Aesopia, Home Sweet Home

What a beautiful sight as he gazes at the northern sky. Hues of purple and blue edged with soft white clouds, crested silver linings as they slowly move across the great expanse. The sweet smell of jasmine fills the air as Cola and Dawn stride down the knoll, Aesopia lay nestled in the valley below. A foot above the beautiful vale is the dazzling white Stronghold upon the rise that lies before him. As the late afternoon sun drapes the western sky, Aesopia’s Keep has a glowing aura that, glistens and dancing above the city as it radiates against the sky above.
Ah, the white marble Palace of Aesopia, a much needed sight for Cola’s tired eyes to lie upon. A beautiful sight indeed, with the many halls cresting the top of the Keeps outer walls and the four marble with Aqua crystal window towers shoot well above the outer walls. Each of the towers represents one of the original founders of Aesopia itself. Cola knows that his family helped build the palace. It was Colas fathers, father who showed the Aesopian’s how to craft the white marble stone with hues of light brown and light hazel grey bands within, leaving not one sharp corner, but smoothed round corners on each stone laid for the palace. Cola thought, that is the reason his family was given charge of Aesopia’s craftsmanship commissioned duties for all generations to come. As Cola glances upon the white marble palace in the distance, he looks upon the roofs of the palaces many halls and spires. For these roofs hold one of the magical powers of Aesopia itself, allowing it to be unseen by the natural world. For they are all made from the scales of the mighty snow dragons of the northern world. For this is where the white marble came from and where Cola’s ancestors crafted the stone at the northern site. It was a thirty days journey to the north, to cut and craft these huge beautiful stones from the awesome and holy mount. It is here where these magical beasts live in great numbers, residing within its colossal caverns deep in the earth. The Gigantic Snow White Dragons of the north, they harassed and hindered the progress of gathering the beautiful black and white marble stones to build the mighty Aesopia‘s grand Palace.
After each kill of these magical beasts, the mages carefully removed each of the snow white scales, dried and imbued each one as they lay a top of every building of Aesopia as shingles. Each scale shimmers with sparks of light creating an aura as the sun dips across the western sky. As Cola’s eyes lower to peer upon Aesopia and her mighty walls. Cola thought to himself, “thank god I’m still six months away from making the journey north, to gather more marble and to hunt a few more mighty snow dragons, to make the necessary repairs to the palace. More great work”! He thought, “Oh man, I have to travel beyond the mighty Arrowacon river barrier to the west, another seven day journey it is, to mine and dig for aqua crystal, to repair all of the palace windows.” “I feel I need a break already and I have not gone to those places yet, “ he thought to himself.
The Stronghold of Aesopia’s outer walls are made of reflective white granite, carefully cut and crafted with etchings, to capture the bright rays of the sun, no matter what position it is from dawn to dusk, always flecking the sun light out and away from the walls. For the light is blinding. After the Great War was at an end, Aesopia was no longer aggressed, for the wall would blind the apposing army as it would attack!
Each of the blocks in the keep’s walls are five feet in height, six feet in width and eight feet in depth, weighing more than twenty tons a piece. In the days of long ago, when the walls were created, the founders of Aesopia had mages of such great power, they were able to lift and transport each block from the mountains to the east, a four days journey from Aesopia. The outer walls of the Keep stand forty feet in height and span three hundred yards by two hundred yards. Each of the section of the walls are lined with Adamantite
Girders, driven deep into the earth to provide extra strength and stability to the outer wall which had never been breached! Aesopia has eight strong turrets, standing an additional five higher than the outer wall itself. A turret for each corner of the walls and two turrets for each of the entry ways one in the north gate, the other to the south. Each of the gates are made from the mighty dark rich Yews, bound together with Adamantite bands three and half feet in height and three in each section of the gate, the rivets have been melted for additional strength, The doors gates open outward as if opening one arms for a warm embrace. When closed, the gates are locked hinged tight against the mighty outer wall with three mighty rune bars that lay across the gates for greater protection from intrusion.
Outside the great wall a moat encircles the keep. The moat was used in the days of old to hinder the aggressor’s movement, as the great army would attempt to assault the keep. The waters within the great moat are constantly cleaned and vibrant with life, for it is a natural spring fed moat, none like it in all of the known world. The moat is sixty feet wide twenty-seven feet deep. Enough to bring a huge army to a halt. For a draw bridge that runs across the moat, is lifted up and folds to the ground on the Keep’s side of the moat. If the moat doesn’t stop an army from an assault, the beasts living within will feast upon them. Not a huge Keep as those beyond great Yew Barrier, but enough room to protect and serve the Aesopian’s in their times of need.
