#Fey realm calls for me

[party-skeleton]

Oh to be a wild man with a fern crown, riding on a unicorn across planes with no worry on his mind but the hunt

[uss-genderprise]

okay the new episode has people poking my sleeping special interest like a bear and it was about time to wake it from hibernation anyway so here are some fun facts about welsh fairies

it's spelled fairy. it's always spelled fairy. not faerie, faery, fae, or fey. fairy. please. or tylwyth teg if you want to be proper about it

fairies are not inherently malevolent. they work by their own rules that sometimes don't make sense to humans but there are rules, if you pay attention.

yes fairies will punish you for doing something they don't want you to do

they will also reward you for doing things they do want you to do

fairy rings are circles of green grass. they sometimes how up as a different shade of green than the grass around it and are generally markers of where fairies dance, as well as portals to the fairy realm. mushrooms aren't really a thing for that in welsh folklore.

string and bones and flowers are man-made and possibly supposed to bind or protect against fairies (though i haven't seen anything quite like what we see in the episode described in any of my sources) but generally breaking one of those doesn't immediately anger fairies, just lets them in to affect whoever put the ward up in the first place. that's not called a fairy circle.

changelings exist in welsh folklore. have fun with your theories.

fairies will generally let you leave the fairy world if you ask nicely. yes even if you've eaten the food and drank the drinks

however time moves differently so when you come back you might be super old and/or turn to dust the moment someone touches you

dancing is a different thing tho. they don't exactly want you to stay dancing with them until you die of exhaustion but like that's on you my dude get your friends to help you

if you broke fairy rules like kicking them out of their meadow to build a castle they will count eight* generations** and come back to turn that castle into a lake and drown everyone inside. you have been warned (repeatedly. usually by old ladies and/or bards and/or birds or sometimes just. A Voice™)

* the number of generations can and does vary but in welsh folklore it's generally 8 that's an important number, not 3 or 7.

** also the way generations are counted is. weird. idk if it's that i'm bad at math or bad at welsh or that the book i read explaining this is over 100 years old but i don't think i fully got how many generations this actually is.

oh and they only wait if you beg enough otherwise they kill you now

so basically. no getting trapped in the fairy world as punishment. they just kill you

personally i think the closest thing in welsh folklore to that old woman is a weird lady but even that isn't a great fit

yeah fairies bend time and space to always be far away from you if they want to but that's generally because they're trying to avoid you not following you at a distance

i am fully aware rtd probably couldn't care less about any of this. he definitely didn't do the work that i did to learn all this and incorporating this into your theories is probably shooting yourself in the foot as far as actually being correct goes. HOWEVER i do think it's more interesting and fun this way :) theories are gonna be wrong anyway might as well respect the culture that's inspiring them while we're at it yeah?

i will cite my sources if anyone asks but i doubt many people care to read hundreds of pages of edwardian non fiction novels just to fact check me. trust me on this guys

[deconstructthesoup]

I think the reason that Dimension 20 really scratches all those itches in my brain is that it really shows what you can do with D&D---and TTRPGs as a whole.

Fantasy High, by itself, is an incredibly compelling concept. What would D&D look like in a semi-modern setting? What would a high school that's all about teaching teens how to be adventurers look like? And the way it's done is beyond inventive, especially if you look at all the encounters in the first season---we've got a literal food fight, a high-speed road chase with tiefling greasers, a nightclub brawl with zombies, vampires, and werewolves, a skating match with a bunch of dwarven middle schoolers and a concrete golem, a high-stakes game of football (ish) with undead jocks that give off major teen slasher vibes, a fight done in an arcade where characters can get trapped in the consoles, and the final battle is done at prom. PROM! How cool is that?

And then we get to the Unsleeping City, which takes the urban fantasy elements that Fantasy High already had and elevates it. The way the D&D lore and magic is interpreted in a modern New York setting is excellent, as is the whole take on the "American Dream," magic literally coming from dreams, ideas, and the imagination. I know that I need to actually finish the UC saga, but from what I've seen and experienced, it is truly fantastic.

And the same energy carries through to the other seasons---my personal favorite outside of Fantasy High being A Court of Fey and Flowers, just because I'm a sucker for any Fey Realm content and I've been raised on Jane Austen---where the genre mashups shine through in the best way possible. I'll admit, I haven't seen A Crown of Candy, purely because I know how heartbreaking and devastating it is and I don't think I can physically handle it, but the concept of Candyland Game of Thrones is so beautifully bizarre that I totally get why people love it so much. Escape from the Bloodkeep hitting that workplace comedy vibe that we love to see in villains. Misfits & Magic being a love letter to the "magical boarding school" genre while also calling out all the weird contradictions inherent in it. A Starstruck Odyssey literally being an homage to Brennan's mom and exactly the kind of madcap and unhinged energy I need from my sci-fi. Neverafter perfectly encapsulating the true horror of fairy tales. Mentopolis hitting my noir-loving heart and personifying hyperfixation in the best way possible.

I'm not even kidding when I say that, if it weren't for Dimension 20... I probably wouldn't have even started my own campaign. I'd had snippets and ideas ever since officially getting into D&D and joining a game with some old friends (and getting back in touch with them in the process), but after I saw the Mentopolis trailer, I realized just how much variety TTRGPs had to offer. I could do a time-blending, history-meets-future campaign. I could go out-of-the-box. I could have endless amounts of options available to my friends and still tell the story that I wanted to tell. And when I sat down and watched Fantasy High---and when I got that Dropout subscription so I could consume whatever I wanted---it felt like the show was actually giving me advice. It's fantastic.

Also it helps that the episodes are usually only roughly a couple hours instead of being, like, an entire afternoon long. And that each season is 20 episodes, tops. No offense to Critical Role, but the sheer amount of content literally makes it impossible for me to get into it.

[starry-bi-sky]

changeling danny has his wretched little claws in me so here's some AU fey lore

Okay so, i've got a lot of ideas for the Fey Lore in this au. But to start out what may become a sling of posts: a simplified set up of the Infinite Realms. I think I mentioned it before in a reblog of the original changeling danny post, but the fey wilds exist in the IR. In most fanon I see the same scale as the rest of the realms, however i have a different idea for it.

In simplified terms, the fey wilds and the ghost zone are two different things. They both exist in the Infinite Realms, however, they exist on different planes of existence. In simplified terms, there are three separate planes in the Infinite Realms.

The Long Far: Highest realm in the infinite realms. Home to most, if not all, the Ancients. Beings that reside in The Long Far are eldritch abominations, gods, personifications of concepts, and other celestial-type beings. The only way to access the Long Far is through the Starflare Currents in the Feywilds. Which are a nebula of stars that work similar to the ocean currents in Finding Nemo. They are a rapid vortex full of stars that pass over the feywilds that can be seen at night. In order to reach the Long Far, one must fly up to the Current and latch onto one of the stars rapidly flying past. And then they must stay on the star until the currents begin to ascend rapidly upwards. This is harder than it sounds. Ever been indoor surfing? Where you lie on your stomach on a small board and try not to get flung off? Exact same concept. It’s basically the world’s most terrifying escalator to the gods.

The Fey Wilds: The Fey Wilds isn't exactly strictly home to the Fey, however for convenience sake I'm calling it the Fey Wilds. This is the home to fey and other folklore and mythological creatures that may not want to reside in the Ghost Zone. There are no Fey in the GZ. It's not that they hate being down there, but. well.. they hate being down there. They think the place is ugly. The Fey Wilds has ever shifting, expanding amount of biomes. These biomes range from massive redwood forests, to swamps, to essentially Pandora from Avatar. The place can look almost entirely human one moment, and then like a different planet the next. Fey and other inhabitants know how to navigate this easily -- but ghosts? Not so much. There are currently two known ways to reach the Fey Wilds from the Ghost Zone and vice versa: Lake Portals, and Cave Tunnels. Which I will expand upon in a moment.

Ghost Zone: Exactly how it sounds! The Ghost Zone is, well, the ghost zone! It's essentially the same as canon. Same looks, same everything. This is the home of mortal souls and the occasional mythological creature or two, as well as weaker concept spirits. By that I mean like, ecto-octopi. Concept spirits can manifest in both the GZ and Feywilds. Ghosts tend to stick inside the Ghost Zone and avoid venturing into the Fey Wilds because, well, they're still mortal souls. They're gonna get jumped by a fey looking for a new decoration or a new pet/servant/whatever. Best to honestly avoid the fey wilds as a whole.

