The Fairy Diary Day 629 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

This day brought us a lot of confusion. I feel like we were being torn in multiple directions. 

With the islands now in view I took a short hop over to one to look around. It is a sandy waste land, not a rock in sight. And the nearby islands look similar.  But the most disturbing discovery was that the waterways between them seem too shallow to support our ship. 

Upon returning Dunfallon shared with me the urging from the voice in his ring that we turn towards the south for the promise of a navigable passage through the islands. We took this message to Merlin and before the pixie had finished repeating it, a note came in on my scroll from the Sprites. It was the warning we had feared. Frost Fairies had been sighted on the move through Aznastria – with, it is believed, the Faerie Kingdom as its target. 

I wanted to return immediately. And I thought so would my fellow fairies, Noralei and Rumble. 

Merlin, however, took the note from Emminie as a confirmation that we were closing in on our adversary. And he wanted to press on at all hazards, arguing that when we engage them the advance of the Frost Fairies will fall apart. 

Another wrinkle emerged when we asked Captain Goff to change course to the south. He stated that he would do so but requested that we not ask him to go to the western land as he was not yet prepared to immigrate with those elves that have gone on before. 

The wizard then rather cryptically said that we have yet another direction to consider. 

Advertisement

The Fairy Diary Day 625 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

It has been a good first day. Even though we did not make it out of harbor with the fishing fleet as Captain Goff had hoped. We held off for the return of Conjil carrying Gibley and Dunfallon. Thankfully we did not have to wait too long. 

However, it did take some time to settle the dragon into her position on the main deck amidships. (I think she would prefer to perch on the taffrail, but that would put us down by the stern).

We received our first message on my scroll from Emminie. The Sprites have expanded their exploration- so now besides connections with the pixies they have added contacts to the goblins in the great shaft and the trolls of the surrounding area. He is confident that if there is any activity from the Frost Fairies he will hear of it in short order. 

Noralei has inspected the harness apparatus and has pronounced it sound. We will hold off on using it until we can convince Captain Goff that it will be beneficial. 

Merlin monitors the seers stone and I back him up when I can. I am paired with Noralei for our watches, and Rumble with Dunfallon on theirs. We take turns introducing Gibley to the work of a sailor. And that work has introduced the goblin to the rigors of seasickness. 

The one surprise so far is the voice from Dunfallon’s ring complaining about being seasick too. Is it part of the Will’o’the Wisp that has been placed in the ring?

The Fairy Diary Day 624 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin and I hashed out a plan to keep us informed about any problems that could arise if the Frost Fairies were to mount attacks in our absence from the mainland. So, when Dunfallon came on deck this morning, I filled him in about the plan. 

Upon the return of Gibley and Noralei – the greetings were barely out of the way before the pixie enlisted the goblin and the dragon to carry out our plan. Merlin handed over the High Fairy’s scroll to them to deliver to the Sprites. I judged them the best candidates to give us any warnings about the actions of the former Faerie Queen’s minions. (Merlin told the pixie that Emminie should be prepared to surrender the scroll to the new High Fairy whenever he is named).

We were then going to set sail until Noralei gave us the news from the canyonlands. Their mission there had been just in time. It took some convincing on Gibley’s part to gain his uncle’s compliance. All the goblins’ dragons were fitted with the ear shields with the exception of one. The young one – Clemjil had been resisting, when a frenzied demeanor overtook its being and he streaked away from the canyonlands- evidently called away by the Crack of Doom. 

We met this news with a sigh of relief that the majority of the dragons were saved – and with sadness that another had been lost. 

Merlin decided that we no longer needed to depart today, but we now had the luxury to wait for the return of our friends from their mission, rather than chancing their catching up to us at sea. 

The Fairy Diary Day 618 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I wrote to Merlin that we would be underway as soon as preparations were completed. And informed him that we had taken precautions to protect Conjil from being summoned from us. 

I closed with a rundown of our accomplishment here and all that it will mean for the future relations between the Dromadil pixies and the Sprites. 

Today we bid farewell to Nora. He left with some of the Sprites who wanted to continue their exploration. In a short time they have become fast friends. Noralei did tell him before parting, that we will be headed for the coast around Corbelin and that it would be wonderful to see him there. 

