The tale of the trio and the dark sea [A Kaldorei fable]

A one-off tale of the Kaldorei I made up a couple of nights ago, during a spot of RP




The driftwood fire spits and crackles on the beach like a living thing, a refuge of warmth after their ridiculous swimming bet. The sea temperature had been breathtakingly bitter, unexpected on a warm golden autumn day like this. Cal shivers, wrapped tight in a rough white cloak as he finishes his tale, sitting as close to the fire as she dares without the risk of catching alight. The chill matters little though, it has been a long time since she has felt so content and relaxed.

This was a holiday, a perfect time for stupid bets, leaping through collapsing wine cellars, revisiting his past at the long ruined fort. Eating and drinking like pirates and kings, a few rare stolen days away from the politics of their homelands.

She smiles across the flames to him, “I have a tale too... if you would like to hear it?”

Mael nods, warming his hands roughly over the fire.

“For this one, I need you to lie flat on your back though, and fix your gaze upon the sky”


Many thousands of moons ago, far back to the time of the very first elven village, only Elune herself sailed in the sky, on a sea of pure darkness.

Cal lowers her voice…

Imagine every star above you now, their fire out.

He frowns, looking back to her, but she gestures towards the sky again with a smirk...

Elune, she turns always, waxing and waning forever in her dance. Sometimes she is radiant, making the land glow as she gazes upon it. But there are times where she faces away, and when she does, can you even imagine how dark the land became for them back then? With no star, no moon to see by…

She hesitates, drawing the tale out in the way it had been told to her as a child, let him picture it; let him imagine the utter darkness just for a moment….

The first village grew frightened of the night, even though it is the rightful domain of the Kaldorei. The Sentinels were posted to the four corners of the village with bright torches and shining glaives to keep the villagers safe as best they could.

But the people still wailed and wept for the utter darkness at their door, wringing their hands with worry and wonder about what to do.

At last a fisherman spoke up, for he had a fine boat. He said he might be able to sail to Elune, to beg her to to help, to ease the fear gripping the villagers somehow. At this a tailor nodded, she had many fine silks, perhaps she could craft him a sail worthy of the mission. Perhaps it would be able to lift his craft? Then lastly a blacksmith raised his strong hand. He offered to help them too. He could craft a compass to guide their path, and beautiful oars with which to steer.

So they stitched and they crafted and they prepared together, and soon the three set sail.

Cal lifts her arm, to point towards the distant moon hanging low over the calm sea...

But the sky, was a vast dark sea, the journey long and hard and cruel.

Eventually there came a point where they knew they could either turn their small vessel around and return home. Or, carry on with no chance of return. What then do you think they did?

"...they continued?"

Indeed, they each found their bravery. The fisherman worked hard to repair the boat all the time, for no ship was ever made to survive such a trip. The tailor, she sewed til her hands were raw, fixing the sail, for no fabric was ever intended to withstand such terrible gales, and the blacksmith he rowed and rowed with every ounce of strength his strong body possessed.

They survived, they endured, but nothing wondrous is ever won without some cost.

Eventually, weak and exhausted, death nipping at their heels, the trio arrived before Elune herself. She gazed down upon them wordlessly, entranced by their tales of the woes of the first village. She could see the fierce love they had for their kin, the deep bravery it had taken to cross the sky and the dread toll the voyage had taken upon them.

So, she made them a promise...

She promised them that they would not perish, as they were surely about to do. Instead she would cast them forever out into the dark waters of the sky to become a beacon of light and hope. That on the darkest nights, even whilst Elune is turned away in her dance, they would shine on and guide our path.

Cal smiles, pointing over to a cluster of three bright stars, a trinity guiding ever north. "Do you see them, there?"

"I do, those stars have helped me out at sea many times"

"They guide us all"

Elune promised, that forever after, the bravest and most true of her people would follow in the trio's wake. Forming a new star each upon the moment she decides to gather them to her side.

High above, as the tale ends, thousands upon thousands of points of glittering light have crept upon the dark sea overhead. Cal feels warm at last, gazing up too to watch the stars, perhaps it was the fire finally doing its work. But just perhaps it was remembering and sharing this tale of Elune, the warmth of a flicker of forgotten faith.

A very nice tale. Good work

While I have already read it I gladly do it again, it's such a wonderful story