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Description

This was inspired by a dream I had the other night. After a bit of work shopping, it has evolved into a Needle for BridgeDrake 's The Needles project. Below is a little myth to go with it, and a description of its place within the world of The Needles. Enjoy!

The Otter and the Peaches

    Long ago lived a strong and fierce King, beloved by his people. He was aided in his duties by a clever Mage and a loyal Knight, both of whom strove to please their master. While the Knight was content and diligent in his duties, the Mage often sought to improve upon his own power under the guise of aiding the King.
    One day, the Mage learned of a kind and swift Otter within the King’s lands, and he knew that if he were to eat the Otter’s heart, his magic would grow. So he told the King of this, and requested the Otter be brought to him. At his request, the King sent his faithful Knight out to capture the Otter and bring it to him.
    The Otter learned of this plan and, seeing no other option, decided to flee the King’s lands. However, his way was fraught with many dangers, and he enlisted the help of a friendly Eagle to see him from the kingdom safely. In return for the Eagle’s kindness, the Otter promised to grant him a boon should their paths cross again. Before long, the Otter had left the King’s lands behind and came to a mystical forest full of magical trees.
    Here, the Otter came across a tree full of shimmering peaches. The leaves of this tree were wide and bright, as if made of emeralds, and the tree’s trunk was fat and strong. And it was said the fruit of this tree could heal all wounds and ailments for it was tied to the very lifedew of the universe. Here, the Otter made his new home.
    Some time after the Otter fled the kingdom, a plague descended upon the people there. The King, worried for the state of his subjects, sent out a decree: Anyone who could heal the kingdom would be granted a magnificent reward. Although physicians and wise men the country over tried, not one was capable of stopping the sickness.
    From his mystical home, the Otter came to learn of the plight that his homeland suffered. The thought of all those ill-struck people saddened him greatly, and with no hesitation he resolved to help them. Plucking three of the magic peaches from the tree, the Otter set out for the kingdom he had left, and after many days and nights, he found himself at the farthest edge of the King’s lands.
    The Otter made for the castle at the center of the kingdom, and as night fell he came across a little house. Living within was an old woman and her grandson, and they took the Otter in for the night. The woman let the Otter use their bath, gave him good food and drink, and was the utmost hostess. Her grandson, however, was deathly ill, and occupied the only bed in the small house. When morning broke the next day and the Otter prepared to set out once more, he gave one of the peaches to the woman and bade her to let the boy eat it. With that, the Otter was gone.
    He continued on his way, and before long the Otter came across a farmer out in the fields, lamenting the poor state of his wife. She was recently with child, and while she’d survived the birth, her condition afterward left her weak to the plague. The farmer feared that if she were to perish, so too would their child soon after. The Otter, his heart heavy for the poor farmer, gave him one of the peaches and bade him give it to the woman. The farmer said he would do as told, and the Otter went on his way.
    As evening fell, the castle finally came into view. Before the Otter could draw close, however, the Eagle from before called out to him. The two greeted each other warmly, before the Otter let the Eagle know the reason for his return. However, the Otter had not forgotten his promise and offered to the Eagle the last remaining peach he had brought. The Eagle ate the fruit gratefully, but left the stone of the fruit with the Otter. After all, what use would the Eagle have for it?
    The two then parted ways, leaving the Otter to consider his options. After all, what good would just the stone of the fruit be to the sick of the kingdom now? Before the Otter could continue his thoughts, however, the King’s long-searching Knight found him and captured him, whisking him off towards the castle in chains.
    As the Knight headed to the castle with his prize, the Otter pleaded for his freedom. If the Knight would just let him go, he could gather more of the healing peaches. The Otter even showed him the stone of the fruit as proof. Unwilling to disobey the King but wanting to aid the Otter, the Knight suggested that the two of them go to the King and offer up the peach pit together . The Otter agreed wholeheartedly, and with that the Knight freed him so they could continue on in fellowship.
    The Knight and the Otter came to the King’s court and offered up the pit of the peach. The King was skeptical at first, but was willing to hear the creature out on the Knight’s behalf. However, the Mage cast doubt on both of them, and the King sided with him. The Otter was taken to be butchered and his heart given to the Mage. Once the deed was done, the Knight left his King’s service in disgust and took the Otter’s remains and the peach stone with him, so that he might give the creature a proper burial at his estate.
    With his newfound power, the Mage set about trying to heal the people of the kingdom. However, no matter what he tried the plague still clung to the bodies and souls of the populace. For all he had promised the king, the Mage was unable to heal a single person. And for having misled the King in what had clearly been a bid for his own power, he was executed.
    The Knight, however, heard none of this, for he had traveled home. With great sorrow, he buried the friendly Otter with the peach pit in place of his heart. Before he could even say a word in eulogy, a mighty tree sprouted from the soil and spread its branches wide. Emerald leaves fluttered in the breeze, and flowers erupted along its bows. Before long, many glimmering peaches hung heavy from the limbs of the tree.
    Remembering the Otter’s words, the Knight gathered as many of the peaches as he could and carried them to his wife, asking her to make as many foods as she could with them. When she was done, they opened their doors wide and offered all in the kingdom to come and partake. Just like the peach the tree had sprung from, these foods too healed the sick and filled the hungry. Before long, the plague was but a memory.
    The King, having heard of the Knight’s actions, came to see the tree for himself. After gazing upon it and all the people who had been healed, he asked the Knight to explain. He told the King that while he had planned to leave right away, he couldn’t stand to see the people still suffering, especially after the tree had grown so quickly once buried. With this knowledge, the King apologized for doubting the Knight, humbly requesting him to return to his post. The Knight accepted and forgave the King his folly.
    To this day, the peach tree stands with the spirit of the Otter guarding over the peaches. For hungry bellies and outstretched hands, the fruit is given freely. For those who seek the magic within, however, the Otter’s blessing must be granted, and the fruit must be consumed with a grateful heart.

