The Fey Market

The Beast King's Rose

Journal, Fourteenth Entry

Having finally reached Stolzreich, we were overjoyed to finally be reunited with our fearless leaders, Johan and Elsa Redcap of the Red Cap rebellion! Many tales did we share with our brooding commander of the exploits we had partaken of since last we had met, including the slaying of the Troll King (Queen, whatever), the Battle of Dornstadt, and of course the betrayal of Kala. But there was little time for words, for Johan had one more task in mind before setting out for Avalon. For Stolzreich commands the various trade routes and agencies of Gray Realm, and as such the kingdom would have made a mighty ally in our battle against the Pale Queen. We made our case before Erik the Beast King (now cured, thankfully, of his former beastly-ness due to his recent marriage to lady Belle), but alas, the fellow would not throw in with us. Perhaps, in days past he would have found the promise of battle more tempting, but on this day, the Beast King chose to remain neutral.

At least, he did at first.

For when our party was preparing to leave that night, he came to us, shrouded and in a rage. Someone had stolen his precious rose, which he had cared for day and night in wait for a maiden who could love him despite his fearsome appearance. He promised us if we found it, and the theif who dared to steal from him, he would ensure all trade with the Pale Queen would be cut off in Gray Realm. He instructed us to seek out the Fey Market: a curious place were magic creatures and curious merchants gather to sell and trade queer goods and baubles, the door to which was said to be guarded by a magic troll. We followed his directions to an old stone bridge, formed over a dried creek bed. It was here that we met the troll, though he was not quite what we expected. For in his many years guarding the door under the bridge, he seemed to have molded into the bridge itself! Thus, coughing stones and dirt, the poor brute challenged us to a game of riddles before we could enter the market.

Having bested him, we made our way inside, and our breath was taken away at the sight of all the strange and curious vendors. Here we split up, each member of our party spying for the thief, but in doing so we each found ourselves in various predicaments. I myself was challenged by the same Platypus Demon I had faced in Dornstadt to a Contest of Drums, which is of course the only way to defeat a Platypus Demon, should you ever meet one. I also acquired a new lute from a traveling piper, who was followed by a trail of mice and children servants, before finding none other than Jimmy Squarefoot trapped in a cage behind a shady merchant's booth. Apparently, the shady merchant had trapped Jimmy at the request of a mysterious O'Donahue.

However, Occultis had his own problems. For it seemed that the chess set he won from the stranger at the Muffin Man's stag party, was none other than Death's Chess set! A deadly, eldritch boon from the underworld, which kills those who play and lose! Desperate to get rid of the thing, Occultis searched madly for someone to play against (preferably someone evil, so he wouldn't feel bad about it if he won). Luckilly, he bumped into Varjo's ghost, who had been sent to run some errands in the magical market by his Underworld Overlords. Varjo suggested he challenge a certain O'Donahue, a curious figure who apparently ran the market. Furthermore, this O'Donahue was of a rare race of giants from far north, a Daoine Sidhe, who have an obsessive love of chess. Occultis made his way to this O'Donahue's temple abode, which was where our party regrouped. For I two had grown curious of this O'Donahue after finding my old friend trapped for his pleasure, and Jimmy was most ready to claim reparations from his would be captor. However, Kolobok had beaten us there, joined by Elsa Redcap herself, who had snuck along for the adventure, eager for experience. For they had found the rose and it's thief: The Puss in Boots himself, our friend from the Muffin Man's village! Upon finally meeting O'Donahue all our questions were answered: For O'Donahue had been hired to use his various resources to create a new body for a fell, ethereal entity, a formless evil inhabiting a plain cloak. For this heretical concoction, O'Donahue required a body strong enough to contain the magicks of the formless being (apparently my poor friend Jimmy), a goodly portion of Royal Blood (trace amounts of which remained on the Rose's thorns, probably either from the Beast King's clumsy grasp in his previous form, or some accident had by Belle), and finally the sword of a God. It was here that my heart sank, for the strange giant unsheathed none other than the dreaded Blade of Kullervo. We found ourselves surrounded by O'Donahue's minions, being enchanted statues strong enough to uproot a forest if they so chose, and we feared we would be a captive audience to O'Donahue's dark work. He paused for a moment though, sniffing the air, and to our horror he turned to Elsa Redcap with a wicked grin. For he had been disappointed with the limited amount of royal blood on the rose, and wasn't sure if it would serve his needs, but curiously, he smelled royal blood flowing freely through Elsa's veins! It was here that Occultis spoke out. For he challenged O'Donahue to a deadly game of chess, and a dark bargain was struck: If Occultis won, we would claim the rose and leave unharmed. If O'Donahue won though, not only would we lose Occultis, but the dark giant would claim Elsa's lifeblood as well...

For hours we sat, sweating in anticipation as Occultis and O'Donahue locked wits over the eldritch chess board. At times it felt like days passed between moves. The bone chess pieces clacked back and forth, echoing on for minutes at a time for the hall was so silent. However, after much deliberation and careful strategy, Occultis proved the victor! O'Donahue's last breaths came quickly, and his minions crumbled to dust. However, the game was not quite over, for as per the rules of the dark chess set, Occultis had to name a successor, a new owner of the board. We chose Puss in Boots, as punishment for his betrayal, and we claimed the rose from him. But before we left, we turned to the cloaked entity, who was waiting in the hopes that O'Donahue would prove the victor and he could obtain his new body. We asked him who his was and his motivation. In answer, he let loose the howl of a wolf. He explained that it was he who had given the golden whip and heretical Alchemist book to Kolobok's parents in an earlier attempt at contracting a new body. Attended by two gangly Wolfshades, the being left, his identity now much clearer...

Having returned the rose to the Beast King, our party finally set off for Avalon, and the fey dangers that awaited...