Story name: A Manticore's Tale
Author: Volk-Oberoten
Publication date: December 17, 2000 (TSA-Talk)
Date: between 690 and 703 CR (4+ years)
Location: the Giantdowns (present day), Spake & the Desert of Dreaming (4 years ago)
Overview
Lowenherz remembers how he became a manticore as he travels to Metamor Keep.
Summary
Lowenherz was once a man in Sathmore who dreamed of adventure. He sailed for the Sea of Pyralis, but was blown off-course and arrived in the far east in a lawless land. After years of evading pirates, he heard that King Iro was building a navy in Spake, and became a privateer for him, eventually becoming commander of a small squadron. After he raided one large ship of treasure, Iro heard rumor that the queen's newborn child came from an affair with Lowenherz, and accused Lowenherz of withholding treasure. Lowenherz escaped on the fastest ship out, but was blown off-course again and crashed on the shore of the Desert of Dreaming.
On the beach, he met one of Nasoj's mages who transformed him into a manticore, but Lowenherz had an amulet to Akkala. He had a vision of Akkala, telling him he could become human again by serving her, by destroying creatures of darkness. And so Lowenherz killed the mage, but now wonders whether his vision was real, or just his bestial nature coming out. He is able to disguise himself somewhat as human during the day, but during the night his manticore half emerges to feed.
Nearly four years have passed since his transformation. He has made a living by posing as a trader of exotic goods, using flight to travel ahead and beat other caravans. One night, after ambushing and eating a Lutin, Lowenherz arrives outside Metamor Keep, where he has heard they were once able to beat Nasoj's magic. He plans to pose as a merchant there, and find someone can heal him and lift the spell, or perhaps give him true healing from Akkala. As the sun rises, he sets off to join the early morning merchants.
Characters
Main Characters:
- Lowenherz: A were-manticore, a traveller disguised as a trader in exotic goods, formerly a commander for King Iro. He is travelling to Metamor Keep in the hopes of removing his bestial manticore half.
- He has a partially human form in the day, and a manticore form at night.
- His human form has cat-like ears and a feline nose which he hides beneath his hood. He has small bat-like wings that fold against his back. His teeth, claws, and tail retract and remain dormant. He can sense his coming transformation by late afternoon.
- His manticore form has bat-like wings that are the first to change at night, growing from membranes on his shoulders. He has three rows of teeth, and has retractable claws in his hands. His segmented tail clicks as it flexes. It can throw darts shaped like porcupine quills but with barbed poisonous tips, but only one new dart can be produced each night. He has excellent night vision.
- He carries a bag of his exotic trade goods, buckled to his waist in manticore form. It also carries his clothes and other essentials. In human form, he wears a loose-fitting hooded cloak to conceal his face and body. He carries a vial of poison to dip his tail darts in for especially tough foes.
- Since he was a child, he wore an amulet to Akkala. This saves him (possibly) when he is transformed into a manticore, though it is unknown if he still carries it.
- He has a split personality, where his manticore half needs to feed on blood and fresh meat. His human half is repulsed by this, but manages to control his other half by only attacking dark and evil creatures. He completely loses awareness when his bestial self takes over, eating meat and burying the bones by instinct, which can last for hours.
- He was given the name "Lowenherz" by Akkala (or a vision of her), meaning "lion heart" for his now bestial half. Akkala judged him as a wrong-doer for serving Iro, and as penance was to do good deeds for her, one of which is to destroy evil creatures. He always donates a portion of his money to her.
- He works as a foreign traveller and an exotic goods merchant, flying past other caravans to make an easy profit.
- He is skilled at hiding both on land and at sea. He learned to evade sea raiders, and find cargo ships that were separated from their convoys.
- Lowenherz is not his original name. He grew up in a small town on the west coast of Sathmore. He left by sea to avoid serving a Sathmore lord.
- As a privateer for Iro, he became a commander of a small squadron. They would later alert him to his coming arrest, and flee with him, though it is implied they perished in the shipwreck offshore the Desert of Dreaming.
