Constellation Pair: The Wolf and the Chalice
"In the Heroic Age, when the world of Kobos was still young and untamed, two gods of contrasting natures roamed the land. Oppidana, the goddess of civilization and learning, and Malar, the god of the wild and instinct, were unlikely friends. Oppidana, the daughter of a chieftain from a tribe just embracing the art of agriculture, had a restless spirit and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. She was a skilled alchemist, capable of understanding and conversing with animals, and her most trusted companion was a wounded dire wolf she named Malar. In the forests, they found solace and friendship, becoming each other's truest confidantes.
As the age progressed, humans found themselves threatened by elves, dwarves, trolls, saurians, and various monsters. Oppidana realized that the only way to protect her people was to unite them under one banner. She called upon Malar to teach her warriors the ways of wolves, and together, they embarked on a daring conquest of tribes that refused to join her cause.
A city, the first of mankind, was built when Oppidana was merely 22 years old. Immersed in the duties of city administration and the flattery of aristocrats who aided her rise, Oppidana found herself drawn away from her roots in the wilderness. She revelled in the decadence of her newfound position, surrounded by luxury and wealth, while Malar grew distant and jealous.
Fueled by anger and resentment, Malar went feral, corrupting some of Oppidana's followers with cannibalism, dark witchcraft, and the cursed gift of lycanthropy. The city was plagued by lycanthropic attacks, and Malar's chosen ones wrought havoc upon the rural towns and villages.
Oppidana, wounded in a fierce battle with Malar, returned to the city to find herself ensnared in the temptations of luxury. Malar, seeking to reunite with his once dearest friend, was relentless in his rage, destroying towns and lands in his wake.
A coven of hags known as Trine Caulder saw an opportunity to control Malar and lured him with rumors of Oppidana's return. However, Malar refused to be tamed and, in a final act of defiance, tore his own soul from his body and fled, leaving his physical form to be placed among the stars.
In the firmament, the constellations of the Wolf and the Chalice were formed, memorializing their intertwined destinies. The Eye of Malar, a fiery yellow glow, foretells the birth of werewolves or outbreaks of lycanthropy, and the Bloody Grail, with its red-stained stem, portends the rise of vampirism.
Oppidana, realizing the consequences of her choices and the separation from her wild companion, broke her magic rod into seven parts and entrusted them to her most trusted allies. Buried in a sarcophagus, she vowed to rise again when the world needed her most.
And so, the legend of the Wolf and the Chalice lives on, a tale of friendship, betrayal, and the eternal dance between civilization and the untamed wilderness. Their stories are woven into the fabric of Kobos, inspiring awe and caution, for even the gods are not immune to the consequences of their actions."
~Grandmaster Jeren
The Wolf
Midwinter to Newspring
Thirteen Stars arranged to appear as a wolf's head in profile, howling
When the constellation shines bright and clear, it's said to be a good omen for hunters and scouts.
When Mizov takes its place where the wolf's eye would be, it portents and perhaps fuels the birth of a new werewolf or an outbreak of lycanthropy.
The Chalice
Midspring to Newfall
Fourteen Star arranged in a pattern to appear to be a chalice with a bowl, a stem and a base.
When the constellation shines bright and clear, it's said to aid in healing and recovery and its imagery is often evoked in feasts, especially victory feasts.
When Mizov eclipses the space between the two stars in the stem, it lights up a cloud of dust that glows red and appears to fill the bowl. This is said to cause outbreaks of vampirism.
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