in the bat and petting him. Pethit whispered to the hamster woman, “I don't blame you. Thalu is more interesting than this 'story'. Zes isn't much of a storyteller... Though, I've seen worse.”
Coni replied with a nod and continued petting the bat.
“Right, Pessal, the god of... Something. It's not important, anyway,” Zes said to the newt woman, who sighed and grumbled. The muskrat man ignored Pethit and went on. “So, nothing remarkable in her early life. Except, perhaps, that she lived among the humans. Doing menial jobs for her living, nothing out of the ordinary. But, anyway, it was in the town of Fordjugglers -- I think I got this one right -- where things changed for her.”
“Fordjugglers? That's on the east coast, in the Steppe of Devourers, am I right?” Maloy said, captivated by the story despite Zes fumbling with the details.
“Well, I don't know. Probably?” Zes said somewhat peevishly.
“I-it is. Maloy is c-co-correct,” Pife said, looking up from a pile of papers with a quill in his paw. He too was listening intently to the muskrat man, all the time jotting down notes.
“Right. So in this coastal town, Lulo met a strapping young elf lad, Queca Playclasp, a warrior to boot,” Zes continued spinning the tale. “Now, Lulo had a thing for sword-waving feisty fellows with a pretty face. So she fell for Queca, her heart beating wildly in her bosom when she first saw him. And the more she saw him, the more she yearned for him. Sadly for Lulo, the feeling wasn't mutual. Queca hardly noticed her, no matter how she tried. Not even her beauty without equal had any effect. It is said that Queca was so consumed by grief and vindictiveness at the time that he was not interested in matters of the heart. He only wished for death and revenge, not love.”
“How so?” Tanzul asked. He hadn't paid particular notice to the story, since his thoughts were wandering on the last stretch of their journey and what might come after that. Yet, this part drew his attention.
“Queca was the son of a queen,” Pethit replied to the annoyance of Zes. “And his mother had fallen only a few years before in a terrible battle defending a dwarven hillocks from the assault of demonic hordes.”
“Yes, quite. I would have remembered that...” Zes said sourly. “But it was not only her mother he lost...”
“Ahem, where does the sasquatch fit in?” Galel poked at the muskrat man. “What has this all got to do with it? Or were the tall ape things part of the battle, hmh?”
“No, they weren't. I'm getting to it, if you'll just listen,” Zes spat out impatiently through gritted teeth. “Now, would you
please be so kind to let me tell the tale?”
“Please, do go on,” Tanzul said, focused entirely on listening to the story now.
“Right. So the queen of Ula Tefe took part in the battle,” Zes went on, his long tail slapping the floor erratically. “You see, there was this old alliance between the dwarves of the Bent Spears and the elves of Ula Tefe--oh, and the humans of the Distant Confederations were part of it, too, I think... If one of the kingdoms would be attacked, the others would come to their aid. And so, when the fiends of the Tight Torments arrived, laying waste on the Bent Spears, the dwarves cried out for help in desperation. And the queen answered.”
Edzul scoffed, not at all pleased with Zes's choice of words.
“Now, it was early winter when the queen's hosts arrived, riding alongside knights from the human kingdoms, their long spears tipped with pennons flailing in the wind,” Zes went on, holding his fist up high. “Eager to do battle and honor their allies, their spirits were all but crushed when they saw the enemy amassed on the fields next to the hillocks of... of... Hmm, now, what was it...? Ah, yes, the hillocks of Nosecanyon.”
“Ah! Oh, oh! I know this one!” Idar interrupted with a shout, bobbing on her chair in excitement. “Such a battle, such a war! So many losses, so many dead! Yet the fiends were driven back. No small feat that was! Praise the warriors!”
“Psh. Yes, the defenders were victorious,” Zes addressed the dwarf, waving a finger at her. “But at what cost, eh? The dead of the defenders were counted in the hundreds. And for what, hmh? You tell me -- or perhaps you don't know the whole story then?”
“No need to get all upset,” Idar answered with a frown. “Maybe I know how the legend goes, maybe I don't. But I don't feel like telling you.” She turned sideways on her chair, lifting her nose up with a loud 'hmph!'
