The Fairy Diary Day 272 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Yesterday I reported to the High Fairy about the new member to our group and asked that he relay the good news to Grimace’s brother, Geog. His excellency replied to us today with the sad news that Geog has gone missing. He had been leading a phalanx of fairies into battle against a pack of wolves and walking dead trolls – he got too far ahead and was cut off when the enemy was reinforced. The fairies did see him escape into the forest beyond. So they had held out hope that he was safe. 

We were progressing right along when this came in. After I shared it with the others (a mistake) Grimace and Dunfallon were all for striking out immediately to his rescue – all despite their ignorance of where our friend might be. 

Rumble, Noralei, and I were finally able to calm them down, but only with the compromise of allowing Dunfallon to fly over the land between here and the crystalline tower. 

I kept everyone else plodding along in this interminable valley through abandoned village after abandoned village. 

Advertisement

The Fairy Diary Day 271 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Of course there was no keeping Dunfallon from his friend Grimace. There was much hooting and hollering between them. Mostly the pixie. It was all I could do to keep us going forward. 

But the encounter was more than fortunate, for the troll knew exactly which way to go, delivering us from our quandary. 

Grimace had much to tell us, the more important details of which spilled into today. 

He had escaped the clutches of the troll enslavers when in the camp near the black crystalline tower. He tried to rescue some of the others but it was too late. They were rendered into the walking dead, and a number of them set on his trail. 

Rather than head back home through the land of the Dromadil pixies he pressed deeper into the land of the dark elves. 

He gave an entire history of his movements from that day to this. 

And that is how we came to abandon the straight route of Noralei’s compass and followed the first valley northward.

The Fairy Diary Day 264 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

This morning Nora took Dunfallon and Noralei with him to check out the two streams across the bay. Rumble and I remained behind to await Nora’s return for us. 

In the meantime we went back to the barrier because Rumble wanted to see if we could fly above it, reasoning that just because it had not worked near the black crystalline tower, did not mean necessarily that it would be the same here. 

Our experiment was disappointing. There came a point at a certain height where we actually could fly forward, but the barrier continued below us.  Then we realized that the barrier had the shape of a dome over this land of the dark elves. 

We saw into the area below and at points there were throngs of the ugly black plants – much larger and more mature than any we have seen before – and to our shock – mobile. And currently on the move toward the west where we knew our companions to be.

The Fairy Diary Day 261 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We are still in the deserted fishing village. All attempts to take either of the roads out of the town failed just beyond the last buildings. We encountered a barrier, much like the one described in the reports concerning the area around the black crystalline tower. 

So we concentrated on the village itself looking for clues or any explanations for this enchantment. 

Dunfallon and Noralei checked out the east end, while Rumble and I went down to the harbor quarter. Rumble continued on the road to the north with the intent to work his way back from there. 

I entered several of the buildings – both shops and homes – they were all neat and tidy. It was as if they were expectant of the soon return of their owners.

I turned my attention to the harbor. It was different there – the ones out by the harbor mouth – which we had passed on the way in – only had their masts showing (probably more than anything that sight is what had spooked the captain). But the ones tied up along the quay seemed gray and fuzzy. Upon closer examination I realized they were covered in hornets’ nests. 

But no hornets. 

That is when Nora happened by. He saw me too and came over to talk. I asked him if he had seen anything of interest in the bay. And at the same instant I added “were there any rivers or streams emptying into the bay?”

This tickled the water horse’s curiosity and he set out to explore. 

As we gathered this evening all our observations were similar and we all await eagerly to hear from Nora. 

The Fairy Diary Day 259 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Last night Dunfallon  monopolized all the questions in our meeting with Merlin. (None of us minded, as they were all questions to which we wanted answers too).

All is well in Dromadil. Relations among the pixies, fairies, and elves of the light are for the most part harmonious. Geog is well and is called upon by each group in turn when his great strength is needed for a task. There was nothing to report about Grimace, nor any other trolls in the thrall of the enemy. 

