51

Hundreds of years ago, five power-hungry individuals successively reigned in the underworld of Xiju. This cryptic land is a place of numerous distinct, yet interconnected land masses, each with its own unique atmospheric condition. The most defining characteristics of this underworld are dark, wet, and enigmatic. Its gloomy weather, although enjoyed by some, is as cursed as its inhabitants. These five despots each wore a mystical helmet during their respective reigns. The helmet was crafted by a goddess who descended from the heavens and whose intentions for the land and its inhabitants were good and righteous. The helmet bestowed immense power but also mental torture to those who unworthily wore it. Removing this helmet in order to relieve the torture was not possible, except through the death of the wearer. With the passage of time and the deaths of those who unrightfully bore it, the headpiece was lost, yet never forgotten in the legendary tales of Xiju.A millennium later, a foraging mutant frog, Jedmo, unearthed this relic while salvaging junk used to furnish his homestead as well as to protect himself from potential attacks. The well-read, professorial-like amphibian lived a hermitic lifestyle, content to spend most of his time in his comfortable homestead, the sanctuary. Now Jedmo was a master of creations, specifically droid creations. He used these to fill the loneliness of his solitary life and to act as servants, allowing him to avoid conflict that so often arose when he interacted with other living beings. Once brought to his sanctuary, the helmet's presence led the frog to experience numerous surreal events, and trances containing premonitions, often quite disturbing.One terrifying night, in the midst of an ominous electrical storm, a phenomenon mediated by a lightning bolt produced the heavenly-ordained energy to unite the helmet with surrounding pieces of junk metal, creating an "Armored Spirit". Could this random creation be the answer to Jedmo's woes and result in the conclusion of the strength-zapping premonitions? Could this armored spirit be the chosen being, intended to restore glory to Xiju? Could this creation resolve Jedmo's most troubling past failure, his relationship with a demonic creature whom he allowed to deceive him? Through this creature's guile, Jedmo lost self-respect and was relegated to a life filled with depressing thoughts and events.Unfortunately, the electrical phenomenon which led to the spirit's birth was not a totally auspicious event. It was not the path that the goddess intended when she crafted the helmet, hoping to achieve her ultimate goals for this troubled land. As the story unfolds, simultaneously with the creation of the armored spirit, was the resurrection of five skeletons, the disgusting remnants of those who previously unworthily bore the headgear. These evil beings still greedily sought to wear it again despite their past experiences with torture and ultimate death. So powerful was the coveted helmet that they pursue it despite its attendant liabilities. Can Jedmo ally with the armored spirit to retain the powerful helmet with its potent magical powers?Cryptic signs and messages abound in this dark universe. Among these is the recurrence of a specific number, "51," which is associated with both cursed and propitious events. What could it mean?

-- Matthew Joseph Leavens