The Lloriaen Peach Tree - Deep in the heart of the Lloriaen region of Vengreik, on the Eisandren estate, stands an ever-fruiting peach tree with a rusty-coated Otter living among its branches. Together they are considered one of The Needles, and are a local treasure. The peaches produced by this tree are, at first glance, no different from the fruit of other trees. However, they are more resistant to spoilage than their regular counterparts, and are said to grow and ripen in mere days during times of famine. When this happens, the Otter vanishes from its boughs. The peaches are also said to hasten recovery from illness and injury, and the pits make for decent magical focuses in a pinch. Fallen branches are likewise fashioned to make high-quality magical focuses such as wands, canes, and staves.
However, The Tree itself is not the entirety of Lloriaen’s Needle. The Otter spirit is both bound to and part of the tree, and is unable to move beyond its branches. Despite his animal appearance, the Otter is clever, good-natured and has a broad sense of humor. He enjoys chatting with visitors and is particularly fond of children. In addition to guarding the tree, the Otter also decides on whom to bestow blessed peaches. Those who consume these blessed peaches will be granted magic if chosen, or fall ill if not. Symptoms of this illness are in line with mild to severe cases of influenza, and can be relatively benign to deadly, depending on the individual case. For this reason, the Otter refuses requests from most children and elderly, although he can and has refused requests from all sorts of people. On rare occasions, the Otter will also bless peaches destined for far-off places. When asked why, the Otter merely states that the tree requested him to do so.
Due to the Otter’s friendly nature, laymen and scholars alike have visited him with numerous questions. For the most part he is open and honest, but the Otter himself will be the first to admit his memory is faulty. He is overall aware of his nature, both as a spirit and as a Needle, as well as the legend that surrounds him and his Tree. Some parts of his legend or related speculation, the Otter has suggested are likely true—such as him having once been a river spirit, or a mage having pursued him in ages past. He is adamant, however, that he and the Tree became one when his bones and the seed were buried together. When asked about how he blesses the peaches, however, he has no answer. It is merely part of what he and the Tree are now, as natural a process to him as breathing. Based on all gathered evidence, scholars believe there must have once been a progenitor peach tree in the spirit realm, and when one of its seeds was buried with the physical anchor of the Otter, it allowed the tree to take root in a physical form.

