Prospectus Logs #29: Snowflakes Are Falling on my Head +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | More on faeries; introducing the Snow Queen, who is the sister to the | | Queen of the May. Also, talking fish, the troubles with apprentices, | | and hungry ogres. Finally, trips to the May Queen's court, the clouds | | above Prospectus Locus, and the covenant of Estancia-es-Karida. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Dramatis Personae: Albus Magus of Tytalus (Shanon Appel) Berengarius the Bloodthirsty Magus of Criamon (Eric Rowe) Frangere Magus of Tremere (Eric Fulton) Fraxima the Faerie Flambeau Maga of Flambeau (Donald Kubasak) Larissa Maga of Mercere (Kevin Wong) Lorum Magus of Merinita (Bill Filios) Risus Magus of Criamon (Dave Woo) Viator the Villainous Magus of Jerbiton (Dave Pickering) Aubrin the Evil Elder Magus of Merinita Pietro Viator's Apprentice Tara Albus' Apprentice Hufar Grog Jean-Patrice Grog Julian Grog Michelle Grog Roger-Tien Grog Torp Grog Dux Aquil Faerie Duke of the Beaches & Shores Beth Human Captive Elentor Faerie Queen of Snow and Cold Stuff Gorka Magical Cod Isaac of Badjoz Jewish Rabbi May Queen Faerie Queen of Summer in Winter Samson Squid-Kraken Silver Lady Faerie Faerie Story Guide: Chris Van Horn +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | A CHRONOLOGY: Meeting the Fay | | | | * September 22, 1213 - Young magi of Prospectus Locus first meet the | | the May Queen, and so lift an ancient curse. (Prospectus Logs #2, | | "May Flowers") | | | | * December 22, 1213 - Encounter with the previously unknown Dux Aquil, | | who claims rulership over the fay of Prospectus Locus. (Prospectus | | Logs #4, "I'd Like to Be under the Sea") | | | | * July 15, 1214 - First meeting with Thom, on an expedition to destroy | | the power of the Shadow Flambeau. (Prospectus Logs #7, "The Dark | | Flame Quenched") | | | | * January 1, 1215 - Encounter with the strange Goddess. (Prospectus | | Logs #9, "To Serve the Queen") | | | | * April 15, 1215 - First meeting with the Vole Queen, when the four | | great faerie lords gather: the May Queen, the Vole Queen, Thom, and | | Aquil. (Prospectus Logs #11, "A Gathering of Fay") | | | | * July 22, 1217 - Jelel, the brother of Thom, is encountered in | | Germany. (Prospectus Logs #23, "But the Turtle Came Back") | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - Albus' Dialogues January 17, 1218 Late Afternoon Odd occurrences today. A snowstorm blew over the covenant. Even stranger, there was snow fallng in my lab. I don't know what to make of it. I enjoyed the cold, but Tara was upset. I think I shall move down to Fabricarious' lab tomorrow and see if the snowstorm follows. - * - The Memoirs of Aubrin the Evil January 17, 1218 It seems that Pietro, Viator's young apprentice, is a bit more than we bargained for, for he has some odd affinity with fish. Fifteen cod have been collected in the bath-house, because Pietro was afraid of Samson eating them, and this caused Viator to start worrying about the whole affair. Viator discovered that one of the fish was actually magical, a fellow named Gorka, and so he also has some concerns about Gorka saying bad things to his apprentice. I'm sure all will turn out for the best, but certainly things take odd and strange turns sometimes, in our magical world. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Don't we put everything in the bathhouse?" | | -Larissa, on etiquette | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - Albus' Dialogues January 18, 1218 Mid-day Well, it seems I have been banished. The cold continued today. Most pleasantly, I should note. It didn't follow me to Fabricarious' lab. The storm did remain over the covenant though. It seems to cover about two miles and is unmoving. Most magical. I was enjoying some comraderie with my old friend Fabricarious when Frangere burst him. He blustered about the cold, our rice crops, and other things. Then he challenged me to a certamen. After a few seconds I conceded defeat. So I must leave the covenant for a season. The hope is that the storm shall follow me. I have spoken with Isaac and we shall go to Estancia-es-Karida and there continue our studies. Viator has kindly volunteered to fly us there. - * - The Memoirs of Aubrin the Evil January 18, 1218 Albus is gone, and night is come, but still the snows falls heavy on Prospectus Locus, and so I have appointed Berengarius and Michelle to lead an expedition to discover the source of our problems. I suspect fay, and believe that this surfeit of snow is within the power of both the May Queen and Aquil, and so I have told Berengarius to investigate these two possibilities. - * - The Council Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal January 18, 1218 In attendence: Aubrin, Berengarius, Catorse, Drake, Fabricarious, Forticulus, Frangere, Fraxima, Larissa, Lorum, Risus, Viator, and Xanti; also myself, Lucindia the Seneschal. Absent: Albus and Viator, en route to Estancia-es-Karida. * AUBRIN noted that Berengarius and Risus are traveling to the May Queen while Lorum is traveling to Dux Aquil, all to try and determine the cause of our recent, ongoing snows. Points of Debate: * FABRICARIOUS suggested that a magus should lead any mission which contains at least one magus upon it. This was accepted. * LORUM stated that chickens should not determine which fay we decide to side with. This resolution passed. * BERENGARIUS suggested that if a chicken has a valid point, at least one person should listen to it. This failed. - * - The Memoirs of Aubrin the Evil January 21, 1218 It seems that Aquil is becoming increasingly bureaucratic, for Lorum returned today saying that the Dux no longer met with people without credentials. I wrote some credentials up for Lorum, who also decided to take his bone chair, to mark him as the May Queen's Fool. Viator, who has just returned from Estancia-es-Karida, has opted to join Lorum on this return trip to Aquil's court. