Long ago, the world of Ashtar was ruled by a terrible lord who called himself Lord Gaia. He exercised total dominion over the population thanks to an ancient power that turned people into wooden statues; this era came to be known as the Dark Age of Ashtar. No one ever knew how or where Gaia obtained this power—only that it made him invincible, and no one could face him without perishing in the attempt.
This went on for years, until an anonymous hero emerged from distant lands, riding a mysterious flying artifact that the astonished citizens called the Chariot of Light.
The curse had no effect on this mysterious hero, so Gaia sent his hordes to end his life. The hero fought and faced every enemy that stood in his way until he reached the great hall where the Lord awaited, seated upon his ostentatious throne. The two battled fiercely until the hero struck the final blow that would bring an end to Gaia’s dark empire.
After scattering Gaia’s remains into the great sea and decimating the rest of his troops, the citizens of Ashtar awoke to a new era they called the Age of Light. Thanks to the support of the anonymous hero, Ashtarian society prospered and lived through a great time of abundance. Technology advanced rapidly, and with it came the first disputes and socioeconomic crises. New self-proclaimed leaders, backed by advances in weaponry, arose and claimed the vast territories of Ashtar for themselves, creating the first empires.
And so we arrive at the present age of Ashtar, divided into a few nations. Some of them are peaceful, while others remain in conflict. It is an age of uncertainty, where a single spark could ignite a great war that would return Ashtar to dark times.
It is nighttime, and the tavern is packed to the brim. It is a day of celebration, commemorating the end of the Dark Age and the rise of the anonymous hero. Lou and Siva are drinking at a table in the corner. They laugh and joke about their latest adventure until a ragged man, holding a tankard, approaches and sits beside them.
Lou and Siva stop laughing and look at him with a certain disdain—if looks could kill, he’d already be in his grave. The stranger begins rummaging through the satchel slung over his shoulder and explains to the adventurers that he wants to offer them a job.
Lou narrows his eyes, props his feet up on the table, crossing them, grabs his tankard, and takes a long drink—it seems he wants nothing to do with the matter. Meanwhile, Siva stares intently at the stranger and asks what kind of job he is talking about. The man pulls out a worn, grimy piece of parchment from his satchel and spreads it across the table; it appears to be a strange map written in an unknown language.
Lou glances sideways at the map while Siva studies it carefully, as if checking whether it might be a forgery. The man asks them to let him explain:
- When the anonymous hero defeated Lord Gaia, no one knew what happened to the Chariot of Light. Some say it was destroyed in the final great battle, while others claim the hero hid it on a remote island. Many insist that the Chariot—that powerful flying artifact—was what allowed the hero to resist Lord Gaia’s curse. Whether that is true or not, finding the Chariot of Light would be the most important discovery in all of Ashtar’s recent history—and that, my friends, means a fortune in gold.
Lou and Siva exchange glances. They are not sure what to think, or even whether they should keep listening to this man.
- What I am showing you here is the map that leads to the island where the legendary hero hid the Chariot of Light.
At that moment, Lou and Siva burst out laughing. They can’t believe what they’re hearing. Siva points at him, scolding him for believing in children’s tales and digging maps out of the gutter. The man, however, calmly rummages through his satchel again and produces a small cloth pouch. He opens it, revealing more than twenty diamonds and precious stones inside. Siva quickly reaches out and, before the man even reacts, takes one of the diamonds. It appears to be real.
- Here’s the job, if you’re interested: go to the island marked on this map and find out whether the mythical Chariot of Light is there. Just for going, I will give you this bag of diamonds. And if we are lucky and you find the Chariot, we will split the profits fifty-fifty. What do you say?
Lou and Siva look at each other again. They begin speaking in low voices so the man cannot hear them. Siva seems more interested in closing the deal, while Lou appears somewhat reluctant—an unusual attitude for him, since he normally throws himself into any kind of adventure without much thought.
Siva turns to the man and asks why he chose them for the job, to which the man replies that only they are crazy enough to do it.
Lou’s eyes light up, clearly pleased with himself. He flashes a sly grin and gives his approval. Siva nods in turn and takes the pouch of diamonds from the man’s hands.
- It seems we have a deal.