Description

This was inspired by a dream I had the other night. After a bit of work shopping, it has evolved into a Needle for BridgeDrake 's The Needles project. Below is a little myth to go with it, and a description of its place within the world of The Needles. Enjoy!

The Otter and the Peaches

    Long ago lived a strong and fierce King, beloved by his people. He was aided in his duties by a clever Mage and a loyal Knight, both of whom strove to please their master. While the Knight was content and diligent in his duties, the Mage often sought to improve upon his own power under the guise of aiding the King.
    One day, the Mage learned of a kind and swift Otter within the King’s lands, and he knew that if he were to eat the Otter’s heart, his magic would grow. So he told the King of this, and requested the Otter be brought to him. At his request, the King sent his faithful Knight out to capture the Otter and bring it to him.
    The Otter learned of this plan and, seeing no other option, decided to flee the King’s lands. However, his way was fraught with many dangers, and he enlisted the help of a friendly Eagle to see him from the kingdom safely. In return for the Eagle’s kindness, the Otter promised to grant him a boon should their paths cross again. Before long, the Otter had left the King’s lands behind and came to a mystical forest full of magical trees.
    Here, the Otter came across a tree full of shimmering peaches. The leaves of this tree were wide and bright, as if made of emeralds, and the tree’s trunk was fat and strong. And it was said the fruit of this tree could heal all wounds and ailments for it was tied to the very lifedew of the universe. Here, the Otter made his new home.
    Some time after the Otter fled the kingdom, a plague descended upon the people there. The King, worried for the state of his subjects, sent out a decree: Anyone who could heal the kingdom would be granted a magnificent reward. Although physicians and wise men the country over tried, not one was capable of stopping the sickness.
    From his mystical home, the Otter came to learn of the plight that his homeland suffered. The thought of all those ill-struck people saddened him greatly, and with no hesitation he resolved to help them. Plucking three of the magic peaches from the tree, the Otter set out for the kingdom he had left, and after many days and nights, he found himself at the farthest edge of the King’s lands.
    The Otter made for the castle at the center of the kingdom, and as night fell he came across a little house. Living within was an old woman and her grandson, and they took the Otter in for the night. The woman let the Otter use their bath, gave him good food and drink, and was the utmost hostess. Her grandson, however, was deathly ill, and occupied the only bed in the small house. When morning broke the next day and the Otter prepared to set out once more, he gave one of the peaches to the woman and bade her to let the boy eat it. With that, the Otter was gone.
    He continued on his way, and before long the Otter came across a farmer out in the fields, lamenting the poor state of his wife. She was recently with child, and while she’d survived the birth, her condition afterward left her weak to the plague. The farmer feared that if she were to perish, so too would their child soon after. The Otter, his heart heavy for the poor farmer, gave him one of the peaches and bade him give it to the woman. The farmer said he would do as told, and the Otter went on his way.
    As evening fell, the castle finally came into view. Before the Otter could draw close, however, the Eagle from before called out to him. The two greeted each other warmly, before the Otter let the Eagle know the reason for his return. However, the Otter had not forgotten his promise and offered to the Eagle the last remaining peach he had brought. The Eagle ate the fruit gratefully, but left the stone of the fruit with the Otter. After all, what use would the Eagle have for it?
    The two then parted ways, leaving the Otter to consider his options. After all, what good would just the stone of the fruit be to the sick of the kingdom now? Before the Otter could continue his thoughts, however, the King’s long-searching Knight found him and captured him, whisking him off towards the castle in chains.
    As the Knight headed to the castle with his prize, the Otter pleaded for his freedom. If the Knight would just let him go, he could gather more of the healing peaches. The Otter even showed him the stone of the fruit as proof. Unwilling to disobey the King but wanting to aid the Otter, the Knight suggested that the two of them go to the King and offer up the peach pit together . The Otter agreed wholeheartedly, and with that the Knight freed him so they could continue on in fellowship.
    The Knight and the Otter came to the King’s court and offered up the pit of the peach. The King was skeptical at first, but was willing to hear the creature out on the Knight’s behalf. However, the Mage cast doubt on both of them, and the King sided with him. The Otter was taken to be butchered and his heart given to the Mage. Once the deed was done, the Knight left his King’s service in disgust and took the Otter’s remains and the peach stone with him, so that he might give the creature a proper burial at his estate.
    With his newfound power, the Mage set about trying to heal the people of the kingdom. However, no matter what he tried the plague still clung to the bodies and souls of the populace. For all he had promised the king, the Mage was unable to heal a single person. And for having misled the King in what had clearly been a bid for his own power, he was executed.
    The Knight, however, heard none of this, for he had traveled home. With great sorrow, he buried the friendly Otter with the peach pit in place of his heart. Before he could even say a word in eulogy, a mighty tree sprouted from the soil and spread its branches wide. Emerald leaves fluttered in the breeze, and flowers erupted along its bows. Before long, many glimmering peaches hung heavy from the limbs of the tree.
    Remembering the Otter’s words, the Knight gathered as many of the peaches as he could and carried them to his wife, asking her to make as many foods as she could with them. When she was done, they opened their doors wide and offered all in the kingdom to come and partake. Just like the peach the tree had sprung from, these foods too healed the sick and filled the hungry. Before long, the plague was but a memory.
    The King, having heard of the Knight’s actions, came to see the tree for himself. After gazing upon it and all the people who had been healed, he asked the Knight to explain. He told the King that while he had planned to leave right away, he couldn’t stand to see the people still suffering, especially after the tree had grown so quickly once buried. With this knowledge, the King apologized for doubting the Knight, humbly requesting him to return to his post. The Knight accepted and forgave the King his folly.
    To this day, the peach tree stands with the spirit of the Otter guarding over the peaches. For hungry bellies and outstretched hands, the fruit is given freely. For those who seek the magic within, however, the Otter’s blessing must be granted, and the fruit must be consumed with a grateful heart.