Now, I just mentioned that there were two known ways to reach the Fey Wilds from the Ghost Zone: lake portals and cave tunnels. I made goofy little visual aides which I will attach below, and then I will explain how they work.

I'll start with the Lake Portals. They are, well, as the name suggests lake portals. Not every lake in the fey wild is a portal to the ghost zone, and vice versa. They're rather uncommon to find in both planes, but it's not like they're hard to recognize.

In the Fey Wilds, lake portals will have a sheen over the water like an oil spill. But instead of the regular rainbow-y colors, it will instead have the ghost zone's colors swirling in it; green and purple. The water will have that sickly green tint to it, and have a slight glow. The plant life surrounding the water are not typically what you'd find in the Fey Wilds, but might in the Ghost Zone. They look different from the regular noxious swamp bogs in the wilds, so its easy to tell that they're lake portals.

In the Ghost Zone, the lake portals will instead be shimmery and blue like a tropical ocean. And just like how there are GZ plants in the fey wilds surrounding the water, there's fey wild plants on the island where the lake is.

How these portals work is rather simple. You dive in and begin swimming down. It's a long swim down, but that's all you gotta do. It will get dark, as there are no plant life in these portals, and no aquatic life either.

It starts getting complicated when you reach what I like to call the border. The border is as the name implies; its a border between the planes. In the lakes it's not physical, however you will feel when you've reached the border and crossed it. Intense vertigo washes over you as your sense of gravity begins to shift and flip; up is becoming down, down is becoming up.

Your goal at this point is to try and push through that vertigo and discomfort and make it to the other side of the border, without getting flipped upside down and swimming back to the surface you came from. This is harder than it sounds as you become dizzy underwater, and since there's no light anywhere, you will try and instinctively seek it out and follow it. You're down too deep to know where that light is.

Once you've reached the other end of the border successfully, your gravity will have flipped without you needing to do anything. You are now swimming up to the surface, and once you do, boom! You're in the ghost zone! Lake Portals are faster to use than tunnels, but very disorientating.

Now cave tunnels are longer, but simpler. Essentially some caves have tunnels that lead into the ghost zone, similar to how in greek mythology there are random entrances to the underworld in the mortal world. I haven't exactly figured out what the tell is for when you're in a tunnel leading to the Ghost Zone, but I know that when it's the other way around it's rather easy -- as you start to climb up.

It's a less complicated explanation: essentially you are descending into the ghost zone through this tunnel. You are on your way down like Orpheus in search of his wife, or like Heracles doing his twelve labors. It can get claustrophobic and of course there is the border.

Unlike experiencing a shift in gravity, you're instead hit with the intense vertigo and an intrinsic fear to turn around. It's an instinctual response to your surroundings changing on a molecular level, and your body in response is telling you to Flee. Basically, you've taken a rip of the Cave Gasses and you feel like you're losing your mind. Once you exit the border its smooth sailing.

Sometimes you get unlucky and there's a Pit Drop and you're suddenly Alice in Wonderlanding your way down to the Ghost Zone. But hey! At least you're not swimming.

those are currently the only two ways i've come up with for traveling between the GZ and Fey Wilds. But all in all, it's meant to be very disorientating stuff; vertigo and nausea-inducing, with just a dash of Existentially Terrifying. Traveling between planes usually is.

[jimbodyson]

light legend of vox machina S3 spoilers (and campaign 1 spoilers)

was thinking about Bard's Lament earlier and I'm so eager to see how they change up Scanlan's speech with how differently things have happened.

for example, he says (paraphrasing) 'we travelled across realms to fix your (Vex/Vax) fucking daddy issues', but in TLOVM he obviously never went with them to the Fey realm. it's just interesting to think about how they'll go about it without those small pieces that he mentions.

however my gut does tell me that Vex interrupting Scanlan talking to Pike about Kaylie with the 'nobody gives a shit (...)' will play some kind of part in whatever speech he gives, and that more moments like that and the balcony scene from episode 3 are definitely gonna happen in the lead up to it.

also, slightly unrelated, to defend Vex there: Pike and Vax are the only ones that know Scanlan has a daughter. Pike is the only one that knows she's Kaylie. so it's highly likely Vex and everyone else (maybe excluding Vax if he can put two and two together but idk) thinks he's just talking about some random woman called Kaylie.

[whomeidontknowthem]

Eyes on me – an interactive whump story. Part 2.

Previous part. Masterpost. Next part.

Content warning: institutionalized slavery, imprisonment, dehumanizing language, it/its for an unhuman whumpee, pet whump.

"In folklore, any mythical, magical creature is commonly called 'fey'," they book that Lord Teelo had ordered after returning to the inn room said. "It is, of course, a wide misconception that is not accepted in any theory that has even an ounce of respect for itself. Fey is not just another way to say "magical", but a registered phenomenon different from a spirit, a magic-infused animal or a demon, and especially has nothing to do with tiny folk with wings, whose existence is widely refuted…"

It went on and on, an irritatingly salty response siting some previous debates and calling out authors the lord had never heard about. It could be entertaining in its own right – Lord Teelo was anything but impartial to loud grudges and decades old arguments – if not for his lack of experience with the topic rendering the details tedious and the fact that it wasn't idle interest that led him to seeking out the book.

The papers had been signed in half an hour, the impressive sum of money changing hands as the decision had been finalized at the spot. The arrangements had been made immediately after to transport the creature to the lord's summer house. It was to spend its last night at the auction house, and then, in the morning, they would ride – Lord Teelo in his usual carriage and his new property in an impressive cage – towards its new home.

The thrill of the purchase was sure to keep the lord awake, and he decided to spend the time on research. Learning about the kind of thing that came into his possession was paramount – after all, he didn't want it to die before its time because of his ignorance.

"Fey is defined by any reputable source as an otherworldly creature. It does not come with as many defined characteristics as an unsoundly educated person would believe: a creature from another dimension does not have to have wings and three pairs of limbs, though it is not out of the realm of possibility. A fey can look exactly as your regular cattle. The one thing that makes it fey is that it is not from the reality we live in."

The text wasn't very useful. In the two chapters Lord Teelo had managed before throwing the book into his bag and settling in bed, there was an infuriatingly little amount of actual, useful advice. The further he read, the more sure he was: he would have to figure things out by himself.

It was the thrill that came with owning the never before seen creature, one he wasn't even sure was from the same world, one, if it wasn't, that would catch the interest and desire for experiments by mages all over the world.

Now that he thought about it, maybe he should get into contact with a few. Their insight would be valuable either way – the lord was doubtful that the rainbow marks on the creature's skin could be the result of anything but magic, and magic tended to come with complications he wasn't confident he could deal with by himself.

Getting in contact with the sailors who caught the thing was a good idea, too. He'd already asked for the name of their ship and drafted a letter to a good old acquaintance in Froien. She would get the information to him in no time, even if he'll definitely have to show the creature to her afterwards. Keya, as he knew her, was curious beyond all else. Lord Teelo couldn't wait to see her face and the faces of his other acquaintances when they saw the kind of prize he'd gotten. The images of their amazement and barely hidden jealousy made him giddy with anticipation.

He wanted to make the most out of the day, and so was up and in the back garden of the auction house barely an hour after sunrise, despite the morning chill finding its way to his very bones through the layers of fabrics and furs he'd donned. A cart made into a cage with thick iron bars – provided with the purchase, of course, and with how much he'd paid Lord Teelo would be personally offended if it wasn't – was hurriedly readied and brought to the doors of the building.

The sounds of clattering and clinging and human voices burst through the open door before the creature was dragged out. It was the size of a northern wolf, bound and twisted and carried by two cautious servants. It craned its neck and bared its teeth through the muzzle, a wild animal, a scared one, and if not for the lines running down its skin and the weirdly human-like hands – with thumbs even if they were too long to actually be human – Lord Teelo would have taken it for nothing more than a dumb beast. Then it opened its mouth as wide as it could and let out a whole string of sounds – low and guttural and constantly repeating in patterns that made the lord think that it was trying – no, saying something in an unfamiliar, alien language.

He felt his pulse high in his throat, watching the creature as it was pushed inside the cage, chains around its limbs secured and the door locked behind. It kicked and threw itself against the metal only to settle back a moment later, too smart to waste energy on a fight it couldn't win.

And then, it noticed him.

Lord Teelo thought it recognized him – or maybe it was a wishful thinking fueled by the way it stilled and stared and then craned its neck to the side and forward, baring fangs in a display that was chilling even despite the binds. The unblinking yellow of its eyes pierced right through him.