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Dux Aquil knows who I am; I'm the guy who tried to kill his turtle." | | -Lorum, on reputations | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ No word back yet from the May Queen's court, but she is four days away, so none was expected. Hopefully one group of the other will get to the bottom of this, for the snow grows deep at Prospectus Locus. - * - Albus' Dialogues January 21, 1218 Early Evening Alas for that wonderful snow they were enjoying at Prospectus Locus. Estancia-es-Karida is nice. It can not compare to that wonderful cold snap, however. Were that I were there, not here. Must add certamen to my list of things to gain skill at. - * - From The Book of Exile As Dictated by Michelle du Provencal January the Twenty-Second, Fourth Year of Exile (1218 AD) "Only when the Earth is swept clean and we all achieve our heavenly bodies shall the taint of life finally be removed." Those were the words of Bernardo, a _prefecti_. He knew the taint within the world, knew how each of us was corrupted, and tried to work with us to cleanse it all. Today, I believe we did his work. It was mid-day when we arrived at the home of the demon-queen of May. We found a valley, mostly deserted, as it had been described to me before, but we were all surprised to discover that a small cottage had been erected in the valley. It was empty, but when I had Torp examine the place he told me that twelve people had once lived there, and that they had disappeared one by one. It was a sure sign of the demonic taint of this place. We then entered the dark, treacherous caves where the May Queen dwells and, following the instructions of the lords, were able to traverse the tunnels to enter her realm. We were met by a dark elf, much like the one that had tricked Torp so recently, and he told us that the May Queen was away, visiting her sister. He would tell us nothing more, but hinted that the May Queen's ogres might have more knowledge. Many types of demons dwell with the May Queen's caves. We made the dark elf bring the ogres to us, and soon we were talking to a number of dumb, large, lumbering hulks. They indeed knew how to visit the May Queen's sister but would only tell us if we brought them food, in the form of five dark elves. Slaying demons seemed like good work, so we agreed. So, we went out hunting. We came upon a group of eight dark elves playing cards and were upon them in a flash, but the dark elves were quick and sprightly. Hufar, Torp, and I each captured one of the demons, but the rest fled. We were not deterred though, for we knew the ogres were exceedingly dumb. So, we chopped the three dark elves apart, mincing and pulping, and then presented the ogres with the pieces, announcing that they were five dead dark elves. The ogres were as good as their word and revealed all that their small minds could remember. They told us that the May Queen's sister was named Elentor, that she was the Demon Queen of Snow and Cold Stuff, and that we could visit her by climbing a spiral staircase in a tunnel behind the May Queen's throne. That would have been that if we hadn't learned that the ogres had other dinner plans, more than just dark elves. They inadvertantly revealed that they had a woman named Beth held captive, and that they were planning to eat her. So, of course, we had to kill them. There were five ogres in all, and they fought like demons, which I suppose is appropriate. They outclassed us greatly, and during the combat Roger-Tien fell to their blows, unconscious, nearly dead. We likely all would have followed him if not for the power of Berengarius' magic. He was able to make the ogres flee and cower, and when his work was finally done, we were able to enter the ogres' caves, while they shook and shivered in a corner, terrified of Berengarius. But I have not yet spoken of The Coincidence, for coincidence is the patron demon of these faerie realms. While we fought, Viator and Lorum had been far away, swimming through the sea, on their way back from a visit with the demon-lord Aquil. Somehow they took a wrong turn and they found themselves emerging from a wash-basin--in the middle of the ogres' lair. So Lorum and Viator had terrified female ogres and a child while we fought against their mates. It was in the lair of the ogres that we were all reunited. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Look at my chair if you don't believe me." | | -Lorum, on credentials | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Lorum found himself in a delicate position, for he is unfortunate enough to owe some allegiance to the demon-queen of May. Thus, he decided to leave before the rest of us took his actions. Using a powerful and righteous aura granted to him by Viator, Lorum was able to lead the three ogre women and one child away. After that, we were able to slaughter all the male ogres. They were already terrified. Viator used his power to make them float as well, as so they were helpless. The lords were quite pleased, speaking of great magical power within the ogres, as well as within the dark elves that we had so recently slain. It was deemed imprudent to bring the demon corpses with us when we visited the Snow Queen, so we sent Julian away with the pile of corpses, all floating thanks to Viator's spells. He took Roger-Tien as well, still greatly wounded. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "We may not be welcome again here after ze slaughter." | | -Michelle, on hospitality | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The rest of us gathered ourselves together and prepared to proceed on, to the castle of the Snow Queen. With us came Beth, the young woman that we had freed from the ogre's clutches. As we made our preparations, Viator revealed that he had gained additional information at Dux Aquil's undersea castle. Aquil had confirmed that he was not responsible for the snow, and had also pointed to the May Queen's sister. However, most interestingly, Aquil had said that the snow was being dropped upon the covenant as a favor to some relative of the Snow Queen--a relative who apparently lived at Prospectus Locus. We were excited and worried by this revelation of another tainted one living among us, but then we are all tainted in this world, some merely more than others. