Wisdom Seeker: They did not know where he came from, but one day, a stranger appeared out of thin air, wearing a red hooded cloak tied at the waist with a golden rope. When asked about himself, the newcomer described himself as a wanderer, searching for things without knowing what they might be. He referred to himself as a Wisdom Seeker. The guest explained that he was in their little village to climb the local mountain. When the townsfolk asked him why, the Wisdom Seeker replied that he did not know; he only felt that it was important to reach the peak, as that was where the answer might lie. As the whole town gathered to see the Wisdom Seeker off early the next morning to wish him well on his adventure, the wind began to blow, and with it, there was heavy snow. The folk begged him to stay until another day. The newcomer replied that the task needed to be achieved that day and only that day. So off he went. The climb was hard going with the whipping wind and snow, but he persevered. At one point of the ascent, a thick fog formed. But unknown to the Wisdom Seeker at the time, it was clouds he was traveling through. Finally, the wanderer marched above them to reveal a clear, half-day night sky scape. A quarter Moon shone above him, accompanied by three stars. Out to the valley hung the Sun with three clouds basking in its warmth. Unable to climb higher, the Wisdom Seeker spread his hands and yelled, ” I am here seeking your wisdom.” We may never know what was told to him, for the Wisdom Seeker was never to be seen again. Now, on this same date each and every year, a new stranger appears in the same little village, looking to climb the same mountain. He, too, will never be seen again.
A Connoisseur of Celestial Objects: This Wisdom Seeker was a collector of many odd things, but heavenly bodies were one of his greatest obsessions. You would rightly assume that included suns, moons, planets, and stars, and you would be correct. He became known throughout the solar system as a connoisseur of celestial objects. His obsession stemmed from a desire to uncover the key to unlocking the universe’s mysteries. With each new collectible, his hopes and aspirations were that he was one step closer to achieving that goal. Ever on the hunt, much like a man who searches for his true love, this pursuit is defined by the essence of who he is.
The Tree of Cosmic Knowledge ; Somewhere far enough from all eyes, there is a mountain lake untouched by time. In the center of this body of water, concealed by dense fog, stood an island. Because the location was difficult to find, only a race of beings known by the inhabitants of the blue planet as “The People of the Falling Stars” was aware of its existence. These “People of the Falling Stars’ recognize themselves as the Wisdom Seekers. A species of cosmic gypsies who long ago crash-landed into this mountain lake. The story starts with their disabled craft hurling from space and then plunging into the freezing cold water of this mountain lake. The only thing that saved them from drowning was a mound of earth jutting from the water. On this plot of land was one gigantic tree stretching to the heavens above. The tree was to become known to the Wisdom Seekers as “The Tree of Cosmic Knowledge.” The Wisdom Seekers were to hollow out the trunk and construct stairs with rooms to house all the knowledge gathered from their past adventures across the cosmos. The Tree of Cosmic Knowledge is the place they come to gain knowledge, seek wisdom and look for guidance.A haven it will become where the Wisdom Seekers will hone their skill of creating a portal to travel to other worlds and universes where they will seek the knowledge of the inhabitants of these lands. The rest is for a tale to be told another day. May the Moon, Sun, and Stars keep a watchful eye over you.
The Heavens Fall; The Wisdom Seeker stood high above the desert plain. He had just arrived, having entered this world through a space portal. The Shepherds of the Cosmos had sent him to this planet to witness future events that had been prophesied to unfold. Before him, the Sun illuminated the valley of shining yellow sand and tall green mountains that stood tall on the horizon. In his hand, as he always did, he carried his staff constructed from meteor rock, topped with a globe of star glass. Within minutes of his arrival, the staff became warm in his hand, and the star glass began to give off a bluish glow. The ground where he stood started to tremble and vibrate violently, each tremor a countdown to the impending catastrophe. As quickly as the ground started to shake, it stopped moving, and all became still. And then the unthinkable occurred. The Moon, which had hung high in the heavens for all these years, had broken free from its orbit and was coming streaking downward to the planet where it crashed with a mighty thud as it smashed into the ground, erupting earth and grass, causing the ground to shake once again and throwing dust into the air. When the ground finally stopped quivering and the dust settled, the Moon sat in a vast crater in the middle of the desert. There, it was joined by stars that had fallen, littering the landscape with debris from the heavens above. The Wisdom Seeker stood in shock as he realized that what he had just witnessed was an event he had never experienced before and hoped never to experience again. The enormity of it then struck him, and now he knew why he had been requested to travel to this planet. He was there to record and behold the beginning of the death of a planet. As he started to document the dramatic cosmic event, thinking it was over, the Sun went dark. Then, like someone flipping a switch, it came back on. It became apparent to him that there was nothing else left for him to witness, knowing that the planet he stood on was near death. Tapping his staff upon the ground three times, a crackling noise filled the air, accompanied by a clap of thunder. The air in front of the Wisdom Seeker became blurry, and then, with a snap, it opened to create a portal. As he walked to the open portal, he looked around at all the destruction that lay before him and said, “May the ever-watchful eye of the Moon, Sun, and Stars protect you.” Then he stepped through the portal, and it snapped shut for the final time on this planet.
