Sosaria, the history, the legend and the myth![ Community News ]

[Tabbitha]

Source taken from UO.Stratics.CommunityNews

INTRODUCTION

Hello UOStratics readers. The following story will recount the history of Ultima and Ultima Online in legend form as we explore past and current events and how they might tie together. It is an original work of fiction and any information used from sources other than fiction are sited w/ links. Much of the Ultima time line can be found here: Timeline

As we enter the story, Watcher has just returned from retrieving the Knight Frarc's sword and awaits word of what is to happen next. Entire worried story line can be read on the Drachenfels’ forum. Worried

Watcher moved to stir the fire. Usually, time at Nen Amar is relaxing and rejuvenating but this time Watcher can only fidget and pace, waiting word from Stella. Once the secret of the sword's curse is unveiled, surely there will be a way to find Frarc. With Frarc back, perhaps Terowyn can be found. The two warriors will be needed to stand with the others. Word has reached Watcher that many are preparing; even B'rith has come to the lands to help. Yes, the time is drawing closer. It is good that Tiera is not here; that she is safe. Watcher is tempted to reach out with her thoughts and touch her daughter, but she knows that may bring Tiera danger.

Watcher's daughter Tiera was sent from Moonglow to Britain for her safety. Along with a trusted friend, Tiera set sail for her new home. (My RL daughter wrote this piece.).

The boat swayed rhythmically as they headed towards Britain. The sky was clear and the sunlight danced and glittered upon the water. The slight breeze made the day quite comfortable and caused one young red head to yawn widely as she leaned over the ship's railing. Her blood red hair fell over her shoulders in disarray and wild strands flitted about with the wind. A young man sauntered over and settled next to her on the railing.

"Think we're near Britain yet?" He said.

"Maybe… Why? You're not enjoying this journey, Jacob?" She turned to look at him with a slight smile on her face, which promptly vanished. He really did look sick; earlier in the day she'd thought he was just being a baby with his incessant complaining, but now… Even as she thought, the man called Jacob suddenly emptied his lunch into the calm sea. Turning about and resting her back against the railing, she averted her gaze to try and diminish what she could of his likely embarrassment. When he finished, he stood quiet for a second.

"How about that never happened? As in my brothers don't hear about that, at all." She looked at him again and couldn't help but burst out laughing at his sheepish expression. When she finally gained back her control and composure, she folded her arms over her chest.

"Mmm, I don't know, it would sure be a mood lightener over dinner tomorrow." She grinned impishly. His eyes narrowed and his face began to turn red, then suddenly his eyebrows arched and a mischievous smile played across his face.

"Just like me telling your mother about that time at the moongate, when we get back that is. Or shall I write a letter?"

Her green eyes widened and she gasped, "You wouldn't! You wouldn't tell Watcher!"

"I won't if you won't," But then he looked thoughtful, "Yet now that I think of it, it would be amusing… TIERA, daughter of WATCHER, disobeying her mother and adventuring to the dangerous and sinful city of Buccaneer's Den."

Now it was her turn to glare and she turned fully toward him threateningly, "Listen, Jacob, we're good friends, but that doesn't mean I can't take you down a peg still."

"Still? When could you ever?" He teased. As she opened her mouth to retort, she was interrupted by the sound of thunder in the distance. She looked up south and was startled to see a storm coming over, and in minutes would be directly over them. Now that she was aware, she noted the rough and jarring rock of the boat and the feel of light sprinkles of rain and cold, forceful wind on her cheeks. The weather was unpredictable and sudden these days; it seemed as if Mother Nature herself was in a brooding mood. A nervousness overcame her and she felt dread in the pit of her stomach. She vaguely heard shouts of the ship's crew as they prepared for the storm and hardly noticed as they ran about her excitedly. Only when Jacob gripped her arm firmly, did she come out of her anxious trance, not knowing how long she'd been frozen there. Whenever she felt such pure dread wash over her, it was never good and she was always seemingly paralyzed or frozen, and not only did she feel dread that time, but also deep loss. She sent up a silent prayer to the heavens, which was hidden away by dark, angry clouds. It had begun to pour and she was drenched quickly. When she looked at Jacob, he was speaking to her.

"We need to get below. It's going to be a bad one, Tiera," He said calmly, his usually smiling and bright face was solemn and serious. She was right behind him as they made their way down below. She felt fear rising and her mind weakening. She closed her eyes and concentrated on closing her mind. Her mother would be able to feel her fear soon, if she couldn't control it, and heaven knows what Watcher might do if she thought she was in danger. Visions of her home in Moonglow and her mother flashed through her head, and suddenly she stubbornly vowed she would live to see Watcher again.

Thank you for reading the first part of this series. Special thanks to my daughter Caitlyn for writing this wonderful beginning to our tale; and to ElofLA and Piotr for their humor, support and encouragement through my moments of self-imposed stress. And to my friends on Drachenfels, who were the inspiration and reason I started writing, THANK YOU!

There will be additional episodes so please check back!

