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ong ago, when possibly even the grandfathers of
today’s trees still nestled in their seed cases, there was a huge plague which
drew a swathe of death through the people. The Brownies who caught it developed
such a high, vicious fever that even the Life Mages were not quick enough to
save them. Many Brownies fell ill and died within a day, passing on the disease
faster than the speed of a falling Lleeterr. The oldest and wisest of all the
Brownies gathered together to decide what was to be done. They looked into the
heart of the disease and saw that it was not just a simple infection, but a
“LLooahuh” - an evil spirit bent on cursing and killing.
Well, the Brownies threw everything they had against the LLooahuh, struggled and
fought against it, and eventually they had weakened it so much that they could
contain it into a Herb'o'treshold cup. But the only way to completely prevent it
from ever escaping again was to create a prison for it, a living prison from
another spirit which would guard the LLooahuh for evermore and protect the
Brownie race. They needed to find a spirit who would agree to make the prison.
Scouts were sent off in all directions to find and talk to the spirits (for this
was a time when the Brownies still knew how to do this) and plead with them to
help save the Brownie race from the disease.
One Brownie travelled west, all the way to the coast, where he could see the
huge rolling waves of the ocean and smell the strange salt air. Here he found
the spirit of the Giant Coastal Redwood. He spoke to the spirit, explaining how
the LLooahuh was killing the Brownies and how it would surely grow strong again
if they did not imprison it. The mighty redwood looked down from its great
height and said;
“So, little Brownie, how can I help you with this?”
And the Brownie replied, “Oh wise and ancient Redwood, could you not entangle
the LLooahuh in your strong, thick bark, which even fire cannot damage?”
But that the Redwood would not do, for fear that the LLooahuh would be too
strong for it, and rip and tear the precious bark to shreds.
The second Brownie travelled high into the mountains, to where the ground was
bare of vegetation and he could see for many many strals. Here he found the
Gryph spirit, perched on an outcrop of hard grey rock. He talked to the great
majestic bird, and explained how the LLooahuh was killing the Brownies and how
it would surely attack again if they did not imprison it.
“So little Brownie, how can I can help you with this?” the all-seeing Gryph
intoned
“Oh powerful and merciless Gryph,” he replied, “you could trap the LLooahuh in
one of these caves, high in the mountain, for you can see further than anybody
and it would never dare risk your mighty talons.”
But this the Gryph would not do, for fear of tying itself to one place and
loosing the freedom of the open air.
Another Brownie travelled to the great green fields of the Elverground, to seek
out the noble Elver Elk and ask for his help. When he saw the little creature
approaching, the huge animal lifted his antlered head and strode slowly over to
listen. The Brownie explained the problem, and how desperate they were for help.
The Elk turned to him and asked;
“So little Brownie, how can I help you with this?”
“Oh beautiful and graceful Elk”, the Brownie said, “could you not trap the
LLooahuh in your antlers, where it would be imprisoned forever more?”
But that the Elk would not do, for fear that his beautiful antlers would be
damaged and he would no longer be able to protect himself.
However, this time the two were not alone, for one small, insignificant little
spirit happened to be nearby and overheard the entire conversation. One little
plant was growing quietly nearby, its tall, slim leaves striving innocently
upwards to gain the warmth of the sun. And when it heard the Brownie’s plight,
and how the strong Elk would not risk its precious antlers, it called out to the
Brownie.
“Brownie, I will make a prison for this LLooahuh which plagues you, for I have
nothing so precious that I am afraid to loose it. I will lock this evil thing in
my seeds, which will hold it forever more.”
And so the Brownie went back to the elders, and told them about the little
plant’s promise. They travelled to the Elverground with the weakened spirit, and
trapped it forever within the grass’s seeds, and they gave it the Brownie name
“ihuh-aooh-LLooahuh”, or “Llooahuh Prison” so that people would never forget how
it had helped them. Even now you should never eat this part of the plant, for
the seed still carries the taste of the hot fever the LLooahuh brought to the
Brownie race.
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