He felt goosebumps creeping up his arms but refused to acknowledge it. He was safe, he reminded himself. It was tied up and helpless. No matter how it bared its teeth and tried to look scary, he was the master.

He stepped forward, lifting a hand up to place at the edge of the cart. The creature glanced at it, then continued staring. The lord smiled, "Hello there."

The creature growled and then said something. Lord Teelo continued soothingly, "No need to be so tense. We'll get to know each other -- you'll get used to me in no time."

In the light of the starting day, its skin didn't look like that startling black he saw in the dim cell. It was more grayish – still dark, though, and still unnatural. The pattern of colorful lines didn't look any less striking. His fingers ached to touch it, to feel if its skin was rough under his touch or as human-like as some of its features were. As the black short fur framing its face and ending in the middle of its back in a sort of haircut. Fey, Lord Teelo thought fervently. It had to be one. It was too strange in some ways and too familiar in others. It had to be a creature from another world. What other explanation could there be?

"Lord Teelo?" A voice came from his side and soon he was regrettably distracted, finishing the transaction and discussing the details. Servants pulled a thick piece of fabric covering the cage from view. Lord Teelo dismissed the pang of regret at their actions, reminding that he was going to have months worth of time to play around with the new toy.

He wondered what it'd be like. How it'd act. Would it be able to learn the human tongue, or prove to be too dumb for it?

He wondered where it would live. And – ah, this was an urgent question, was it not? He should send a letter to make sure it was all taken care of by the time he arrived.

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@isikedmyself878, @fraugustends, @otterfrost, @fuchstastisch, @3-2-whump, @the-lone-youth

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[aroaessidhe]

okay I was asked about fey books I’ve read that Do stick to folklore a bit more than certain popular books - and actually looking at what fey books I’ve read  it’s a bit like.... books that stick to folklore closely I sometimes Don’t Love, and there are others that don’t stick to it as much but I like the overall narrative more? or some mix of that. 

so here’s a list of a few - a range of how much they stick to folklore (which of course is an amorphous thing) and how much I like them, but it’s something!

YA

That Self-Same Metal - literally just read this, it’s about a Black girl who’s the stage blade expert for shakespeare’s company and can see fey, and they’re appearing more and more in the city. explores a bit of the midsummer night’s dream fey but also like “shakespeare was wrong” and general folklore. definitely the start of a series and has a lot going on but I thought it has some cool ideas!

all Holly Black’s books deal with them well! the Modern Faerie Tales companion/trilogy has maybe aged a bit by now, and I hate way the romance ended up together in The Folk of the Air (and the way the fandom is about it) but otherwise I do really like how it deals with fey and politics! also enjoyed The Darkest Part of the Forest. these are all intertwined/same world

The Buried And The Bound - a hedgewitch girl keeps fey away from her town, and gets caught up with two boys who are cursed. mostly deals with minor fey and a powerful hag

An Enchantment of Ravens - it’s been quite a few years since I read this, but I do remember enjoying it. It is a bit more of a romance focused story also, an artist stolen into the fey realm for painting a fey prince as if he was human(iirc?)

The Bone Houses - not directly dealing with fey, but like the aftermath of the ancient fey’s curses? welsh myth inspired. which I think is cool.

At The Edge of The Woods - about a girl in a religious/patriarchial village who starts to have strange dreams about a fey boy luring her into the woods. it’s not super focused on them, but they’re very much the classic ‘dangerous fey stealing people away for entertainment’ kind of thing

Adult

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries - I sort of have mixed feelings about this - I really enjoy how it dealt with fey and the creepier folklore creatures side of it! the handling of the changeling was a bit iffy and not sure about the romance

The Wolf Among the Wild Hunt - dark fantasy novella about a wolf-shifter made to join the wild hunt to save his qpr. focused on the unseelie/wild hunt area

Silver in the Wood - gaslamp fantasy novella about the keeper of a magical forest, dryads and dangerous fey

The Wind City - a bit of a mashup of fey folklore and Māori atua in a modern NZ setting

Sinners/Veiled - very classic but also with the element of a modern setting where human pollution is like a drug to fey (and the MC is a drug lord.) (so kind of dark but also not dark in the sexy way bc the MC is aroace)

Under The Pendulum Sun - this is a gothic fantasy that has a bit of a new take on a fey world, but also definitely has some of those creepy folklore vibes.

Siren Queen - this only partly involves fey but I thought the way that it mashed up old hollywood and fey (aka shady deals for fame themes) was interesting!

Sorcerer to the Crown/The True Queen - my memory on this is hazy, but I believe it’s regency fantasy, with its own take on a fey world/magic (moreso the 2nd book)

Malice/Misrule - adult high fantasy lesbian sleeping beauty reimagining, this is kind of doing it’s own thing I guess (I don’t remember if they’re even called fey?) but definitely has a bit of the creepy creature/court vibes in book 2 especially

In The Jaded Grove - I was just looking up books to see if there was anything I missed and found this, which seems interesting to me!

I also haven’t read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (but I watched the show ages ago) and I believe that has the vibe too

[ilanarose7]

Besides the general main plot of the Bells Hells campaign, there is a lot of catching up to do between Dorian, all of Bells Hells, and just generally with each other. Here are some of the things that they all need to catch each other up on:

SPOILERS BELOW:

Non-main plot things Bells Hells have to catch Dorian up on:

Nightmare King is kind of their ally now (depends on how they all feel after that mission), Fearne's biological dad is one of the bad guys, Beau and Caleb, Ashton did a thing and almost died so they had some group therapy with Fearne's grandma in the Fey Realm, Fearne and Ashton have Fire and Earth Titan abilities respectively, Orym saying during group therapy: "I really miss Dorian and sometimes I think that's okay and sometimes I think it isn't", all-things Delilah, the threesome, FRIDA+FCG, Imodna

Things Dorian needs to catch Bells Hells up on:

Everything that happened in EXU: Kymal, Morrighan (Orym and Fearne don't even know her), being on the run, the Spider Queen taking control and what happened to the Crown Keepers during that fight for the past two episodes (Dorian talked about some of it, but it seemed like Fearne and Orym still had questions)

Things everyone needs to talk about:

Calling FRIDA, Orym's new abilities (the deal with Nana Morri), just generally everyone processing their traumas and grief

Let me know in the tags/comments if I missed anything! Again, these aren't main moon-adjacent plot points, just general character things I think are worth everyone knowing that I can think of off the top of my head

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hi! So I've been looking at some writing prompts in hopes of finally overcoming my current writer's block, and some of the ones that looked interesting to me start with something like "character a and b get separated and x thing happens". The problem is, no one ever specifies WHY or HOW characters A and B got separated, and I'm having a lot of trouble coming up with reasons on my own. I also haven't been able to find any "reasons why characters would get split up" lists anywhere and I'm kinda stumped. Do you have any tips to help?

Struggling with Writing Prompts

Well, writing prompts are meant to be somewhat vague. The point is to plant seeds that will grow in your own unique imagination.

It sounds like you need a refresher on how to brainstorm ideas like these. So, let's start there. ♥

The key with brainstorming is to dial everything back and break it down to its simplest point... "Character A and B got separated" is pretty broad and vague. How can we dial that back and break it down?

First, before we can figure out where they are and why, we have to figure out who they are. Who do you want A and B to be? Romantic partners? Love interests? Parent and child? Siblings? Best friends? Co-workers? Classmates? Teacher and student? Captor and captive? Prisoner and guard? Guide and client? There are lots of possibilities. Let's say you go with best friends. Flesh that out... are they adult best friends? Teen best friends? Child best friends? How old? What gender? Let's say they're a fifteen year old girl and and sixteen-year-old enby.

Next... we know they must be someplace together because they get separated. So, where are they? Where might a fifteen and sixteen year old pair of besties be, and what might they be doing? Are they at school packing up ahead of an early dismissal due to a freak snowstorm? Are they shopping in Times Square on a field trip to NYC? Are they walking home from school through a vacant lot? Are they hiking through the woods at summer camp? Let's say they're shopping in Times Square.

Now, we can look at how they got separated. Did they part ways voluntarily, each going into a different store and not finding each other again? Did one ditch the other for some reason? Was one taken by someone? Did one fall through a portal into another time? Did one vanish because they were called back to the fey realm they unknowingly came from? Was one arrested? Did one inadvertently get on the wrong subway?

