The Grand Sea of Tribute
The Ancients Dreams of the Dead
In a land where most struggled to remember their dreams, a select few experienced vivid and meaningful visions during their slumber. Recognising the potential significance, the dreams of the Kings and Queens were diligently recorded by the Priests, seeking hidden wisdom and portents of the future. Among these dreams, a recurring theme emerged—communication from the deceased, offering messages of unfinished tasks, hidden knowledge, and prophecies spanning countless lifetimes. The Priests continued their meticulous documentation of these ethereal prophecies.
The Path to the Realm of the Dead
Amidst countless wonders, attention turned to dreams in the Royal Court, suggesting that the departed sought to communicate with the living, beckoning them from a world beyond. This revelation challenged the notion of a single unidirectional journey after death. Scholars and thinkers embarked on a journey of discovery, aiming to traverse the path between the two realms, seeking to interact, explore, trade with the ancestors, and even potentially even bringing them back to the land of the living. The pursuit of this knowledge consumed generations, but ultimately, they succeeded in understanding and accessing the pathway to reunite with their ancestors.
The Dangers of the Realm of the Dead
Once the means to connect with the departed was unraveled, precautions became paramount. It was discovered that their realm responded to the thoughts and emotions of the living, shaping itself according to their memories, hopes, and fears.
Aware of the potential consequences of even a fleeting thought leading to disaster, travel between the worlds was restricted. Powerful weapons, crafted using accumulated knowledge, were hidden away until their necessity arose. A once potent temple was cast into the depths to prevent cataclysmic consequences.
Yet, one among the Priests dared to explore the audacious idea of merging the two realms. He comprehended the necessity of keeping the worlds separated to maintain harmony between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead.
The Journey to the Realm of the Dead
The Royal Court, fearing unrest and upheaval, kept the truth about the connection between the living and the dead a closely guarded secret. The ancestors, devout in their beliefs, had anticipated a grand Sea of Tribute — a realm filled with their treasures and comforts upon their arrival. Their minds conjured the reality they longed for. However, the knowledge that eternal contentment was just out of reach threatened to disrupt the order and harmony. To maintain unity, a declaration was made: "We go together, or not at all."
A sacred mask was forged, adorned with gems hewn from the same stone used for traversing realms. Meanwhile, the Queen prepared the people for a great journey, shielding them from the true nature of their destination. Some individuals remained behind — those considered dangerous or disruptive, the Eternal Guard who upheld their oath, and the High Priest, who donned the mask to guide them to their new home.
After accomplishing their mission, the Veil was dismantled to safeguard its potent power from falling into the wrong hands. By offering it to the depths, they entrusted the Shrouded Ghost with the casted headpiece, ensuring its secrecy, while also concealing the stones in locations where they would remain undiscovered.
