The Story So Far
The following is a bit of a time line as to what's gone on in Pentamerone since the first tales began showing up at game start in February 2007.
Winter 2007
The first tales begin either finding themselves in or coming to Pentamerone. Similar stories of seeing homelands fading, or merely waking up in a strange land are swapped between strangers. Some people, like Mordred, son of Arthur Pendragon, and Oberon and Titania, set up their own kingdoms, their own lands, in effort to rebuild what was lost. Camlann establishes itself as a country of iron and right along the border of the Sleeping woods, populated by fairies and other magical creatures, enmity brews quickly, as Mordred is one who does not take well to magic. King Oberon and his trusted trickster Puck sneak inside Camlann's walls, daring much to cause havoc. On the brink of a war between fey and man, Oberon loses interest, fading from sight as winter slowly turns to spring. During the rest of the winter months, new friends meet, and old friends find each other once more. A hunter, cursed with a wolf within, finds the girl he's saved from death before, and in a misguided attempt to win her affection, makes a deal with Puck for a magic potion. Hunter not only chooses to administer the potion to Red Riding Hood, but he finds himself a spy for unseelie fey on the city of Camlann.Spring 2007
Spring dawns over Pentamerone and there's a shift in power. Seelie fey are in their season now, and the war falls by the wayside as Oberon both loses interest and strength during the low in his season. Unseelie fey grow less rambunctious, and as Oberon decides he no longer wants a war, Puck, angered at losing what would have been a fun adventure, never to speak to him again. Oberon has other concerns. After eons of marriage, he and Titania finally divorce, no love between them. The misguided hunter meets a woman in a foreign land, and drawn to her, returns time and again, finding she rules the kingdom to the south. His interest in the girl he protected wanes, as true, non-obsessive feelings develop for the queen. But his mistake was already made. Young Red, fallen under the spell of the potion, nearly accosts a young knight by the name of Galahad, once Hunter has left.Slowly, secrets start being reveled: a force, a presence is coming, spreading signs throughout the land. Most don't know it for what - or who - it is, but Oberon is torn by forgotten memories, and Carabosse, with her servant Puss, has a better sense of what's coming: death and danger in the form of a forgotten fey. Magicians and concerned fey try to determine the cause of the strange magic pervading the Sleeping Woods. Titania finds several new bursts of magic throughout the woods, and banishes a woman of ice and snows from her realm, but not before the woman tells tales of a broken mirror with the power to change a person's sight and heart. New alliances between fey are made, while old friends get forgotten - Puck and Tinkerbell become fast friends, when Peter is found to have grown up and forgotten parts of himself, his friends and his home. Opposing forces discover more lost memories - Titania and Oberon both have gaps in their memories and it doesn't sit well with either of them. In the meantime, the Hunter and his queen grow closer, to the dismay of her advisors, and secrets in many places slowly start being revealed.
Summer 2007
In the height of seelie summer, an unseelie fey makes her first appearance: the death and destruction of fey who've made poor choices in the past marks a trail towards to reappearance of Mabb, a fey locked in iron for 1000 years. Her anger is uncontrollable as is her sanity, and she's on the hunt for those who did this to her. She finds her lost love Oberon, and, unaware he'd married and divorced her sister in her absence, turns to him as the one person she loved. But all is not well.On the other border of the Sleeping Woods, an invasion occurs in the land of Ozland. The Queen of Hearts, from a fading world, invades, deposing the ruling president, and turning Ozland from a democracy into a monarchy. Her insane will is opposed on all, but not even her subjects are truly loyal. The leader of the Hearts brute squad has never been fond of the queen, and it may only be a matter of time before he takes some sort of action. Over the months, more tales trickle in from various lands, some seeing lost friends. Peter Pan's Lost Boys make an appearance, but Peter doesn't recall them either. And grown to an adult, Peter is unrecognizable to them. Unlikely alliances form, as a young boy, Hansel, whose sister Gretel is trapped in his body, seeks a way to separate them. And they do, but it turns them back into children.
In the height of the summer, Carabosse returns Oberon's memories, and he recalls his own pivotal role in Mabb's imprisonment. He seeks to keep his betrayal of her further secret. Meanwhile Mabb herself learns of others being involved, and takes one of Puss's nine lives in a fit of rage. Seelie and unseelie alike are slowly being revealed as part of Mabb's fate.
Fall 2007
A young woman named Pandora finds herself in this strange land and befriends the one person she shouldn't - the pirate Bluebeard, who would like to take her for a wife, and kill her like his others if he has a chance. She boards his pirate ship, and for months, isn't seen again. Whispers of secrets die down as some sense of peace fills the land - the calm before the storm. Fairy secrets are finally revealed as Mustardseed, Titania's handmaiden and the last member of the council that sentenced Mabb, is killed, revealing Oberon's part in it all before she dies. Shattered, Mabb rips out her heart and it hardens into a jewel at Oberon's feet. Done with him and his games, she leaves, vowing to kill him if she sees him again. Her mark is left on the land, a blackened scar in the woods that Titania has no power to fix until her season returns. For the first time in Pentamerone's history, fall is cool, almost cold, in Mabb's wake.In Camlann, something is brewing. The king has been asleep for months, by a strange magic no one knows. Upon his awakening, Mordred is promised to Guinevere, his own father's bride. Frightened for her future, Guinevere wishes him to stay asleep, but she still has Morgan le Fay to deal with. Bitter and caustic words swap back and forth between the women, as Mordred lies asleep. Old friends and rivals from Camelot's past meet and Guinevere seeks help from the faery queen next door. Titania finds nothing to explain Mordred's sleep, not without being able to examine him herself.
