Through the Mirror

[The following elements have been acquired from various sources…]

Hello, would-be hero. My name is Amek, and I am a travelling bard. I pass on the notes within these pages because there is a chance that you too are looking to help the place into which I have wandered. So let's discuss some of the basics of this world.

People call this place Fairy, or Fairyton, or a number of other things. I've seen and heard a number of them just by paying attention to Nexus media – you'd be surprised how often a knowledge of Earth folklore and popular culture comes in handy, in Arcydea and elsewhere.

Let's get the shadow elephant in the room out of the way up front – the land is broken. And I don't mean that in a supposedly meaningful allegory of conflicting houses and opinions, and strife over the kingdom. The land is actually broken. There are sections of it that don't actually exist – if you are particularly sensitive, you might note that the world simply attempts to desperately hide that there isn't actually space where space ought to be, so you find grass instead. It's easiest to consider what lies underneath a portal to the Void, although I'm not entirely certain that it doesn't lead to someplace in particular. I had my suspicions, but now I'm not so sure.

There are a few options for crisscrossing these broken elements of the scenery…

• First and foremost, it seems that some natives are used to this nonsense, and have come up with little stones that sense when they are about to fall through the world, and generate platforms instead. I haven't tested out how long these platforms last, but it does seem like it's for a significant amount of time.

• Second, and I'm thankful to see I'm not the first person to think of this, some people have said to hell with that, and basically built dock-like platforms over it, treating it as yet another nameless sea one should not venture into. It's worth noting that these platforms may or may not be very stable - after all, an unsupported bridge over an abyss will eventually buckle under its own weight if long enough - but it's encouraging, and worth noting that similar techniques would be valid in other locations.

• Third, and my personal choice for the moment, you can always say to hell with walking then and just choose your own method of flight. I say that with tongue in cheek as not everyone can just conjure things up at will… but in all seriousness, try it. No, really. When you go there, focus and see if you can summon an item. Any item. It might work. And you don't know what doesn't work until you've tried it or at least gotten information enough to guess.

Now then – second bit of business – if you talk to anyone who's been here and is the least bit streetwise, they will tell you “don't make any deals”. If you push, you'll find that they aren't attempting to convince you not to start a business selling walnuts to professional tower maidens (yes, that's a thing – more on that later) – they're warning you that you should be careful who you make bargains and agreements with.

• Now in a world of fairy tales, this is usually just because between all the enchantresses, witches, crones, hags, fairies, and other entities out there, the odds that you will come off better for the deal are slim. Seriously, if you are not equipped to deal with witches, you need to be very very careful. Witches be crazy. I've left behind a knife that cuts through magic spells - unless I'm actively using it, I figure you'll need it more than I do. If someone is enchanted, brush them with the knife like you're using it to give them a very close shave - sometimes it'll clear the problem right up.
• Then there's the fact that the kingdom basically seems infested by demons. Someone has been doing some very, very Black Magic (yes, in capitals, it's a thing here, it's bad, and someone sure as hell has been using it, because some areas stink of evil.) If you look at the area from the sky, you'll note that the castle, and much of the surrounding kingdom, seems to be enveloped in darkness – not just the gothic darkness one might expect from a fairy tale, but actual, serious, 'this looks bad' darkness. If you're the type who has powers that can defend you from evil, you are ahead in the game here. If not, tread with caution, because you will be in a lot of danger.
• Either way, be careful what you say. Some entities take everything as binding gospel. Others will turn your requests into the worst possible interpretation. Just imagine those stories of genies, now imagine they hate you and would love to use up your wishes and possibly kill you.

Third bit – musical numbers. No, I'm being serious. If you can sing or play an instrument, you are effectively a magic-user regardless of whether you know any actual spells. You will find that you can summon backup dancers and singers, and you can even make things happen, based on your singing. If you're not good at improvisation, you might want to compose some 'spell' songs before you come here. Just be careful – words and music have power here, and saying or playing the wrong thing can make things worse for you. Rock out responsibly.

First of all, anyone who knows Arcydean history knows that maps can change suddenly, violently, and permanently if some traumatic change occurs. I honestly bet it's the same here – I've gotten some partial maps of the area around where I entered, but they aren't exactly to scale, and did I mention that space doesn't work properly here? Time doesn't either – oh, that's another thing. If you spend a week in Fairyton, don't be surprised if that much time hasn't passed when you get back. You could probably leave a coffee on the bar, go spend an hour in Fairyton, and come back to find that it's cooled just enough to drink safely.

That said, since I'm exploring the lands and working on rebuilding some legends, I'm discovering some things about the areas I encounter.

