Wanderstar X7

=Story=

Prologue
Henry’s first defining moment was when his mother, Marion, found him hiding a jar of beetles under his bed when he was just two years old. Already an avid reader and writer, he had documented the beetles’ activities for more than a week. Marion knew then that curiosity may just kill the cat when it came to her youngster. Knowing that his thirst for knowledge would continue to grow, and with it his desire to study the beings of nature, she searched for a way to immerse the inquisitive youngster without putting him in danger. Her search led her to a being of renown, known to guard the forests her world, a majestic creature known as the Stag of Tricks. Legend said that, if spotted, the stag would grant you one wish, and in an attempt to have him guide her baby boy, she began to spend her evenings guiding Henry though the woods with the hope of sighting the stag.

Act one: If You Love Something, Set It Free
After nearly 2 years, just as the sun set on a quiet spring evening, Marion spotted the creature. His grace and majesty was overwhelming, but she willed herself to look upon him in hopes that the legends were true. The stag approached her, allowing his imposing presence to fade away as he did. “You have the look of someone that has searched for me for a long time” his voice echoed through the trees. Without falter she replied “Indeed I have. For 2 years I have looked, hoping to make a request of you, the legendary stag.” “Well” he said, “Only someone whose wish is selfless can look upon me with ease. What is it that you would ask of me?” Fighting back tears of joy she replied “Take my son, Henry, and protect him. His quest for knowledge of the world’s creatures has him constantly venturing into the forest’s most dangerous regions. I know that one day garden snakes and spiders won’t be only beasts I need to protect him from, and I know that with you he would be safe. “If the boy comes with me, he will likely never see you again, the world’s forests are vast, and the chances of reaching this portion again in his lifetime are slim” the stag paused for a moment “Are you prepared to let him go?” Marion took Henry in her arms and held him close, “Never forget me Henry, your journeys will be far grander than I could ever provide, and your curiosity will be forever filled.” The stag boomed, “Come, Henry, the inquisitive, because of your mother’s love you shall live a life the curious only dream of.” Marion and Henry exchanged I-love-yous as he climbed onto the stag’s back, and in a blink of light they disappeared into the forest.

Act two: What nature hides
The next few decades were more than Henry could’ve ever dreamed of. In his early years the stag taught him to befriend and speak to the creatures of nature. Many creatures joined him on his journey, but a special three became his lifetime friends. A webewal eggmother, Deloris, who had lost her entire family in a forest fire and a pumpkewal spider orphan, Bert, she had found in the ashes were his first two additional traveling companions. They taught him much about the world of spiders, and were the inspiration for Henry’s first 3 volumes on spiders. His friendly trio was rounded out with a stalking adder named Jaime. Although Jaime was trying to eat Henry on their first encounter, Henry’s inquisitive charm eventually convinced the snake to not only let him go, but join him on his worldwide travels. In these decades the stag taught Henry about nature, the world, magic, but most importantly, portals.

Act three: Experience is the best teacher
Of all the things Henry learned about, he only asked the stag about one regularly, the portals. For over a hundred years, the portals had released new creatures into the world. Henry studied these creatures more than anything else, and was, quite frankly, obsessed with the portals. No matter how often the stag stressed the danger and unpredictability of the portals to Henry, he could not satiate his thirst for more portal knowledge. One day, in a sudden moment of understanding, Henry realized that the appearance and disappearance of portals followed a pattern, and that a new portal would open at sea-level in the middle of the Cretarian Sea in just three days. Excitedly he told his friends about this realization. Although apprehensive, they agreed to accompany him to see a portal up close, if he could secure travel across the sea. Henry spent the next two days checking docks to find a ship that would be crossing in the area when the portal would arrive. He finally found an artisan ship taking a group of livestock breeders to the western shore. He registered himself on the docket as an exotic animal breeder, and prepared his lifelong companions for their journey. The stag and his friends would be his stock of “exotic animals” and we would attempt to act surprised when the portal appeared.

Act four: Reality is often disappointing
After a restless night, Henry awakened excitedly and rushed to wake up everyone else. They made the short trip to the docks and began to board. Although the shepherds, horse-breeders, and chicken dealers, gave Henry a strange look upon his arrival, they eventually settled down after seeing what great control he had over his “livestock.” The captain reviewed the day’s schedule with all the passengers and the ship quickly set off. Henry could not be calm, he was constantly pacing the deck looking off every side of the ship trying to get a glimpse of the coming portal. And then, it happened. Suddenly, without warning, the portal opened directly in the middle of the ship. Wood splintered and the boat began immediately sinking. With the stag’s aid, Henry tried to save everyone he could in the only way he knew how, the portal. They jumped from splintering piece to piece first grabbing their companions and then the captain who had been knocked unconscious. Henry didn’t see many others that hadn’t already been pulled under, but just as they approached the portal he saw the capon peddler, holding on to the mast with a few of his chickens. The stag grabbed them and as a group they leapt into the portal.

Epilogue
When Henry finally awoke, those he had attempted to save were nowhere to be found. He was floating on a piece of wood in the middle of an unknown body of water. His heart weighed heavy with guilt, and Henry swore that from that moment forward he would research and master the portals in order to save people. Never again would he let his curiosity put his friends, or anyone else in danger.

=Cards=
 * Henry, the Inquisitive
 * Pumpkewal Spider
 * Capon Peddler
 * Stag of Tricks
 * Stranded Sailor
 * Stalking Adder
 * Webewal Egg-Mother