Conspiracy Monthly

 By Kieran/Kyra Barry

What You Missed - A Library in Fae

by: Sky

Heroes of the Realms,

I write to you today to bring your attention to the reopening and recreation of the Great Library of Faerie. I shall keep my accounting formal, in such a way as to convey the information of what occurred there. For those who do not know, the Library is a place of history, of wonder, and of stories. Rather than books, as a mortal library would have, the Library of Faerie is filled with flowers. Each flower has a unique scent, and when watered by the adventures, would pull us into the story to witness it firsthand. Within the library were thirteen flowers, of which we had time to experience the stories of six. These stories spoke of meaningful moments throughout history. Some were meaningful to Faerie, some to the History of the Realms, and some more… personal.

((OOC: there is an ink blotch there, as Raindrop’s handwriting gets less precise and careful))

We could smell the flowers to discover the tune of the story within. The first flower we entered was one of conflict. Some of, perhaps, the darker parts of faerie. Abducted mortals and lesser fae danced to the tune of nobility, killing each other in a gruesome display of violence. This went on for some time, until Sir Tara, done with the ceaseless bloodshed, took her fae blade and slew the nobility, spilling their blood upon the ground in a display of wrath, piercing their protections. The illusion of the story shattered, and many of us were left with our wounds. We took time, then, to rally. To account for the dead. The vision conjured up some deep emotions for some of us, which are personal, and I will not speak of them here. What I will speak of is the learning that within each story, something was wrong. One of the tasks that the librarbeeans of the library tasked us with was finding the anomaly, so that we could untangle the flowers. With that, we had our goal for the day.

The second flower took us to a conflict between hags and bees, watched on by a queen who prized beauty above all else. She sought her daughter, Princess Muffin, who had run off with one of the hags. The nobility looked on as the bees and hags fought for control over land and flowers. It was… for lack of a better term… a blood bath. Eventually we identified the anomaly, a Risen Kingdoms soldier who had wandered in, and identified the end of the story, the Queen’s crown getting stolen, and then traded back by the bees for the construction of a great library. The illusion faded, and we found ourselves back in the Library, our wounds gone and some of our magics restored.

The third flower took us to an ethereal battleground. I admit, I was the anomaly here, so I understood less of what was happening, but as I played the role of a… storyteller… I was invested in learning of the story so that I could tell it. So I will recount what I had learned. A summoner of some significant strength, mourning the loss of their friends, attempted to conjure them back to the mortal realms. They tore a rift between realms, calling forth ghosts, but not the ghosts of their friends. I believe they also may have been responsible for the reanimation of Tibia? Magical Entities flooded out of the tear, locked in conflict, trying to heal the wounds in the realm. At no point was the summoner able to call back their loved ones. Through the Grace of the Duke of Knowledge, whose identity we still know not, I was able to recognize that this story wasn’t real, and push a bit harder to seem off, where I was identified by a group of three other adventurers, including Princess Cressida.

I admit to dealing with some personal matters after this flower, and know not the discussions which happened, but I know that following this we were drawn into a story of cultists following the rune Midoru, which should be lost. I was the leader of the cult, the so called Lord of Curses, as he prepared people to be sacrificed under the care of his lieutenants and second in command. At the end, using a spell I will not write down, but made use of the curse rune, the Lord of Curses ritually sacrificed a person, ending the story. It seemed as though this anomaly was a Mayflower from a ball.

The fifth story… was a trip into a village. There, a fae named… ((OOC: ink spills onto the page. There’s a break. The text below is in a different handwriting))

The fifth flower we chose to go into brought us to Storm Village, within Fae. It was a peaceful place at first, though we did experience the incursion of a single Tergum Vir which wasn't meant to be there. For those who were lucky enough to miss the Bedlam War, know that the Tergum Vir could cause you to be consumed by the darkness with a touch. Unexpected as it was and in a crowd of those unfamiliar with it, it was able to consume many before a great deal of magic was expended to remove it from the story. 

From there, I was admittedly experiencing a growing anxiety. Raindrop had warned me before we entered this flower about what the memory within likely referred to and I have some familiarity of my own with what it means to be in an unsuspecting village in the First Age with a massing army in the forest beyond. Oberon's betrayal was at the gate and my anxiety was a living thing rapidly exiting my control. 

Another interesting note were the constructs present, creations of the Inventor Gwydion. they were part of the defenses of the village. Unbeknownst to me, a drama was playing out behind me while I attempted to get my fear back under control. One of our number in the part of Raindrop's previous cycle, Crispin, had returned from scouting beyond the bounds of the village. They were telling others about what they had seen, about the blades of Wayland and the Darkness. Among those was another fae in the village, an individual named Siward. From what I recall, they were a storyteller and I will leave their connection to Raindrop for them to tell, should they wish to.

