In the Aurelian Fields they tell of the Golden King Aurelion, who once ruled a kingdom of great wealth. So beloved was he by the sun god Aurelios that he was granted eternal life, then cursed with a fate worse than death.
At a Glance
Type: Legend / folk tale
Told in: The Aurelian Fields
Figure: King Aurelion, the Golden King
His fate: Turned to gold by Aurelios for his hubris
Legend
Aurelion's kingdom flourished for centuries, its golden crops never withering, its rivers running clear. In his hubris he sought to bind the light of the sun into a crown, believing it would make him a god. For this Aurelios transformed him into a statue of pure gold, entombed in a hidden valley. Once a year the sun shines brightest on that valley, and the statue is said to weep molten gold for those brave enough to find it.
Old Wives’ Tale
People believe a piece of this gold brings fortune, but at a heavy price, eventual madness, for Aurelios' curse still lingers on any who take from the Golden King.
Superstitions & Customs
On the brightest day of the year, some make the pilgrimage hoping to catch a tear of gold. Most return empty-handed; a few return changed.
Goldsmiths in the Fields test suspect gold against sunlight and will not knowingly work "King's gold."
To call a rich man "gilded" in the Aurelian Fields is no compliment.
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