WOM

Four generations ago the WOM took stock of his extraordinary, long life. At that point in time, the affairs of the world were in good order, the wars between men and the battles with darkness were over. There was almost universal peace. So, without any fanfare, the WOM stepped out of the public eye and began retirement.

Deep in the wilderness of Annulus was an abandoned grotto. There he built his dream house, which contained a bulging library, his prize possession. He settled down, applying himself to rereading every volume.

His life was one of contented solitude for a very long time. Until a hungry plague awoke and consumed many lives spanning the planet. The dire need of Truth ignited a faint remembrance that there had once been a WOM, wise old man. They did not recall the valiant deeds in all the wars or his renowned wisdom as he led nations, but they had a vague notion that he could do the impossible.

The WOM was discovered in his comfortable chair lost in a book.

Presented with the problem he was able to analyze the plague and locate a cure. Soon it was repressed and forced to return to sleep. The fame of the WOM spread, as did his reputation for being unconventional and, frankly, slightly strange.

Once the crisis had passed the WOM was happy to remain in his comfortable grotto with his books for company, as well as the occasional visitor. They were always sick or had some kind of complaint and looked to the WOM for help. The WOM considered himself in partial retirement. 

The day Bello, the Giant, arrived that changed.

Bello suffered from a mysterious sickness. As all who come to him are, Bello was warmly received and thoroughly examined. The prescription entailed traveling deep into the wilderness, to the Hidden Valley. His cure would find him among the flowers.

Though greatly frustrated by the ridiculous instructions, he swallowed his annoyance and followed them. Butterfly-like creatures that lived in that valley swarmed him as he entered it. A huge hairy spider, previously unnoticed by Bello, jumped from the folds of his clothes. It tried to escape but the butterflies caught and killed it. Then they landed upon Bello. Painlessly they drew all the poison out of his body.

He returned to the WOM to excitedly recount what had happened. But was interrupted with urgent instructions to return to the valley. He was to transplant some of the flowers to his village. The Fallen, what Bello thought was a spider, is an old evil. They are usually unseen; they slowly fill their victim with poison- and they never travel alone. They are impossible to kill without the Honor, the creatures that look like butterflies.

Bello did as instructed. The Honor followed the flowers and killed the Fallen.

At the sight of the Fallen, the WOM knew he was embarking into a new season- post retirement. It was time to check on the condition of the world.