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fae_wildest2024-02-29 11:16 pm
faewildmods) wrote in fae_wildest2024-02-29 11:16 pm
TDM #2 - Spring is in the Air~
Spring is In the Air;
Our Second TDM is here and we're ready for some warmer weather!
☙ Arrival ☙
'You find yourself wandering through a forest of strange colors. The last thing you remember is a strange ring of mushrooms in a riot of shades, singing to you in ethereal tones, tempting you and telling you to step in the midst them to discover riches beyond measure. As you do, a bright white light flashes before your eyes. When your sight returns, the forest of bizarre trees and plants looms before and around you.
As you step forward, laughter—deep and menacing and also light and tinkling—follows your footsteps. Yelling, questioning, gets you nowhere. Only a narrow path of stones allows you to avoid the foliage that seems to want to eat you alive. If you step off of the path, you find vines wrap around your legs, dragging you into the dark interior of the forest, until you wake up later, your body covered in strange symbols that will disappear after a few days. For those wise enough to not tempt fate and stay on the path, soft blue lights—fairies of indeterminate sex—appear, and beckon you to follow them down the path through the trees. A few hours of walking brings you to a village of stone and wooden thatched houses that appear as if they're both brand new and ancient at the same time.
A creature that at once appears to be monstrously beautiful and hideously decrepit steps forward to greet you, holding out a small silver hand mirror with a smile that makes your blood run cold (if you have any sense). "Welcome to the Fae Wild, child. This is the domain of the Handmaiden of the Sidhe Queens. Come with me. The others are waiting. All will be explained once we are gathered." It is then that you see the others spoken of, people that look almost.... normal and just as confused and angry as you are.
Dare you step forward to learn your fate?'
So, you’ve survived the trip down the path and made it to the village that is the heart of the Fae Wild. The Handmaiden and her helpers, mostly pixies, brownies and some sylph and dryads, are handing out silver hand mirrors to all of the newcomers. Once you’re all gathered, the Handmaiden will explain that you’ve been brought here with the promise of riches and treasure through the magical fairy rings. While you’re here, you will be expected to assist the fae creatures in the activities the Handmaiden has picked for you to do.
If you agree to it, you will be richly rewarded. If you refuse? Well, how much do you enjoy the thought of being put under a cloche jar for a while? Don’t worry. You’ll be able to breathe in there. It wouldn’t be good to have someone die on their first day after all. After securing your agreement, your mirror will flash five times, and tapping the surface shows a letter-type of message in flowing script, telling you how to reach your new cottage during your stay.
Questions to the fae may or may not be answered, but never fear. They want you alive. For now.
☙ Clever Clovers ☙
With the warming of the weather, more small fae seem to be spilling into the Fae Wild all clad in green. Against the starkness of the snow of winter and the darkness of the long nights, the sight is a welcomed one by the regular denizens of the village. While these new fae travel around, they’re followed by trails of light that disperse in many directions. As the motes hit the ground, they burst into showers of sparkles that leave behind bright sparks of greenery that would make a fully stocked conservatory blush in envy.
For those that know, the closer you get to the new plants, the better you can tell that you’re staring at Trifolium, or better known as clovers. No flowers have bloomed yet, but the unmistakable clusters of three leaves gathered around a central stem are there in all their simple beauty.
The new fae—leprechauns from the Summer Court, of course—are happy to tell you that they will reward you if you can find their special shamrock among all the new plants. For those of you who pick the standard three-leaved clovers, you’ll be given recipes for teas and dishes that they can be used in, with the promise that any food products consumed of these varieties will shake off the last of the Winter’s blues that are sticking around stubbornly. If you are lucky enough to find a four-leaved clover, a real and true shamrock, the leprechauns will happily reward you with one wish (within reason, of course). And, those of you who find a five-leafed clover….
Well, you like having green skin for the next week, right?
Make sure that you sign up down below so the mods can RNG which clover you find.
For those that know, the closer you get to the new plants, the better you can tell that you’re staring at Trifolium, or better known as clovers. No flowers have bloomed yet, but the unmistakable clusters of three leaves gathered around a central stem are there in all their simple beauty.