Conjil was overjoyed to see us. So much so that she did not mind being harnessed to the wagons again. With everyone in place we were about to set out, when the Dromadil king stopped us – but only to thank us and to bid us farewell too. 

Gibley started her out but then she headed straight for the rainbow on her own volition and mounted that color-filled road. 

It felt good to be in the air and not knocking around underground. 

We came down off the rainbow in the hills above Corbelin. But there was no wizard in sight – nor anywhere around. 

We decided to pass the night here and I tried to contact Merlin through my scroll. 

The Fairy Diary Day 617 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I was not looking forward to our meeting with the Dromadil king this morning. Noralei, Rumble, and Gibley went back down to join the Sprites in the work of freeing Nora from his prison. Dunfallon and I brought Emminie up with us for our meeting with the king.

I went in by myself to begin. And I announced that we had located the obstruction and right then as I was speaking it was being removed. The king clapped his hands at this news.

I then did what I could to cushion the blow that would come to him at the revelation of the agency of his deliverance. Still I did see him tense up under the force of my words. 

I went on to state that my friends and I would have failed without the timely arrival and help of the wee folk – the Sprites. I begged leave to bring their chieftain in and make his introduction.

The Dromadil king fell silent, and seemed to shrivel on his throne.

After the space of sixty wing beats, he looked up and nodded his consent. I called to Dunfallon and he escorted Emminie into the chamber. And then pixie to pixie, Dunfallon introduced the chief Sprite to the king. My friend continued on to extoll the strengths and virtues of these wee folk. And then surprised us all by imploring him to count the debt the Dromadilians owed to the burrows of Dunfallon’s pixiedom, to be deemed paid – through his acceptance of the Sprites.

The Dromadil king glared at the mention of his secret, now fully known. And all resistance towards the Sprites ceased.

Emminie for his part was gracious. He went on to say that he was honored to lend this help, and that it was a matter only of humble thanks for the king’s opening of his land to them in their late distress.

I felt relieved upon leaving the king’s chamber. 

But then looked up – and a rainbow was arching down into the fields outside the city. And I knew Merlin needed us.

The Fairy Diary Day 616 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

This has certainly been a day for hearing voices. 

Upon reaching the passageway which Dunfallon was warned against entering yesterday, the voice from his ring declared that it was now safe. We three fairies having come in the boat with Dunfallon and Gibley took off to fly on ahead. 

Not long after a voice come out of the darkness in front of us, calling Noralei’s name. Then, to our great amazement who should rush into the light from my pendants but our friend, Nora the water horse. 

In his excitement he splashed all about, circling the boat – thoroughly drenching the pixie and the goblin. Then remained still while Noralei landed atop him. 

Through their excited chatter we learned that Nora had been trapped down here for quite some time. He had been exploring where a stream led and chanced upon a tributary that emerged from underground. He swam up against the flow and was fascinated by all he saw – until seeing some blue fairies. He went to talk with them, but they spurned him and chased him and sealed him up in this vast complex underground. 

And he was so glad that we came to rescue him. 

He beckoned us to follow him – down to what seemed another dead end.  But we all heard voices coming from the other side. Then, from high above our heads, a stream of tiny figures emerged from fissures – lead by Emminie. 

The Sprites swarmed everywhere while I met with their chief. Ever since they returned to their village they have been exploring what the Frost Fairies had left behind. Their trail led all the way to here (and perhaps beyond, for they are not yet finished). 

I asked him if they could break through these obstructions to free our friend. This they were glad to do – and added that they would have to be careful not to bring down the contents of the lake above. 

To this I wholeheartedly agreed and said the the Dromadil king would be very thankful. 

The Fairy Diary Day 612 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Noralei fashioned two devices to place over Conjil’s ears to shield them from the sound of the Crack of Doom. The dragon did not fuss as expected but submitted to Dunfallon as he put them in place.  

Then we appeared before the Dromadil king with our decision this morning. He was overjoyed at our willingness to attempt to find our way down beneath the city to seek out the source of the problem. He handed us over to the captain of his treasury guard to escort us down. 

The king had one request – that Dunfallon remain with him to act as a liaison between him and us. But I told him that it would be impossible as he would be commanding a small unit of his “army” as a precaution if we uncovered any Frost Fairies lurking in the depths. 

