The Fairy Diary Day 584 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Our session broke up late last night. We then returned to our separate homes. I took Dunfallon and Navril with me. I can say without hesitation that I was glad not to be alone after an evening of stories about the frightening revelations regarding the race of Frost Fairies. 

My dreams were filled with images of fairy on fairy cannibalism – tribal warfare – slaughter, and unspeakable cruelty. It remained the topic of conversation among the three of us at morning breakfast. 

Navril stirred up some controversy by claiming that it was an elvish belief that fairies everywhere had such behavior in common. And was quick to add that such was all in the past (trying to take the sting out of his words). And perhaps those in the far north had never advanced – unlike my people. 

I had to admit that in our lore there are intimations about perpetuating fairy bloodlines by kidnapping human babies and transforming them into fairies too. But I have never had the desire to give it any further consideration. 

I was glad to get away from the topic when we reconvened at Noralei’s where the discussion turned to Merlin and his continued absence. 

I for one counseled patience. For I believed there to be a simple reason for it. Certainly he would have had a quick answer from Glossom about our main question, but there was that promise the wizard had made to the trolls. He most probably would have swung by there to look into the problem under the Sprites’ village. 

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The Fairy Diary Day 564 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The High Fairy greeted us upon our arrival. And the Caretaker appeared right behind him and was about to speak when his excellency ordered him back inside. Then, he presented us with an edict signed by the Faerie Queen. 

It was an order commanding the requisition of any dragons passing under the shadow of the repository to be its property unto perpetuity. 

This immediately drew a protest from all of us – but especially a strident one from Noralei and Dunfallon on Rayjil’s behalf. (Tinadell remained silent – neutral – no doubt due to his probationary status in the kingdom). I challenged this pronouncement by pointing out that in no way could this order be applicable to Cluyjil for he was a member of Merlin’s household. 

The High Fairy acceded to my reasoning but in the next breath said he was sorry, but Rayjil would be subject to it and must remain. 

Noralei tried to argue that she may yet hear from Glossom about her request for a breeding pair. But his excellency again said he was sorry, and that Rayjil must stay. 

At these words the Caretaker returned and claimed Rayjil. And to our consternation led her away. 

I asked the High Fairy if we could appeal the stipulations of the edict. He said he would go to the Queen and ask her for an audience. 

In the meantime he advised us to return to Nonin-gal-dith. 

With heavy hearts we all mounted Cluyjil and set out for home. 

The Fairy Diary Day 550 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Rayjil sensed his presence first and moved to the mouth of the enclosure to greet the arrival of Cluyjil. 

Something about the look on his face relayed to everyone that he did not like alighting upon snow. He snorted his displeasure and squeezed into the partition of the enclosure with the other two dragons. 

Merlin removed the beacon stone necklace from about his own neck and it took its place about Cluyjil’s. 

While we waited for the snow to cease falling, I asked Noralei what were the results of her talk with Glossom. She told me that he is considering the request. And confessed that she had expected his reticence – for the Caretaker’s actual request was for a breeding pair of dragons and not just a single one. 

That was news to me. I could never have had the boldness to make such a request. 

Gibley brought me out of this line of thought by his declaration that we could now move on. He was going to talk us through folding up the enclosure, but Merlin snapped his finger and it closed up on its own and the goblin soon had it tied down on Conjil. 

He then turned the lead over to the wizard who headed us back on the direction from which he had entered this land. 

The Fairy Diary Day 549 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

It had been a good day of hunting for the five goblins. The excitement of the chase still shone on their faces when they joined us around the fire. Before Merlin could question them about his summoning of Cluyjil, Glossom announced that they were returning to the canyonlands. And added the explanation that they needed to get back to the two baby dragons – Clemjil and Torjil – the anchors for their main dragon. 

The wizard put his question to them anyway and the chieftain of the goblins gave his consent. 

At this juncture Noralei took Glossom aside to talk. I knew she was going to request a dragon from them for the Caretaker of the Crack of Doom. 

Dunfallon and I accompanied Merlin outside and there in the falling snow he took out his beacon stone. He rubbed it – producing a purple glow that lit up the air around us, and summoned Cluyjil. 

Then with a knowing look he instructed me to write to the High Fairy – to get word to Tinadell that he may be called upon soon. 

The goblins had everything together, their dragons heavily laden, and bid us and Gibley goodbye. For the young goblin had asked and was granted permission from his uncle to remain behind. Gibley wanted to help us in our exploration for the source of the problem. 

Thankfully we still had Gibley’s hunting enclosure – where we settled in and I scratched out my note to his excellency. 

The Fairy Diary Day 547 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Glossom took pity on the state of our clothing and dug out some furs – child goblin size – and soon had us clad against the cold. 

The goblins were keen to return to their hunting and asked us to accompany them. But we begged off for now and chose instead to remain by the fire with Merlin. 

He had a lot to tell us. 

He had walked all the way here, having entered via the lands to the north of Dromadil. It took a moment to comprehend what he had just relayed to us. 

Then he claimed that the cold invading our world was originating from here. This he had explained to the goblins already – but so far they were not alarmed nor even cared about it. 

Dromadil has frozen over already and he fears Laguayil and the Faerie Kingdom are next. 

Dunfallon piped up and said, “And my pixie burrow too?”

We all agreed that we would had to find a solution for this problem. 