“A-ha... May I continue then?” Zes grumbled and eyed the audience. It was only Idar who ignored him (or tried to). The others were still focused and listening, or at least they didn't appear too bored. So, again, the muskrat man continued.
“Now where was I? Ah, yes. The
enemy... On the fields stood an unholy army, a horde with screeching goblins in the front, taunting the defenders who vastly outnumbered them. But it was not the goblins that worried the alliance. It was the huge, giant abominations from the Underworld towering behind the green-skinned imps that disheartened even the most courageous of the lot. Hulking one-eyed bird-like monstroties with blue patchy feathers, muttering horrible curses; noseless swine twisted into humanoid form, the sight of their bloated bodies making one retch; giant flaming moths from the worst nightmares... How could they possibly defeat such a horrid foe?”
The muskrat man paused for a moment, stretching his arms up and sideways in an effort to make himself look bigger and more menacing. It was not an impressive act. He then let down his arms, twirled his whiskers and went on with a hint of embarrassment in his voice, “Um, so, it was a mighty battle. Swords clashed, spears found their mark. Many fell, but in the end, the enemy was driven back. But victory cost them dearly: the elven queen was among the hundreds of dead and so, too, was Ílathe, Queca's young wife.”
Pethit sniffed and wiped tears from her eyes.
“Wait, so Queca had a wife? How? When?” Galel asked, suddenly enraptured by the story.
“Yes, only some months before the battle Queca had married a young elf maid named Ílathe Scalyhailed,” Zes replied to the ostrich man.
“Her tale is a sad one, too. Tragic almost from the very beginning,” Pethit added, but when she noticed the stare of Zes, she continued with haste, “...But that is a story for another day and time. Please, continue Zes.”
“Yes, yes. Let's not sidetrack too much,” Zes said with a nod. “So, Queca was utterly devastated when he heard of the loss of both his mother and his wife. When Lulo met Queca, he was still clearly in anguish. It hurt Lulo to see her heart's desire in such pain, hiding the source of his grief behind a cold, stone shell. Eventually Lulo learned what caused his misery, and she could empathize with his suffering, for she had lost her sister to the same demonic hordes in the Scaly Mire. She vowed to Pi--No, sorry... to Pessal that she would melt the ice and bring youth and song back to Queca's life.”
“But before Lulo managed to soften Queca, duty called and he left to do battle in the far north,” Zes went on, pacing to and fro with his arms behind his back. “Lulo waited and waited to hear from Queca, hoping for him to come back to Fordjugglers. Yet there was no word of him, even though she had learned that the elf warriors had been victorious and none of them had fallen. It was only years later that she heard what had happened...”
Zes stopped in his steps and slowly turned to face his audience, trying to be dramatic. He wasn't very succesful in it.
“From the assault on Doomedpatterns, Queca had returned home, to Fanciedforded. Planning to lay down his arms and return to the peaceful life of a herbalist. Perhaps he had given Lulo some thought, perhaps warming to her? Perhaps a romance could have bloomed, after all?” Zes continued the tale. “But --oh, woe!-- the forest itself rose up and prevented such things. For there was something else in store for Queca and the future of Ula Tefe...”
“Ah, so now the sasquatches come in? Finally!” Galel exclaimed and slapped his thighs.
“No, not yet. Have patience!” Zes snapped at the ostrich man, who was shifting restlessly in his chair.
“Right. So we'll be stuck here for the whole day then... Great, just great!” Galel protested, slumping deeper into his seat. Tanzul flicked his finger at Galel's thigh, snarling at him, “Hush! Keep your beak sealed. Let Zes tell the story!”
“Thank you... Now, back to the story. There was this ancient beast, this guardian of the forest, a titan from a time before time,” the muskrat man went on with his long-winded story, waving his paw in the air for flair. “Haileagles the Tufted Brew of Dawns it was called. It was one with animals, nature, plants, rivers and trees. With everything that was held dearest in Ula Tefe. Such a magnificent beast it was, said to be one of the greatest creations of Imepe , one of the three Great Spirits. Shaped from the primordial muck of Alho, long before the first of flowers blossomed, before the first of trees sprouted, before the first of frogs croaked.”
