Ok... So a new C&C nautical adventure, eh?

[Dragondaddy]

So the story goes...
There is a goddess that wants all the creatures of Airdhe to live and to prosper, and not to suffer in death. One day, seeing the tortured soul in Morgeld, son of Luther, she went to him at Eloria, and stayed for a time. Morgeld was instantly transfixed by both the beauty and the warmth of Aithria, and stricken with the desire to be with her, put aside his plans. Enamored with the Goddess, he traveled the length and breadth of Aihrde with her, escorted by a contingent of his best knights and most fearsome warriors. She showed him the creatures she loved, and showed how she cared for the world, in bringing new life into the world, and in removing the pain of the dying so they could die in peace.

The mighty warriors of the blacks spears, the children of the Unklar, for a time lay aside their weapons of death and destruction, as they could harm none, nor cause any pain, while they traveled with this Goddess and this vexed them greatly. Any they would slay with malice, she would reincarnate as a creature, or a being, even more beautiful or resplendent than previously. Whenever they attacked a helpless or good creature she would provide succor, and provide the aggrieved survivors with the light of Mordius, that they may forget the troubles and turmoils of the world. Without any fear, or pain, or anger to feed on, the children of Unklar were rendered powerless. All but Morgeld was dismayed.

As Morgeld was bound in the bonds of love, his loyal great captains devised a clever plan to free him. To celebrate his impending wedding, they offered the Goddess a gift. A carved cypress walking staff, shod with obsidian and with an obsidian headpiece. This was decorated with the most beautiful gems of Unklar, taken from deep in the bowels of the earth. They imbued this cypress staff with new magic. Magic that would heal the earth, and the plants of the earth, and magic that would aid the speedy rebirth of any tainted or dying lands. What they did not tell her is the sorcerers included a spell that would also draw on the energies of the wielder to accomplish this.

Then the mighty captains asked Morgeld to invite Aithria into the domains of Unklar, that she may share her wonders with the children of Unklar. Pleased with his new bride-to-be, and desiring her to see the realms she would become Queen of, Morgeld did indeed invite Athria into the realms of Unklar, and they traveled there for a time as well. After one particularly challenging night, where she provided a rebirth for an entire underground city, Aithria fell into a deep slumber, from which she could not be awakened.

Now it was Morgeld whom was dismayed. He tried all measures of medicines, and brought every wizard, sorcerer, and specialist that he knew, and tricked a few others even, into attempting to awaken the Goddess to no avail. In Eloria, He built a magnificent shrine for her, and lay the Goddess to rest within the halls of the great shrine. Then he returned to his affairs of state, and waited. For a time he would visit her in the shrine every day, seeking some new method to awaken her, all without avail. Eventually he visited the shrine less and less often, and after a time went to visit the shrine only once a year, to celebrate the day that they first met.

One day after many years, he returned to the shrine, to find his beloved Goddess gone. She had awakened on her own, and Aithria had fled, while the children of the Unklar were busied unleashing suffering and terror upon Aihrde.

This is not the end of this story though, only the beginning, for recently, many sages and princes of the Kingdoms have received reports of a beautiful raven haired woman leading a small band of followers in the bayous of the Bay of Lothian. It is said she carries the most beautiful cypress staff, decorated with jewels and shod with obsidian.