The Blood Jewel of the North
The Blood Jewel of the North is the name given to the most infamous jewel in the history of the Bound Realms and that of the northern lands beyond. In Old Northern Gotic it is known as the Aírknastáins Blōþ. This legendary gem has a distinctly disturbing and gruesome mythology attached to it. If indeed it ever actually existed.
According to some, the Dragon King himself tore the jewel from her person before she felled him with her power. The jewel was lost in the blood and dirt of the battlefield only to be discovered later by the remains of the King's forces. It was then carried away to be entombed alongside him in the now silent halls of Elivagaer, both to be guarded for eternity by the strange magics of the ancient dragon city.
The other more prevalent theory is that the Blood Jewel was snatched from Shynar's dying body by the God Slayer himself, one final rebellion against her divine person. What became of the jewel after this theft is the subject of much debate and has given rise to many theories as to its current location. Any number of individuals, scholars and laypeople alike, have devoted their lives to hunting down the infamous treasure.
Origin
According to legend, when the goddess Shynar slew the Dragon King's brother and his mate, their heart's blood pooled together at Shynar's feet. This she had encased in a crystal gem which she wore proudly when she faced the Dragon King in the final battle of the Shifter War. Already mad with grief over his family's slaughter, this blatant use of his brother's blood as a trophy was enough to drive the The Dragon King beyond reason. Some scholars argue that it was this loss of rationality that ultimately led to the King's loss of the war. Though whether this is seen as a masterful stroke of strategy by the goddess or a firm example of her cruelty depends entirely upon the devoutness of the scholar in question. Of course, the truly devout insist the outcome of the war would have remained fixed in the gods' favor regardless of the Dragon King's actions.Loss of the Jewel
Regardless of one's position on the appropriateness of Shynar's use of the jewel, nearly all scholars agree that it was taken from her at some point before her death.According to some, the Dragon King himself tore the jewel from her person before she felled him with her power. The jewel was lost in the blood and dirt of the battlefield only to be discovered later by the remains of the King's forces. It was then carried away to be entombed alongside him in the now silent halls of Elivagaer, both to be guarded for eternity by the strange magics of the ancient dragon city.
The other more prevalent theory is that the Blood Jewel was snatched from Shynar's dying body by the God Slayer himself, one final rebellion against her divine person. What became of the jewel after this theft is the subject of much debate and has given rise to many theories as to its current location. Any number of individuals, scholars and laypeople alike, have devoted their lives to hunting down the infamous treasure.
Entry for WorldEmber 2020
In response to the prompt Describe a historically significant piece of jewelry in your world. What stories does it carry?
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