The Fairy Diary Day 546 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

It has been one of those times about which there is a lot to write. We had been following a whole series of goblin hunting camps. And were very confident we would catch up with our friends before long. 

When we left the hillocks behind, broad fields took their place – fields filled up with snow and ice. So it has gotten a lot colder the further we go in this land. 

At one point Noralei turned to me and thanked me once again for the gift of the scarf. She says it keeps the cold out very well. 

For extra warmth Dunfallon donned his cloak of invisibility. (Though it is a bit disconcerting to see his head bobbing without a body when the hood slides down). 

I had more of a struggle coping with the cold. We are all thankful to be riding a dragon for we get quite a boost from her body heat.

Then, we caught sight of tracks below, two herds worth crisscrossing the plain. Rayjil sped up and we nearly lost Dunfallon to the jerky motion. It was a fortunate mishap – otherwise we would have missed the goblins if Noralei had not reined her in. 

In that same instant Rayjil caught the scent of Conjil. And before we knew it she had us under a makeshift enclosure beside a roaring fire presided over by a grinning Gibley. 

We hardly finished celebrating our reunion when the circle grew bigger with the return of Glossom and three other goblins and an even bigger surprise – our wizard friend – Merlin. 

The Fairy Diary Day 545 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We have made one circuit of the mountain so far at this level. Stretching out from it in every direction below – as far as one can see – is a solid blanket of clouds. Noralei is now certain that the goblins are nowhere up here on the mountain and suggests that we take up the search in the clouds and below them. 

I am beginning to think that something untoward has happened to Gibley and Glossom and whatever clan members are with them. 

So the three of us mounted Rayjil with the intent to leave this region of the mountain behind. But Rayjil did not respond to Noralei’s commands. She much rather preferred to gambol about the sky above the clouds. 

Finally she was able to get her to alight back on the mountain and Dunfallon slipped off and grabbed the dragon about one ear and whispered something. 

Rayjil perked up and as soon as the pixie was reseated, she took off and dived for the clouds below. 

Flying through these clouds was like unto swimming through a river of rainbows. And coming out of them the light was, of course, not as bright as above them. We made for the multitude of hills drawn up around the base of the mountain. And there found another abandoned goblin hunting camp. 

We settled in and talked through our options. 

The Fairy Diary Day 543 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Noralei had some difficulty with Rayjil convincing her to leave her new found playmates behind. Thankfully Dunfallon enticed her away from the stable by whispering something in her ear. 

I jotted a quick note on the scroll to the High Fairy to alert him to our movements. 

The three of us were soon mounted and Rayjil took flight, pursuing the westering moon. I knew we were on the right track when the rainbow circling that orb reached out to us and drew us in. 

The Land of Darkness was no longer. Instead of the vast well sinking down to its depths there was an irregular shaped mountain filling the same space. A pleasing light filled the air about us. Dunfallon wondered out loud if this was the Land of Plenty once again. 

We touched down on the nearest side of the mountain. Everything was barren roundabout – hardly a paradise. And everything was cold to the touch. 

We scanned our surroundings for any sign of Glossom and Gibley. But nothing. 

We sent Noralei aloft on Rayjil to do a wider search. Dunfallon and I remained on the mountain to explore all the nearby caves and crevices. 

In one such cave we found what we believe to be a goblin hunting camp. Noralei circled back at that instant to report a similar finding further down. Since she judged the one she had found of more recent use, she packed us up and we descended to it. 

There we took our ease after a busy day. And tried to rest despite the constant light bathing the land. 

The Fairy Diary Day 542 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

When Noralei left Rayjil in the stables last night, the dragon refused to stay in any of the pens except that of Conjil’s. All the other stalls she thought were empty. 

When she returned this morning to check on her, Rayjil was missing. Noralei hastened back to tell us. 

Our biggest fear was that Rayjil turned transparent and transported to the other side. We assumed that Glossom and Gibley were there with their dragons and other members of their clan. So we thought Rayjil could have followed their scent.

However, we decided to fully search the goblins’ vast stable first. 

Dunfallon, attracted by noises back in the depths of the stable, found her – and two hatchling dragons – all at play. And all hungry. 

Noralei brought some fire plants back to that pen and filled their trough. And mixed in some of the dragon shell. 

Each of us had the same thought – why had not the goblins left enough provisions for the two baby dragons if they were to be gone for any length of time?

Noralei and Dunfallon wanted to pass over to the other side immediately. But I cautioned them and suggested we provide for the babies first for a sufficient amount of time as we could not take them with us either. 

It took the rest of the day to find everything we needed. So, we shall depart first thing tomorrow. 

The Fairy Diary Day 541 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Nililitil and Navril gave us a splendid sendoff. Beforehand I was able to share with them an answer I had received from the High Fairy regarding the rumors out of the north. His excellency confirmed that he had heard similar ones and wanted me to assure them that it was being looked into. In fact, Merlin has agreed to check on it himself. 

This grabbed the attention of my companions, so as we traveled along I narrated to them what little I knew about it. Then we speculated amongst ourselves – wondering if Tinadell’s mysterious destiny lay in that direction. 

By day’s end we arrived in the canyonlands without incident. And crossed the threshold of Glossom’s domicile. 

But no one was in. 

Dunfallon made the suggestion that we fly over to the stronghold city to pay a visit to Fliget. We toyed with that idea briefly, but in the end decided to stay where we were and await the return of Glossom and Gibley.