- He has a partially human form in the day, and a manticore form at night.
Minor Characters:
- A mage who worked for Nasoj. He met Lowenherz on the beach of the Desert of Dreaming, and transformed him into a manticore to be his servant. This backfired when Lowenherz kept his human mind and devoured him.
- He had a robe and staff. He was disguised as an old man, but took on a more youthful form when transforming Lowenherz.
- He claimed that Nasoj would personally punish Lowenherz for disobeying him, though this may be an empty threat.
Cameo:
- A Lutin, killed and eaten by Lowenherz in the Giantdowns.
- Akkala: The Lothanasi goddess of healing. She may or may not have appeared to Lowenherz after he became a manticore. Lowenherz now serves her.
- She appeared as a tall blond woman.
Important Mention:
- King Iro: Ruler of Spake and other lands. He was building a massive fleet to attack Whales, and had allied himself with Nasoj to hire Lutins and monsters and mages. He was rumored to practice dark magic himself, said to be the cause of his own demise.
- Nasoj: An evil sorcerer of the Giantdowns, who has been supplying Iro with monsters for an attack on Whales.
- He employs many mages, who in return for their services has extended their lives many times over.
Referenced:
- Lowenherz's mother. She was tall and blonde.
- The prince of Iro. Rumor has it he is Lowenherz's child, borne by the queen.
- The queen of Iro, who bore a son soon before Lowenherz fell from favor.
Locations
- He mentions that he sailed south past the Isle of Whales and through the Sea of Good Fortune, and was hit by a storm before reaching the Sea of Pyralis. Spake and King Iro's land is far to the east of the Sea of Pyralis.
- King Iro's land was said to have few laws. Piracy and smuggling was common. Lutins worked alongside humans. It was since destroyed, supposedly by Iro's own black magic.
- The Jaw of the Devil is an obstacle outside the harbor of Spake.
- It is oddly implied that the Desert of Dreaming is far to the east of Spake and King Iro's land, although this could Lowenherz losing his sense of direction (and actually being far to the WEST).
- Stories were told in Iro's kingdom that the Desert of Dreaming was where Iro acquired demons and evil magic users, and powerful spells cast here would drive men mad from hallucinations.
- The Sea of Yajiit was where Lowenherz conducted his last raid.
Society
- People in the Great Northern Desert were face-covering hoods.
- Iro's shipping project required timber, pitch, and hemp from little known areas beyond the Desert of Dreaming.
- Because it was important to keep the sea lanes open, Iro would hire experienced sailors to attack smugglers.
- The fastest ship in Iro's fleet was stolen by Lowenherz in his escaped, and crashed offshore the Desert of Dreaming.
Chronology / Story Connections
- King Iro's shipbuilding project, and his downfall, are chronicled in Winds Of Destiny. The final battle took place before the Curse of Metamor in 699 CR. Thus, when Lowenherz says nearly 4 years have passed since escaping Iro, the present day can be no later than 703 CR. The present can also be no earlier than 699 CR, as he has heard Metamor Keep has held against Nasoj.
- The full timeline of Lowenherz's life is as follows:
- He grows up in Sathmore. At some point he sails for Pyralis, and is lost in the far east (not necessarily Spake or Iro's kingdom).
- Years pass, where he evades pirates. King Iro starts a shipbuilding project. When Lowenherz hears, he becomes a privateer for Iro.
- Several attacks later, he is successful enough to become commander. The queen has a newborn son. Lowenherz is accused of keeping treasure for himself, but rumor is that Lowenherz's affair with the queen has been revealed. He escapes but is shipwrecked off the Desert of Dreaming, where a mage transforms him into a manticore, but he retains enough humanity to turn partially back each day.
- Nearly 4 years pass, during which he becomes a merchant of exotic goods.
- One night, in the cliffs in the Giantdowns, he eats a lutin and makes his way to Metamor.
