S
Soup Kitchen
Guest
Original poster
The Legend of the Summer Sword
Since the beginning of time, the seasons of the year have governed the conditions for life. From the shimmers of light at the first break of spring to the bright green of summer follows the wind, rain and colors of autumn, then inevitably comes the unforgiving winter before it breaks to give way to spring again. An endless cycle bound to be repeated forever, or until the world collapses. Whatever else in life that falls short, one can trust in the changing of the seasons. The farmer sows in the spring and reaps in the autumn. The bear eats in the summer and sleeps in the winter. The bird flies south in the autumn and returns in spring. So do the years go by, one season flowing into the next, as precise as clockwork. Yet one time, long ago, something terrible happened which threatened to disrupt the seasonal flow.
It was spring. Rivers ran wide with the melted snow. The light you saw lasted longer than before, stretching the dawn and dusk to where they were a year ago. Everywhere you walked, the birds chirped to one another, signalling the early days of warmth. The fields now bare were already being worked on, preparing it for the warm days to come. Yet as days became weeks and months, something appeared completely wrong. It was about time for summer to come when the trees already begun to their transformation to red, brown and yellow. Their green color never peaked, and neither did the heat. It was the shortest summer in man's memory. The crops had barely grown before it was time to bring them home. Everyone were in panic, as neither animal nor man had food enough to get through the cold winter. No one knew how to explain it, and blamed the Gods and the winds and everything in between. Making it through that harshest of winters, most lived to see the spring again. Yet the days hardly grew warmer before the weather declined into autumn's rain and wind. Again, summer had eluded them. This second time, everyone were in panic. What would be of the world without its days of warmth? The kings and rulers of the lands asked for answers, but even the wisest of men could not explain. What had happened to the season of the sun?
By the third year, food was becoming dangerously scarce. Would this go on, the world could perish. The thought set fear into the mind of man. Desperation gripped many. The sounds of war could be heard from one kingdom the next, everyone fighting for a future of their own. Those who did not benefit from war had to fend for themselves. Lawlessness spread like wildfire as man turned to beast, feeding on the next man's feast. It was a dreadful time of chaos and decay; the candle of hope burning quickly away.
Yet not everyone had lost faith. In a town like many others, there came by a strange merchant. The carts his oxen dragged were bulging with exotic wares from every parts of the land. Though most would save what money they had for food, many peculiar items were also sold. From the depths of one of the carts, one customer had found an old children's tale. Long forgotten by people past, it was a tale of the four seasons. Everyone thought he was a fool for buying it, but he had a childish hope of maybe finding an answer to why the summer had gone. It was called "The Legend of the Summer Sword."
The tale spoke of four brave knights who were supposed to be the protectors of the whole world. They defended man through all the seasons by guiding the weather and keeping the peace. It was their duty to ensure that the seasons went by as they did. Incredibly powerful, they each wielded a unique sword, which each had the powers to govern a season. Feyline, bright and earnest, held the Sword of Spring. Edeyrn, having the defining qualities of a knight, held the Sword of Summer. Horwin, stout and trusting, held the Sword of Autumn. Gabriel, perhaps the strongest of them all, held the Sword of Winter. They had to work together to make the seasons function as they should. Yet Gabriel, arrogant and hungry for more power, was bound to break the peace. Especially, he was envious of Edeyrn's powers. Everyone enjoyed summer; it brought light and warmth to everyone. Winter did not. It got to the point where he begun to hate Edeyrn and his Summer Sword. Thousands of years passed without more than quarrels, but the tale took a grim turn when Gabriel challenged Edeyrn to a duel, to prove which season was the strongest. Reluctantly, Edeyrn went along, in an attempt to appease Gabriel. But the fight got out of hand, and Gabriel cut Edeyrn down. Feyline and Horwin watched in horror as Gabriel ripped the Sword of Summer from Edeyrn's hands. He had finally proved his might, and the two other knights didn't dare challenge him. In the years to come, he vowed that the world would see a lot more winter, and locked the Sword of Summer away in his tower. The Tower of Winter, it was called, its walls impregnable. The knights continued to weave through the seasons, but it was not the same. The balance had been broken, and darkness covered the lands.
It was a disappointing ending to a children's story, but on the very last page there was a map. It was a map of the real world, and it marked the location of the Tower of Winter, far to the north. It was too much of a coincidence not to be of significance. Maybe the Sword of Summer had been taken. It would explain a lot. Yet, could the legend be true?
OOC
I'm searching for one more individual for this role-play, in which we'll be taking on the roles of two young people from the same village. They can be brother and sister, or perhaps they're young lovers. I don't really care about genders. However, they're not really heroes yet; they're normal, young people who have undertaken the responsibility to retrieve the Sword of Summer to restore balance to the world. It might be a heroic notion, but they will need a lot of help, and luck, if they are to make it through the war-ridden lands.
Please PM me if you are interested. Include your preferred relationship between our characters and a bit about how you role-play.
Last edited by a moderator:
