The Opossum

It once happened that as the Shattering Wars raged,
A group of soldiers came to a land now known as Byell,
Hunting humans and glory,
Led by a magnificent general called Brygallbyn, of famed skill,

A group of soldiers came to a land now known as Byell,
They were a loyal squad,
Led by a magnificent general called Brygallbyn, of famed skill,
They thought to stay and protect this new land,

They were a loyal squad,
They desired stability after all their time fighting,
They thought to stay and protect this new land,
Little did they know how much they would pay for it,

They desired stability after all their time fighting,
They built a mighty fort to ward off all attacks,
Little did they know how much they would pay for it,
For they were the victims of their own brazenness,

They built a mighty fort to ward off all attacks,
They feasted themselves on the local wildlife,
For they were the victims of their own brazenness,
They spent the night in laughter and boasts,

They feasted themselves on the local wildlife,
They forgot their cares and worries,
They spent the night in laughter and boasts,
They were masters of the land,

They forgot their cares and worries,
For none could defeat such a mighty batallion,
They were masters of the land,
And unknowing of what that rulership cost,

For none could defeat such a mighty batallion,
All was theirs,
And unknowing of what that rulership cost,
They spoiled themselves on the new world,

All was theirs,
So they thought nothing of each new meat they came across,
They spoiled themselves on the new world,
And it spoiled them in turn,

So they thought nothing of each new meat they came across,
One they named opossum,
And it spoiled them in turn,
For the seventh night a soldier by the name of Nryllarb glutted himself on one,

One they named opossum,
He paid dearly for his sins,
For the seventh night a soldier by the name of Nryllarb glutted himself on one,
The next morning he was not to be found,

He paid dearly for his sins,
At first none noticed,
The next morning he was not to be found,
All that was seen was a squeaking opossum on his bunk,

At first none noticed,
Such were the depths that they had sank to,
All that was seen was a squeaking opossum on his bunk,
And that night it was eaten by his daughter,

Such were the depths that they had sank to,
For at a later time was when they realized they realized where he had gone,
And that night it was eaten by his daughter,
And she disappeared next,

For at a later time was when they realized they realized where he had gone,
His daughter sinning too,
And she disappeared next,
As many more would,

His daughter sinning too,
For they were turned to opossums,
As many more would,
The punishment for their crimes,

For they were turned to opossums,
The cursed creatures which they had eaten,
The punishment for their crimes,
Their fate being sealed the next night,

The cursed creatures which they had eaten,
They kept eating,
Their fate being sealed the next night,
Speared and eaten,

They kept eating,
Until Brygallbyn himself saw a discrepancy,
Speared and eaten,
Only one each night,

Until Brygallbyn himself saw a discrepancy,
Soldiers gone,
Only one each night,
And always the squeaking opossums in the castle,

Soldiers gone,
Suspicious activity,
And always the squeaking opossums in the castle,
Now emptying,

Suspicious activity,
It disturbed the general of great honor,
Now emptying,
Until he called an end to the feasts,

It disturbed the general of great honor,
For he still had honor left,
Until he called an end to the feasts,
Investigating the matter,

For he still had honor left,
He would soon realize the cause of his troubles,
Investigating the matter,
He saw truth in the creatures,

He would soon realize the cause of his troubles,
And outlawed the consumption of the wretched beasts,
He saw truth in the creatures,
He knew them for what they were,

And outlawed the consumption of the wretched beasts,
But honor had left his heart,
He knew them for what they were,
And that night ate the last one,

But honor had left his heart,
He wanted the cursed meat,
And that night ate the last one,
Dooming the last of his people,

He wanted the cursed meat,
And none more would,
Dooming the last of his people,
Who had lived so proudly in the land,

And none more would,
For later groups would find the settlers,
Who had lived so proudly in the land,
Now a warning to others,

For later groups would find the settlers,
A barracks of opossum corpses,
Now a warning to others,
With their writings of proof,

A barracks of opossum corpses,
Now serve as a reminder,
With their writings of proof,
To never eat one's sins.

This was written when I was struggling with writer's block during Worldember. A friend gave me the category of legend, a theme of supernatural, and a topic of opossums.

And if you're curious, this is in the poetry style of pantoum.

If this is first time visiting Llagnyn, here's some important things to know:

• This is a world where the Faire Folk rule the Shattered Lands, and humans are their slaves
• This legend takes place sometime in The Shattering Wars, a period of great unrest lasting from the shattering until the 14 factions were founded. This period is so filled with chaos that very little can be confirmed, and most that is known are legends like this.