The new fae—leprechauns from the Summer Court, of course—are happy to tell you that they will reward you if you can find their special shamrock among all the new plants. For those of you who pick the standard three-leaved clovers, you’ll be given recipes for teas and dishes that they can be used in, with the promise that any food products consumed of these varieties will shake off the last of the Winter’s blues that are sticking around stubbornly. If you are lucky enough to find a four-leaved clover, a real and true shamrock, the leprechauns will happily reward you with one wish (within reason, of course). And, those of you who find a five-leafed clover….
Well, you like having green skin for the next week, right?
Make sure that you sign up down below so the mods can RNG which clover you find.
☙ Rampant Blooms ☙
Spring arrives with the first few brave buds of crocuses and daffodils pushing their way up through the still snow-scattered ground. These blossoms are only the vanguard of what is to come, and soon the Fae Wild is awash in flowers, bright and colorful and full of the promise of warmer weather and brighter days.
And also full of magic. Because it’s the Faewild.
Each species of flower seems to have its own flavor of enchantment. Breathing in the scent of the flowers or even a casual brush against their petals will be enough for the spell to take hold.
Luckily for everyone the effects will pass in a few hours’ time as long as you get away from the flowers. Unluckily for everyone, you don’t build up a resistance to the effects, so second and third exposures will have the same effect as the first. Also, multiple flowers can affect someone at the same time. Hopefully you aren’t gifted an unfortunate bouquet.
And also full of magic. Because it’s the Faewild.
Each species of flower seems to have its own flavor of enchantment. Breathing in the scent of the flowers or even a casual brush against their petals will be enough for the spell to take hold.
Daffodils will inspire uncontrollable joy. Even the most dour and curmudgeonly sort will find themselves all smiles and laughter, unable to contain the happiness, Hey, there are worse things, right?
Soft blue forget-me-nots on the other hand, are the source of sorrow and tears. They will dredge up the saddest moments and memories in your life and leave you a weepy, sniffly mess. Cry it out, babes. Maybe it’ll be cathartic?
Trumpet shaped petunias will leave you in a rage. Even if you’re not the type to ever lose your temper, you’ll find yourself lashing out. Verbally, physically, who knows. Could get dicey.
Hyacinths summon jealousy and envy strong enough to overwhelm your better senses, even if there’s no rational basis for it.
Regal irises stir terror inside those they afflict. Everything is suddenly frightening, even for the bravest warriors.
Red, pink, white, and lavender roses will have you absolutely bursting with love. Romantic love? Platonic love? Could be either, but wow are you just so full of love. Better share it. Hugs? Confessions? Crying over how lucky you are to know the object of your affection? Yeah, all that.
Orchids on the other hand, well, those are less love and much more lust. Orchids act as an aphrodisiac. Hopefully you at least wait until you’re behind closed doors? Or else the Fae are likely to get a free show.
Soft blue forget-me-nots on the other hand, are the source of sorrow and tears. They will dredge up the saddest moments and memories in your life and leave you a weepy, sniffly mess. Cry it out, babes. Maybe it’ll be cathartic?
Trumpet shaped petunias will leave you in a rage. Even if you’re not the type to ever lose your temper, you’ll find yourself lashing out. Verbally, physically, who knows. Could get dicey.
Hyacinths summon jealousy and envy strong enough to overwhelm your better senses, even if there’s no rational basis for it.
Regal irises stir terror inside those they afflict. Everything is suddenly frightening, even for the bravest warriors.
Red, pink, white, and lavender roses will have you absolutely bursting with love. Romantic love? Platonic love? Could be either, but wow are you just so full of love. Better share it. Hugs? Confessions? Crying over how lucky you are to know the object of your affection? Yeah, all that.
Orchids on the other hand, well, those are less love and much more lust. Orchids act as an aphrodisiac. Hopefully you at least wait until you’re behind closed doors? Or else the Fae are likely to get a free show.
Luckily for everyone the effects will pass in a few hours’ time as long as you get away from the flowers. Unluckily for everyone, you don’t build up a resistance to the effects, so second and third exposures will have the same effect as the first. Also, multiple flowers can affect someone at the same time. Hopefully you aren’t gifted an unfortunate bouquet.