“Alho? But he is the very antithesis of beauty!” Maloy cried out all of a sudden. “He may be at one with Day, but that is the day of his grey dreary light or the scorching day of baked mud and buzzing flies. How could anything beautiful
possibly come from him?”
“Now, now, Maloy,” Astesh cut in. “Is it not from the First Muck that Ôsed raised the whole of Minbazkar -- is that not one of the greatest beauties?”
“Psh! Do you want to hear the story or shall we rather talk about the whole of creation then, hmh?” Zes said brusquely, putting his paws on his hips.
“Forgive me, I meant not to interrupt,” the elephant seal man apologized and a bashful “sorry” came out from Astesh as she tried to avoid the muskrat man's stern gaze.
“Ahem. Yes. Haileagles. A forest titan,” Zes, once again, continued, “It had wandered the Perplexing Jungles for longer than the longest of memories. Once a kindly guardian, it had been driven mad by the tainted waters of the Gristly Lake, or so the legend tells. It was the downfall of the elves of the coastal forests, the sister queendom of Ula Tefe whose name is lost to time. It destroyed the forest retreats of Vipermobs and Glittersprings, ending the life of many an elf. But Fanciedforded stood its ground whenever the titan came, its haunting screech echoing over the forests. So mighty was the beast that many an elf admired it and gave worship to it. Perhaps hoping that their gifts and sacrifices would somehow appease Haileagles...”
“Queca had barely returned home when it happened, when his fate was sealed... When the titan arrived and the decline of Ula Tefe began,” Zes spoke in a wobbling voice. “Haileagles came unprovoked, without warning. Unprepared, the elves of Fanciedforded were no match for its fury. Their defences were broken, the elves routed and the forest retreat was no more. Over a hundred died that day and Queca was one of them.”
Zes paused and eyed the crowd. They were silent and mostly listening, except for the scratching sound of Pife's quill furiously taking notes. Pleased with this, he then twirled a whisker and went on, “It is probably needless to say that when Lulo learned of this, her heart and world was shattered. Utterly shattered. Such a sad thing to happen. Oh how things might be different had not the forest titan been mad...”
“Hmm. The forces of nature can be terrific, a force to be reckoned with,” Osod the llama man said solemnly.
“Yes. Even those who are dedicated to the ruthless protection of it should be wary,” Zes said with a nod. “So, Lulo's mind was engulfed in shadow, life lost its meaning for her. Years passed in a haze. Decades were but a blur to her. With the love of her life gone, nothing mattered to her. She was wasting away. That is, until the call came from Murderdrinks...”
“The war between the goblins and the Bent Spears was neverending. Reasons for the war all but forgotten,” the muskrat man proclaimed, reaching up with an open paw. “But the alliance was never broken. The humans and elves always came when the dwarf kingdom needed, despite their heavy losses. And all the while the shadow of the necromancers was spreading. It was a time when the reigns of queens were cut short, all falling in the battlefield in defence of the dwarves.”
“Hmph! You make it almost sound as if my kin are to blame. That's not at all how it was!” Idar objected sourly while Edzul stared icily at Zes and grumbled.
Zes waved dismissively at the dwarves and kept on going, “Anyway, another queen had died in battle and princess Amala succeeded her as queen. So, as is tradition, a new princess had to be found. Heralds set forth from Murderdrinks bearing message from the Druid to elf maidens who were deemed princess material. Lulo was one to receive the message and dutifully she traveled to Murderdrinks, to stand before the Druid. And so the Druid looked upon the gathered maidens, communed with the Great Trees, the spirits of the forest and Ithithe the Gorge of Apes, and his finger moved to point at Lulo. So she became the princess of Ula Tefe... But that was not the fate life had in store for her.”
“The reign of queen Amala was a short one. She, like her predecessor, fell while helping the dwarves fend off the goblin menace,” the muskrat man said as he made a plaintive gesture. “So it was that Lulo then became the queen of Ula Tefe, and during her reign things were more peaceful. For, you see, the Bent Spears made peace with the Tight Torments. No more elf lives would be squandered in defence of their allies, and effort could be put into more pleasant things. It was a good time for the elves and queen Lulo began to see life in a bit more positive light.”
