Shelyayl's Gift
The First Queen of the Atollan was said to be a creature of startling beauty and grace, with a connection to Shelyayl that was unrivaled. It is said, in the stories of the Children of the Waves, that Shelyayl presented the Queen with a necklace made of crystalized water droplets from Her home in the Fathomless Depths of the Elemental Plane of Water.
This necklace sat upon the Queen's neck for decades as she ruled over the Undersea Kingdom of the Atollan. It is said that the Necklace helped to temper her decisions and rulings, giving her the wisdom that helped her become a benevolent ruler, as well as the clarity of mind to expand the kingdom's trade routes and negotiations to the surface and into the kingdoms of the Maro. The gift allowed her to see into the distant waters with startling accuracy, while some claimed she was bestowed the gift of foresight by the necklace.
It is said that Shelyal's Gift was stolen from the Queen by one of her closest advisors, a betrayal orchestrated by the Maro, who sought to destabilize and subjugate the Atollan kingdom. The Atollan's Necklace was lost to the depths of the ocean in the chaos that followed. Rumor and speculation among the Atollan have placed the Necklace in multiple locations, and treasure hunters of multiple species seek its recovery.
Historical Basis
The First Queen of the Atollan did wear a necklace as described by the myth of Shelyayl's Gift. While it was not bestowed to her by the goddess, it was a potent magical item that allowed bolstered her prowess and her ability to govern. The necklace was indeed stolen by her seneschal, who intended to take it to the Maro. The necklace was lost when the seneschal and his retinue were killed near the Tideless Domain, between Omath and Orela.
The necklace was lost into the depths, where it rests to this day.
Spread
Within the Atollan, the myth of Shelyayl's Gift is spoken in hushed tones as a great prize that might help them throw off the yoke of the Maro. It is believed that the gift will help a new ruler emerge and raise an army to fight for their independence.
The Maro, however, seek the necklace to prevent the Atollan from rising up and to bolster their own claims to the underwater empire.
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