Valley of the Storm: In a secluded spot far from prying eyes, nestled between mountains worn down by time, lies a lake of crystal-clear water. Three distinct mounds of rock hold three stone etched steles. The place I speak of was one that held both beauty and imminent danger. This land was known as the Valley of the Storms. If you were to happen upon these islands made of rock, at first glance, they may look like they naturally emerged from the bottom of the lake. However, upon closer inspection, you would find that these stones were not from the lake but had been painstakingly boated from the mainland one by one, then carefully placed in the water until they finally broke through the surface. Once the islands were made, three stone steles inscribed with ancient script were ferried and erected. To ensure the writings remained secret, they were imbued with an enchanting magic that allowed them to be read only in the light of a lightning storm. One day, a void appeared in the air. A portal opened on the mainland. Out of this portal walked a Wisdom Seeker. He was there to gather information about the location of long-lost space travelers. To help him on this quest, he possessed a small stone slab discovered after a fierce meteor storm. The Wisdom Seeker hoped this slab was a key to deciphering the symbols written on the three slabs that stood upon the three different islands. Once the symbols were decoded, a portal could be opened to the location he sought. Now, to open a portal, one must first determine the location where the portal will be opened. Then, the galaxy that held the planet you sought, and lastly, the planet within the galaxy you wished for the portal to open. Securing a boat, the Wisdom Seeker rowed to the nearest island. He debarked and stood before the first stone stela. He recited an incantation, raising his staff to the sky. Rain-swollen clouds appeared on the horizon, and thunder shook the ground, accompanied by driving rain. Electricity began to crackle around him. Then, a bolt of lightning came hurling from the sky, striking the globe at the end of the staff. With the globe now filled with the power from the lightning, he pointed it towards the stone. A bolt was released from it, striking the stone and igniting it, revealing the secrets hidden within. The first stone was adorned with a glyph of his location, the Valley of the Storms. With that knowledge, he rowed to the next island and repeated the same incantation. The second stone had the symbol of a galaxy, the Milky Way. Now, all that was left was the last and main island. Thankfully, this stone held the planet for which it had long been searched. It was a place referred to as Earth. Now armed with the knowledge of the three symbols, he could access that information into the portal and embark on his journey, and after many years of searching, finally locate the long-lost space travelers.
Somewhere in the distance stood a chain of mountains overlooking a vast valley below. These mountains, known as the Mountains of Wisdom, kept watch over the Valley of a Thousand Moons. They are considered sacred and will hopefully remain hidden from prying eyes and minds. To a great extent, the range has been kept secret and therefore safe because the realm of knowledge had never been documented in any ancient texts or scrolls, thereby ensuring that no one could easily discover it. The only knowledge of their existence and location had been passed down through word of mouth from one Wisdom Seeker to the next. This land does not contain precious jewels or valuable items, but is a repository of knowledge and insight from countless generations and locations throughout the known and unknown world. If the unthinkable were to happen, and the Valley were to be found, three Wisdom Seeker Sentinels had been assigned to stand guard high in the mountains. Therefore, making sure that the Valley would be safe from outside prying eyes. One Sentinel is perched on the cliff of the Moon, another high in a cave of Sun Mountain, and the last near the Gong of the Cosmos, which was only to be sounded once an intruder was located. Together, they safeguarded the wisdom collected since the dawn of time. Here, when the seekers needed to find answers to their questions, and if fortune smiled upon them, these inquiries could be answered.
