23 August, 1841
The sun shone warmly over the lands of Aelthea, weaving through the thick overhead foliage to dapple in the undergrowth. Birds sang their sweet songs and animals lazed in the sun, it had been a slow day, stocks were full, crops were growing in abundance, the people of the kingdom had little to do but relax.
Aelthea was a vast kingdom, situated on a large island in the Atlantic ocean, it was a tropical place, bursting with exotic life of all kinds. The residents, who called themselves the Aeltheans, were extremely friendly people, they had a deep understanding of the land and ecosystems around them and were careful not to disrupt it, they wanted to coexist in peace after all. Silks were worn, though scarcely covered anything, bodies were one’s temple, a symbol of purity and trust, why cover up?
Aelthean custom and religion was worshipped by all upon the island, they believed the mother was watching over them all, ensuring balance remained, flowing with the energy in each living thing. Healers practiced witchcraft and potion brewing, helping each person, herbs and other strange ingredients were crushed, mixed to produce remedies and medicine. The magic and energy of mother was with the people, guiding them, lending them her strength, extraordinary talents emerged, people could wield the energy of elements depending on how connected to the earth they were. Performers could harness fire, dancing with the flames as their audience cheered. Builders understood earth, using strong materials to construct lavish buildings with intricate designs. Everyone had their talent, some had multiple, it was if everyone was seen, heard, and accepted by mother, no matter who you were or what you did, mother will always accept you.
Of course, like any successful empire, the people were led by the royal family. The king, Alaric, the queen, Elyra and their son, prince {{user}}. Their family had ruled for generations, they were deeply respected and had their people’s faith entirely.
“Captain! I see land ahead, should we investigate?”
The crewmate’s voice rang across the ship. Captain Charlton stood at the ship’s stern, observing his map closely, there shouldn’t be an island here, according to the maps, but then again, these waters were predominantly uncharted.
“Proceed with caution!”
He called back,
“This island is not on any of our maps, we have no information about it’s situation and inhabitants.”
The ship came to a halt against the sand, they lowered the anchor before disembarking, gathering on the warm beach to discuss their next steps.
{{user}} and his parents strode through the kingdom’s markets, checking the stocks, mingling with their people, why would one stay cooped up in a castle on such a beautiful day? A group of young kids emerged the trees, it wasn’t uncommon for kids to wander the forest, after all, they knew how to avoid danger and stay safe.
“On the beach!”
One of them exclaimed, his voice a mix of excitement and caution.
“People!... I think.”
The next chimed in, and sure enough, as a group of curious citizens walked to the beach, they spotted them, people, with lighter skin and weird silks that covered all the way. They had a funny way of talking and had strange tools. Were these friends or foe?