The story behind the major constellations is one of anguish and peril and selfless loyalty.
Story of Mortals and their Fall from Grace
It is said that in ages past when mortal walked among the gods as near equals a trial began. The trial of mortal sin and their worth. A task was given the mortals and only one man stepped forward. He knew his life would be tested to its extreme and yet he willingly took up the task of proving the worth of man. The gods told this Crusader to travel the lands looking for the Sage of ages to find the worth of mortal man. A mortal beyond his years, as old as the gods itself, as the sky some even whispered. They said to find him and seek out the worth and meaning of existence.
So travel he did. For years he traveled enduring hardships at the hands of the gods who wanted him to fail until at last he found the sage they spoke of. He was an ancient being of wisdom and contempt. Contempt for the gods for giving him his eternal life, and contempt for mortal for their enduring lives at the side of the gods. The Crusader came to him and asked for this knowledge but he would not give it.
His plea’s were too much for the ancient Sage and he broke telling him where to find the answer. To visit the Oracle and it would tell all. So the Crusader traveled again for years searching for the mysterious Oracle. Some said that it was a myth and could never be found. Other said it could only be found by those not looking. Near broken of spirit he stumbled across the path of the Oracle. It was beauty beyond his dreams, giving him warmth were he was cold, and giving him strength where there was none. It answered the crusaders question, telling him that the worth of Mortals was as limitless as a grain of sand. Not understanding his questioned the answer. It told him that to know the worth of man; the Crusader would have to prove his own worth to understand what it has meant.
The Crusader traveled to the King, knowing that he was wise and knew the worth of his men. The King cried and told him that the worth as he knew it was little. He bade him to see the Captain and to have him travel across the blackened sea where it was rumored other nations had grew. Perhaps they knew more than he. So the Crusader traveled with the Captain and his crew across dangerous waters unknown to them before. A storm grounded the Captain and his ship throwing the Crusader over, washing up on a black sandy beach alone. He sat and studied the coarse sand for days trying to grasp the Oracles cryptic meaning but was unable to, he wept knowing he would never find the answer.
Not normal to self despair, he gathered what he could and began searching for his prize, vowing to not stop until the answer killed him. He traveled an unknown jungle, sickening with the bites of insects and snakes. Slowing his march but never faltering. He came across a boar who told him that if anyone could help find his prize it would be the Huntress. He found the Huntress stalking her prey by the directions given to him by the boar. He bade her to help him. He told her of his tale but she believed the sickness and not him. She took helped him on the condition that he helped her track her prey. He slowly agreed, not wanting to wait another day in his search but realizing the answer may be where she traveled.
So the Crusader and the Huntress traveled her lands on her Chariot looking for the giant reptile as she named it. Curious as to her meaning, and her lack of explaining he grew wary. They finally found its lair and she bade him to stay as it was her task to slay the beast. The Huntress stood before the lair and called to the creature, calling it weak names and insults of great proportions. The Crusader cringed at the lack of civility but let the Huntress continue.
The Huntress called forth again and the beast emerged, huge beyond comparison to anything the Crusader had before seen, but he knew what it was. The mighty Dragon stood before the Huntress and proceeded to snap down at her breaking through her meager defenses. Seeing her falter the Crusader sprang forth and engaged the Dragon and slew it with a mighty stroke. He towered over it with pleasure and sorrow, wondering who had been the enemy. His answer was soon found when the Huntress plunged her knife into his back whispering in his ear of his folly. She was supposed to have destroyed the beast herself as per her culture. He had stolen that from her as she had now stolen his life, the circle was complete to her.
The Crusader fell and knew the answer to the question of the gods finally. The worth of mortals was in his grasp and the oracles meaning was on his lips. He whispered it to the Huntress least she not forget and it be lost. ‘The Crusader spoke to her, “Our worth is like the grain of sand. Short and small, coarse as our actions are in the world as we all return to the earth when we fail.” The Crusader knew both answers and brought them forth to the gods and told them his tale. The anguish and sorrow was not lost on those in attendance but the result was the same.
Seeing the failure of mortals as a whole the gods saw what the Crusader saw, the futility of mortal man. They cast them from their side and to return to the earth in the hopes that they would learn their worth as did the Crusader. He was given a place of rest in their hall and granted their respect, as for the mortals below them. The gods decreed that they would have to earn it.
Major Constellations
1) The Crusader
2) The Sage
3) The Oracle
4) The King
5) The Captain
6) The Huntress
7) The Chariot
8) The Dragon
9) The Judge
10) The Tree of Life
Minor Constellations
1) The Falcon
2) The Boar
3) The Mad Bear
4) The Rogue
5) The Ugly Sister
6) Errant Knight
7) The Unicorn
8) The Scorpion
9) The Wolf
10) The Murderer
Side Notes: While this began as an original Hewdamia submission. Due to a few queries asking me about adding their own ideas to this scroll I am openning it up for everyone. The 10 minor constellations I have listed here are with the Hewdamia setting.
Now that this is completed as a Hewdamian sub, I would like for others to add to the depths of their Constellation Myth’s that dot their worlds/ systems. Add to the depth so that their is a resource of constellations for all GM’s to use.