Chapter 1
The House of Okeanos
At the farthest edge of the known world, on a craggy coast along the Marbled Sea, was the home of a beautiful, ancient, and mysterious castle. Their insignia of a Kracken decorated the castle, in rich stone work detail along the turrets, and embroidered on flags and banners. This castle was home of King Edmund Okeanos III. King Okeanos grew up a sailor in the royal army. He built ships, detailed their exterior with beautifully carved animals and decorations. Just as his ancestors, he journeyed all over the world. He encountered magical wizards, beautiful witches, fierce warriors, and powerful poets and artists.
The marbled coast was wild and rugged. The cold, majestic waves crashed roughly against the ancient rocks, and strange things washed ashore from the ocean’s depths. Exotic shells with aromatic scents, strange fish with two heads which glowed neon green, and other dead monsters from the depths frequently washed ashore. The house magician, Trigheeon the Wise, collected these monsters, and used their aquatic corpses for serums, spells, and other concoctions.
Coincidentally, the Okeanos lineage is full of curiosity and intrigue as well. It is said they came from the ocean itself. In forbidden books, housed in the depths of the castle, there is rumor of a manuscript which exposes the truth of their evolution. It is said they are related to cuttlefish and octopuses. They are a Human / Mollusk hybrid. Their ancient relatives continue to live quietly in their DNA, and they celebrate this yearly in festivals which are forbidden to outsiders.
Chapter 2
The unexpected Guest
The castle guards of Okeanos sounded their horns early in the summer morning. The tide was coming in, and on this auspicious occasion, it brought a visitor to their shore. The guards stood in hesitation as they looked upon a two legged monster made of slimy green leafy tentacles. It wiggled as it lay on the beach, and made incoherent noises. Trigeeon the Wizard rushed down the stone steps from the castle terrace onto the beach. His quiet and relaxing morning in the gardens inspecting bugs was interrupted.
At first look, Trigheeon laughed and exclaimed “That’s no beast you fools, that’s a live sea mummy! “Quickly with your swords, break him free” he commanded. Trigheeon bent over very close to the man’s face, which was covered in leafy seaweed, and gently cut away the vines. The man from the sea’s first glimpse of a renewed life were in the eyes of Trigheeon, and they both laughed.
Nicola The Fool was a stowaway aboard a cargo ship near Looking Glass Islands. The islands were known for their lush and humid jungles and delicious fruits. The cargo ship sank when it was caught in a terrible storm. Most of the crew was killed. Somehow, as fools always do, Nicola survived.
However, Nicola was attacked by something like a giant sea spider, when his body floated closer to the shore. The spider is known for wrapping up its prey with seaweed, kelp, and vines, before eating it like a spring roll. Having a human as protein was a rare occasion, and the sea spider was looking forward to such a delicious meal. Luckily for Nicola, a fishing boat passed over him, catching him in a net. When the net was raised onto the fishing boat, and his hard body smacked the wooden deck, the crew was disgusted and threw him back into the sea. It was a miracle Nicola made it alive to the shore.
Trigheeon wrapped his arm warmly around Nicola, and they both walked back up to the castle. Inside the castle huge windows facing the ocean brought in fresh sunshine. The grand rooms, halls, and court were decorated exquistiently. Gigantic paintings adorned the walls, depicting monstrous krakens attacking ships, beautiful spiraling nautilus shells, and other symmetrical compositions that bordered between scientific and mystical. They walked down richly decorated corridors, the castle was so vast and complex. The inside of it gave one the feeling of being inside a gigantic shell. They walked past the grand kitchen, where the most fragrant and intoxicating aromas escaped into the corridor, leaving Nicola dazed in delight. Up a spiraling stone staircase they climbed to the guest quarters of the castle. Nicola’s room was sunny and peaceful. A large wool carpet lay on the floor, in deep purples and hints of red of various shells. A beautiful bed carved of an aromatic wood rested in the center, facing an open window. A couple small plants sat on the windowsill. A desk and a reading chair were to the right of the window. The room was scattered with various sea-themed knick-knacks, carved of wood. It was delightful.
Trigheeon the Magician knew this day was coming. He kept a sketchbook, and during the early hours of morning, when the stars clustered the night sky like gemstones, he awoke. Strangely enough, he was compelled by his hand to draw. He drew court jesters, owls, and ships. He marveled at their immediacy, and knew a special day awaited the castle.
“I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. Your castle is so welcoming!” exclaimed Nicola.” As of late my life has been cruel and chaotic, and I’ve hardly felt like a human, adrift on the ocean waves, like a joke.” After he said this he managed to laugh deeply, and he smiled in relief.
At this moment came a knock on the door, and a castle maid came into the room with a tray, which she set down on the desk. She poured a fresh cup of tea as the rising steam rose into the air.