In the remote mountain village of Stonepeak, nestled between towering cliffs and ancient forests, a young woman named Elara gave birth to twin boys. The village elder, Thoren, a cautious man bound by tradition, saw this as a bad omen, an upset to the natural balance of human birth. One of the twins immediately showed signs of magic abilities. Magic was a taboo feared by the village, for the uncertain negative effects that usually followed its use by untrained practitioners. Thoren decreed that this one of the twins must be sent away to restore balance. Reluctantly, Elara agreed, and Thoren contacted a temple of earth-monks hidden deep in the mountains to take in the child.

The temple, home to the Guardians of Stone, was a secluded sanctuary where monks studied the ancient art of geomancy, controlling the earth and its elements through meditation and discipline. The monks took in the child, naming him Hothor. Hothor quickly excelled in geomancy, mastering the manipulation of stone and metal with astonishing skill. Yet, despite the wisdom of the monks and the comfort of the temple, Hothor often felt a deep sense of loneliness and curiosity about his origins.

As Hothor grew, his powers surpassed those of the monks, allowing him to shape stone with precision, summon barriers from the earth, and even detect hidden mineral veins deep within the mountains. His abilities made him a valuable member of the temple, but his sense of longing for the outside world grew stronger with each passing day.

One day, during a meditation session atop the temple's highest point, Hothor had a vision of the village he had never seen. In the vision, he saw darkness encroaching upon Stonepeak. He also saw a young man, his twin, struggling to control a similar magic without the guidance of the monks. Realizing that his twin's turmoil was likely linked to the same fear that caused his exile, Hothor decided it was time to leave the temple and find his way back to the village.

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