Again, there are lots of possibilities. The point is to brainstorm them all, pick the combination that sounds fun, and let your imagination run wild! :)

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[darklordazalin]

Azalin Reviews: Darklord Silvermaw

Domain: Timbergorge Domain Formation: Unknown Power Level: 💀💀💀 ⚫⚫ Source: Dragon Magazine 207 article: Domains of Dread: Timbergorge; 2012

The Darklord of Timbergorge, Silvermaw, is a curious case of happenstance and what I speculate as the greed of our ever-present tormentors. Though Silvermaw’s title as Darklord begs the question – do our tormentors only trap those who have committed ultimate acts of darkness or are they more focused on tenacious minds prone to obsession and corruption?  

Before it was known as “Silvermaw”, it was an unnamed treant charged with the guardianship of a dense conifer forest within the Feywild known as the Green Quills. The treant’s lord was Aurusel, a fey of great power who oversaw the vast realm in which Green Quills was a part of. Aurusel charged the treant with ensuring no fey built within the Green Quills for the wilderness much remain pure.

As with many places in the Feywild, Aurusel’s realm was subjected to chaotic shifts and at times a part of his domain would seep into the material plane. Such a change pulled Green Quills into the material plane where it was soon discovered by a group of humans. Ignorant to the human nature, when they asked the treant to hunt in its forest, it agreed. The humans, after all, wore animal pelts and acted like beasts with a single-mindedness towards the hunt for their prey and the woodland guardian saw no harm in allowing them access to its grove.

The treant soon learned its own folly, for that same day the humans felled several trees and started a bonfire within the Green Quills. Why they could not settle for a small campfire is a mystery, but mortals do have the tendency to overdo things. Enraged, the treant attacked and chased the humans away, but in the struggle, it too caught fire.

When Aurusel attempted to bring the Green Quills back into his realm, he sensed the burning of the forest and ceased his attempt in fear of the fire spreading in the Feywild. Inadvertently, the fey lord left Green Quills in a state between worlds and it was swallowed by the Shadowfell (note: 4e is when Ravenloft lore changed to having all the Domains in the Shadowfell instead of its own separate demiplane).

Injured, the treant fell into a dormant state its mind twisting with thoughts of hatred towards the humans that destroyed its forest. The treant only wanted revenge and while it slept its hatred and malice seeped into the land. When the treant awoke, Green Quills became known as Timbergorge and a burning, smoking fire surrounded the forest, entrapping all within including the treant and the clan of humans that originally caused all this drama to begin with.

The treant soon discovered that the humans transformed into werewolves while it slept. To combat them, the treant stole some silver from a small human colony, melted it and poured it over its teeth. This is how the treant became known as Silvermaw.

Silvermaw’s only desire is to hunt down and kill all the werewolves in its Domain. Afterwards, Silvermaw hopes that Aurusel will forgive them and only then will Silvermaw rest. It should consider resting sooner as it is currently still burnt and in a state of half-decay after it was burnt, but well, I suppose I cannot judge…a state of half-decay never stopped me from continuing on.

Silvermaw often takes the werewolves it defeats and impales them on the trees in a grove it calls “The Spires of Lost Friends” as a sort of monument to the trees that were lost in the human’s bonfire and a warning to the werewolves in Silvermaw’s forest. I know a certain ‘falcon’ that may appreciate the treant’s fear tactics…

As for the humans and lycanthropes in the area, there are currently three mindsets on how to deal with Silvermaw. One believes that if Silvermaw is killed, the fires will cease and they will be able to leave the forest. Another believes that they can simply escape on the river that through the forest, though cutting trees to make a craft to allow for this is near impossible with Silvermaw’s constant vigilance. The last believe they can cure Silvermaw and return it the naïve, nature loving treant it once was.

[archivist-the-knight]

hi. xiv analysis. i'm putting some stuff under the cut because that's all things relating to spoilers for the later half of the video jic.

firstly, xiv is a tiefling, but the exact tiefling subrace isn't specified in the video. i'd assume they're a Mephistopheles tiefling, given their appearance in game and the fact that meph tieflings are proficient in arcane magic. they're also known for being in more colder climates. i'll bring this up later.

they're a wild magic sorcerer, which is, in my opinion, super important to know to understand about their character. there's a multitude of ways I can describe it, but I think dnd 5e does a good job as it corresponds with Xiv's story. (link)

[Your innate magic comes from the wild forces of chaos that underlie the order of creation. You might have endured exposure to some form of raw magic, perhaps through a planar portal leading to Limbo, the Elemental Planes, or the mysterious Far Realm. Perhaps you were blessed by a powerful fey creature or marked by a demon. Or your magic could be a fluke of your birth, with no apparent cause or reason. However it came to be, this chaotic magic churns within you, waiting for any outlet.]

now. the spoilery content ^_^. also because this post is going to be like so long every kid with autism. [also very big warning for in-depth discussion of child abuse, particularly from a father, and the affects that has on said child. if you don't wanna read that part you don't have to]

xiv's father, even with the 13 other arcane batteries, is a very powerful man. he's a meph tiefling, giving him proficiency with arcane magic, and is probably a sorcerer like xiv. so, given that... the most logical explanation of xiv gaining the wild aspect of their magic is through enduring exposure to raw magic. Sure, it could potentially be "marked by a demon" given the fact they're a tiefling, but... Xiv's father isn't the best person.

bringing back the meph tieflings living in cold climates thing!! xiv mentioned they lived in a tower of sorts, far enough away where their father could keep them secluded. judging by the usage of negative space and scene layouts in their background animatic, we can retain the information that besides their father, they basically knew very little about the outside world growing up.

^^ tldr abt that. the animatic noticably gets more detailed as xiv both gets older and starts to doubt their father, and has its most detail when they have the wild magic explosion, and when they're escaping only to be put on the mindflayer ship ^_^.

anyway. with all of this to say, xiv's father is not a good man at all. he's done this 13 other times before getting to xiv, and didn't even give them an actual name. just the roman designation of it. he gave xiv a false, hopeful promise about how if they "honed their power, they could leave the tower", but fully intended to keep them there. it is slightly implied that their father got more abusive, more impatient and violent towards Xiv the more they messed up the more their magic lashed out even though it was wild by nature.

this is not good fatherly behavior!! telling them something that would never come true, especially basing it on their skill, they must have the worst damned imposter syndrome known to man!! second guessing themselves, thinking they're never good enough or having to check with the man who made that rule to see if anything they do is good... that isn't healthy!! that isn't a good thing to teach to your child!!

now back to xiv. that one "sex book" throwaway thing is brief but it says. so much about how xiv's father raised them?? i do not care if im looking too much into it but it literally implies that xiv just. doesn't know a lot about things beyond what their father's told them or what were in the books he probably gave them as a kid. combine that with the fact that they immeadily "push out" the mournful thoughts about rai's death to deal with "more important matters"... oh my god... they call me mx head of the xiv emotional support group... the ceo if you will...

and now... another important stepping stone to understanding xiv... rai's death.

first off xiv shapeshifting in the middle of the fight and going "no, not now, goddamnit-" its said in such a tone thats just so... not only is it because it's during such an important moment while they're fighting someone they consider a friend. it's almost as if they've been conditioned to believe that aspect of them isn't good. even though its what helps distract Rai so Tal can attack him. it's like they view it as something that needs to stop instead of something they can't control. which is. probably what their father saw it as! something that xiv needed to stop doing instead of honing to their abilities!

secondly... xiv is a sorcerer. you might be asking "eden!! weren't we just over this?" yeah but. rai... is also a sorcerer. he has the power to harness the storm. the first thing xiv says to rai during the fight is "you see, this is exactly why sorcerers shouldn't learn how to read! you always acted like you're so much better than me; we never should have trusted you!"

and that line in general. it's so. it's the last thing xiv says before rai dies. how did rai act like he was better than xiv? did they tell him this beforehand? is it something they kept locked up, never expressing until this moment? was it on purpose, or was it accidental? was it xiv, seeing rai do things they never learned how to do, and feeling jealous, angry, that he had a chance and they didn't? that rai got the joy of not knowing his parents, while xiv knew their father all too well?

and the sorcerer part... it's not only a dig at rai but themselves. they should've never learned how to read. they shouldn'tve been forced to spend ages in that library, learning spells and incantations instead of just trying to be a little kid. its so subtle yet it speaks so much about how xiv views themselves.

okay. that is basically it for canon stuff. this next part is headcanons/theories that i think are important for the discussion but aren't canon but. i still wanna yap <3

I think the tower/castle xiv grew up in is like, in a snowy mountain close to baldur's gate. it's quite the hike to get there and back but you can kind of see it through certain higher areas of the city. the tower is either positioned behind or to the side of the mountain. the side would be so evil because xiv seeing only a glimpse of the city...

i have this theory that xiv's father was a general or colonel for a war that tal was involved in, with tal's mother being a general as well. thus, i think xiv's only contact with people is either the other generals of this war, or their potential children that were brought over during the occasional meeting or dinner party. very vauge but regardless. smirks.

finally i think xiv was allowed out only on very slim occasions, usually when they begged their father hands and knees or when they did good on training. they were allowed to go with their father into the town of baldur's gate, but if they strayed from him they would be punished. severely. xiv usually went to bed that night hungry, in pain, but happy^_^

ok thats it for real. love peace and joy have a wonderful day <333

[atamascolily]

Lily liveblogs: Thunderbolt Fantasy 4x02 "Demon Realm Banquet"

In which a member of the Dong Li imperial family is a fanboy, Lang Wu Yao is really Going Through It, and the plot thickens.

