Jowsey in Dragons in the Dungeon is shocked when Etain, a women he is travelling with, starts picking the pockets of a dead man. He stops her and tells her it’s against the code. That she will be cursed: You’ll ignite the fire within Lucia’s Opal and kill us all.
Why the opal? Because the opal has a history of being bad luck. While it is the Queen of Gems, it’s also known as the Stone of Tears and Widow Maker. Only those born in October are safe to wear it and only if they buy it. If it is given as a gift, it spreads bad luck. If you’re ever gifted an opal, give something in trade, either money, a favour or an object, so it’s not a gift.
If an engagement ring holds an opal, the new bride will become a widow sooner rather than later. In the presence of poison, opals turn pale and lose their shine. This also happens when their owner dies, and that’s why they’re called Stone of Tears. Throughout the centuries, opals have been blamed for famine, the fall of monarchies, pestilence and the Black Plague.
It’s also known as the Evil Eye because it resembles an eye, and the magic of witches and sorcerers is strengthened by black opals.
Given all this, it’s no surprise it’s connected to a curse.
The Curse of Lucia’s Opal
Centuries ago in a far-off kingdom, Princess Lucia rambled through the castle garden. Admiring the thyme, comfrey and blooming sage, she hummed a peaceful melody.
From out of the shadows, a marauder attacked, killing her instantly with his dagger. From her still body, he stole her opal necklace and ran. The forest green and sea blue colours swimming in the stone paled.
That evening, the marauder was found floating in his own blood, the necklace nowhere to be found. The next morning, a drifter was found dead. Witnesses say nothing was taken by the killer except a beautiful opal necklace.
Two days later, a well-known thief was found dead. Rumours spread that the opal necklace was involved. Anyone who stole it from the dead would meet the same fate. Before the king recovered the necklace and locked it away, 23 people died under its persuasion.
From that day forth, the kingdom vowed nothing to be stolen from a body or else the thief suffer from The Curse of Lucia’s Opal.
Writing Progress
Currently, I have 50,271 words of Dragons in the Dungeon written.
LAUNCH DATE: Thursday March 23, 2023.
Diane McGyver 