remember the valor of Petanu, the pixie general who held back the gremlin army. We laughed at the stories Eniola, the pixie trickster. And we will remember your mother, little one, if you would only tell us her name.”
The pixie hovered in the air looking at Hisako. When she spoke, she did so softly, “Her name was Alexandrella.”
“Ahhh,” Hisako said, “and so we shall remember Queen Alexandrella the Loving. We will revere her for eternity, and share the story of how her sacrifice brought light back into the world. The only question now little one, is will you honor her sacrifice? Will you bring the beauty and wonder of the pixie race back into The Land?”
Again, the pixie hovered silently before replying. After a few moments, though, her slouched posture straightened. When she spoke, the self-pity was gone from her voice. Though her voice still quavered with sadness, it also had the practiced tones of royalty, “I will. I give thanks to the Wood Sprites for their faith and love through the long years.” She then turned to Richter, “I also give thanks to you. I feel in my heart that you played a large part in releasing me from my chrysalis.”
Your relationship with Royal Pixie Queen has improved from neutral to friendly.
“I will happily do my duty and honor my queen’s sacrifice,” she continued. “Will you help me, Hearth Mother? I need protection and a suitable tree to foster my children. It will be several months before my first children are born. Is there a Steelborn Oak or a Silver Elm that you know of?”
Hisako simply looked at Richter.
Know this! The life cycle of pixies is intrinsically tied to nature. Male and female pixies exist, but that is not how they reproduce. Male pixie are larger and stronger than their female counterparts, but are sterile. Any female pixie can create more pixies, by binding their spirit to a tree. A cocoon is created that adheres to the tree and after a time, two pixies are born of this union. The offspring have unique attributes that are determined by the type of tree they are born from. Pixie females can only bind their spirit to a tree once per year. A queen pixie is special in that she can generate a great deal more mana, and so each binding will create one hundred pixies. She can also bind her spirit to a tree twice per year. Be aware, the binding between pixie and tree is unto death. Both benefit from the binding, but if one dies the other may as well.
Update on Quest: Resurgence of Light II. The Royal Pixie queen needs a tree to “foster” her progeny. Will you accept responsibility for this task? Reward: Increased regard of Royal Pixie queen. Yes or no?
Richter had to read the first prompt three times to make sure he understood. When he dismissed it and minimized the second, he looked back at Hisako. The pixie queen was still hovering in the same place. He thought he understood what the Hearth Mother was trying to silently communicate. Would he allow the pixie to bind to his new celestial tree? On the one hand, if the pixies would truly gain properties of the tree they bound to, it would mean a great boon for the queen. Her progeny might be powerful, and therefore better able to protect themselves. It could also mean another ally for his village. Pixies could even be considered caretakers, couldn’t they?
The other argument, though, was that if the queen died, the Quickening could be destroyed with her. He hadn’t known what tree would grow out of the Seed Core, but now that he did, could he risk it? The Quickening would make his people, and the very land his village was built on more powerful! Was it right to risk the future of his people on a very small new life, basically alone in this large and dangerous world?
More thoughts for and against went through Richter’s mind quick as lightning. He felt like he was drowning in calculations and moral obligations, both to his people and his conscience. Ultimately, he based this decision on a decision he
The pixie hovered in the air looking at Hisako. When she spoke, she did so softly, “Her name was Alexandrella.”
“Ahhh,” Hisako said, “and so we shall remember Queen Alexandrella the Loving. We will revere her for eternity, and share the story of how her sacrifice brought light back into the world. The only question now little one, is will you honor her sacrifice? Will you bring the beauty and wonder of the pixie race back into The Land?”
Again, the pixie hovered silently before replying. After a few moments, though, her slouched posture straightened. When she spoke, the self-pity was gone from her voice. Though her voice still quavered with sadness, it also had the practiced tones of royalty, “I will. I give thanks to the Wood Sprites for their faith and love through the long years.” She then turned to Richter, “I also give thanks to you. I feel in my heart that you played a large part in releasing me from my chrysalis.”
Your relationship with Royal Pixie Queen has improved from neutral to friendly.
“I will happily do my duty and honor my queen’s sacrifice,” she continued. “Will you help me, Hearth Mother? I need protection and a suitable tree to foster my children. It will be several months before my first children are born. Is there a Steelborn Oak or a Silver Elm that you know of?”
Hisako simply looked at Richter.
Know this! The life cycle of pixies is intrinsically tied to nature. Male and female pixies exist, but that is not how they reproduce. Male pixie are larger and stronger than their female counterparts, but are sterile. Any female pixie can create more pixies, by binding their spirit to a tree. A cocoon is created that adheres to the tree and after a time, two pixies are born of this union. The offspring have unique attributes that are determined by the type of tree they are born from. Pixie females can only bind their spirit to a tree once per year. A queen pixie is special in that she can generate a great deal more mana, and so each binding will create one hundred pixies. She can also bind her spirit to a tree twice per year. Be aware, the binding between pixie and tree is unto death. Both benefit from the binding, but if one dies the other may as well.
Update on Quest: Resurgence of Light II. The Royal Pixie queen needs a tree to “foster” her progeny. Will you accept responsibility for this task? Reward: Increased regard of Royal Pixie queen. Yes or no?
Richter had to read the first prompt three times to make sure he understood. When he dismissed it and minimized the second, he looked back at Hisako. The pixie queen was still hovering in the same place. He thought he understood what the Hearth Mother was trying to silently communicate. Would he allow the pixie to bind to his new celestial tree? On the one hand, if the pixies would truly gain properties of the tree they bound to, it would mean a great boon for the queen. Her progeny might be powerful, and therefore better able to protect themselves. It could also mean another ally for his village. Pixies could even be considered caretakers, couldn’t they?
The other argument, though, was that if the queen died, the Quickening could be destroyed with her. He hadn’t known what tree would grow out of the Seed Core, but now that he did, could he risk it? The Quickening would make his people, and the very land his village was built on more powerful! Was it right to risk the future of his people on a very small new life, basically alone in this large and dangerous world?
More thoughts for and against went through Richter’s mind quick as lightning. He felt like he was drowning in calculations and moral obligations, both to his people and his conscience. Ultimately, he based this decision on a decision he
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