Lin puts on his Mantis shell to go visit the Big Bad. Yi Piao Miao has resting bitch face, so his sneer is probably just the usual and not, you know, Lin's disdain for Locust, but I can't help reading it in anyway.

It's very rare for Lin to outright lie, so his statement that he killed one of Shang's comrades and took his form is striking. It's necessary for the con, and I guess it's true from a certain point of view (it's 100% what Piao Miao would have said), but it still feels a little weird because I'm so used to pointed half-truths from him and this is a bit beyond his usual spin.

"He didn't even suspect my real identity" is classic Lin Xue Ya double-talk, though--Shang certainly saw through Lin's illusion but he doesn't know Lin is playing both sides at the moment in an effort to troll Locust.

Even if Lin's descriptions of Shang are not 100% accurate (is he really drinking all day??), they're accurate in spirit; Shang is depressed and isolated, and Locust seeks to take advantage of that.

Lin is bluffing when he tells Locust he could take the Index immediately, but Locust doesn't call it, saying that he wants to avoid Xie Ying Luo's mistake. This suits Lin fine.

"Be careful what you wish for"--Locust, like Lin, is acutely aware Shang is ill-suited for remaining on the sidelines and seeks to wear him down through ennui. Never mind that Shang is probably a drunken master, given his skill set. But this hesitation is Locust's mistake, even if he doesn't realize it yet--either that, or he's caught on to Lin's true identity and is deliberately sidelining him.

Locust telling "Mantis" that he knows what he was up to with Jun Po is hilarious… too bad Lin has zero interest in actually doing his "job".

Once the Zoom meeting is over, Lin transforms back into his real self, correctly identifying that Locust has something else going on.

confirmation that Lin uses his sleeves for storage!!! yes!! (I mean, I was pretty sure he did, because I would store everything in my sleeves if I had his outfit, but it's nice to see it on screen)

Lin saunters off to give Shang a pep talk… his wording suggests he's going to tease him and also brew some sort of power-up to get him back into fighting form. Damn it, these two aren't even on screen together in this episode and their dynamic gets me every time. GIVE ME SOME COMEDIC HIJINKS, please, I need this in my life.

meanwhile, Dan Fei meets with the Dong Li emperor's younger brother, who is a huge Hu Yin Shi fanboy. He's basically Chao Feng's counterpart--flightly, vain, and preoccupied with his obsession--but more benign. I wonder if those two will end up getting hitched when Dong Li and Xi You are reunited.

he tells Dan Fei he'll organize a bishounen convention so she can recruit all the pretty people to join, hahahaha

unfortunately, our fanboy royal isn't interested in helping Dan Fei by taking her request for aid seriously, and his more level-headed advisor explains after he's gone that Xi You is sending spies for an invasion so there are no troops to spare (Huo Shi Ming Huang pondered as much in the S2 post-credits scene, so it isn't a surprise he's decided to go for it). War is brewing on multiple fronts; this is the calm before the storm.

love how Juan Can Yun skips when he sees his wife; those two are so cute. also love how Bo Yang Hou has now taken up residence there as the stern uncle.

Dan Fei decides they will go on a quest to retrieve… wait for it… a super-powerful legendary magical sword personally forged by Bai Lian himself (although not named directly) 200 years earlier. This was why Shang name-dropped this guy in the first episode, huh--it was a callback so we'd be primed for this beat.

(due to a linguistic quirk, the fansubbers translated "lotus" as "rosemallow", in case you're wondering why the sword's name seems so random)

anyway, new macguffin alert! love how no matter what the problem is in this show, it always involves a sword.

between Lin and Dan Fei, Shang's retirement isn't going to last, and that's probably a good thing if he's actually day drinking as much as Lin claimed to Locust. We all joke about letting him rest, but Shang's personality and temperament are ill-suited for just hanging around doing nothing… he's gotten what he wanted (sort of) but it's making him utterly miserable. Good things he has friends to drag him kicking and screaming back into the narrative… oh, wait, they won't even have to do that, all Juan Can Yun and Dan Fei have to do is tell him they're marching off into certain danger and he'll cave instantly because he's a huge softie and these are his kids now. Works every time.

in the demon realm, Lang Wu Yao is fighting the han jiao. Interestingly, Xing Hai wants to intervene; I guess even she has standards of fair play?? Instead of her whip, though, she pulls out her fulu (paper talismans) that she uses to control/paralyze people, which tells you a lot about how dangerous she considers the han jiao. (She did the same technique with Shang in S3 rather than fight him directly.)

Azibelpher continues to be a gloating dick, as usual, but we need him to deliver the necessary exposition.

the demons really love living weapons, huh… first the demon gods, now the han jiao, and only the Shen Hui Mo Xie can consistently stop either of them. Really makes you wonder what Azibelpher has planned for Lang, since he is clearly manuevering him towards some unknown end beyond merely becoming a demon…

I didn't notice this earlier, but the han jiao don't have back legs… they're just muscular worms with bat-like membranous wings (and we know from the opening credits they can fly). They're so cute it's hard for me to take them seriously as a threat. I also really want to know how they did the puppetry for them; it's incredible work.

love how Ling Ya can talk in sword form even though he doesn't have a mouth

Ultimately, Lang is right - the only way out for him is forward into the unknown… even if it means descending into his personal hell and forsaking his humanity. His pride and his rage and his pain won't allow him to back down, especially not after everything Azibelpher has done to him. Without Shang and Tian Ming, Lang is especially vulnerable to this kind of manipulation; Ling Ya tries, but he is all too easily overruled.

the moment where the triumphant music as Lang kills the monster abruptly cuts out and we have this awkward and grotesque segment of Lang taking out decades of frustration on its corpse, intercut with Azibelpher's triumphant gloating. ... it's so painful

further confirmation that Lang's powers are fueled by his emotions and that all of the suffering he's endured in his life are fuel for him now. (In other words, he might be half-demon by blood, but he's full demon now, as his hidden heritage awakens and overwhelms his human side.) Ling Ya is able to call him back to himself, but it's too late…

Lang Wu Yao's gasp as he realizes what he's done, staring down at his bloody hands… my heart… In that moment, he believes that everything bad he's ever thought about himself is true, that he truly is a monster… and that, more than anything else, is what triggers his transformation… that final piece of self-loathing and shame and disgust.

and he literally becomes the image of his father, who represents everything he hates about himself!!

meanwhile, Spider and Wasp arrive in the demon realm, and it's clear why their boss gave them magical weapons or else they'd be toast. Wasp is so happy to just kill things, I love that for her.

even with all the squabbling, these two are getting along better than I expected, honestly. Spider gets points for clever use of his chains, and Wasp is in heaven because she can slaughter everything in her path.

oh, and we meet a new demon, Ansarto, who is part deer, part spider, 100% nightmare fuel in the best possible way and I love him. In keeping with the "eyes" motif, he's covered them. I really want to know how they did his puppet; it's fantastic work.

because Might is Right and Wasp and Spider each killed a han jiao, they get special treatment, lol. Presto, instant banquet!

they re-used the dishes and cups from Seven Sins Tower for this scene, and either Mie Tian Hai imported his tableware from he demon realm or all of the TBF villains shop at the same Evil Wuxia Target, take your pick.

Spider is trying to play it cool and negotiate, but the question is who is really manipulating whom here? meanwhile, Ba Wang Yu just wants to kill people and doesn't give a shit about the details, so it's all the same to her. I love her so much. But I think this scene really demonstrates how, despite their differences, they arrive at the same conclusions--they're really not so different after all.