☙ Kelpies, Kelpies, All Around! ☙
The Fae in the village are hurried around this time of year, openly talking of Kelpie mating season. There are open warnings to stay away from any body of water, whether it be the lake or the various streams in the forest.
The villagers mostly tell you to beware. They've lost too many to the mating season.
Upon asking any of the village denizens, they'll tell you the tale of the kelpie, a beautiful and powerful black horse that preys on anyone it encounters. They seek companionship, in either form. In its equine form, the kelpie is able to extend the length of its back to carry many riders into the depths. In human form, they lure their victims into the water to devour them, then throw the entrails to the water's edge.
The kelpies are solitary creatures, able to transform into human figures. The only distinction is that they usually have water weeds in their hair. Traditionally, Kelpies keep to a male form, but are known to revert to a female one as well. A telltale sign a horse is a kelpie is that their hooves are backwards.
The villagers tell you that it's your job to keep them away from the village so everyone stays safe. It's an honor to be chosen for this because of how dangerous it is. There are several ways to do this - you can try to outright kill them. They have a weakness to silver and iron, the villagers say. The second way is to gain control of the kelpie's bridle while in equine form. It's a risky maneuver, but on rare occasions you can instruct it to go back to where it came from. Or put it to work.
The kelpies are solitary creatures, able to transform into human figures. The only distinction is that they usually have water weeds in their hair. Traditionally, Kelpies keep to a male form, but are known to revert to a female one as well. A telltale sign a horse is a kelpie is that their hooves are backwards.
The villagers tell you that it's your job to keep them away from the village so everyone stays safe. It's an honor to be chosen for this because of how dangerous it is. There are several ways to do this - you can try to outright kill them. They have a weakness to silver and iron, the villagers say. The second way is to gain control of the kelpie's bridle while in equine form. It's a risky maneuver, but on rare occasions you can instruct it to go back to where it came from. Or put it to work.
The villagers mostly tell you to beware. They've lost too many to the mating season.
☙ Mirror Network ☙
The mirror plays its cheerful and difficult to ignore chime, flashing to let you know that you’ve received a message. Everyone has. And it’s not going to stop until you give it a look.
When you do, the face in the mirror belongs to a woman, eerily beautiful in the way the fae seem so talented at. Her hair is dark, skin fair but looking faintly sun kissed, cheeks flushed and full of life. Her eyes seem to shift, blue to green to gray to darker, to an impossible violet and pink and green and back again. This is the face of the Summer Queen, greeting her Handmaiden’s guests as Spring has finally arrived.
“Winter is ending, and all the secrets hidden by the snow are starting to be known. Tell me a secret, my dear? Share with me something you keep in your deepest heart?”
Her voice is gentle and musical, lulling, as if you can trust everything and anything she says. Of course you can. And why would you possibly refuse her request? Unless you muster up an impressive amount of willpower to resist the magical charm being cast upon you, you will find yourself compelled to reply, to share some unspoken secret with the woman in the mirror.
Sadly, your reply will be broadcast to the entire mirror network and shared with everyone. Oops. But hey, what better way to make new friends than a speed run to vulnerability and intimacy? Happy Spring!
When you do, the face in the mirror belongs to a woman, eerily beautiful in the way the fae seem so talented at. Her hair is dark, skin fair but looking faintly sun kissed, cheeks flushed and full of life. Her eyes seem to shift, blue to green to gray to darker, to an impossible violet and pink and green and back again. This is the face of the Summer Queen, greeting her Handmaiden’s guests as Spring has finally arrived.
“Winter is ending, and all the secrets hidden by the snow are starting to be known. Tell me a secret, my dear? Share with me something you keep in your deepest heart?”
Her voice is gentle and musical, lulling, as if you can trust everything and anything she says. Of course you can. And why would you possibly refuse her request? Unless you muster up an impressive amount of willpower to resist the magical charm being cast upon you, you will find yourself compelled to reply, to share some unspoken secret with the woman in the mirror.
Sadly, your reply will be broadcast to the entire mirror network and shared with everyone. Oops. But hey, what better way to make new friends than a speed run to vulnerability and intimacy? Happy Spring!
yrefel of the red barren | original | new player
There is... so much green.