Beyond the village, the goblins continued to mass and soon broke through. Those of us who could defend ourselves took our positions to defend those behind us. Praise be to the Dukes and Duchesses, this was only an early attack and not when with the dread blades in hand, though none of us knew it. The only thing in my mind was that defense but I have been told that Siward was crafting them in clay to put in Harkel to ensure our survival. Between that and sheer desperation, we did stand, though we knew as we exited that flower that Storm Village would fall to another, future attack. I hope this helped and that this covered all the important things. Apologies for anything left unclear.

-Sir Tara

((The text returns to the original handwriting))

I’m sorry for that. I asked for help to pen the fifth flower, but I will resume the sixth. In the final flower, we ventured back into the tale of the Book of Moons. There, we explored four different stories, where adventurers ventured to repair the book and use it to delve to another realm, where we encountered the story of a Dislumina consuming the sun. I am not sure exactly what happened to end it, but with the end of that story, our time in the library came to an end, with many stories still remaining to be explored. I do hope that we can return someday, and see the remaining stories.

It is worth noting that one of the flowers had been wilted and had been corrupted by the story of bedlam that it contained. Cimone and Rekees seanced the Duchess Ophelia to ask for her advice, and she said that sometimes the best thing that can be done is wish something a better life in the next cycle. I lent them my fae blade, which was used to send the flower to its next cycle.

May this be useful, to those who read it,

Dame Raindrop Storm

With guest writing from Sir Tara Harkon

((OOC: Sky here! This was a fantastic event with references and stories of several backstories, stories of realms history, and delightful roleplaying. Eric is an excellent storyteller, and I look forward to seeing if he has plans to run another library event in the future. If he does, I cannot recommend it highly enough.))

Why I Want To Go - Clontarf Shuffle V

 By Kyra/Kieran "Omri" Barry

Good day, people of the Realms!

You may be wondering why I, a non-poker player, would want to go to a poker tournament event? Wouldn't it be one-note? Won't I be bored? Au contraire my dear readers, for as long as I've gone to Clontarf Shuffle I've never once been bored, despite not once gambling. Except for the dino races which only require a little bit of skill and mathematical skills to assess which ratios are favorable to bet on, and a whole lot of luck which King Orion sorely lacks for this as he's repeatedly lost his squire's tuition several times over. Or so he's claimed. He's certainly lost some amount of coin, for what original purpose is unknown. Tip: If he plays, bet on different dinos, his are out to get him and cost him money.

If my eyes don't deceive me, Lady Kyomi is the feastocrat! If you've had the misfortune of never attending an event where she's been in charge of the food, rectify that as soon as possible! Even a dayboard from her kitchen that's continuously supplied by delicious food instead of a full feast is not to be missed. My mouth waters thinking of previous fares she's made, and while I can hope for some returns I'll be happy to eat whatever she provides.

Food and gambling, what more could you want? Yet, somehow Sir Tao still provides! In past events there have been light questing opportunities throughout the day, giving people the opportunity to help out around Blackwood and other nearby things.

Not to eschew the gamblers, this will feature the final stacked deck table! Good luck and may fortune be in your favor.

Speaking of gambling, a non-traditional method of gambling is bidding tickets in the auction! There are a variety of fabulous items every year, and you never know if you're going to get the item you placed a ticket for. Ooo, aaah, thrilling.

Even if you don't like gambling, food, and light questing, it's an excellent opportunity to socialize. There's no great looming overhead threat, so people can just enjoy each other's company. I certainly do.

May your paths be lit,

Omri

OOC:

This is also a charity event, as it has been in past years! Coming and donating will lead to charitable gains for the End 68 hours of hunger charity, information found here https://www.end68hoursofhunger.org/. Even if you don't donate, any extra bit left over from the event will be going towards charity, so the more people show the more likely they'll have money to donate.

I genuinely have such a good time whenever I've gone. 

Tournaments of Artemis XIII - Tournament Results

 organized by Dani Lacasse

At Tournaments of Artemis this year we had a total of 12 competing teams; 

Church of Arius - Lead by Companion 

Team Corvus - Lead by Corvus

Team Princess - Lead by Princess Cressida

Team Fun - Lead by Irri

Svalborg - Lead by Hedda

Team Fern - Lead by Fern

Half of Suneicar - Lead by Crane 

Team Dunno? - Lead by Topaz

Team Shrimp - Lead by Second

Team 90 - Lead by Shandar 

Team 4 - Lead by Four

Vinya Ohtari - Lead by Lupa

Team Grand Melee

1st : Team 90  2nd: Vinya Ohtari   3rd: Team Half of Suneicar

Singles - Sword and Dagger 

1st: Half of Suneicar  2nd: Svalborg  3rd: Team Fern 

Singles - Sword and Shield

1st: Team Dunno?  2nd: Team Princess  3rd: Team Fern 

Singles - Five Foot

1st: Svalborg  2nd: 90  3rd: Vinya Ohtari 

13 Lives

1st : Team 90  2nd: Vinya Ohtari   3rd: Church of Arius

 

Pigeon Teatime

Winner: Team Dunno?   