(also it's so refreshing to watch a female character just chow down with gusto on screen, even if demon food is a little heavy on the eyeballs)

of course Ansarto wants them to take down Azibelpher, which puts them squarely in the line of fire as plot threads converge. Either they're gonna get killed or Azi is going to convince them to join his side instead, and I honestly don't know which.

Oh, and the Murder Princess is going after Tian Ming in the next episode, so that should be interesting. does this mean a catfight over Lang hahaha

Preview shows a new character - a female demon with purple hair and armor - stomping on a han jiao corpse, a close-up of Demon Prince Lang, Juan Can Yun wearing some kind of mask (??), Shang looking nonplussed and Tian Ming playing her guzheng at sunset as soldiers arrive. Can't wait!!!

[shions-new-blog-of-stuff]

"The Tiefling and the Sea" (OC/Named Tav)

"Well well well, my little rose. Looks like you've gotten yourself in a bind."

Kinsley stumbled to his feet, spitting out sand. He hears the familiar voice of his patron -- Lady Roisin. Not her true name, being a fey and all.

A little swarm of blue swallowtail butterflies circle around him. This was his patron's preferred method of communication in the mortal plane.

"Did you save me?" Kinsley asks, looking out to the bright blue sea.

"Oh no. Not my doing. In fact, my little rose, it's a force outside my power."

Kinsley walks along the shore, stepping over corpses and debris.

The butterflies briefly glow green.

"Something grotesque has infected your mind," the fey says half playful, half annoyed, "How dare they try to take my little rose from me?"

Kinsley scratches his horns, "Can you remove it?"

The butterflies glow orange, fluttering about.

"It's beyond my ability... unless you are able to travel to my realm. But I cannot let that happen...not yet. We still have our tasks to be completed."

Kinsley looks down, thinking of his village. It was once a vibrant place, but now it's all cursed. His family, friends, everything -- all mysteriously turned to stone.

"Guess I gotta take a detour and get rid of this thing."

To his surprise, the butterflies come together, shifting into a ghostly image of Lady Roisin -- tall, pale, solid green eyes, wearing a very loose, flowing dress. She wears a flower crown and a vine with thorns snaking down her arm and leg.

"Do see to this problem, hm? I am burning a lot of energy manifesting this, even though my physical body is safe."

With a wave of her illusory hand, a leather bound book with a rose motif appears, landing in Kinsley's hands.

"That is all I can gift you for now, my little rose. Keep it with you."

Lady Roisin's illusions fades away, leaving Kinsley alone to wander close to the forest. He hears someone calling for help.

Kinsley sees it's a kind of tall, white haired elf.

"Hurry," the elf says, "I've got one of those brain things cornered!"

@baldursbasics @mishwanders @darckcarnival

[monstersdownthepath]

Some cool First World locales

First World: Realm of the Fey came out in 2016, and yet every time I read over it I discover something new. A new bit of lore, a new strange thread to follow, a new bizarre bit of terrain, some new monster or deity to follow up on... But the one gift that keeps giving is the Gazetteer, going on for over 15 pages and listing strange locations YOU, yes YOU, the DM, can send your players to! Be it a fey portal, the whims of the Eldest, a questline taking them into the First World, or some other plot contrivance, there’s over 60 different vacation spots with varying levels of dangerous, curious, or downright weird for DMs to expand on and send players into!

Hopefully this post will motivate at least a few of you to pick it up, if for nothing else than the Gazetteer, which has lore you can’t find in the Archives of Nethys or the PF wiki! It’d be rude of me not to share at least a few favorites from among them under the cut below!

The Canyon of Faces: One of the most alarming locations in the book, the Canyon is a seemingly infinitely-deep cut into the earth filled with uncountable stone heads, each of them perfectly rendered and resistant to damage. Rumors abound about what happens when you find your own face, or someone else’s face; no one can seem to keep the story straight about if finding your own face gives you infinite power or slays you instantly, just as no one can say what sort of power (if any) you gain over someone else if you find their face in the cavern... or if these heads hold any power at all, and aren’t simply the trophies or creations of some grim collector or sculptor no one’s ever seen. And yet, finding one specific head among many is an exercise in tedium and futility, as no matter how far down one digs, there’s just more of these strange busts, which basically makes the quest of finding a specific face impossible. Perhaps that’s why there’s so many rumors about what happens if you find your face; because no one has.

The Chittering Tabernacle: Nestled in the amusingly named Plain of Leaping Stones (which, true to its name, is filled with rocks that just love launching themselves unexpectedly into the air), this tabernacle is staffed exclusively by a unique brand of arachnoid Fey called Chkchks (do NOT call them ‘nurse spiders’). The chkchks utilize healing spittle, silk casts, stitches made from their own coarse hairs, and the occasional spell to provide the utmost of care to all their patients, healing injuries, curing sicknesses, breaking curses, and even restoring life to any dead brought into their doors, regardless of the patient’s species, allegiance, or alignment. While in most cases this would be extremely suspicious, the chkchks operate are truly and purely altruistic and don’t even demand payment, though they gently offer the exchange of favors, talents, time, or the completion of specific questlines to anyone who wishes to pay anyway.

The only overtly sinister thing the spidery caretakers do is draw a small amount of blood from every patient that comes in, regardless of the patient’s treatment needs, taking this sample to the “Sagechoir” at the Tabernacle’s center for analysis. They do this because they believe in a prophesied messiah called the Deathender who will rid all worlds of all suffering when she is found, and they believe she will first come to them as a patient and that her blood sample will reveal her. Whether or not the Deathender--or her supposed promise to alleviate all cosmic suffering--is real and not a ruse by some other force isn’t said.

Earis Highlands: In opposition to the above, the blistered, naked, rat-like Earis Fey that populate these brush-filled lands are also called Fever-Drinkers. They extract high tolls from those who come to them to be alleviated of their illness, which the rat-fey do by physically sucking the illness from their bodies... and anyone else with the money to pay can buy the diseases themselves (typically by having the Earis containing it regurgitate it onto another target) for their own use, whatever that may be.

Dusking Hills: This one’s amusing to me for the simple fact that darkness itself is somehow farmed, bottled, and sold here for export to other areas of the First World. There’s also the significantly more worrying is the Gloaming Caves, giant crystalline mines where blackened crystals encase armored figures of dozens of different races for an unknown reason.

Endless Siege: This one’s fun, if only because of the potential to run it as an adventure again and again and again. There is a desolated stretch of the First World filled with mud, trenches, corpses, and abandoned siege weapons, at the center of which is a squat, ugly castle, which acts as the prize. The owners of the castle are the family of Boralas, a coalition of extremely powerful and sadistic soul-eating fey known as Vilderavn, and each one wants the castle for themselves and are willing to do whatever they need to in order to take it, even going so far as to conscript hapless souls from across the Great Beyond... like a party of player characters.

Why? For fun! The war itself is the point, and the castle itself is simply the objective they’ve collectively agreed upon. The Boralas family instead uses the constant battle as entertainment, to better their own tactical acumen and understanding of war, to find new creative ways to conquer or hold onto the castle... and to feed upon the souls of all the soldiers who fail them.

Harvester’s Deep: This one gigantic lake is enthralling for a specific reason. It has nothing to do with the titanic shrimp and nautili that dwell within the deep waters of the lake and everything to do with the mysterious Harvester from which it draws its name, a creature without any form of description, lore, or even a CR attached to it. It’s stated only to rise once every 20 years and go on a cataclysmic rampage which the citizens of the various surrounding towns either flee or hide to survive.

Palenhyr: When the gods abandoned the First World, many fey were hurt by the loss. Palenhyr is the result of this pain; a grand city of temples, altars, churches, tabernacles, and tombs all devoted to thousands upon thousands of gods (some real, most not) with followings everywhere from a single maniac to an entire organization. Faith of all flavor is welcome and available and niche religions abound, with all the mad drama such a thing could create. Notably, there is enough divine power flowing into Palenhyr that it’s a force people can feel, and the ruling council of the city is said to secretly be constructing a massive ritual to use this energy to pull a god from the Material back into the First World... perhaps even multiple.

The Moon Ladder: Constructed by First World Gnomes, this enormous machine for years projected a bridge of light into the heavens of the fey realm, allowing gnomish explorers to visit the many moons and planets circling overhead in the distance. Recently, however, the bridge has been shut off, the ladder and the research stations becoming closed off and restricted to any outsiders, and the researchers themselves recluses who rarely ever leave the lab. There’s whispers that something came back down the light bridge that’s caused the gnomes to turn from explorers into defenders, either studying the something or preventing it from getting out, but what that something could be is left unsaid.

