A Beast Slumbers

"Oh, you want to hear the story of Tamaki the Dreamer? Hmm, I’ll see if I can remember it…

''The Warrior Tamaki was of great renown. There was not a war in his time in which he did not fight. Living in a small village, it was a common occurrence for Tamaki to be accosted by people, begging him to use his might to aid them. Children would ask Tamaki to hurt their bullies. Adults would ask Tamaki to hurt their rivals. Kings would beg Tamaki to lead their armies.''

''However Tamaki did not enjoy petty combat, or the life of a tactician. Tamaki’s drive was the chaos of combat surrounding him, scores of warriors dedicating their life to their craft. The craft of Death.''

''When a war or a battle would come to his lands he would take up his mighty Hammer, Vertak, and commit himself entirely to the fight. He did not mind to who the blows of Vertak met. He would fight when the battle would start, and he finished only when a victor was decided.''

''In the beginning, the Great Generals of Tamaki’s time each believed that Tamaki was an agent of the gods, sent to aid them in their conflict. But as the years passed it became clear to all that Tamaki did not fight for any side, but fought for its own sake. This revealed itself to be a danger to the Great Generals, as Tamaki’s strength wore a great attrition on the ranks of all armies.''

''The Generals conspired to find a way to stop Tamaki, and beseeched the dark Witch Sanslai to find a way to permanently stay the hand of the Warrior. Considering the General’s request, Sanslai offered to lay a curse on Tamaki, sending him into a deep and unwaking slumber. The Great Generals brought the Witch to a sleeping Tamaki, where she conducted her rites and ways, to bind the sleep to him unending. The Great Generals then took the sleeping man, and threw him into the ocean, so no one would know what had happened to him, and attempt to wake him.''

''Tamaki Dreamed. Dreamed of battle and fighting. He dreamed of ugly dreams of Anger and Hate, for he hated those who bound him to this sleep.''

''A person can only hold so many dreams in their slumber. If you dream for too long, your mind begins to leak those dreams. The dreams of Tamaki were ugly, and so what they leaked as was ugly too. From Tamaki’s dreams sprung forth into the sea, and began to manifest as great storms, bloodthirsty sharks and powerful sea monsters. Tamaki’s Dreams are still here, still plaguing those who fair our seas. It is why before a new ship takes it’s first journey, the captain makes a cut on his arm, and offers the sea a small sacrifice. To seek protection from Tamaki’s children."''