Find My Way Home; The Wisdom Seeker was sent to this planet to explore and determine whether it was a habitable world. His assignment by the high council was to seek out knowledge that the world’s dwellers may hold. The problem started as he arrived through the portal. He was confronted with the stark reality that there were no people. Investigating further, he realized there were no birds or animals either. From all appearances, it appears that the civilization this planet once held has long vanished. The only things remaining were a howling wind, a beach that stretched between an angry sea and tall stone cliffs, with a red, dying Sun hanging in the sky. “What kind of place is this?” he questioned himself. “Something feels wrong.” Walking along the beach, he continued his investigation of this lonely world when he spotted, in the distance, a grassy mound. “A good vantage point to search for life,” he thought. Quickly making his way toward the grassy mound, the ground suddenly began to shake violently. As it did, the cliffs spat shards of stone, falling and striking the Wisdom Seeker unconscious. When he finally awoke, lying in the wet sand, he was unaware of how much time had passed. As some of us are aware, all Wisdom Seekers know they have only a limited time in a location before the portal that brought them there snaps shut forever, and fearfully, this may be one of those times. There was one way to find out how long he had spent unconscious. Lifting his staff to the air, he summoned the portal to appear. To his dismay, the globe atop the staff did not glow. Fear began to spread within him. Again, he beckoned for the portal to appear. No portal. The only conclusion is that he had spent too much time here. The portal was gone. His way home was lost. Stranded. Remembering the grass mound he had seen before the earthquake, he hurried towards it. Still groggy from the hit on the head he took, he carefully followed a dirt path up the grassy mound. The path appears to have been worn into the hill long ago, suggesting that people were here at some point. “Maybe they still are,” the Wisdom Seeker said to himself. “If I can find them, I might be able to survive on this isolated planet.” Finally, he crested the hill. To his surprise, out into the angry sea a lighthouse made of stone had jutted out of the water. At this moment, the dying red Sun was positioned directly behind the tower. As it did, a rainbow of color extended from the lighthouse tower. He thought that if he could get his staff to produce a matching energy signature, a portal might be created. The Wisdom Seeker knew that the portal would not be stable enough for him to travel, but it would be able to open a wormhole of communication in the sky and, in doing so, send an orb through it to his home, Aven, and inform them that he was still alive but unable to return. Knowing that time was of the essence and not sure how long the rainbow energy coming from the lighthouse would last, he raised his staff to the sky. Using all the brawn he had left, he summoned his staff to release all the power that it had stored within it. Nothing was happening, and the rainbow was growing lighter by the second, therefore, losing its energy. Once again, he raised the staff and chanted words from an ancient language over and over. By now, his arm began to shake with exhaustion, and he fell to his knees. Suddenly, out of the staff orb, a bolt of multicolored light flickered. The light slowly marched its way across the sky, finally joining the other rainbow extending from the lighthouse. When they connected, a bridge formed, and the air between them began to crackle and pop. A portal then materialized in the sky. Gathering what strength he had left, the Wisdom Seeker lifted himself up and drew the communication glass orb from inside his robe. Hoping against hope that the portal would remain stable, the Seeker, with one shaky breath, whispered into the orb and hurled it into the sky and through the portal. The orb vanished inside, and the portal winked shut. Lying there on top of the gressy hill without any energy left, he thought to himself,” Did it work. Will I be saved, or will I be marooned on this forsaken rock for the rest of my eternity?”
Oracle of the Stars
On that faithful morning, a raging rain storm accompanied by hail and sleet doused all of Aven, including the steps of the Council of the Moon, Sun, and Stars. Then, a ray of light suddenly poked through the dark, ominous black clouds. At that moment, one would have thought the storm might be ending, but suddenly a flash of blue lightning streaked down from the clouds above and struck upon the pavement, sending the ground debris far and wide. The air hummed with ancient magic, then, without warning, parted, and a portal from another land opened. A stranger appeared and walked out of the opening in the air. This newcomer wore a veil over her face and a sky-blue hooded cloak tied with a golden rope. Both hands were occupied. In one, a black staff, said to be made of a fallen meteor, and in the other, the reason she had come to this planet.
