The Hermit: 2nd Edition

Visiting the Oracle of Nix was no small thing. The infamous fortune teller has made many prophesies affecting the lives of people far and wide. One such prophesy declared the return of the exiled king after the appearance of a rare rusty crescent moon. His son, little Prince Dracon prayed in the temple after receiving a letter from his mother, the Queen of Blythe, announcing she is getting married during the Winter Solstice celebrations and wishes his presence at the ceremony. The rusty crescent moon had appeared after the harvest moon and now Dracon’s guardian feared for his safety believing his mother wishes to stop the prophesy from coming true. His father would use every enchantment to protect his son from danger, and thus reveal himself. It is told that the queen has magical spies that could be anywhere so few are brave enough to speak about her exiled husband. The courier bringing the letter believed the prince’s education with the priest and priestess has come to an end. ...

“It all began with a young maiden,” recited The Hermit grinning with his pipe stuck between his teeth. “A young maiden, barely a woman, prayed to the gods to find her true love. Nobody in her small village desired to be married to an orphan girl raised by the shaman. Her father was an elf from the village who traded with human nomads sailing the rivers. Her mother was a human nomad who arrived at the village pregnant to find her lover had been killed by bandits. Her mother died in childbirth and buried by her lover. The elf’s family refused to acknowledge a half human and allowed the shaman to raise the child. The shaman taught her magic and one night, she looked into a bronze goblet filled with water. She lit sage next to the goblet and saw a vision of a young man riding a white horse looking sad and exhausted. Many days passed and she never met this man. Days became years and one day her village was attacked. Humans often attack elf villages to find slaves to trade beyond t...

The Hermit announced it was time for bed. Tomorrow the omen ceremony would begin. In the morning twilight, they made the morning meal of porridge and the girls left to gather nuts and fruit. The boys walked behind the grand waterfall to meet the Oracle of Nix. A single torch lit the way through a grand entryway covered in murals of animals no longer around. Columns of limestone held an icicle ceiling dripping on their heads. They lit sage inside a clay bowl and prayed to the cave goddess Maya. They continued on to enter a room with beds and tables. The goddess Lilia was washing her dishes in a tin tub. The girls said she never comes out when expecting guests. Her white blonde hair and pale skin made her resemble a ghost in the dark. Jason approached and cleared his throat. “Calm yourself, Jason. I’m almost done.” spoke the woman. She washed the last dish and gazed upon her visitors. “You first. You have an aura have not seen before and I’m curious.” Alaric steps forward....