[Tabbitha]

The Adventure Continues


Part 2.

Jacob wasn't getting any better.

It had been two days since Tiera had built the shelter. She thanked the virtues daily that she had learned the ways of magic well enough to start a fire and was warrior enough to hunt and kill adequate food. However her praising of the virtues had not helped Jacob as he had not eaten in a day now and he slept nearly all the time. Tiera was concerned that he would soon slip into unconsciousness and not return. Once she had listened as a healer had spoken with the family of a man injured in a mining accident. The healer had told them to talk to their loved one, even if unconscious.

Tiera felt this had been wise advice then and now. She had been remembering her mother telling legends in the evening as she and her brothers lay before the fire and listened. To the children, it had been great scary stories of monsters and evil and of the triumph of the good and virtuous. Those stories had captured all their attention and energy. Perhaps they would do the same for Jacob. After the evening wood had been gathered, fire started, food cooked, water fetched, Tiera settle on a pile of leaves close to Jacob and began to tell her stories.

Part 3. The legend begins.

"Jacob, can you hear me? This is the story of long ago, The Age of Darkness. Great evil lorded over Sosaria and man and beast suffered under his cruelty; Mondain was his name. He was indeed pure evil and possessed the Gem of Immortality. Many feared his eternal rule." Tiera paused long enough to add wood to the fire and adjust her cloak over Jacob.

"Sosaria consisted of four lands. Akalabeth, The Lands of Danger and Despair, The Lands of the Dark Unknown and The lands of the Feudal Lords. Mondain's minions roamed the land bringing misery and death. Oh, but I get ahead of myself Jacob. It has been a few years since Watcher told us these tales." Tiera looked at Jacob hopeful for that exasperated look he always gave her when she rambled, but it was not there.

"Ah, well … I have much to tell you."

"I must go back further for you to understand things completely, to the times when the Wisps could speak with humans. It was during this time that the Wisps, keepers of the secret of Armageddon, made the mistake of teaching a human, Zog, I believe it was, this deadly secret. The human chose to cast the spell and life ceased to exist for a very long time. But as is the way of nature, life returned to Sosaria and the civilization resumed. It was this time that my people, the Elves, were at their most powerful. They lived in magnificent tree houses high above the earth. Life was just that … life; the inhabitants lived their lives and died for generations. It was also this time that Wolfgang, future king of Akalabeth was born. No one knew of the immense evil he would eventually bring forth on the world."

Tiera took a breath and paused to collect her thoughts.

"Wolfgang fulfilled his destiny of becoming king and he fathered two sons. The first, little is known of, but the second would change Sosaria; this son was Mondain. Evil embodied as a man, he would come to slay his father." Tiera paused again; frustrated that she kept jumping ahead and forgetting critical information.

"Ah, Jacob, perhaps it is good you cannot talk to me. I fear you would never give me peace about my story telling. Now where was I, oh, yes … Mondain. It was during the time before Mondain slew his father that a young man, Cantabrigian British, arrived in Sosaria from a strange land … and through a strange blue Moongate. He soon met Shamino Sallé Dacil, one of the two rulers of The Land of Danger and Despair. The two quickly become close friends and allies." Tiera shifted slightly and continued.

"At the age of fifteen, Mondain was told by his father, Wolfgang, that he was not to cast magic for one year. He was to live in an abbey and learn Compassion and Humility. It was then that he, Mondain, began to show his evil and ruthless nature. The very next night he killed his father, taking the ruby gem and his father's kingdom. Mondain used the ruby gem against itself and created a black stone he called the Gem of Immortality. As long as he possessed the Gem he would be invincible. He quickly began to rain terror upon the people of Sosaria and the Elven race was forced into a great and long downfall." This thought made Tiera somber. Her elfish ancestors must have suffered greatly under Mondain's reign. Tears of despair and sorrow fill Tiera's eyes for the first time since the shipwreck. She felt so alone and helpless. " Mother …" Tiera reached out for hope.

Part 4.

Watcher had listened intently to the tales of the local merchants. Their tales of unspoken evil and foreboding had made everyone uneasy. Watcher had been feeling the same but had just thought it to be her overactive intuitions. Now she was not so sure and she was in deep thought as she walked the path to Nen Amar. The night did not bother her, her Elven eyes allowed her to see as well as day. All creatures were her friends, it was man that had and would bring evil. She began to think of the stories she had been told as a child.

"Mother…" Watcher stopped quickly. She heard it, she knew she had heard her daughter call her, and with a tone of such hopeless desperation. Deep fear gripped Watcher and she realized that her child, her only daughter, was in danger. There would be no time to think or prepare. Watcher summoned A Whisper from her back and stroked the ethereal steed's strong neck. Quickly and silently they slipped through the Moongate and headed to the mainland.

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Thank you for reading the next part of the story and to my real life daughter for her help editing this weeks submission. Much of the basic story/time line information was obtained from Wikipedia Timeline

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[Stolencheese]

Story is as long as longcat.