DnD Shorts

The Tale of Witherwood

Born from the earth and vines sprouted the jungle kingdom of Witherwood. Its ruler, kind-hearted and fair, spread peace through the land. The queen was beautiful like rain on a spider's web; enchanting and transfixing. She bore two sons, twins Bo and Malus, and a daughter, Trutina. The boys grew strong and mighty while their baby sister grew wise.
In the heart of the jungle grew the kingdom's jewel; cocoa beans so sweet and rich each gram was worth gold. The plants were to be divided equally between the two boys, as decided by the queen. Once she passed, Malus split the crop, not as his mother intended but as he desired. Not only did he divide the crop, he divided the kingdom. Furious, Bo gathered up the once peaceful citizen of Withwood to steal from his brother. He took back his share but then bitterness took over and hoarded the cocoa. The two brothers raged for months on end, tearing up the forrest and corrupting the hearts of their subject turned armies.
One night, late in the darkness when the fighting had drawn to a stand still, young Trutina paid a visit to each of her brothers, promising to take the beans to a safe place where no one would be able to steal them. Knowing of her wisdom and intellect, neither Bo nor Malus thought to question her and gladly let her take them.
When they woke the next morning, she stood before a mountain of cocoa in the centre of the battlefield. "You two have torn apart my home for long enough!" Bellowed the tiny princess, "I will make sure that no one steals the beans again!"
The princes ran to intervene but the match was already light; she destroyed the beans in an almighty flame. But the flame, like the brothers' rage, grew wild and out of control until it consumed the wise princess, their beloved sister..

Today, all that is left of Witherwood is a pile of ash ruled by two empty kings.