 (published before it was known for certain that the legend was about platypi, thus these inaccurate images depicting Morning-Star as a human princess are included for archival purposes only) tombstones of Morning-Stars suitors #1 tombstones of Morning-Stars suitors #2 Morning-Star stolen from her cradle Morning-Star playing a harp Morning-Star blessing her favorite suitor Morning-Star in anguish Morning-Star in tears Morning-Star's heart hardening into Wishbringer |
In the mid-tenth century, during the reign of mighty Anatinus, King of Misty Island, a beautiful peasant girl named Morning-Star was born, who was blessed with rare and perfect beauty. The legend of this platypus' beauty spread all throughout the kingdom, even to the court of King Anatinus. There beside the throne sat the heavy-hearted Queen Alexis. For her own newborn daughter, caused by by fate and prophecy, was sightless. She was unwilling to look upon her blind child’s face. And the baby Morning-Star, more beautiful and perfect, made her jealous.
Envy breeds evil. And thus Queen Alexis caused the simple peasant home of Morning-Star to burn. The sleeping family perished, all but Morning-Star, who, being rescued by the Queen's design, became her daughter, whom she claimed had her sight restored by prayer. The one true princess, who had been left behind to fill the vacant cradle, perished too, and never saw her mother. She was then raised as the Princess of Misty Island.
The years were kind to Morning-Star. Her beauty blossomed like the fragrant water-lily into full, abundant maidenhood. Many knights already sought her fair hand in marriage. On her seventeenth birthday, Anatinus made it known that whosoever might desire to win the hand of Morning-Star, should now come forth to claim it. According to the custom of the kingdom, the groom had to prove his worth by fulfilling a love-quest of the Queen's own choosing.
Many were the eager knights who journeyed to the royal palace, hoping there to win the love of Princess Morning-Star. Alexis, dark with envy, watched the lusty swains descend like vultures around her daughter, and vowed in secret not to let them have her.
From the knights assembled, six were chosen, and stood before the heartless queen for testing. But the crafty Alexis devised impossible love-quests for the suitors.
The first brave knight, a lad of twenty-one years, was sent across the sea to beg Lord Nimbus, God of Rain, to quench the thirsting Fields of Frotzen. But that pseudo-god, not sympathetic, smote his vessel with a bolt of lightning.
The second knight, a weapons-bearer, strong of limb and spirit, scaled the mountain peak of Matter-Horn, to seek Advice from spirits. The hopes of Princess Morning-Star fell with him.
A third knight ventured forth to try the fabled Wings of Icarus, and learn the secret method of their Flight, to please Alexis. But whilst soaring home to claim the princess, the joyful knight flew into the open maw of Thermofax, a dragon.
Alexis sent the fourth knight deep into the Mines of Mendon to slay a grue, and drag the carcass up where all might see it. But Darkness overcame the hapless knight, who, lost without a lamp, was soon devoured.
Another knight, the fifth, directed by the Queen to steal the Coconut of Quendor, chanced upon a lair of hungry Implementors, and did not Foresee his peril.
Lastly stood before the Queen a gentle boy, no older than the Princess. Morning-Star liked well his beardless smile, and begged her mother not to test his Luck too harshly. But Alexis caused the youth to spend an evening amidst an unclean cemetery, from where he never returned; for eldritch vapors carried him away, and gave no reason.
Afterward, Queen Alexis cried, “Is no man in the kingdom fit to wed my only daughter? Methinks she must remain unmarried, then, and a virgin all her days.” So it was Written.
Morning-Star hoped death might grant her Freedom from the edict of Alexis, by her mother's timely passing. But the Reaper (busy elsewhere with a plague) heard not her praying; so Alexis lived, and laughed, and watched her daughter's beauty fade away, and all her wishes dwindle in her bosom until her demise.
Over the years, her body decayed into dust, except her heart, which, hard and shrunken to a pebble in the grave, shining brightly with the stifled wishes of her lifetime (rain, advice, flight, darkness, foresight, luck, freedom). This was the origin of Wishbringer, the Magic Stone of Dreams. Eventually, the whole incident would fade into legend, the reign of Antainus forgotten, and the names of Morning-Star and Queen Alexis lost in time.
TRIVIA:
While not much is known about the palace of Morning-Star, it is odd that there are no official records of its location as rumors abounded of it during the Second Age of Magic. It was said that a queen quelbee had in her possession the only map to this lengendary place, and once inside, a package needing delivery to the Festeron Postal Office would be found.