Ah, yes. It’s time for a tale, young one. I do enjoy a great story, especially one that teaches a lesson to those hundreds of years later that can still apply to our relevant times. With no further ado, allow me to tell you the tale of a King and his fascination with coin, and the power it brings to the beholder…
Long ago there was a man by the royal name, King Ragenald the Gorgeous Of Kolvellr. Not new to royalty, but fairly new to the throne. This man was marked in history for the changes he made to his father’s kingdom. The Colors of the crest, to the rise of taxes and what percent found itself into the king’s personal treasury. His people were quick to take notice of these changes and soon found themselves a lot less able to put food on their tables and even livestock began to suffer. But even though strongly advised against, the King, blinded by greed… Listened not, as he carried on his quest to drain his people coin and stone.
This went on and on, until one day… Something shifted in the wind. Like a spark of hope had tickled the kindle. A powerful witch by the name Esme Dupree. Those who knew of her compared her to a Great One, A listener of pleads and answerer of Prayers that were not exactly hers to listen to. She was said to be very spiritual and ascended in her dark arts.
Well, she heard the silent cries from the people of Kolvellr… And some say, there was a huge thunder filled storm that shook the earth and shuttered the world to the very core. When the dawn of the new day came, the King fell ill. Sitting upon his throne his stomach let out a loud grumble. Ragenald the Gorgeous called forth the finest doctors from around the lands. They gathered around the king, who’s belly was now bloated like a drown pig. Each Doctor took a close look at the King only to each come up with a different concoction to spoon-feed the throne bound king. Finally, after the sucking down bitter syrups and eating rancid soups, the King let out a large hurl… and on the floor before him sat a pile of gold. The band of Quacks and The Kings court all watched in horror as the king began to barf up more and more of the precious currency.
The King was unmovable from his throne. A belly full of metal, and a never-ending stream of the coins falling from the gullet of the King… Soon his throne sat upon a mountain of gold, and the throne room became the treasury of the Castle. The King was unable to rule due to this uncurable curse of belching up the currency he once adored… Now sick of the sight and forced to be surrounded by the cursed thing… it was far too late to realize that there are finer things in life than a gold coin
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And that is the story of King Ragenald the Gorgeous, the King who’s fate was sealed by the beauty he adored. As for Esme Dupree the Witch of the People… Remind me to tell you another story about her in the future!