"The Silver Knight"

Heroics and Mysteries

"The Silver Knight bowed his head, gleaming helmet catching the sun briefl as his voice came from within the helmet. 'It shall be done.' And his liege knew this was the truth, for the knight had never failed in any task now... and would perhaps never fail in a task set before him."

For many generations, there has been a book finding its way to young children across the Empire, Helenic, and Myrisia. A book of stories about the titular "Silver Knight", who travels from place to place and foils evils with a blade of light. Almost every chapter of the book contains a blunt and simple moral lesson, often delivered without much examination of nuance. There are numerous versions of it, which sometimes order the broader sequence of events differently, and can range from simple leatherbound tomes to volumes with silver-leaf on the page edges and cover. (Notably, these variations are noticed to happen within the same editions of the book.) "The Silver Knight" is exceptionally popular, though it worries a great deal of authorities for a simple reason. Nobody seems to recall exactly where they got it from, nor can any stores seem to find copies in their inventory to sell. Magic inevitably fails to discover its origin, despite there being nothing seemingly magical about the book at all.

Scholars tracking down the book's origins have noticed the earliest confirmed version to have been found in Eva Lorina, and this was listed as the "Fourth Edition" on the cover page. This has been exceptionally confusing, as some books which were examined later had earlier edition numbers despite that making no sense. Another interesting mystery is how every instance of the book is written in Imperial common, but a copy still turned up in the personal library of Lord Tharivol Naïlo.

Rumors have begun circulating about where the book is from, with many settling on supernatural origins. A few present the idea they are 'gifts' from a trickster deity, while others suggest it is meant to be lessons on how to embody nobility. Scholars more familiar with the Faeweald believe it to have origins from that realm, as it's curious nature seems to match many other things which exist there. Some who place the mystery closer to home suggest Myrisians wrote it and distribute it covertly, trying to build a demand for mass-produced versions later. Others presume the Empire is backing the book's creation as a means of appearing to preach of noble goals while doing disturbing things under most peoples' awareness.

For most, however, it's a curious story about a book with is entertaining but otherwise harmless.

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The Untold Origins

Those suspecting the book began in the Faeweald are quite close to being correct, but as with many faerie concerns it is much more complicated. The author of the book is a writer trapped within a space tailored to be a comfortable prison, one where not even they are aware of the walls put up around them. Their desire to write a book beloved by all drew them into a Fae Lord's influence, and led to them finding a perfect cabin to use as a getaway. Well-stocked with paper and ink, it became the place where the first copy was written over the course of a week. Once it was finished, the book vanished - sent to Erisdaire where it would be received.

Following this success, time became tangled for the author and they decided to revisit the story and write it with some differences. The second edition likewise disappeared, and yet this time the author forgot entirely about having made the edits while retaining that version as "the original" in their memory. This has continued for years, with the author not aging and being kept comfortable. The Fae Lord feeds off the creation of stories, and keeps things going so they can continue growing stronger off the results.

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Type

Manuscript, Literature

Medium

Vellum / Skin