No, really, I don't know what it's called yet, or right now. It's a fairly modest medieval-looking town – one of those types made with lots of wooden support beams. Despite that, if you look carefully, there's modern conveniences. They have canned soft drinks, after all. I'm not sure whether that's because they actually have a magical canning factory somewhere, or, more likely, if things are just so bad that other worlds are bleeding in to fill the Void.

Important elements:

• Someone is nearly always singing. It's actually a little bit annoying if you're not fond of music. It will give you a chance to note that the locals tend to join in – doing oohs and aahs and such even if they otherwise frankly give zero fucks about the source of the song.
• There is a public stage in the center of town. It's worth noting if you intend on doing something truly operatic.
• There are also large convenient balconies in view of said stage. I would bet your left eye that those balconies will be full of people if anything important happens on the stage. Especially if it's done in song.
• There is a plain tent made of cheap canvas off between a couple of buildings. That is my lair away from home. If I happen to be in, drop in and say hi. I don't use it often, though.
• There is a performing troupe that does plays – I caught one of their recent performances of Paige, a story about a brave woman who vows to restore the kingdom of the Rose. I think the rose motif is more important than one thinks… but then again, stories tend to repeat, given different times and different worlds. The woman's name is Alice Andrews, and while it seems she's currently getting financial assistance from some flamboyant showboat named Don to run her shows, I donated so that she can write what she wants. I did encourage her to come to the next joust. It looks like she occupies one of the balcony houses, and has a number of children. She notes that she is 'not a virtuous woman'. Considering the behavior of the local knights, well…

This is a fortifiable location which you probably know pretty well, since once entrance to this room is through a fancy wall mirror. Supposedly there's others, too, so if I find them I'll let you know. Lenore and Rory are taking care of this place, and I've made sure they have a way to call me just in case trouble starts.

The place apparently is known as a safe space by others. We shall do our best to keep it so.

Technically, this looks like someone tried to make a gingerbread house a century ago, and time has been acting on it ever since, along with some casual vandalism. There don't seem to be bugs in this section of the Land of Tales, or else they'd've eaten it a long time ago. Probably went away along with the grass.

This place just freaking looks ominous and doomed. I've gotta do more work here later. Wonder if they'd like a jester?

So you note that many of those territories are marked as being the property of Some Noble Guy. That's what feudalism does. Well, this one is the property of a dragon who seems to like maidens. Apparently the king had been sending her maidens to appease her, and hasn't done in a while… and instead, has been telling everyone she's afraid of him. Which did not go over well when she found out. She is drafting her maidens to fight for her cause – but considering she has less than two dozen, that's not enough to defeat an infinite army, even assuming that the narrative around here is calling for Girl Power. (Side note, work on building that Narrative, because stories are weapons here.) Then again, it's starting to look like that army isn't as infinite as it seems.

So get this. There's apparently eight glass towers. Seven are stocked with Typical Fantasy Maidens who have been drafted into the task by the king's men to provide women for heroic knights to rescue. Some have volunteered, because it's better than eating rotted grain off the ground. A few were cursed into it. And then there's the Black Tower. Oooh spooky.

No, really, most of the tower occupants are fairly conversational, and happy to explain what the intended method of rescuing them is (honestly, I just flew up to the window…) The Black Tower's maiden is… not human, really. As best I can tell, she's some sort of puppet, created from the blood of a princess. I can't imagine that was done for good reasons. And the magics around that tower stink so badly of evil that anyone can see it. So, FYI, probably don't rescue THAT maiden. And in fact, ask the maidens if they actually want to be rescued.

Oh, also, apparently the maidens got bored of watching the land just eat people, so they gave locals the idea of building bridges over the grass. Go maiden class heroes.

So this estate is ruled over by a Madam – which if that sounds vaguely like the operator of a brothel… well… have I mentioned that they tend to supply the castle in more ways than one? I haven't? Well, they cook the castle's meals (oil and fire are forbidden there now – I wonder what they do when it gets cold), and there's some very heavy implications that defiling of maidens is going on. Seriously, the servants that we freed from here look shellshocked, and I've seen that look before. The ones who came with us are helping us as best they can, though. Anyhow, the Madam seems utterly terrified of Princess Rose returning in her power and glory, with her King and Queen… especially since roses are beginning to appear everywhere these days.

So here's a common thing that even an ignorant old fool like me can pick up. The Princess Rose thing… either it caught on quickly once I got here, or I stumbled upon something that plays right into their legends. It'd be nice if I got something right for a change. So apparently there's actually a Knighthood of the Rose here – a secret knighthood, of a sort, looking after people and doing their best to protect them. They're waiting for their princess and her heavenly host to come back – and by gods, they're gonna get it.