The Legend of Ashara and the Hollow Stone

Long before the world was carved into its current shape, when the first mountains were still being formed and the rivers were fresh with the tears of the gods, there was a humble village nestled in a verdant valley known as Caelora’s Rest. The people of this village were simple folk—farmers, herders, and craftsmen. Yet, they held a secret that was whispered only in the darkest corners of their firesides: The Hollow Stone.
The Hollow Stone was said to be a relic of the Earthfather, a primordial god who shaped the land with his hands. It was a small, smooth stone, no larger than a fist, with veins of glowing green light running through its core. This stone was said to hold the power to grant wishes, but with a terrible cost. Its glow was thought to be the light of life itself, and it could give its bearer one wish, but that wish would always come with an unforeseen consequence.
The tale of the Hollow Stone was first told by a woman named Ashara, who was once the brightest star of Caelora’s Rest. Ashara was known for her beauty, grace, and wisdom. She was beloved by her village, and her life seemed perfect. But as the years passed, Ashara’s heart grew heavy with grief. She had lost her beloved to a sickness that took him in the prime of his life, and since then, her joy had faded.
One day, while walking alone in the forest to mourn her loss, Ashara stumbled upon a hidden cavern, its entrance obscured by moss and vines. Inside, she found the Hollow Stone, resting upon an altar of ancient rock, its green veins pulsing with a strange, ethereal light. She could feel its power, and for the first time in years, hope stirred in her heart.
The stone spoke to her, its voice a soft whisper like the earth shifting beneath the ground. "I can grant you one wish, Ashara. Your heart is filled with sorrow, and you desire to undo the pain that weighs upon your soul. But know this—every wish comes at a price. What you ask for will be given, but the consequences will be far-reaching."
Ashara, desperate and grieving, did not hesitate. "I wish for the life of my beloved to be restored. Let him return to me."
The Hollow Stone pulsed brightly, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. In that instant, Ashara's beloved appeared before her, whole and alive once more, as though the sickness had never taken him. But the moment their hands touched, Ashara felt something dark stir within her. The life her beloved had regained was not the life he once lived.
His eyes were clouded, and his voice was hollow. He could remember nothing of his former self. The Hollow Stone had given her wish, but in return, it had stolen his memories, leaving behind a stranger in his place.
Devastated, Ashara pleaded with the Hollow Stone, but it remained silent. Her beloved, though physically whole, was no longer the man she had loved. The grief that had once been hers now spread to those around her, for Ashara’s sorrow was contagious, and soon the entire village of Caelora’s Rest was overshadowed by an unnatural sadness.
Ashara’s heart ached as she watched the man she loved become a shadow of his former self. In her desperation, she made a final plea: "Please, return him to me as he was, or take him away entirely, for I cannot bear this curse."
The Hollow Stone, in its enigmatic nature, spoke once more: "A wish undone is not so easily undone, but I will grant you one final choice. You may have your beloved returned as he was, or you may release him to the earth, where he will rest forever in peace. Choose wisely, for the earth will never forget."
Ashara, realizing that the cost of her wish had not only ruined her but had begun to tear at the very fabric of her world, chose to release her beloved to the earth. She placed him upon the altar where the Hollow Stone had first appeared to her, and there, the stone’s glow dimmed. Her beloved’s form slowly turned to stone, his figure forever preserved in the likeness of a warrior. The Hollow Stone’s light extinguished, and the curse upon the village lifted.
Though Ashara had undone the damage she had caused, the Hollow Stone vanished into the earth, leaving behind only a small patch of barren land where the altar once stood. The villagers would tell the story of Ashara for generations, warning their children of the Hollow Stone and its insidious power.
It is said that the Hollow Stone still exists, buried deep beneath the earth, in a place where the land is still scarred from Ashara’s wish.
Adventurers and treasure seekers often speak of a hidden crypt, deep in the Forgotten Caverns, where the Hollow Stone lies waiting. Its power still lingers, tempting those who seek to undo their greatest sorrow or gain immense power. But to find it, one must navigate the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the earth, where creatures of shadow and stone lurk, guarding the relic from those who would abuse its power.
The Hollow Stone is rumored to be the key to many ancient treasures, but its true nature remains a mystery. Some say it holds the ability to resurrect the dead, but only at the cost of something dear—the bearer’s own life force, their memories, or their very soul. Others claim that the stone could grant untold riches or the secrets of the universe, but at what price?
For those brave enough—or foolish enough—to seek it out, the Hollow Stone is said to rest beneath a ruined altar deep within the Forgotten Caverns, guarded by the earth’s most ancient protectors: the Stone Wardens, massive stone golems that stand watch over the stone’s resting place, their hearts still burning with the last echo of Ashara’s curse.