Epona

Epona was a dreamer, a lover of everything that lives and grows. Hundreds of years ago when the kingdom of Lyveria was young, Epona was its brightest daughter. She was a brilliant creator whose paintings could draw tears of joy from the Spirit of the Forest herself. The intricacies of her handcrafts were unmatched by anyone in the land; Epona could weave beautiful tapestries from grasses and brambles. She was a thoughtful philosopher whose musings could leave the wisest old men of Lyveria speechless in astonishment. She was a fearless adventurer whose greatest comfort came when she stood on the edge of the wild. She would spend hours each day among the wild horses that roamed the Lyverian countryside, her closest companions. Every suiter wanted Epona for a wife and every young lady wanted her for a sister. In many ways, she was a champion of the Lyverian people.

On the evening of the great Meteor Storm in 522 AS, Epona was writing a song on her lyre and watching the sky through her east-facing open window. She was among the first to see the fire falling from the sky. Knowing immediately that she must save the horses, Epona left the city walls and ran to the fields as the first meteors began to land.

The horses were gathered atop an open hill, back to back as though being together would save them from the falling fire. They kicked and whinnied wildly, challenging the foreign storm in their own ancient language and unsure where to run as the sky darkened all around with a ghastly red glow. Epona met them there and squeezed into their midst. If she could not protect them, then she would die with them on that hill.

Surrounded by frightened horses and falling fire, Epona fell to her knees and prayed to the Spirit of the Forest with all her heart. She prayed until her sweat watered the ground and until she was blind with stinging tears. She prayed for protection of the horses at any cost, and the Spirit of the Forest heard her cries. The Ancient One came and placed a powerful blessing over the horses.

The field where the horses stood was scorched and destroyed. Giant craters covered the ground and smoking meteors set the world ablaze, but the powerful magic of the Spirit protected the cluster of horses with a divine shield. When at last the meteor storm subsided the horses turned inward, where Epona lay still. Her prayers of protection had been successful, but she was unable to protect herself. She had prayed until her heart burst, and she was dead.

The Spirit of the Forest was overcome with emotion at the girl's sacrifice, so she bent down and mourned over Epona's body. When her tears fell on Epona's chest, the mana flows beneath the Planet's battered surface came into alignment. All the magical power of the Planet was directed into the girl's broken body, and she was raised from the dead. Epona stood, more radiantly beautiful than before and thanked the Spirit of the Forest for her intervention.

As the sun came out the next day after the terrible meteor storm, the horses wandered away into the wilderness, and Epona went with them. She never returned to her Lyverian home, but she can often be seen running with the wild horses of the fields, who continue to thrive to this day under her loving protection.