The Red Well

"'ere be where the shadows dwell, Where heroes and monsters alike be fell'd, For only the last of the Watchers of Hell, May here the whispers of the wine-red well." ''The Red Well is a commonly known legend of Remnant, primarily spoken of in Vale and Mistral, although versions of the story can be found across all four of the kingdoms. Like most legends and fairy tales, however, the basis of the Red Well is rooted in reality. ''

Several centuries ago, when humanity was beginning to ''gain a foothold in the world after its brief encounter with extinction, there was a sailor by the name of Black Jack. Jack was a brave man, but his many near-death experiences on the high seas had opened his eyes to the dangers around him, and brought him to the realisation that his days were indeed numbered. ''

''One day, he decided to sail his small vessel, along with three of his old friends and his young son, Henry, around the world in search of a cure for old age. They sailed for many years, discovering new and spectacular lands on their travels, but not once did they find what they were looking for. ''

''Until, one day, their ship was caught in a storm. ''

''The ferociousness and suddenness of it took them all by surprise. And within minutes the ship was capsized. When Jack awoke, he found himself on a beach with the splintered remains of his ship scattered around him, and several metres away - his son. ''

''Jack's friends had been washed away by the waves out to sea, but they were still alive. But for how long? With no food or water, the pair were unlikely to live very long. Henry himself had suffered a grievous wound to the side, and was bleeding heavily. Without a surgeon in sight, his time was even shorter. ''

''But Jack had not given up. He carried his son in the heart of the island, and down into its many caves and caverns in search of water - for the island had no lakes or rivers. And what they found was curious: a single puddle of water fed by the occasional drop of moisture - not enough to keep both of them alive, but just enough for one. And Jack, in his haste to secure his own survival, drank it all, leaving none for his dying son. ''

''Jack would find no respite in that small drink, however. The cool water turn to acid in his mouth, and began to boil in his stomach as if heated by the very flames of hell itself. The liquid drained the old sailor of all his life - the years he'd lived, the years he had given, and the years he had yet to spend - and returned them to the pool, now stained a dull, dark red. ''

''When thirst overcame Henry's repulsion, and he drank the tainted water, he found that it tasted quite pleasant. It was sweet where it had once been sour, and smooth where sharpness was once been dominant. His wounds healed, and he found all the years of he had wasted sailing had been returned to him. He had become a Sentinel - a watcher of the world who had been able to devote their life to another.''

''Henry escaped that island, and the Red Well which had been created there. After hearing of his exploits, many sought to locate the miracle water for themselves. Huntsmen, adventurers, pirates - all had returned empty handed, if at all. ''

''But one thing is for certain. The Red Well is still out there, waiting in the eye of the Void Storm - dancing in the middle of Vale's western sea.''

Waiting for a new Sentinel.