In the midst of growing turmoil, some people manage to find love and peace: a man raised by animals and a man cursed to be a swan during the day - or was that swan cursed to be a man at night? - develop more than friendship - and it's that love that breaks the curse. That year comes to a close on a hanging note - there's some semblance of calm, but with the promise that something is coming soon.
Winter 2008
In the dawn of winter, a sleeping king wakes. And then a sleeping king wakes. Mordred wakes from his slumber, but only a short time later, another king awakens as finds himself in Pentamerone. King Arthur has returned to reclaim his throne, and punish his son. He finds his sister Morgan, and he recruits the wizard Howl to serve in Merlin's stead. He conscripts Howl - as well as Sophie Hatter - to make him a magical scabbard, while he searches for Excalibur. He finds it, in the hands of Titania. She feels its yearning for Arthur, and after exacting a favor from him, returns the sword to its rightful wielder. He finds Galahad, names him his new heir, and continues to recruit allies. Whispers of Arthur's return circulate, and Mordred postpones the wedding. And over in the Blasted Lands, a madwoman - Mabb - meets a madman - Morozko - and a strange and dangerous alliance is made.Here the game went through a hiatus until May, when we waited for Inksome to be ready.
Spring 2008
In the Sleeping Woods, Hunter finds Red again, and feeling guilty about what he'd done, swears to protect her better. She knows nothing of his actions, merely trusts him implicitly. He gives her warnings and guidance, and slips back to Mehrdadstan to revisit Scheherazade -- and finds her in danger. Hunter's biggest secret is revealed, as the wolf tears its way out to protect the queen. Through her fear Scheherazade manages to see the Hunter inside the wolf, and call him back. Hunter vows to find a way to control the wolf while he heals from his wounds.Meanwhile, Peter's memories start to return, and he seeks out Tinkerbell, and she has the idea to ask Puck for help. But this doesn't go over well. Puck and Peter fight, over nonsense and over Tink, until Peter forces Tink to choose between them. Angered by being told by Peter to make a choice, Tink chooses Puck, and watches Peter go. Regret at her decision comes and goes in waves.
Titania is in her season again, and hasn't seen nor heard from Oberon in ages. She prefers it that way, liking a sense of peace in her woods. Peace that is disturbed by a force of nature called Cernunnos. The two clearly don't get along and it ends badly.
Summer 2008
Magic in Estervale ages Hansel and Gretel to their proper ages. Carabosse has set herself up to perform magical services, something that will surely draw the attention of those looking for her. Like Mabb. She meets some Lost Boys, to try to solve problems of theirs, unaware her actions may later cause her own downfall.Arthur makes a move down to Mehrdadstan, looking for allies, or at least looking to make sure the rulers there won't join Mordred's cause. Hunter and Scheherazade have their own agenda, and refuse to take any part in the war unless it threatens them. In the neighboring Blasted Lands, the moon, in girl-form, finds herself in danger, and seeks some solace and peace. Meanwhile, another Arthurian emerges! Lancelot makes an appearance, boasting and proud. It won't be long until he meets up with Arthur and must explain himself.
Fall 2008
Women of magic meet as Titania strays from her bower and meets Sophie Hatter. It isn't long before she learns of her connection to Howl the magician. More tales trickle in and unusual people meet each other. Old acquaintances meet - those who can't call each other friends, like Alice and the White Rabbit. In the Sleeping Woods, Hunter, set on controlling the wolf within, meets Cernunnos. A friendship is struck, and Cernunnos teaches Hunter how to work with, not against, the other part of himself.Guinevere finally hears the rumors of Arthur's return, and thinking she's mad, talks to Morgan about it. Their conversation is snippy and caustic as ever. Arthur is still gathering allies, spreading seeds of war, and though he sent Guinevere a note to shake her up, he's made no move to see her. By this point, Arthur has a multiple allies, including a contingent of unseelie fey.
Others either know nothing of or are ignoring the war brewing and merely continue in their daily lives. Titania had more run-ins with Cernunnos, each slightly more pleasant than the last. In the height of his season and the down swing of hers, he makes a move on her that's been building for some time. The year closes on another quiet note.
Winter 2009
Magic starts the year off again, and once strange occurrence turns Tink into a boy, with Hansel's face. They converse, and he goes off to find Carabosse for help, while she goes to find Puck to explain her predicament as well as report of the brewing war. In the meantime, pirates abound! Smee and Gretel are pirates, with Smee in command of his own ship, unknowing of what's become of one James Hook.MORE TO COME! Feel free to check our round-up tag for more details and links to threads!