Bear Pit

1st : Team 90   2nd: Vinya Ohtari 3rd: Team Fun

Danger Zone

*This tournament did not have time to complete, instead teams that one the first round were all given an equal amount of points.*

Winners: Team 90, Team Dunno?, Team 4. Team Princess, Team Fern, Svalborg   

Fights of Valor

1st : Team 90   2nd: Svalborg   3rd: Team Princess

Overall: 

1st: Team 90

2nd: Svalborg   

3rd: Team Dunno?

Superlatives:

Most Honorable: Vinya Ohtari

Best Energy: Team Fun

Most Tactical: Team Fern

Most Spirited: Team Shrimp

Most Resilience: Team Corvus 

Best Friendly Banter: Team Four

The Muse Award: Priona "Luna" Crescenti

Rumors around the Realms May 1026

 

Rumors around the Realms April 1026

Blackwood

Overheard at Clontarf Castle. 

Yes, Tell Sir Magnus HeavyHammer thank you very much for the coin, yes it will be in the auction, yes, I am sure it’s real. Yes, it is still worth 30 of [fades out]. 

~

There’s been some curious talk that the Crown’s little Ward has a habit of… wandering. Vanishing from for a day or two, only to turn up again safe and sound. Folk are starting to say the fae might be borrowing the little one for their own amusements.

Various Locations Throughout the Realms

Travelers speak of faint digging heard at night in places where no living hands should be working, as though unseen labor has returned to forgotten ground. In villages near old burial sites, locals whisper that the dead are not rising in force, but being quietly rearranged and accounted for...less an army being rebuilt than a process of correction unfolding, as if past failures are being methodically amended one grave at a time.

Kenkilit, Voraniss

Preparations are underway at the Church of Aurora for the wedding of Priestess Lightbringer Margaret August and Champion Sir Tirvanel Fuller. Foreign guests have slowly begun to arrive in anticipation of the event, and Templars of Arius can be seen scouting out the venue and adding their own protections to that of the Aurorans. In Mirador, money exchanges hands over the potential of an invasion or kidnapping. But in spite of these somewhat morbid bets, the atmosphere is joyous and cheerful. 

near Blackwater 

Some early crops have been withering no sooner than planted, along with trails of sickened plant life found here and there in the forests and swamps.

Chimeron

Rumors of sent letters going missing have spread, with some people wondering if they can still reliably send letters and expect them to arrive. Despite these rumors, Chimeronian officials have been unable to verify this, saying that mail audits have shown no abnormalities. 

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

What You Missed - Tournaments of Chocolate

by: Eric "Johan" Stegehuis

*puts down piece of chocolate cake*

We started the day in the lands of Eagle’s Rook being introduced to Avendroth fae and signing up for all of the tournaments at once, which I highly appreciate because it minimized downtime between formats. Combat began with a double elimination 2pt armor single short duel extravaganza which was quite fun, but did take a significant amount of time. Thankfully, the event staff realized this and moved to unarmored combat for the rest of the day and played with double versus single elimination until they found what I believe to be a good balance of double elim no armor with one or two fights running at a time. Side note, I am extra happy we didn’t do armor for the double dagger contest because I would like to keep my knuckles. We had a litany of marshals, many from Eagle’s Rook and one of them looking suspiciously like if Saegan had anime hair, who helped the day run very smoothly and explained the format to every combat. Everyone fought honorably (including the weather) and seemed to enjoy the fights and the rounds of snacks and food produced by the kitchen to keep us sustained.

Throughout the day, adventurers took part in the alchemy dungeon (I don’t remember its actual name) which tested your creativity and knowledge of alchemical recipes as well as magical thinking. I love these kinds of  “escape room” puzzle tourneys and look forward to seeing the next evolution of this. The other noncom tournament was due before the event started and challenged us to recall the history of Eagle’s Rook, the winning contestant of which I believe was published earlier this week.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the dog on the field. His name is Camo and he is everyone’s best friend, they might just not know it yet. He got to meet so many people and was the perfect little fluff (ignore that he’s not that little) to go cuddle with between fights. Seriously it was nice to see adventurers taking turns walking around or playing with the dog friend. I love him.

Eventually, it was time for the final tournament: any combo double elim and points are awarded based on how many kills you get before elimination, which is interesting and fun if you ask me. As for winners, I believe Shandar won most of the tournaments and so deservingly got first place overall; the reward for which was first pick of the many chocolate treats laid out by the event staff. I picked out a large piece of flourless chocolate cake made by Fern and it was absolutely delicious. Other participants took their picks and eventually everybody who wanted a treat got one. I look forward to more events hosted by Eagle’s Rook! Anyways, I gotta finish this cake.

*picks up cake again*

Oh btw did I forget the mention there was a dog?