The Lloriaen Peach Tree - Deep in the heart of the Lloriaen region of Vengreik, on the Eisandren estate, stands an ever-fruiting peach tree with a rusty-coated Otter living among its branches. Together they are considered one of The Needles, and are a local treasure. The peaches produced by this tree are, at first glance, no different from the fruit of other trees. However, they are more resistant to spoilage than their regular counterparts, and are said to grow and ripen in mere days during times of famine. When this happens, the Otter vanishes from its boughs. The peaches are also said to hasten recovery from illness and injury, and the pits make for decent magical focuses in a pinch. Fallen branches are likewise fashioned to make high-quality magical focuses such as wands, canes, and staves.
However, The Tree itself is not the entirety of Lloriaen’s Needle. The Otter spirit is both bound to and part of the tree, and is unable to move beyond its branches. Despite his animal appearance, the Otter is clever, good-natured and has a broad sense of humor. He enjoys chatting with visitors and is particularly fond of children. In addition to guarding the tree, the Otter also decides on whom to bestow blessed peaches. Those who consume these blessed peaches will be granted magic if chosen, or fall ill if not. Symptoms of this illness are in line with mild to severe cases of influenza, and can be relatively benign to deadly, depending on the individual case. For this reason, the Otter refuses requests from most children and elderly, although he can and has refused requests from all sorts of people. On rare occasions, the Otter will also bless peaches destined for far-off places. When asked why, the Otter merely states that the tree requested him to do so.
Due to the Otter’s friendly nature, laymen and scholars alike have visited him with numerous questions. For the most part he is open and honest, but the Otter himself will be the first to admit his memory is faulty. He is overall aware of his nature, both as a spirit and as a Needle, as well as the legend that surrounds him and his Tree. Some parts of his legend or related speculation, the Otter has suggested are likely true—such as him having once been a river spirit, or a mage having pursued him in ages past. He is adamant, however, that he and the Tree became one when his bones and the seed were buried together. When asked about how he blesses the peaches, however, he has no answer. It is merely part of what he and the Tree are now, as natural a process to him as breathing. Based on all gathered evidence, scholars believe there must have once been a progenitor peach tree in the spirit realm, and when one of its seeds was buried with the physical anchor of the Otter, it allowed the tree to take root in a physical form.