Tresalia Unversed (working title)

1 - The Question Asked

   Tresalia. A realm of peace, prosperity, and understanding. Across it's wide flowered swards or atop the tallest frost covered mountains, you can find a picturesque view befitting of staying until you grow old. This beauty, however, did not come without great sacrifice. It has been sixty years since The Great War of Sashes, a great conflict between the five major powers of the realm of Tresalia, spanning to all corners of the realm and reducing each region's population by devastating numbers. In the end, there was no victor. There was no official end to the war. The five rulers of the five major houses had taken each other's lives during a final meeting, in the pursuit of peace. Nobody knows exactly how they died or who had started the violence, but their actions meant resulted in leaving this conflict in the hands of people who didn't want to be a part of it. Thus, the war faded. Soldiers laid down their arms, mages stopped their incantations, and civilians started to look to the sky and hope again. For the past sixty years, understandings were reached between regions, homes were rebuilt, and peace reigned. But, like everything in this world, that peace was about to come to an abrupt end.

   In the center of the Le'Fal region, smack in the center of The Masu-Stadig forest, lies the village of Jun. Being the region's only source of crops and livestock, Jun is constantly abuzz with the sound of foot traffic and haggling. And if you walk to the southern edge of the market, and around the corner from the village temple, you'll find a small, modest shop with a violet door and a chimney spewing lavender smoke. There is no sign that gives away this shop's identity and the curtains are always drawn shut, leaving many in the village to believe that it was less of a shop and more of a home for the owner. And here, at this very shop, is where the sixty years of peace in Tresalia begin to stop.

   Just around lunchtime, five young men clad in armor and wearing holstered swords at their hips, walked toward the modest shop, chatting quietly among themselves. One young man, hair as red as heated metal, asked, "Do you really think he'll know? I mean, he is just a shop owner." The young man leading the group stopped and turned to face his entourage, a stern look on his face. After a moment to think, he looked into the eyes of each of his followers and chuckled softly. "Even if he does not have the answers we're looking for, he would know of it. And that's what's important. Any information is good information, Ferit. Worry not." Ferit, the red-haired man, smiled a smile of relief and continued on with a newfound confidence. "I've never had reason to doubt you before, Sir. Why start now?" With a laugh, the group continued on, until they were face to face with the violet door they sought. "Alright, boys. Here goes nothing." As he turned the doorknob, he realized a horrifying truth. The door was locked.

   The stern young man stood there, completely flustered from the locked door. "It's locked. Why would it be locked? There hasn't been a reason to lock anything in Jun for years. Hmm..." As he thought on this, a sharp voice came from the other side of the door. "Y'know, it usually helps to knock before trying to enter someone's place of residence. Try it out. See how it works for you." The stern young man cleared his throat, out of embarrassment, and knocked three times on the violet door. The band of armored youths waited and heard nothing from the door. Another young man, larger than the others, cleared his own throat and asked, "Did he not just tell us to knock?" "Easy, Huegot. There has to be a reason," said the stern young man. Then, like a bolt of lightning, he had an idea. He reached for the knob once again and pulled. Again, from behind the door, came the sharp voice, "Y'know, it usually helps to knock before trying to enter someone's place of residence. Try it out. See how it works for you." Huegot piped up, growing more annoyed, "He said the same thing. Word for word! He mocks us!" The other two young men, twins, exchanged looks, and the first one said, "There's clearly something amiss here." "Agreed, brother. What would he gain from saying the same thing again? Verbatim, no less?" They both walked up to the door. "Excuse us, sir," said the twins, in unison. The stern young man stepped aside, confused. "By all means, gentleman. If anyone can solve the puzzle, it's the Gobart twins. Have at it, boys." The twins stood in front of the door, examining it from top to bottom. The first twin said, "Arit, do you think...?" "Let's try it, Woli," said the second twin. Arit extended his arm and turned the knob. The voice began speaking the same sentence. Quickly, Woli turned the knob, while the voice was speaking. To their surprise, there were now two voices. They both cocked their heads. "Two voices," said Woli. "But the same voice," said Arit. And, at the same time, they said, "Incredible!"