Once Yrefel makes her way along the path and into the village, she stands dumbstruck at its outer edge, head tipped upward as she takes the sight in: the little wooden buildings densely clustered together, green growing everywhere there's a spare inch to cram it in, fae of all kinds and shapes walking on winding paths. She has felt out of place among her people for such a long time, and here, she feels even more foreign.
She tugs the hood of her cloak a little lower, though it does little to conceal the bumps of her horns or the black bandages wound over her eyes. Her dark attire, suited for the desert, only makes her stick out further. For the first time in a long time, she feels lost. Unsure of her purpose. If she is no longer at home in the Red Barren, what is she? How long will it take her to get back? Can she get back at all?
Shield-Mother, her lips form a silent, fervent prayer, Mother of Star and Sand, guide my hand and show me my path.
She recieves no response. All that happens is that someone approaches, and stops, and Yrefel's statue-like demeanor in the middle of the path is clearly blocking their way.
"My apologies," she murmurs, head ducked. Yrefel moves aside, but asks, "May I ask you a question? Where is this? Is this truly the Fae Wild as I was told, or was I being decieved?"
It's taken Yrefel a while to start exploring this new place. At home, she had only ever lived in one city, and though she had spent considerable time in the red sands and mountains close by, never had she visited another port of civilization.
She's having some culture shock, needless to say.
Loathe to get too close to people, Yrefel has stuck mainly to the lesser populated areas of the town. A tavern that she found was far too crowded. The shops, too, seem to be packed. Eventually she had settled on a small side-street corner, crouched against the wall as she observes the comings and goings of the town and its people. They all seem to be relishing the spring blooms, and Yrefel thinks nothing of being a little too close to some red roses. Where she comes from, flowers don't sponatenously cause magical effects.
So when she finds herself speaking to the next stranger that passes, Yrefel is baffled and appalled at herself, and yet, she cannot stop.
"I have never seen so much green," she breathes. She... thinks she might love it. "Such a color is a rarity where I am from, found only in hard, low-lying brush and imported plants. I never imagined a place could look like this. Does it always look like this?"
When the locals had told Yrefel that it was her job to keep the kelpies away from the village, Yrefel had thanked them.
Finally. After half a day of feeling so lost, she has purpose once more.
Here, she stands at the edge of the lake's water, gloved hands tucked into her cloak, still and serene. She has kept watch like this for decades, and she finds it soothing. Meditative, almost. Yrefel has none of her weapons, and all of the souls inside of her feel constrained, her magic leashed alongside them. That means the fight will be more difficult, but she has faith.
She says nothing to the person that joins her watch, but eventually extends a hand to point. "There. Ripples in the water approach us."
Yrefel tilts her head, listening. "I will attempt to gain control of the kelpie's bridle. I am not used to fighting with others, but if you have a way to distract it, that would be to our advantage."
I refuse. What secrets rot in my heart are for me and me alone. I sometimes wish I was allowed a friend, or someone to treasure, but--
[ Whoops. Looks like some of the compulsion got to her. Yrefel's lips thin, eyebrows creasing above her blindfold. ]
You heard nothing.
Blooms
But, since he's spent so long as the Patron of a large, busy city, he's used to people coming up to him (when he allowed it). When the other woman approaches, he raises an eyebrow and smiles despite himself. "Yeah, it's always very colorful here. The Fae like it. Even in the middle of snow and cold, they've made sure that there were things that could catch the eye and keep us from getting too lost in the forests."
no subject
His answer makes her nod thoughtfully, head tipped to face the town as she watches the comings and goings. She has never seen snow, either.
"They are considerate towards outsiders, then," Yrefel assumes. She tucks her gloved hands into her cloak, and there's a strange warmth in her heart as she regards this funny little town. (If only she knew this sensation of love was coming from the nearby roses. She'd be mortified.) "Is there a limit to that? Do they shun those who are too different from them?"
no subject
He's not exactly sure if it's consideration or selfishness on their part, but he's lived long enough and seen enough to think that it's probably more the latter than the former. Those with power aren't really putting others first, from what he knows.
"Depends on what you mean by too different? I take it you haven't seen what some of these faeries look like. There's some really... interesting ideas that they have as to what "people" and "humans" look like."
ii. rampant blooms
They incline their head in something like a bow. "If I may be so bold, I should like to know what to call you."
Mirror