“However, all good things are doomed to come to an end, and all stories to a close,” Zes said in a doddering voice, twirling a finger in the air while holding his other arm behind his back. “Peace did not last long and the elves were embroiled ever the deeper in the war against the spreading threat of the undead. Winter was barely over when most of the able elf warriors marched to lay siege upon the town of Slidwaxes. A town that had fallen to the forces of the necromancer lord Githa Whirlsizzled. The winter had been a particularly harsh and cold one and the previous summer cold and rainy. Food was scarce in the neighboring human lands and so the elves, whose orchards were blessed and bountiful, aided where they could to keep famine away. But it was not only humans who were hungry. Oh no, there were others...”
“Sooo.... Is this the part? Where the sasquatch comes in?” Galel asked cautiously.
Zes slowly turned to look at the ostrich man and smiled. “Yes, we are finally there. What you all have been waiting for. Now, brace yourselves...”
“Ahem. Many elves were away when it happened, either at war or taking food to nearby settlements,” Zes went on with the tale, waving his paws frantically. “The sasquatches came at night. Not one, but three. It was very unlike of them to band in such a large group, for sasquatches are solitary creatures, reclusive by nature. Nevertheless, Dustfloods the Poetry of V... Vigor? Yes, Dustfloods the Poetry of Vigor came with...with... Well, with two others whose names I seem to have forgotten... Pethit, help?”
“Zes, really? You still don't remember them?” Pethit said disappointedly.
“Please? One last time?” Zes pleaded the newt woman.
“Very well,” Pethit said with a sigh. “The three sasquatches were Dustfloods the Poetry of Vigor, Numberfaint the Fungus of Emptiness and Manbrands the Ashen Heaviness. All three of them very ancient and known to the elves from Legends. There. Try not to forget.”
“Thank you. Now, on with the story,” Zes thanked and turned his attention back to the audience. “So, three sasquatches came, you heard their names. So, the goblin poet Osnun Yawnmaligned was the first unfortunate one to come across the wily beasts, sneaking silently. She ended up being the meal of Dustfloods the Poetry of Vigor -- not quite the poetic end she had hoped for. Poor Osnun. Yet, it was her screams that awoke the sleeping elves and alerted the few rangers who were guarding the grounds. Perhaps her sacrifice saved the life of many?”
“Now, queen Lulo did not stand idly by, for she was awake at the moment of the attack. She grabbed her weapon and flung down a vine from the home tree. To confront whatever enemy awaited her,” the muskrat man exclaimed with exaggerated flinging gestures. “She saw the sasquatch Numberfaint the Fungus of Emptiness grappling with Smunstu Eellie, a goblin dancer and scribe. Without hesitation she rushed into the fray as Numberfaint tore off a leg from the goblin! Splurt! Aargh! Crying out, Lulo ran with haste to intervene! But in the moment she paid little attention to her surroundings. And she failed to notice the third sasquatch, Manbrands the Ashen Heaviness.”
“From the dark, hidden by tree and bush, Manbrands leapt, attacking the queen! Rawr!” Zes bellowed, hopping lazily with arms stretched out and flailing. “Lulo stumbled and fell down, the sasquatch on top of her. They tumbled and rolled, Lulo trying to wrestle her way out of the strong grip of the beast, jaws gnashing and snapping only an inch from her face! But, alas, the queen's strength was no match for Manbrands and with a loud crunch the burly sasquatch bit her! She screamed in pain as the terrible teeth of Manbrands sunk into her nose, and with a wet, sickening sound her nose was torn off! Shlurp!”
Zes snapped his teeth at the crowd. Maloy gasped, instinctively shielding his big floppy nose with his hands.
“Hmm, not bad, not bad,” Pethit muttered, nodding her head slightly.
