"The Pirate Queen and the Nightmare Creature" (House Item)

Book Text
This book is titled "The Pirate Queen and the Nightmare Creature ". It is the fifth and last book in the five part series starring the Pirate Queen as the hero.

The Pirate Queen Alta, notorious for her years of preying on merchant vessels, had put herself on a quest to find the Rubicite Heart, a gem as legendary as her captaining skills. Though it took many seasons before she would find the land that held this treasure, she finally was able to place her hands on this precious jewel.

Unfortunately for the pirate captain, she had found out personally why the journal she possessed had ended so abruptly. The adventurer, whose tales led her to finding the gem, never had a chance to write down what the final trap was. Having undergone great ordeals to find the Rubicite Heart, she feared she would have her greatest treasure snatched right out of her hands. For standing in front of her was a creature that existed only in her nightmares.

A beast that stood like a man, yet whose face was wrapped in tentacles, gazed through beady eyes at the Pirate Queen. It spoke to her, but rather than using words, it sounded as if it was coming straight from her mind. It asked her why she did not fear. Laughing, she told it that she had nothing TO fear. It then offered her a deal.

It told her that if she could answer its riddle, then she would be free to go. If not, she would become food for the guardians of the temple. She thought about it for a moment, and agreed... only under one condition. The condition was that she was able to ask a riddle first.

Never having been asked a riddle before in its existence, the nightmare-creature was intrigued. It agreed to the deal and asked the Pirate Queen what the question was. She thought for a moment and then asked him, "What do I have in my pocket?" A puzzled look appeared on the monsters face, or so Alta thought, being hard to read any emotions on this creature's face. A moment later, the monster told her he had the answer.

The monster told her that what she had in her pocket was a dagger. Before he could react, she had drawn the dagger and planted it right between the creature's eyes. In the moments before it died, its last memory would be of her saying, "Wrong. It was your death."

The Pirate Queen, now holding the Rubicite Heart in her possession, proceeded to travel down the spiral tunnel. Venturing back through the sewers and out into the oppressive jungle, she knew her quest was nearly over. Traveling through the jungle, staying aware of anything that may wish to jump down on her, she made a bee-line straight for the beach.

Having escaped the clutches of the near death so many times, the Pirate Queen eventually made it back to the shores of the dark jungle. Getting in her rowboat, she rowed back to her empty ship. As she stood on board the Painted Harpy, she had no worries of crewing the vessel. Ripping open her shirt and exposing the empty cavity in her chest, she took the Rubicite Heart and shoved it in.

A moment later, she gazed at the lifeless bodies on the deck of ship and gave a little flick of her finger. All at once, every one of the lifeless pirates began to rise up, moving on their own volition. Manning their former stations, the zombies waited for a signal. With another flick of the Pirate Queen's finger, winds filled the sails of her ship, yet there were no gusts to be felt.

To this day, stories tell of the ghost ship that roams the waters, manned by dead men and captained by the spectre of the Pirate Queen. Some have claimed there is an island filled with pirates, all owing allegiance to a ruthless captain known only as Alta. If these stories are true, then let us count ourselves lucky that she has found her heart's desire. Or perhaps she found her desired Heart.