As Cola and Dawn near the middle of the knoll, he gazes upon his fair city. He has longed to see his beloved as he glances down upon the vale. He sees the vales seven main paved walkways, as one would see when looking upon a chess board. The buildings and walkways so masterfully placed. He remembers standing near the mid point of the small valley, with his father Marcus. Cola recalls his father telling, him in his youth, to look down upon this ancient vale. For Aesopia the city, has stood the test of time. Kingdoms have risen and fallen through the centuries, but not Aesopia. Aesopia had been so, for six thousand years. Aesopia has been brought to her knees, but did not die, fore she lived on and grew stronger with each attack she endured. She was attacked during the Clan Wars, The Faith War, Kingdom Revolt and the Great War five thousand years ago.
After the Great War, when the Crusaders had come to settle in Aesopia, this began the time of peace in Aesopia. Here was the one place in the entire known world, where half Elvin people were able to live in harmony. Aesopia was a refuge for the half Elvin people, in the days when people of mixed bloods was unheard of. Man and the rest of the races of full blood in the world, lived in their own society. For they had their own common bonds within their own races living in peace within their own sanctuaries. But when Man and Elvin was mixed, their blood became as one, they were no longer accepted in Man’s nor Elvin societies, outcasts from all. Based on the needs and lively hoods of the half blooded people, they created their own society, a township called Aesopia.
But, during the wars of the Clans, Faith, Kingdom and the Great War, Aesopia was ravaged and nearly torn asunder. The people of Aesopia banded together and built the mighty Keep. Such a magnificent structure it was, the keep! But, when the Crusaders came to live and lay down their swords forever, Kilgore Crusader and his wife Krusandra came to live peacefully with his own kind. He told the Great Elders of Aesopia of the glass rock that could be used to build a palace. Kilgore also warned them of the dangers of the north, the stories of the Magical Snow Dragons, which peaked the interest of Khursag Stars, Thaddeus Lyra the Strong, Michael Acorina and Thalliah the philosopher, the ageless one, who is the only full blooded Elf and one of the founders of Aesopia and still lives to this day. She still looks as beautiful and full of life, though she is nearly over six thousand years old.
Cola looks out as if hypnotized by the shimmering sparkles of light as the sun casts down its rays upon the city of Aesopia. The lights over Aesopia creating a bright haze of white and blue auroras as the rays hit the dragon scale shingles upon every white granite building and home, reflecting back skyward in the quiet vale of Aesopia. From where Cola stands he sees his fair vale, beautifully planed out by the forefathers of Aesopia. Business and homes placed uniformly, from one to three stories in height with fire braziers outside of each building to cast an evening light. Cola drinks in the sweet smells of jasmine, which grow everywhere in Aesopia. As he looks upon his beautiful town he adores so very much and his family has lived in for thousands of years, such sweet memories sweep through him and flood his mind in seconds, as they near the base of the knoll. Just placing his foot, his first step on to the cobbled walkway of life.
Cola now tired from the long journey, from the battle field he has left behind him, finds renewed strength within as he and Dawn Stars reach the first cobbled stone of the grand vale of Aesopia. Cola, now alive with his first step, all aches and pains from the journey are gone within seconds, all weariness has left is body, for Aesopia is life and gives renewed strength for all that enter this small vale. Cola gazes upon his beautiful, magical city with amazement. He glances, now with a smile upon his once tired face, at his long time friend Dawn, and utters with power and strength, “I have missed my home, for some time now. There is definitely no place like home.” Dawn looks at Cola with a grin and nods, “Aesopia has missed you deeply as well.”
Cola and Dawn begin once more to stroll down the vales main narrow walkway. Cola gazes upon the dazzling orange and red river stone cobbled pavement, he knows quite well. Cola has to make the occasional repairs to the streets from time to time, for if he finds a single crack or blemish upon any of these beautiful stones, he has to replace them. Most of the damage to these gorgeous stone is due to age; fore no animals were permitted to grace the walkways in the fair grand vale. Cola remembers going to the great barrier river, Arrowacon, located west of Aesopia’s Yew tree barrier, to reap the harvest of the magnificent stones from its depths. Then, with great care chiseling and crafting each stone to fit the step he was replacing, perfectly crafted each time. Cola also looks upon the well crafted steel posts that rise from the walkway, to provide light for vale in the evening hours from the fire braziers that hang from the posts. Each of the posts was position in front of each establishment, fore they provided goods and services to the vale.
He gazes upon these works of art as he passes each one, for it was Cola’s commissioned duty to make the necessary repairs to the vales public’ ways. Cola, being the only Master Smith and Craftsman in all of Aesopia, was trained his father who also held the same charge. When Cola’s father had passed into the next life beyond, Cola took his Commission, for it passes down from father to son, as it had been for many millennia of time. Cola thought to himself. Everything looks in good repair since he had left Aesopia to face the Great Jagex the Hutt.