Phasetree: A simple one: A massive tree is there every day, which the fey in the surrounding town in its roots climb up to harvest its fruits, leaves, lumber, and the various beasts that nest among branches as wide as roads. Every night, they have to climb back down as quickly as possible because the tree vanishes entirely. Where it goes, no one knows, but every time it reappears it’s changed somewhat; new branches, new fruits, new monsters twisted within its branches, new rune marks along its trunk, and sometimes it even brings a blast of weather from... wherever it travels, sending snow or rain or wind in every direction. No one who’s ever been caught on the tree when it disappears has ever been seen again, and no divination can reach them.

The Thrice-Tenth Kingdom: Baba Yaga came to the First World once. This is the kingdom she built by doing little more than telling the First World what she wanted, and it bent and folded itself in whatever direction she ordered to please her. She rarely visits and never stays, leaving her minions to hold it for her instead.

Vestige: The one I saved for last because it’s the one I like the most. Fey don’t die like most creatures, so the town of Vestige allows fey to experience what it’s like in varying ways; sometimes they hold mock funerals, sometimes they bury themselves alive, sometimes they record their names and deeds on headstones and place them in the city’s endless graveyard, and sometimes they go as far as to inflict terrible injuries on themselves to “get into character.” Fey study death alongside necromancers of every stripe, recording their research and discoveries in vast libraries for future perusal... and despite the oddness and pageantry of the town, it’s no less dangerous for mortals who catch the attention of the fey. They’re enamored with the idea of death and dying, and captured mortals are often subjected to hideous but coldly academic practices to help the fey understand the phenomenon.

ok there’s still a lot of really good ones but i’m restraining myself. please allow the names Plain of Doors, Stasi the City of Vaults, Tubehollow, the Riddle Sphere, Watchers on the Shore, Spindlewood, and the Sea Without a Shore sink into your brain. also pick up the book itself, it’s good stuff.

[tarithenurse]

I see fire

Fandom: D&D 5E/homebrew campaign. Word count: 2309 Contents: Still that questionable justice system, probation, new people, gross food. A/N: This is the first bit from the actual campaign. Any questions are welcome. Please comment and like and reblog. Let me know if you want a tag. Divider by @firefly-graphics

IV

Zilvra has been listening to the distant sounds of the city for several days, unable to get a glimpse of the sky through the bars in the window unless she were to stand on the shit bucket – not an appealing thing to do so she has refrained.

Then one day a couple of guards come with a finely dressed man in tow who explains that it’s time for her to work off her debt.

Silently, she follows them through the city, blinking in the sharp sunlight as she tries to get her bearings along the way to a large building with a sign hanging by the door. It’s adorned with crossed weapons (a sword and a mace) upon a shield and beneath it are the words “Adventurers’ Guild”.

She can’t help to hesitate for a moment, not having expected this but rather some factory or maybe work at the docks, but she’s only given a few seconds before one of the guards pushes her forward and across the threshold.

The room is big but also tightly packed with smaller groupings of equally excited and nervous looking people. Most of them are humans but there are a few elves too...and two very colourful individuals – a male and a female who appear to be feeling out of place judging by the way they are looking about.

The male is blue skinned with poofy white hair that he’s tried to comb. He’s well armoured but oddly lithe. Allowing her gaze to travel the length of his body, Zilvra notices that his leather armour appears to be fitted with extra nobs and switches and he has some unidentifiable items hanging from his belt. She is unsure what race he is.

The female on the other hand is elvish although she is far from the race of either drow or High Elves...even Wood Elves would look different although her green colour scheme might be well suited for a life in the forest. Long hair (a darker green) is loosely braided and pushed to one side, allowing a view of a light leather armour and flowy clothes that still seem practical.

That’s all Zilvra has time to take note of before she’s pushed in their direction.

“These are your new friends,” the neatly dressed escort explains, returning from a desk where a rough looking man with black beard and hair is sorting through stacks of papers.

Handing a key to a guard, the escort watches as Zilvra’s manacles are unlocked, freeing her of the chain and ball she’d been lugging around for a long time. Oh, it feels wonderful and the drow can’t help but relish the feather light feeling of freedom only to have it snatched away as the man steps over and conjures new bonds on her wrists and neck. Lighter and without the heavy ball, they manage to remind her of her current status just as well as the previous tethers. At least, though, her items are returned to her and she quickly dons them all.

“They will tighten with time, eventually killing you if you don’t check in with the right people to have them loosened once more,” the escort explains, motioning to the bonds, “we will arrange for that...but make sure to make it to your destinations in time.” Then he turns to the two colourful people: “You now have a full group. Take some time to get to know each other.”

Slinking off to join the guards, the wizard (or whatever he is) gives the three strangers a chance to greet each other.

It turns out the female, who is green skinned, is called Morella and that she’s an eladrin – a Fey elf. She’s a bit vague on some subjects of her life but Zilvra writes it up to nerves and the fact that you don’t tell strangers everything right off the bat. Goodness knows Zilvra won’t.

The blue male is an air genasi by the name of Anvindr Hayate and while he is from this realm technically, he has chosen to embark on a journey of knowledge and research to ultimately help his kin return to where they came from. He doesn’t go into further details but prompts the drow to explain who she is, looking pointedly to the bonds on her wrist and neck.

“My name’s Zilvra Shadowsong,” she offers truthfully, “I’m...also on a bit of an educational quest. I know this first impression is probably not favourable but I promise the wrongs I’ve been accused of are...” she hesitates, looking for the right words, “I just wanted to admire the stars and while I may have been trespassing to get to the roof to do so, I’ve done no harm.”

A discreet snort of either disagreement or incredulity makes the three look over, finding the wizard to be looking at them intently. Noticing that he’s been spotted (although he was obviously not trying to hide it), he steps over.

“Even if you hadn’t trespassed, Roof Walking is still a crime and, in fact, you’ve been let off easy,” he claims. Then his expression softens a bit. “I’m curious to see what the three of you will accomplish as the oddball trio that you are.”

“Excuse me?” Morella bristles at his words.

He just smiles. “Look around. You’re all...misfits compared to the rest and that’s why we’ve placed you in a group together. You’re group D now. Master Tio will explain further once you’re ready,” with that he motions towards the large desk and the bearded man there, “but fear not...I have a feeling you’ve got potential.”

Watching as the man strides off out the door, it takes a moment for the newly made Group D to gather their thoughts.

“D,” Morella mocks, “what a lame name.”

Anvindr shrugs. “Guess we can have it changed?”

“To what?”

He looks both women over. “The misfits? The...rebels?”

Both females perk up at the last suggestion and the trio decides to go with that. Then they approach the desk.

Master Tio is a stout man with clear eyes and several scars that probably can be attributed to a life of adventure for himself. Straightening from his hunched position, he looks over the odd trio with a crooked smile.

“So you’ve accepted working together? Good good.” He ruffles through one of the stacks of papers on the desk, eventually procuring two documents but then shakes his head at one of them before returning it to the stack. “I got a job for you, if you want it.” His eyes are on Zilvra, and she picks up on the unspoken meaning: she doesn’t have a choice. “I want you to head to Heartwell Shire – it’s three or four days’ travel from here if you head east to Oldgarde and north from there. In Heartwell, find Deputy Willem and Marshal McBribe, they’ll fill you in on the rest but I can say that it’s something about the mine up there.” He explains more about the trip: people who can help them with shelter and food in Oldgarde thanks to the way the system is set up with identifying tags (they’re copper rank), the fauna of the region which is unfamiliar to them all, and the time pressure that at least Zilvra is under. “You’ve got five days so you want to get there to get the bonds extended.”

The newly acquainted outsiders exchange glances, at least one of them having a clear preference to make the trip as quick as possible.

“One thing before we leave,” Morella asks sugary sweet, “while walking from the harbour I couldn’t help but notice the damage to the city?”

Something dark crosses Tio’s face. “Yeah...long story short, a rebellious group of masons went amok and caused quite a bit of destruction. It got so bad the king had to intervene and they killed him. It’s best not to talk too much about it for now.” He slumps back in his chair, staring fixedly on a bare spot on the desk. “Just know that the guilty have been dealt with under orders of the widower queen. Now git.”

Not daring to push the subject further, the trio exits the Guild House, finding themselves on a street that has truly woken up. Already having all they need, the three of them thankfully agree to set off towards Heartwell Shire along the route suggested by Tio.

