Granduris Story

Basic plot - no meat

BOOK ONE
G.O.W.C. and hero/protector find sword (the only weapon in the universe that can kill an Eternal), they try to protect it keep it safe.

BOOK TWO
Shadow Claw/Zwarta steals sword and kills some Eternals with it

BOOK THREE
Hero/protector wields sword and kills Zwarta. Other heroes defeat Shadow Claw.

Prologue

There is a world, populated by humans and fae alike, called Granduris, that is said to be the first world ever created. But not too long ago there was an event, called the Great Disaster, that changed everything for the people - the Eternals arrived in Granduris, looking for conquest.

There are twelve Eternals and they all wanted to rule Granduris but they all had different agendas. Some wanted control, some wanted riches, and some wanted to implement certain systems on the people. None of them could agree on anything. They are Whita, Zwarta, Ariana, Kita, Maza, Froma, Bilina, Phota, Morda, Vata, Jaka, and Solara. Too great were these Eternals that the people were helpless against their power. What can a mere mortal do against an Eternal Being? A man can swing a sword, an elve can use fairie magic, a troll can use brute force, but what is that compared to an Eternal who can do anything? This is where the strife and trouble was brought forth. The Eternals took whatever they wanted, killed whomever they wished, and played chance with everything. The Eternals were destroying the natural order of Granduris through devastating Eternalistic powers.

The people had enough. You can't boil two ram heads in one pot, as the proverb saith. So Granduris went to war against the Eternals. What a war it was! Half the population was eradicated, most of the land became uninhabitable, and even reality itself was fragmented in certain areas to the north. Whole kingdoms were laid to waste. Some races of Elves and Dwarves became extinct. The remaining people that survived tried to rebuild the best they could, but the war never really ended and the people lived in constant struggle over land, resources, and economics. It was a strange and dark time for Granduris, under the domain of twelve capricious Eternals, but life did get better thanks to the Grand Order of the Wizards Council, or the G.O.W.C. Wizards proved to be the most capable of fighting back the Eternals. While a wizards magic was no equal to an Eternals power, it still put forth a strong match. So the G.O.W.C. and the Eternals came to a concordance. The wizards would become ambassadors to the Eternals, while keeping order and offering protection for the people, and the Eternals would not act on any major conquest without approval from the council.

Granduris began to heal. The people were taking back the lands they once called home. Kingdoms were being established in the east and progress and prosperity followed. They called their country the Megalopolis and it was composed of fifteen kingdoms. But there was one more land in the east that had no king and it was called Arya Megnon. Technically they were the sixteenth kingdom, however the megalopolis form of rule did not apply to them. The Megnons were tribal, structuring their progress through a merit system. They lived a simple life. Their clothes were simple, their customs were simple, and their houses were simple. Megnons have canine attributes and one can see a small resemblance to a dog in the structure of their faces. In their legends they pray to Udo, a half-man and half-dog deity, for protection and favor. Many Megnons go outside on a full moon and howl to Udo.

On one such night, a young Megnon does exactly that...

Chapter ONE

Kapoy must be the only Megnon that wants to leave Arya Megnon, especially for a whole month. So when the Ministry of Research and Rehabilitation requested his help, how could he say no? The M.R.R. does exceptional work excavating old ruins and reclaiming what was lost since the Great Disaster. But the wastelands are dangerous. He’d better keep his wits. His duties are to sniff out any old relic that the team provided a scent for. Nobody has a better sense of smell than Megnons. They are famous for it. But the M.R.R. is even more famous and Kapoy felt honored to assist them.

Kapoy wondered about his new opportunity. What sort of relics were the M.R.R. looking for? How valuable are they?

He longed for adventure,something most Megnons avoid. Kapoy looked up at the night sky. The stars brighter than usual. He felt peaceful, the air was still. Too still, oddly still, as if expectation hung in the air. The moon was visible, a full moon. Was Udo watching him? Would Udo help him? He let out a howl, and then another. Yes, he knew Udo was with him.

Collecting himself, he went back inside his house. Like all Megnon houses, the style is adobe; square, straight, with blocky angles. Large rugs and pottery furnish most Megnon houses.

Kapoy walked to the bedroom. He spotted the area where his dog, Bruto, used to sleep. It’s only been two weeks since his passing and Kapoy is still upset. Bruto was a good dog. Megnons have a kinship, a deep bond, with dogs, wolves, and coyotes. Having canine in their genetic code, Megnons share similar characteristics - keen sense of smell being one aspect.

Kapoy longed for life in the city. He wants adventure and a busy life. All the Megnons he knew want a simple life - fish, hunt, make pottery. There’s an old Megnon saying, “all you need to survive in Arya Megnon is four things; a knife, fire, a goat, and black tea.” Life went by so slowly in Arya Megnon. It seemed most of the other kingdoms were moving rapidly into the future. That’s what he wants.

He’s never been to the wastelands. Full of old spirits, beasts, and monsters, the wastelands are avoided by most people, but Kapoy was up for the challenge. The wastelands are a strange and dangerous place, however the relics of the past and the customs of the old ways need to be recovered. There’s so much that has been lost to the Great Disaster. Kapoy remembered his trip to Ostris Magnolocus where he listened to a lecture in a museum. The lecture was called, "The Past is our Future." The professor spoke of fantastic artifacts with emense power. He showed some of those artifacts to the audience, explaining how those artifacts are being reclaimed and repurposed for the kingdoms of the Megalopolis. Progress, Kapoy thought, there’s no stopping it.

Kapoy washed his hands in a basin beside the bed. The water was treated with blue bonnets, which acted as a perfume. He splashed his face with the water and sighed, "What am I getting into?" He pulled off his shirt, threw it on the dresser, and slipped into bed. Kapoy's wife Mamino is already in bed. She is reading a book about crafts and design. Kapoy leaned over for a kiss, "I'm going to miss you." She smiled, "And I'm going to miss you."
"Will you be fine by yourself for a month?"
"Oh yes, don't worry about me. I have plenty to do around the house."
"I'm sure you will enjoy the solitude, right?"
"Of course, I can even do the dishes naked if I wanted to."
"Well that you can do anytime you like, I won't mind," Kapoy said with a grin. He leaned in for another kiss. She is so beautiful, he thought. Kapoy has so much love for Mamino. Ever since they met when they were just kids, Kapoy still gets infatuated by her. His love for her is unbreakable, which is pretty close to a perfect love one can have. He rolled over on his side and closed his eyes. Tomorrow he would be uncovering treasures of antiquity. Tomorrow is so far away.