Coming Soon!! The Shimmering Fen!
Elicio Ember has added a photo to the pool:
Cerridwen’s Cauldron will be back this year at Fantasy Faire and we’re SO EXCITED! We had to tell you just a wee bit about it!
The air shimmers with magic and the land is lush, a living swamp of towering mushrooms. Meet the graceful elves who call this place home, living in organic structures that flow with the rhythm of nature. Welcome to The Shimmering Fen.
Evergreen – The Tale of the Shimmering Fen
I sat in the open-air tavern overlooking the shimmering swamp filled with towering mushrooms and exotic creatures. The sun was setting, and the air was thick with the sweet, earthy scent of the smoke of Sharian´s pipe, filled with a rare herb that only grows in this enchanted land. My mentor, Sharian the old, sat beside me, taking a long drag from his intricately carved, long-necked pipe, and I sipped a special mix of mushroom and berry wine brewed by the elves of the Shimmering Fen. The woody, tangy taste of the wine perfectly complements the story that Sharian is telling, and I savored each sip as I tried to commit both story and moment to later put down in my journal.
As the smoke drifted in slightly glowing clouds up into the evening sky, Sharian began to tell me the tale of the elves who settled in this land many years ago. He spoke in a mystical voice, as if he was channeling the very spirit of the elves who once came to this strange land ages ago. I listened in awe, taking notes in my journal as he recounted the story.
“My dear apprentice, do you see those beautiful mushroom caps glowing in the dusk? They are the key to understanding the tale of the elves who settled here…”
“How do all stories start, hm?” The wizened wizard arched an eyebrow at me as he took a draft from his pipe, chuckled and glowing fragrant smoke puffed from his nostrils…
Once upon a time of course….
Once upon a time, there was a peaceful elf civilization that lived in a vast woodland home. They lived in harmony with nature, tending to the trees and wildlife that called the forest their home. However, their idyllic way of life was threatened when a human city began to grow and expand, deforesting the woodland that had been the elves’ home for centuries.
Some of the elves decided to stay and fight, but the majority chose to migrate, leaving their beloved home behind. The journey was long and arduous, and many hardships had to be overcome along the way. Finally, after many miles of travel, some of the elves settled in a place called Mythspire, where they created a beautiful city made of stone and gold atop red cliffs, guarded by a titanic statue of a warrior goddess of stories.
The elves who had settled in Mythspire worked hard to make their new home a haven of peace and prosperity. They built magnificent structures, created art, and tended to the cliffs and gullies surrounding their city. Over time, they created a new way of life that blended the beauty of nature with the practicality of urban living.
Meanwhile, the other elves who had migrated continued their journey. They traveled far and wide, across mountains and valleys, until they discovered a swamp of giant mushrooms. This very swamp. It is a strange and exotic place, filled with unusual creatures and unique vegetation. The elves decided to settle here, and they named their new home The Shimmering Fen.
At first, life in The Shimmering Fen was difficult. The swamp was inhospitable, and the elves had to adapt to new ways of living. But over time, they learned how to build stilted mushroom wood homes that kept them above the murky waters of the swamp. They persevered, and as time passed, they created a thriving culture based on the cultivation of the mushrooms that grew in abundance in the swamp, and a new culture that was unique to their new home flourished, filled with music, dance, art and storytelling.
They became known for their unique homes and exquisite craftsmanship, attracting visitors from all over the world.
As we sit here in this tavern, watching the fireflies dance over the stilted village below, we are witnessing the fruits of their labor. The elves of the Shimmering Fen have created a way of life that is unique, vibrant, and filled with magic. They have found a way to live in harmony with the natural world, creating homes that are both beautiful and practical.
So my dear apprentice, let this be a lesson to you. When life forces you to leave your home, embrace the journey, and never stop seeking a place where you can live in harmony with your true nature. For it is only then that you will find true happiness and fulfillment, just as the elves of Mythspire and the Shimmering Fen have done.
As the night fell, fireflies danced around us, casting their twinkling light over the swamp. The mushrooms glowed softly in the darkness, adding to the enchantment of the moment. In the distance, I could hear the haunting melody of someone playing a flute, the sound drifting towards us on the soft breeze.
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A note from the apprentice: I hope this little tale and the accompanying music inspire you to create your own tales and stories, in the land or on paper, for the Shimmering Fen, as all the Fairelands, has many stories to tell… yours!
Soundtrack to the Shimmering Fen:
•1- The Shimmering Fen´s Theme: Enchantress, Two Steps From Hell
•2- The Exodus: Blackhart, Two Steps From Hell
•3- The Discovery of the Shimmering Fen: Christopher, Phil Lober
•4- Settling The Fen, Foundation: Winterspell, Two Steps From Hell
•5- Flourishing of a New Culture: Unleashed, Two Steps From Hell
•6- Harmony with Nature, Evergreen: Evergreen, Two Steps From Hell
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