Peering towards the rain-swollen sky, she tapped the staff she held on the ground. It seemed that the rain understood what it was meant to do, and it ceased to fall. Then, turning to face the steps leading to the Council of the Moon, Sun & Stars, another tap of her staff found the wet ground. When the echo from the tap ended uttering in a loud voice she announced, “I have come to speak with the high cleric of the Moon, Sun and Stars” A pause and then continued using the same vocal,” I bare messages that can, if you choose, and will, if you choose, to change the Aven world,” After a moment A beam of light shone out of a slowly opening door that was stationed above the steps of the Council of the Moon, Sun and Stars. Clad in a black cloak with the hood pulled over his head, he slowly walked out of the door and down the steps. When he arrived at the bottom, he declared. ‘I am called “Daystar” of the “Sun clan” and high cleric of the Council of the Moon, Sun, and Stars. Who is it that summons me this day?” The traveler replies, “I appear before you today, high cleric of the Moon, Sun, and Stars all in thanks to a Star Gate.” She then taps her staff upon the ground, and the Star Gate that had appeared behind her snaps shut and disappears. The stranger bows her head and then continues, “I am Cosmic Sentinel known as Celeste of the Isles of Wisdom, the goddess of Light, stars, and mystery. My world is a world filled with divine knowledge of things, past, present, and future. But more importantly, I am the keeper of the Oracle of the Stars, which I hold in my possession.” She then held out for the high cleric to see. “The Oracle of the Stars contains a testament to divine wisdom and celestial knowledge. Within it is a great awakening and the key to unlocking realms beyond your own world. Truths that your kind have never witnessed before. ” She retorted. Daystar bowed and said to her, “I welcome you to our planet, Aven, Celeste. Of what information does this Oracle of the Stars hold that may help our world?” he softly asked. “The Oracle of the Stars holds the untold mastery of how one may summon a portal in which to travel to far other worlds and stars. Where mystical and marvelous new discoveries may be found.” “That is quite the revelation your oracle holds,” Daystar proclaimed. Celeste continues, “ If traveled wisely, these revelations can help to enrich the lives of your people of Aven. Let it also be known that some worlds may even disclose guidance on how to save your home from catastrophes that originate from the cosmos or the dying of your planet.” Celeste beckoned him to come forward. When he reached her, she handed him the scrolls that contained the Oracle of the Stars. He accepted them with shaking hands. Daystar then unrolled one of the scrolls and started to read it. Shaking his head, he said to her, “ I am sorry, Celeste of the Isles of Wisdom, for I do not have the knowledge in deciphering the writing within these scrolls.” “I realized that they are in a strange script, my dear Daystar. It is to keep what is held within the scrolls to only a select group of people. One of the other scrolls contained the key to deciphering the portal’s creation. You are to share this scroll with the other high clerics, learn it and then destroy it so it may not fall into the wrong eyes”. Daystar clutched the scrolls and, looking at Celeste, said, “ I understand the need to keep them secret. Falling into the wrong eyes could cause great harm. I will share them with my brothers and sisters of the high council, Learn the script, and then destroy the scroll. This is a great gift that you bestow upon us. May I ask why, and also what do you need in return for sharing this knowledge and wisdom?” “Ah, Daystar, I am from a peaceful tribe. We desire no profit, only for you to share the wisdom and knowledge discovered on the worlds you visit.” “Then I need to ask again, why now?” Daystar replied. “ We are aging and have no others to carry on the exploration of the universe. We only wish for you and your people to benefit from our knowledge.” Daystar opens his mouth to speak, and Celeste holds up her hand to silence him. She then taps her staff on the ground. The portal appears before her. Turning to enter, she stops and then turns back to Daystar and explains, “One more truth needs to be known before I venture through the portal and return to my homeland. Once you have arrived at the destination, you will only have a short amount of time to take care of the reason you have gone there. If you do not return within that amount of time, the portal will close and never open again.” Daystar walks toward Celeste and says, “Do you mean to say they will be trapped there forever?” “Yes,” Celeste turns and enters the portal. Daystar yells, “But how long of a time do we have before this happens?” But Celeste does not turn to answer; she continues into the portal, and it snaps shut behind her.
Angel Wing Art Farm 