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Just recently we delivered food to ogres." | | -Berengarius, on how to get young women to open doors to strangers | | | | "And killed them." | | -Risus, on how not to | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The stairs were exactly where the ogres had described them, and we ascended them without trouble. At the top was a door, but I was able to demand it be opened, for Viator had also given me one of his righteous auras. We were surprised to discover that the guardian of the door was no other than the Silver Lady, the strange knight that we had met just days before in the realm of the demon-lord Tomas. We had more important things on our mind, however, so after carefully explaining to the Silver Lady that she could not have Beth's body, we proceded on. The land of the Snow Queen, now that was a place of beauty, truly temptation embodied. There was a great castle there, and a village, and all of it rested upon a cloud. After Berengarius dug a hole, he discovered that the cloud was right above the covenant, our home. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Let's go dig a hole and pee." | | -Berengarius, on why Berengarius isn't allowed | | to play in all the reindeer games | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The lords were terribly excited, and they began to run around pushing beds and sleeping peasants through holes in the clouds. They cackled about the power they were gathering. It was disturbing to see my masters so enraptured by demonic temptations, when they had fought against them so recently. Very quickly we were interrupted by two score horsemen come to see what the commotion was. I quickly intercepted them, using my magical aura, and demanded to be brought to the Snow Queen. Viator came with me. We found the May Queen and the Snow Queen both, and spoke to them of the problems that their snow was causing our covenant. The Snow Queen said that she was only listening to the most heartfelt wishes of one of her relatives, who hates the warmth of Prospectus Locus. We were shocked when she offered his name. It was Albus! Viator managed to offend the Snow Queen with his indelicate questions, and so found himself thrown into jail for his troubles, while I was summarily dismissed from the Snow Queen's court, instructed to deliver a message to Albus. I yelled and screamed outside the gates for a while, determined to free Viator, but it was all in vain, for Viator managed to free himself, and the next time the gates to the Snow Queen's castle were opened, it was so he could leave. So, reunited, we decided to regather our companions and make our preparations to leave. The other lords were still busy gathering together peasants to rain upon our covenant--_vis_ raining from the sky was how they described it. We arrived shortly before the Snow Queen's cavalry returned, and so Viator staged an elaborate play where he pretended to drive away the lords and grogs, and as he did they inevitably took a few demon-peasants with them. It worked fine for a few minutes, and then everything abruptly shifted below us. Through our coversation the Snow Queen had learned that Albus was at Estancia-es-Karida, and so she had instantaneously moved her home there! That was when we decided to take our leave; we jumped, and Viator floated us down to Estancia-es-Karida, away at last from the frozen hell of the Snow Queen. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "I was making small talk with ze faerie ladies; it was awful." | | -Michelle, on social interactions | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - Albus' Dialogues January 22, 1218 Late Evening Today was truly a day of surprises. First, to see my friends, Risus, Berengarius, and Viator, suddenly descending from the skies. Then, for them to reveal that the snows were truly my fault. I had assumed this, but I had thought it was my angel trying to torment me. But, their last revelation was too much. That this was all done as a favor by the Snow Queen, because I was her relative! I can scarcely believe it! We tried to visit the Snow Queen afterward. But, we were unable to reach her castle by flying. Faerie is that way sometimes, requiring always certain paths and rituals. Afterward, Michelle remembered to give me a message he had been carrying. There was nothing written upon the note, but inside was a crystal. When I touched it, I felt enveloped by the most wonderful cool. And then the snow, which had just begun minutes before, abruptly stopped. My fellows are returning home. I still have a season to spend here before I am allowed to join them. I can see that I must talk with the May Queen upon my return. - * - The Memoirs of Aubrin the Evil January 24, 1218 Beginnings, middles, and ends, all mixed together this day. For lunch today, Fraxima and I had a nice picnic amidst the melting snow. She seems a nice girl, almost Merinita, just as I am almost Flambeau, I suppose. Then my fellows returned from their trips to the May Queen and the Aquil, via some amazing detour to Estancia-es-Karida, and of all things they swear that Albus is faerie-blooded and also the center of our recent snowy troubles. I must talk with the lad when he returns and discern if this is true. Finally, this evening, Larissa approached me, and I could tell that she was somewhat distraught with all the corpses that my fellows brought back--ogres and dark elves. She has asked to take an indefinite leave of absence, and I have granted her wish, assuring her that there will be no hard feelings. I hope that she does eventually return.