As Cola gazes upon Aesopia’s first general store, a well kept building still in excellent repair. The store front has three steps leading to the granite porch, with six yew beams supporting the yew and dragon scale overhang roof covering of the porch. The Store is made of white granite, well chiseled and crafted with a fine yew doorway in the center. On each side of the yew door way are windows, made of aqua crystal four feet in height. Each of the windows are beautifully framed with well crafted shutters, curving swirling etches burnt deep into the rich dark yew wood. Over the doorway is a plaque four feet by three reading, “welcome to all who enter in peace.”
Each of the buildings were built basically the same with a few differences between them, which would make a distinction from one building to the next. For the Aesopian have very strict guild lines for each building. That they be built in an uniformed manner, as each are lined from one end to the other. Set nestled between each of the buildings are maple trees jutting full strength and majestic. The maples orange and blood red leaves slightly sweep as the branches gently sway to the lyrics softly resonating in the breeze. The cities ordnance is as old as Aesopia is itself. Colas family was present from days of the palace, when the Corner stone was laid for Aesopia’s keep. His family has served Aesopia for five thousand years. Cola’s Family, the Crusaders have a stone marker near the Great Founders magnificent Fount of Aesopia, within the center of its grand park. It is true, Cola’s Family did not come until after the keep walls were made, after the Great War which laid waste to the lands to the south.
Once the Crusaders arrived at the vale, the family laid down their weapons of war and settled in with the Half Elvin population of Aesopia. Though Cola’s family’s crest, which was one of honor, was now remade for the new found peace. Cola’s Family Shield is humble at best, a dragon red shield, lined with six inches of real gold all along the edge of the shield. Ten inch broad braided knot chain of Runinte with the Dragon two-handed Blade, running the length of the crests shield. At the bottom of the crest is the golden abyssal whip coiled and tethered. Cola‘s father, Marcus, told young Cola, that the weapons of war represents the Crusaders violent past, now sheathed and tethered tight. The breast of the shield is the once mighty Torags Plate Armor, now only a background to the humble signet of the crossed Rune sledgehammer and pickaxe as flamed by the phoenix orange and red brilliant blazing light. Cola thought to himself, the crusader family has served Aesopia long and well for eons.
As Cola looks again at the general store, he wonders whether or not repairs, are needed to be made in his ancient family home. He looked upon the stores reflecting mason of pure white granite stone wall, lined and crossed with huge rich, dark yew beams. Almost hypnotic as the late noon sun seemed to dance with brilliant sparkling flashes, reflecting back to the heavens above. Cola remembers going to the mountains east of Aesopia to help quarry the beautiful white granite every spring, beyond the Great Yew Trees secured barrier that lies between. For it is this granite stone which lies a three day journey away and is the only Stone allowed to use, to build within this wonderful city. He thought, “Well at least I have an easier job to do, when the time comes to craft the stone rather than mine it from the mountain side.” “I was there to only help in the spring, I had a big enough work load waiting for me to do in town as it is.” Cola thought, “Oh my god! What waits for me now when I get home?” Cola has been gone three months and the workload must be, by his estimation, a ton!
He thought while looking at the General Store, no, I will return in the morning to refill my cupboards with food for the week. Cola said to Dawn, “let us cut thru the Ancestors Park to get home sooner, for I have a taste for tea that needs to be met at this very moment!” Cola knew the one thing that would be in great supply in his home, stocked high in the cupboard shelves, is tea! Cola and Dawn enter the gorgeous majestic city park, though at the moment it would serve as a shortcut to cola’s home on the other side. They pass the groves delightful and shimmering magic trees as the sparks of life runs down from top of the trees sprawled out limbs, down to the bottom of the trunk, then back to the top again. Michael Acorina had planted them four thousand years ago. They do not over power the park, like the mighty oak or the magnificent Yew’s, but more like rich orange and red maples which also adorn the park as well. Cola thought, while transfixed to the trees of magic, it was Michael Acorina who planted the great Yew Tree Barrier between the worlds of man and Aesopia. It was through Michael Acorina’s power of life giving magic that feeds the Mighty Yew’s to this day.
Michael planted each Yew tree in its present place, all around Aesopia, giving the wonderful city enough room to build if the need arose. While Michael Acorina stood atop of Aesopia’s Great walled Keep, he raised his arms and simply uttered, “I Give Thee Life My Mighty Young Yew Sapling, Grow to Full Strength and Height, to forever Protect Aesopia from All Who Wish to Harm Her.” After Michael Acorina had spoke these words, with all of his power and might, the once sapling grew to full height and strength. Forever protecting Aesopia, from all invaders.
