Faerie Tales |
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The trees are more widely spaced here and oyu see the occasion animal, darting through the branches as quick as a rumour. Suddenly something reaches your eyes, through the trees you see what appears to be a large dome-shaped object. As you approach closer, you realise that it is a perfectly rounded mound of dirt, covered in flowers that resemble fox-gloves. They seem to shimmer irridescently. As you reach over to pick one, you realise that you are not alone.
A strange vaguely humanoid creature skips around to stare at you with golden, feline eyes. It is very short, not reaching
much higher that your waste, and is most definately female. Its skin is a deep, rich brown, and when you look closer, you realise that
is is not just skin, but fur, short, dark fur. Pointed ears emerge from her thick black mane of hair, and they are pierced with
all manner of strange objects. And on her back, you see two pairs of insectile wings, gossamer and fragile.
"Greetings, big one," she says, and her smile reeks of something beyond innocence and naivety, something that could perhaps
almost be seen as seduction. "How can I be of assitance?"
At least she seems friendly. You smile and introduce yourself, asking her what her name is.
"Oh," she replied, twiddling a flower between her fingers girlishly. "My name is Moonflower. And I am here gathering flowers, for the
moon festival tonight."
"Moon festival?" You had to ask, didn't you...
"Oh yes, it is a time of great celebration is the full moon. There will be drinking, and playing, and perhaps," she winks at you, "other things?"
This disturbs you somewhat (especially if you're female, she doesn't mind), but you try not to let that show.
"Would you like to come, join us?" She asks. "I have enough of the flowers to make the festivities most interesting." She smiles slyly. YOu have no idea why,
but it seems like some kind of private joke.
You shrug, after all, this journey is to learn about the magickal things in the forest. She skips off, signalling for you to follow.
You approach the area in which she appears to live. A canopy, made of hundred of animal skins weaved together has been strung
across the branches, providing an area sheltered from the ever present dampness in the air (not quite rain, but not dry neither). The area
is filled with more of these little dark, furry people. When they see you, they surround you immediately, asking many questions and making
some rather disturbing suggestions. Then the music begins.
Several of the creatures grab up instruments, a flute, a drum, something that might be a primitive harp, and start playing a rhythm. It is
not an especially complex rhythm, nor is it overly skilled, but there is something about it... You feel your legs begin to twitch. You want to dance.
About half of the creatures present have already sucuumb to the enticing rhythm, dancing around each other, skipping, leaping gleefully in the air, twirling each other... It
is definately a time for merriment. One of the creatures asks you to dance with them, and you find yourself unable to refuse. Another shoves a mug of some sort of liquid into your hand.
You sip it, it is fruity, sweet and wonderfully tasty and refreshing. You finish the mug, for it does not taste harmful in anyway at all.
Hand in hand with your Dark Faery partner you twist and turn, leap and frolic, drinking more of the sweet fruit drink, which it seems small dark hands keep putting into yours.
After a while you begin to feel distinctly light-headed and the magick of the dance appears to be wearing off. Something flitters in front of your eyes, it
appears to be a large butterfly with the body of a lizard. Hang on, the body of a lizard? Your legs begin to feel weak and you sit down abruptly, only to have someone else
shove a drink into your hand. After that, the occasion pales into a haze of badly remembered occurances.
Once you have recovered would you like to travel"
North-West ,South-east or South?