“Right. Blood spraying and squirting from her face and blinding the sasquatch, Lulo finally managed to escape,” the muskrat man said as he whirled around like a spindle. “At that moment the rangers arrived, led by a fellow named Vadane Hilldimpled -- I think that was his name --, and the sasquatches were driven back into the woods with much sword-waving. It was a sad night, and the loss of Osnun and several animals caused much grief. But the worst did not come to pass, for the queen survived. However, the once beautiful Lulo was now without nose, her face scarred and disfigured. Such a terrible sight to behold! From that day forth, it was rare to see her walk among her subjects -- and when she did, she wore a featureless mask of grown wood. Oh woe! How her subjects lamented for her! The songs of sorrow they sung! But... Despite all this, she became one of the greatest queens Ula Tefe had ever seen. And, perhaps, just perhaps, some of you may have heard other stories told of her, but with a different name. For she is more commonly known as the Faceless Queen!”
With that Zes stopped and looked at the crowd. All eyes were still more or lessed focused on him, expecting him to go on. There was an awkward silence in the room until Pethit began to clap her hands sluggishly.
“What, that was it?” Galel said startledly. “All that build-up for a pitiful encounter with the sasquatch? What a waste of time! Sheesh!”
“It could've been worse,” Pethit addressed the ostrich man, though there was some doubt in her voice.
“Well, I found it quite the fascinating tale,” Maloy said, forgetfully still clutching his nose. “It may have been a long story, but there was much that I knew not of the history of Ula Tefe. In fact, it was quite insightful. I would love to learn more, some day.”
“Hah! Just some useless tidbits from history, adding nothing to the story,” Galel scoffed. “All pointless, really. And the whole deal with the sasquatches... Quite unfulfilling. What was so special about it, anyway?”
The muskrat man looked insulted and his confidence crushed. He averted his gaze from the ostrich man and began to stare at his own feet, scratching the behind of his neck. Tanzul felt sorry for Zes and glanced angrily at Galel. The ostrich man was just outright rude sometimes and lately it had been more often so. Tanzul
knew that Galel could behave and show some decency. He just didn't want to.
“P-p-pardon me, M-mister Muskrat,” Pife stammered, looking through his notes.
“Yes?” Zes shifted his attention to the hedgehog man.
“I-it was an, um, interesting story. Told quite, uh, ani-m-m-matedly,” Pife said cautiously. “But I w-w-was left wondering when was this harsh w-winter? You didn't m-m-mention any years.”
“When? Um... I don't know, really,” Zes replied and scratched his head. “All I know is that Murderdrinks wasn't the only place to be attacked that spring. Yetis descended from the mountains and creatures of the night came from their stinking lairs in search of food all around the place.”
“Master Themiyi would know all the details,” Pethit added. “He's the one who has
tried to teach the story to Zes.”
“T-thank you,” Pife said, scribbling down some more notes. “That helps in p-placing the event i-in the correct s-s-spot. I'm sure the library in W-w-waterlures will help me f-fill the blanks.”
“Oh? You're welcome then, I guess...” Zes said and began twirling a whisker absent-mindedly..
Sibrek stood up from his chair, stretched his arms and coughed, “Well, that was a tale, certainly. But we should really get going now. I'd rather reach Waterlures before the day is over.”
“Yes, while the lessons of the past are enchanting and all, and I envy the excitement of the days of yore,” Tanzul hopped in, also getting up, “the dawn seems pleasant enough outside, heralding a much brighter and warmer day than yesterday. It is time for us to move on, leave you to attend to your tasks. It has been an honor being your and your Master's guests.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Zes bowed courteously and deeply. “Perhaps one day I will come and visit that place, that Waterlures.”
“Perhaps,” Tanzul said and patted the muskrat man on his shoulder. “May Sas provide your streams with an abundance of fish. Farewell.”
With that farewells were finally exchanged, some awkwardly, some warmly, and the group of travelers headed out, away from Twilighthum, towards the town of Waterlures.
======
So, that was pretty much a Legends mode episode then.
I began to delve a bit too deep into Legends after I noticed that just as I was about to leave Twilighthum Zes began to tell a story on his own. I thought it'd be a nice little story before heading off, but nope, turned longer than expected.
There was lots and lots of interesting stuff to be found, so maybe we'll see some more legends-delving updates, if you want.
Maybe next time we get all the way to Waterlures? Or possibly I'll get again caught up in dialogue between characters. We'll see.
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Topic: Waterlures - A Capybara Man Fortress & Adventure [DF 0.47.05] (Read 70251 times)