Guardian of the Vessel

Summary

Long, long ago, in the days before the Sundering, the Vessel was possessed by a great creature that wished to keep its use all to itself. It used the Vessel to renew itself every morning, because it was so old that by the nightfall its flesh had fallen off of its bones.
In those same days, a young woman in Dweda Zaara gave birth to a soulless daughter. Of course the only thing that could save the child was the Vessel's restoration. 
The young mother travels across the length of the world, carrying her potentially doomed child, until she finds the Guardian of the Vessel's dwelling. Throwing herself at the monster's feet, the young mother begs it to allow her to heal her daughter. The monster refuses, citing its own need for daily renewal.
Even more desperate now, the young mother seeks help from the hollow warriors of the Hollow City, and is given a sword sharper than any blade ever made. 
The young mother returns to the Guardian of the Vessel, and just as it is about to consume the Vessel's contents, she cuts off both of its hands in a single strike. The creature then crumbles to dust, having only enough life in it for a single day.
Seizing the fallen Vessel, the young mother administers its contents to her child, whose soul is restored.
The young mother then returns to the Hollow City with child and Vessel in tow, triumphant.

Historical Basis

While there are sufficient records to be confident that the Vessel exists, or existed at one time, there is no definitive historical accounting of it being possesses by some kind of monster. This aspect of the story is considered by most to be allegorical in nature, the Guardian of the Vessel being representative of some kind of unsavory individual who may have had possession of the historical Vessel at one time.

Variations & Mutation

The Cult of the Sacred Immortal Chickens, in accordance with their belief that the contents of the Vessel was likely some form of chicken soup, believe that the Guardian of the Vessel was in fact historically a particularly ornery auroch known to have terrorized a region of what would become the fifth Sanctuary zone. They believe that what he was guarding was the secret herbal ingredient that allowed the spark of immortality to pass from chicken to sapient being. Alas, it is also concluded that the auroch must have consumed all of the existent herbs.

Related Items

• The Vessel