Cola reach the center of the park and enter the memorial center fount of the vale Aesopia. Four fire brazier’s stand tall and ablaze from each directions of the fount. The Grand Founders Fountain standing almost two stories high and the pool is as round as the massive ferry boat wheel. The four statues are made of the precious Runinte and the unfurled scrolled law made of black marble, etched with the laws of Aesopia. The pool is fed by natural spring. On the sides of the round pool is eighty jets of water shooting and arcing out towards the statues from all around the pool. The four statues of the founders who are holding the scroll of the laws. On the left, standing proudly is the statue of Khursag Stars. Holding the left side of Aesopia’s scrolled laws is Thaddeus Lyra the Strong. Thalliah the philosopher is holding the right side of the scrolled law, then Michael Acorina who stands to the outer right, where his famous moment in time is captured. With his arms raised as high as the Mighty Yews grow. As the crystal clear water runs down the Scroll of Aesopia’s Law, on a long black marble with slight bands of light grey. Crystal water gushing forth from atop of the unfurled law and runs down the face of the law. Cola was told by his father Marcus, that his forefathers were commissioned to build the great fount and what an honor it was to build. On the sides of the pool, which are also made of the same black marble going all around the outer pool is etched “where all races may live in dignity and respect among each other as well with other races that live within the same world. Forever safe and secure in harmony forever and ever.”
As Cola and Dawn reach the North West edge of the park, Cola sees his ancestral home made by his father, fathers of old. As Cola looks upon his home. A tear forms in the corner of his right eye, as he feels the emotion of five thousand years of life emanate from his home. Cola’s home looks nearly the same as the rest of the homes in Aesopia, two stories in height, with a basement below, made of the same white granite and crossed rich dark Yew beams. Cola was able to see a white dragon scale shingle out of place, he thought, he needs to fix it in the morning. As Cola glances at his home hoping he doesn’t have to make too many repairs to it at the moment, other than the shingle. Cola and Dawn walk up the white granite steps to the top of his porch, to the unlocked front door. All homes in Aesopia are unlocked fore there has never been a need to add locks to the doors. They walk in and close the door behind them. Cola deep in thought, ‘Home sweet home at last!” He looks at his rich dark marble flooring with bands of grey as the marble release glints of light that reflect outwardly from the sun light, coming forth from the two aqua crystal windows in the great hall.
He stares at the mahogany and marble stairway leading down to Cola’s training room, he thought to himself, they are all still in good repair. He gazes at his rich mahogany paneled walls of the great hall to ensure none needed his attention at the moment, as well as the two crystal aqua windows on the other end of his hall. They walk past the Rune suits of armor which guard the stairway down, turning right thru the grand mahogany archway as they entered the dinning room. They pass the grand dinning room moving to the left and walking straight thru to his kitchen facing the north.
Cola searches his cupboard looking for his many pouches of tea. So many to choose from, then settling on one of his favorite teas, Chamomile. “Ah, This the one I have been dreaming of for so long.” He walks over to the left side of the oven and recovers his tea kettle from the shelf. Then fills the kettle with crystal clear water from his sink. He walks over to the side of the oven were the stacked magic logs are stationed, then throws a few quick burning magic logs into the oven, and sets it a blaze. He closes the heating doors and places the kettle on the stovetop which comes to a quick boil. Cola goes to cupboard and retrieves two porcelain tea cups and places them on his long teak island in the middle of the kitchen.
Cola knows of the great tea etiquette that is fearfully enforced, but fore goes the proper tea ceremony of sipping his tea in his parlor. Cola wanted his tea that very moment or he was going to burst, right then and a now! Dawn looks at Cola with a sweet smile, as she removes her winged rune helm from her head, gently says, “that bad, huh!’ He un-tethered his leather tea pouch and pours some of his Chamomile tea into his porcelain teapot. Then he walks to the roaring oven and retrieves the kettle from the super hot stove. He then returns to the island and pours the steaming hot water in the teapot. Cola places the kettle into his steel sink and brings back with him a cherrywood spoon, from the drawer next to the sink and begins to stir the hot tea. After Cola is finished, he place the porcelain lid of the tea pot and pours the tea into both cups. In hurried tea etiquette like manor; Cola asks Dawn if she would care for some cream or sugar with her tea. Not knowing if he even had the necessary need items to complete the tea ceremony. Dawn nodded that she declined the offer and the both lifted the cups to their lips and began to drink their tea. Dawn, with a smiles from ear to ear says, “Welcome home Cola.”