The pixie king reluctantly agreed. And as a consolation I promised to keep him informed. As an afterthought the king instructed his captain to allow Noralei the selection of one item from the treasury in payment for a job well done on his dungeons. 

Once inside the treasury Rumble and Gibley led us to a corner behind which they suspected the former opening to the dwarf excavation lay. There were a lot of things to move out of the way. So under the watchful eye of the captain of the guard and his second in command we – plus the remainder of the guards – began to move the treasure stored there back away from that wall. (We were not allowed to use any spells, lest we make any of it “disappear “).

The task consumed the rest of our day. And we were able to give it a good look over before calling an end to the day’s exertions. 

I could see why the Sprites would be a good fit for this job. But I think among the five of us we should be able to get beyond that wall. 

The Fairy Diary Day 611 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Our meeting with the Dromadil king was somewhat tumultuous. We were all there. And all very much taken aback by the palpable aversion the king has to even the mention of the Sprites. And the refusal of the Will’o’the Wisp to help prompted an even greater explosion. He turned green as his first reaction and flushed red at the second. 

I believe Dunfallon was quite surprised at his lack of self-control. 

After we waited for him to collect himself, (he changed another color upon learning that dwarves once dug in the earth below his city) he latched onto the possibilities offered by Dibla’s map. And asked that we find a way down to fix the problem –  just the five of us. 

When Gibley shared that one of the entrances down may be located somewhere within his treasury all the color drained from his face. The king then fell to begging and pleading with us to do it. 

At that point I told him that we would discuss it amongst ourselves and get back to him tomorrow. 

We all met back in the Conjil’s stable. And while we bandied about our decision, Dunfallon worked with Noralei on a solution to protect the dragon from summoning. 

The Fairy Diary Day 610 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Dibla declined to accompany us to Dromadil. (Most likely he did not relish the thought of riding a dragon). But he did offer an ancient map dating back to the time of their excavations up there. Though not as good as those Rumble has, it should suffice. 

On the map the dwarf called my attention to the stream with a village in the crook of its elbow and I recognized it as the village of the Sprites. He cautioned us that there are more than likely many differences since then. Though he added that up in the area of Dromadil there should not be as many. And he took the time to note a couple passages that the pixies would have most likely sealed off. Gibley’s eyes lit up at this and he stated that he thinks he knows where one of them might be. 

So, as soon as Dunfallon said goodbye to Gabhe, his mountain goat, having just finished a friendly game of nine pins, we bid farewell to Gilgorgon, thanking him for his hospitality and willingness to help. 

We were back in Dromadil by the afternoon. And met Rumble at the inn where Conjil was welcomed back into its stable. 

Rumble had not been idle. While Noralei did wonders with the dungeon cells (so comfortable that she spent the nights there herself), he had familiarized himself with the area and its trouble spots. He eagerly accepted Dibla’s map and went off to study it. 

Dunfallon, Gibley and I discussed how to go about broaching to the Dromadil king the need to ask the Sprites for their help. Then Gibley went off to visit Noralei and to look into a possible entry point into the dwarfish excavation. 

When we were alone I took Dunfallon into the stable and there discussed with him what we could do to forestall the summoning of Conjil away from us. 

The Fairy Diary Day 608 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

There was no convincing Willie to change his mind despite any reason we could come up with. Even Gibley had a cogent argument that I imagined would have won any Wisp to its wisdom. But Willie wiggled his whiskers at him and said, “No.”

Just after his first refusal yesterday I jotted down a cry for help to Merlin. He finally got back today and agreed with my suggestion that we now ask the Sprites for their help. 

Then, he closed out with the news that two fairies had indeed set sail from Corbelin – and they had with them a rather large crate which he suspects to contain the Crack of Doom. And before I could formulate the idea – he added that no dragons were with them. 

So, I knew that the Caretaker was more than likely elsewhere with Cluyjil and Rayjil. But they can certainly be called at any time as long as the High Fairy and the Faerie Queen have the bell. And with a pang of realization so could Conjil. 

We bid farewell to Willie and set out to return to Dromadil. I shall try to convince their king to seek assistance from the Sprites.