Myths and Legends: Tales of Heseodorus

The following are two stories related to the Torinian Historian, Heseodorus, "the Great Storyteller".

- The Guardians' Grievances

- The Legend of Astryon and The Golden Shield of Alur

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"The Guardians' Grievances"

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Those mysterious and extraordinary beings who possess power that few have the capacity to comprehend; those "Guardians", they are not so different from the rest of us. Or at least that's what some legends suggest. In one of his most lengthy and controversial tales, Heseodorus paints a picture of a rare class of beings put at odds by greed, pride, insecurity, envy, unfaithfulness, and other such fallings. Heseodorus even goes as far to quote a smith Guardian saying, "The greatest threat to Felarya will not come from outside, it will come from the division between those that protect it. The invasion of the Correctors was the best thing to ever happen to us. It brought us together and gave our world a new lease on life." Naturally, the writings of Heseodorus were shunned in many places across Felarya for having suggested that the majestic Guardians could succumb to such petty grievances. He has been known to share some pretty tall tales, but as Heseodorus himself put it, "Is it really that hard to believe that the Queen of the Fairies could have had an affair with another Guardian at some point in her life?"

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The Legend of Astryon and The Golden Shield of Alur, by Heseodorus

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Somewhere in the archipelago of the Shimmering Sea, in an ancient time when the world was being quaked by battles between colossal beings, an Elf named Lipari hid himself in a cavern for years to escape his gigantic pursuers. Of the many reasons the giants of the land had been fighting, he found himself in possession of one of them and had been guarding diligently. What he held in his hands was the Golden Shield of Alur that few could wield without being corrupted by its power. There came a day when the master smith finished a great labor that he had undertaken - restoring an abandoned construct that he named Astryon. It stood 100 feet (30.48 meters) tall and had a humanoid body with the head of a bull. Lipari taught the construct his values and asked him to protect the Golden Shield from those who would misuse its power. Astryon asked Lipari to hide the shield within its body. After much argument, the smith elf acquiesced and proceeded to hide the Golden Shield within Astryon.

Time passed and Lipari's fear of being discovered eased; he actually found a great deal of peace there teaching Astryon about life and the world. The elf would have liked to live peacefully in that cavern forever but fate would not allow it. On a lovely and inviting morning, Lipari left the cavern for a brisk walk. He was alarmed by the slight in the ground beneath him that felt very much like approaching giant footsteps. The long-lived elf thought that his latest creation had disobeyed his command to stay inside the cavern. But a voice from above him dashed those hopes. Lipari turned to the sound of the voice and gazed upon the face of a kneeling giantess in shimmering armor, with hair long and luminous. It was an Oiriopata, one of the pursuers that he had so desperately tried to avoid. The Oiriopata introduced herself as Semele, one of the least forgiving of her civilization, therefore she urged Lipari to divulge the location of the Golden Shield. The resilient Lipari refused to answer prompting Semele to pick the elf up and retrace the path that he unwittingly made leading back to the cavern.

Astryon heard the warning shouts of his creator and emerged from the cavern ready for the violent conflict ahead. Semele examined the construct; Astryon was very similar to the Titans she had engaged in battle numerous times, but there was something inexplicably unique about him. Whatever it was that set that construct apart was of secondary importance however, for Semele was sure Astryon knew the location of the Golden Shield that both the Oiriopata and the Titans were in search of. She raised her arm and pointed her spear threateningly. Astryon lunged forward to rescue Lipari, only to see Semele angrily crush the tiny elf in her hand. The Elven giantess was not known for mercy, especially not when dealing with males, and she threw his lifeless body to the ground with disdain.

The enraged Astryon furiously attacked Semele. It was then that Semele realized the quality that set Astryon apart from other constructs was its ability to love, and that loved fueled the construct as the two combatants leveled the forest. The long battle saw Semele kneel in defeat at the fall of night. She patiently awaited her death but Astryon did not deliver it. Instead, the construct found the body of Lipari and marched off to lay its creator to rest while Semele watched, resigned to her defeat. Rather than shamefully dragging herself back to her civilization, the proud Oiriopatan reached down and gripped the half of the broken spear that laid by her side, and then said a prayer to her goddess. Semele laid down, piercing herself through with the broken spear.

The years passed and the Titan called Astryon guarded the Golden Shield with its life from many who desired its power, especially the determined Oiriopata. Astryon never fooled itself into believing that it would successfully defend the shield forever, so it didn't come as a surprise to the Titan when it found itself cornered by three Oiriopatan warriors one day. The honorable Astryon suffered through its interrogation by the Elven giantesses who demanded to know the location of the shield. The brave construct's will could not be broken, however. Eventually, the Queen of the Oiriopata, Thesilea, declared that Astryon should become the first prisoner of Gaieochos Prison on the nearby island. So the construct was locked away deep inside the massive pyramid, with its inverted ups and downs and lefts and rights. There the Titan still remains to this day, thousands of years later, guarding the secret of the Golden Shield of Alur.