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(Player Event) EM Event 5/22/22 - The Royal Apiary

TirNaNo'g

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Greetings fellow Lake Superior Citizens! I'm Tir - a Faerie who lives in the forest of Yew and sometimes likes to see what humans are up to! My kin have been causing quite a few problems for you as of late and the response from humans always seems to be violence! No one ever asks the Fey if they'd like cookies or gems or what might cause them to take over an entire dungeon to have our Dragon Dance Party. Anyway, I decided in an effort to bring understanding between our races, I would join the Britannian Guard and document what they're up to. Although I make no claims of being a reporter or scribe, I felt it might be useful to share my reports with you!

May 22nd (Earth date) was an unseasonably warm spring evening in Britannia. The humans were doing all their human things. Suddenly, the tranquil evening was shattered when amber gates appeared throughout the land summoning the Royal Guard for a special call. On arrival to the Event Moderator Hall the Guard encountered Honey, the appropriately-named Royal Apiologist. She seemed slightly distressed but also oddly jovial. She explained that 70% of Britannia's honey supply comes from a secret hive located in the Dragonhame mountains. This hive is populated by large and intelligent bees that were created through a magical mishap. The bees have been acting abnormally aggressive as of late, and the Guard were being summoned to discover why. She asked the guard to attempt to appease the queen of the hive so that Britannia's supplies of honey were not interrupted.

Honey.png

The Apiologist gated the Guard to the entrance of the Royal Hive, which was located in a small cave along the mountains West from Destard. Outside the cave we were attacked by some of the hive's guard drones - giant berserker bees! While the fighting continued outside, I was distracted by examining some of the interesting objects left in the atrium of the hive.

Hive Atrium.png

After the guard bees were defeated, the Guard entered the hive to explore. More angry bees were encountered, as well as the bodies of several bees who had been killed prior to our arrival. Something was stirring up the hive!


Entering the Hive.png

Further inside the culprits were identified - dangerous and flighty Shadow Fey! The Fey flitted about through the crowd and used their magical auras to enchant the nearby bees. They also summoned clouds of effervescent energy to delay the guard.

Further into the Hive.png

Finally, we were able to break through and encountered the Queen of the Bees, Beatrice. She accused the Britannians of creating the problem, and seemed to be unable to distinguish humans from Fey (thankfully, she did not seem to notice there was at least one Fey in the guard as well).
The guard explained that they meant no harm, and intended to protect the hive if Beatrice called off her drones. She seemed to be quickly appeased, and then sent us to the grove from which the Fey creatures originated.

Queen Beatrice.png

The beautiful Fey grove was lush with flowers of rare varieties. As the guard poured through the gate, the Fey defended their home in earnest - Dryad Crones, Ents of the Dark Forest, and more Shadow Fey appeared and attempted to repel the human intruders. At one moment a massive winged Fey appeared and flew through the battle - the legendary Umbral Fey! The Umbral Fey led the guard to a remote location in the mountains so that the grove would be left alone. There the guard mercilessly pummeled him until he finally succumbed. He sacrificed his life in order to protect the other Fey!


Grove.png

The guard returned to the EM Hall to find a reward of flowers in thanks for their efforts of the day. I believe the hive was saved, although Honey never reappeared to confirm whether this was the case. The Fey, who most likely just wanted a source of honey to bake their cookies, returned to their grove to plot for another day.

Final.png
 
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