As the group walks, they slowly begin chatting more openly. First contemplating the system for adventurers, they can’t help but wonder what it takes to rise in the ranks.

“So if we’re copper,” Morella contemplates, “and we already will get free food and lodging...what will we get at silver and gold ranks?”

“Actually paid?” Zilvra suggests, thinking of her empty coin purse.

The male nods. “I’ve been told, and I hope it’s true, that you’d get access to places like the library and such.”

“Why do you hope that?” the eladrin asks curiously.

“I need to do some research...” Sighing, it’s evident that he takes the moment to consider what to tell them. “I...my people have been forced to flee our home. We come from another plane of existence and...let’s just say it hasn’t been pretty. I want for us to take back our home.”

The women nod.

“I come from a different plane of existence too,” the colourful of the females admits to no one’s surprise, “from the Fey Wild.”

“Why’d you leave?” Zilvra asks.

“...I don’t know...I can’t remember.” Stunned silence forces Morella to elaborate: “I just...I know I was there one moment and the next I was on a ship in the middle of the ocean. The people onboard were kinda shocked at me appearing out of nowhere. They were nice though, told me we were headed to Stouvania.”

The two other share a glance.

Anvindr is the one to speak up: “So you need to get back home.”

“Nah, I kinda like seeing new things so this is exiting,” the Fey elf grins, “besides I wouldn’t know where to go there either so might as well enjoy this for a while. Maybe I’ll remember something eventually.”

“But won’t people be looking for you?”

She seems surprised at the idea as if she hadn’t considered that before. “Maybe?”Then she turns with a smile to the drow. “And you?

Zilvra doesn’t quite like the beaming attention. “Well...as I said: I didn’t intend to do anything illegal. Yeah, alright, I might have been trespassing but I just wanted to look at the stars! We don’t have them in the Underdark.”

“Underdark?” Morella wonders.

Explaining briefly about the world below ground where she’s from, Zilvra manages to avoid further questions about her past. For now.

---

They walk the entire day, arriving at Oldgarde by sunset.

The place is nothing more than a village, though, with only one bigger building – the inn which clearly has been expanded in recent years and bears the sign “Lion’s Pride Inn”. Several of the city’s guards can be seen strolling or loitering, making Zilvra slightly uneasy, tugging at her sleeves and hood to hid the bonds. As the trio is about to enter the inn, they spot one of the other newly formed adventuring groups.

They’ve barely stepped into the crowded place before a boisterous woman bears down on them, presenting herself as Malikka. Showing her their tags, she verifies that food’s on the house and that they can sleep in the basement.

Checking out the quarters, the trio is utterly dismayed (and grossed out). What once might have been a coal or root cellar has barely been cleared out and in one corner there’s still a pile of refuse with plenty of fat rats. Not to mention the half full piss pot.

It is free, though, and none of the trio has money to buy a room instead so they accept, returning to the main room of the tavern for the promised meal only to be disappointed once more by stale and moulding bread and ale gone bad. Thankfully, Morella has a few tricks up her sleeve and is able to create a tiny but filling meal of Goodberries.

While nibbling, Zilvra points out the other group of adventurers and eventually Anvindr walks over to them, the rest of the trio in tow, and suggests an arm wrestling match so he can test out something about his armour.

The group consists of three male humans called Owen, Hayden, and Adam. Owen, a strong guy who might be a fighter, accepts the challenge after downing his expired beer. The other two discreetly push their mugs towards their friend, too disgusted by the contents to want to drink it, making Owen beam happily. Perhaps that joy is what carries him to a hard earned victory despite the steam slipping from Anvindr’s armour as they compete.

“Where’ve you got that armour from?” Hayden asks, fidgeting with the rings of his own.

The air genasi smiles proudly while rubbing his hand where it got slammed into the table. “I made it myself. I’m a bit of a tinkerer.”

It turns out to be a merry evening. No one but Owen drinks the ale, making sure that nothing goes to waste, and eventually everyone finds their way down into the basement to get some rest – the two of elven kin taking turns to rest so someone is awake at all times...and good thing too because during Zilvra’s watch, Owen wakes up: sick from the beer he pukes in the corner before she can do anything, barely acknowledges her help with cleaning him up after (long live magic) and eventually falling asleep again.

The only other thing that happens during the night is a strange metamorphosis of the eladrin as she changes appearance during her restful trance: from verdant greens and pinks to flaming hues that could match the warmest fire.

[rainbowcaleb]

its almost midnight, have a ficlet I wrote in a sprint tonight for fun

“This is so unfair.” Jester pouts, and her duplicate stamps her foot in consensus. “We’ve only just met and you’re already leaving! Why do all the fun people never stay around long enough to party with us?”

“And you haven’t really partied until you’ve invited me.” The faun grins, then she tilts her head in sudden thought. Her hand plays with the flowers in her hair, half-braiding and half-tangling as she thinks. “I have an idea, someone would owe her a big favor if we call again so soon, but she does love me so very much, so maybe…”

Jester watches with great interest as her new friend Fearne trails off. Then suddenly her hand shoots out and a glowing lollipop appears. She wields the spectral handle and bonks the figure on the ground with an echoing smack.

“Ha!” Fearne leaps back and laughs in surprise and mirth. “Shoot, I wasn’t paying attention. Was he trying to escape?”

Jester prods the red robed figure with her stick, which results in a quiet groan. Underneath the layers of brassy chains and fifty feet of rope, there is the extremely defeated body of a former archmage. 

“He was twitching, but I dealt with it.” Jester blows on the top of the weapon, striking a pose like a gunslinger. 

“Oh my goodness, Jester, I love your style.” Fearne claps her hands. “That decides it. I’m going to call my Nana and she can help us out. Have you and your friends ever traveled to the fey realm before?”

Jester lets out a shriek that rivals some nearby birds. “Oh my gosh, oh Fearne, I mean I had assumed from your whole deal you were fey, but it’s always rude to assume you know, but gosh I would love to go back! Artie took me once but it was over so fast and barely a fun trip at all.” Jester grabs Fearne’s hands and they start to spin, trodding over the robed figure with heels and hoofs. 

“This is going to be the *best* party! My Nana has a tiki bar and a skin garden and there’s even slides on the outside of the house! You’re going to love it!”

Jester and Fearne laugh and dance for a couple minutes before a loud cough comes from beside them.

“Jester, light of my life, I hate to interrupt whatever this is…” Fjord waves with his one good arm, the other still in the temporary bandages. The archmage and his ensemble hadn’t been the easiest to take down, even with the Bells help.

“Oh, Admiral Tusktooth!” She skips towards him and leans into his arms. He winces but smiles fondly at her. “We’re going on a honeymoon!”

~*~*~

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Nana Morri slides a second platter of biscuits and finger sandwiches onto the table. “Try the lavender, I pick it locally.” The second Nana gestures its eyes to the purple confection on the plate.

Jester picks one up and eats it whole in one enthusiastic bite. “Whoa, it's so buttery and floral? I thought I had tried every sweet in the world already but this is totally new. It might even be good with cinnamon, have you ever tried?”

Fearne takes a daisy shaped shortbread and puts it on like a ring. “Take a sip of the drink too, you wouldn’t think lemonmilk whiskey would work, but everything Nana whips up at the tiki bar is just so, so good.”

“I know someone who really should take a sip.” She scoots her chair around to face the side better. “Isn’t that right Lewdie Loo? Would Lewdie Loo like a sippy?” She flicks the archmage on the forehead but he doesn’t move, the lump to his head having knocked him unconscious. 

“I still think this is a terrible idea.” Fjord mutters. Caleb hmms in agreement, his eyes not leaving the robed mage. 

Jester and Fearne’s head both snap to look at the recently dubbed 'boy’s table' in the garden yard. 

“What was that, my husband?” Jester asks.

“I said he’s a terrible honeymoon guest!” Fjord holds up his cup, mimicking a clink in Jester’s direction. 

“He’s totally right.” Fearne sighs. “What a party pooper!”

Jester puts the cup back on the table, eyeing up Ludinus. “You think Lewdie Loo would like a slide?”

Fjord hears that and gently knocks his elbow into Caleb’s side. “I know this is probably... a lot. You don’t have to be here for this.” 

Caleb considers this, eyes still narrowed on Ludinus. “How long is the slide, the faun said?”

“The height of the whole house.” 

“And it empties into the swamp behind the house that she said ‘was probably full of faerie poo and leftovers from the skin garden'?”

“That’s what she said if you believe it.”

Caleb nodded once and then stood up. “I have decided I definitely want to be here for this.”