The wizard did have some encouraging news. For some reason, the Dromadil pixies have been able to penetrate the enchanted barrier beyond the crystalline tower. They are hoping to locate the enemy soon. 

In closing the meeting Merlin announced his imminent departure. 

The day on ship passed without incident. We are closing quickly upon the land of the dark elves. Barring any new adverse situation we should make landfall sometime tomorrow. 

In the afternoon Merlin gathered us to bid us goodbye. And to relay to us the results of his examination of the rope used to immobilize the rudder – he is certain that it was made from the ugly black plant and thus from the land of the dark elves. He has seen similar cordage inside the crystalline tower.

The Fairy Diary Day 249 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Cleaning up the ship revealed some serious structural problems. Nothing that Noralei could not handle. Dunfallon assisted her, scampering here and there and everywhere to fulfill any need she identified, be it for materials or tools. 

To that end we entrusted Nililitil’s passport to him. 

The most pressing problem, however, was finding a captain and a crew to sail her. Ragonil’s friend, whose ship we turned down earlier, is willing to command the ship. He and Ragonil are combing Dunavonlea for elves that are not afraid to sail to the land that no one will name. 

My scroll contained a new message from the High Fairy. He is anxious for us to be on our way. Their forces, staging out of Dromadil have yet to find a way past the area surrounding the black crystalline tower. 

I held out the hope that we could set sail tomorrow.

The Fairy Diary Day 243 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We came to a fork in the road before noon. A check with Rumble’s map revealed that each wends through a different pass. To the right it is shorter but you have to climb to reach it. The other is much longer. Noralei’s compass favors the first (but I feel it is only becasue it lies closer to the crystalline tower). My pendant was pulling me to the longer route. 

My mention of that decided the matter for my companions, and we took the left fork. However, even with the first step, the High Fairy’s admonition for haste haunted my mind – until a message appeared from him. 

They have entered the black crystalline tower and have found it empty. No birds, no bats, no trolls.  And no dark elves.

We followed the lead of my pendant and picked up the pace.

The Fairy Diary Day 235 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Everyone gathered in the Laguayilian council chamber at the request of Merlin. He invited Dunfallon to join him at the front and together they related to us all that has been discovered through the Dromadilians. 

While Dunfallon spoke, the wizard conjured up images on the wall behind them. The Dromadil scouts have been successful in penetrating the dark elves border at many points, but so far none have been able to enter or see into the black crystalline tower. 

From all reports they believe that there are very few dark elves. 

However, the trees everywhere are black – laden with myriads of dozing black birds. 

(The wizard’s image of that phenomenon changed to that of the tower). With that Merlin took up the explanation. A closer examination revealed that the tower was covered entirely with bats. And the plain between the birded woods and the bat covered tower was filled up with tents upon tents with trolls milling among them. 

The image of the trolls brought a cry from outside of the chamber from where Geog was watching. 

It was some time before Dunfallon and myself could comfort our friend.

The Fairy Diary Day 233 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

It is hard waiting, when every spark of your being longs to be off on your appointed path. 

Such was my unease while pacing the rampart and scanning the skies towards the dark crystalline tower (for we see now more clearly its form). 

My attention was arrested by the sight of a troll emerging from the woodlands to the east. His presence was about to be challenged by a troop led by Navril in that quarter. 

Recognizing the troll, I swooped down to interpose myself between the two. Thus I kept the Laguayilians from assaulting our great friend Geog. 

The High Fairy had informed him about our whereabouts. He has sought us out to come to the aid of his brother Grimace. His twin had disappeared with other trolls from their valley, and Geog fears that the enemy may be conjuring up another army of undead trolls. 

When we brought him into the city Rumble and Noralei were by turns elated to see him and distressed to learn of his plight. 

The complications surrounding our departure have worsened. 

What to do?