THE LEGEND OF PRINCESS FAIRE, PART 3
When her locks had reached a length of head to toe and back again,
She laid a foot upon the sill and faced into the restless wind,
But then the stillness was undone by echoes in the tower lair,
Her fathers voice throughout the halls: "You shall not leave here, Princess Faire."
Ruler: (In his grief, he wouldn't let her go. Sounds like he discovered her plan.)
Ruler: (I'll read some more.)
A fathers gift, her strands of gold- remembrance of her sibling gone,
Peerless but for one device upon which evening's gleaming shone:
A wizards firm and grasping hand clutched round a Magic Scissor there,
And so she leapt into the night. Made free at last, the Princess Faire.
Ruler: (That's the end. It seems she escaped after all.)
Ruler: (Hmm...a Magic Scissor...I wonder...)
(OT> Quite a tale, isn't it? 16. Sabina's Tale, Part 3
*ask about Magic Scissor - could be the key...*
(OT>A Magic Scissor? If what you believe about *our* guest is true- it could be worth a try!)
Ruler: What do you think it would take for us to make Magic Scissors of our own?
OT: Quite an interesting question! To overcome the spell on Sabina's hair...
we'd need high quality metals and enchanting materials. It would be difficult, but not impossible.
Ruler: Now we're getting somewhere!
(OT>Mithril is the purest, most magically-conductive metal I know. It's the perfect choice.
We'll need high-quality Iron as wee, and a good deal of pure Enchanter's Essence.
17. The Magic Scissors *forge the magic scissors*
(OT>The Scissors are complete! Careful- they're very sharp!)
Ruler: Sabina, we think we've found a solution.
Sabina: Scissors?! But I hate scissors! The last pair of scissors I saw-
Ruler: I know. You just need to trust me. I'm your friend.
Sabina: You're not going to cut off all my hair and keep me here?
Ruler: We may have to cut your hair. But whether you stay is up to you. Do you trust me?
...
Sabina: Yes. I do.
(Sabina>Go ahead. Cut it, if you can. I believe in you.
18. Love And Trust *have the magic scissors, cut Sabina free*
(Sabina>Oh my gosh! I'm free! I'm really, truly free!)
Sabina: Hey, come look at this! I drew up some building plans for a nice cozy little cottage!
Ruler: That was fast! You're certainly not wasting any time now that you're free.
Sabina: Having my own place to call home is something I always dreamed of.
My tower was fancy and magical, but it was more like a prison.
Many nights, I went to sleep dreaming of what life would be like in my own house.
I envisioned the kitchen, the entryway, the roof, the garden?
It was nice to escape into my imagination, if only for a little while.
That's why I want to have my dream home here, in your kingdom.
Ruler: Can I, uh...see those building plans? ...
"Marble fountain in courtyard, topiary archway, second-floor spire with trellis..."
Well, it might take some time, but... wait, what's this?
"Capstone on northern foundation shall be the Heart of the Sands."
What's the Heart of the Sands?
Sabina: It's a huge ruby cut into the shape of a heart! There's only one in the world!
Ruler: And uh...you assumed we'd just have something like that laying around?
Sabina: No, but I know where it is. I read all about it the Heart of the Sands when I was a girl.
Ruler: You're pretty resourceful for someone who was stuck in a tower her whole life.
Sabina: Thanks!
(Sabina>The Heart of the Sands is buried in a shrine across the desert, to the south.
If you could send someone there, I'm sure they could find it using my directions.
20. Heart of the Sands *send knights, obtain The Heart Of The Sands*
(Sabina>That's it, the Heart of the Sands! My house will be perfect.)
Thurston: My liege! To brave the desert will be an adventure, but one peril looms for our knights.
Ruler: What's that?
Thurston: The sweltering heat! An overheated knight is in no condition to explore or fight!
Instead they will be slow, and laughed at, and called "Sir Sweaty".
Ruler: You know this from...experience, I take it?
Thurston: ... Mayhap.
(thurston>The knights would surely sing thy praises if the forges were put to work crafting suitable desert armor.
Treat the metal with Troll Essence, which will absorb the heat. 21. Overheated *forge light armor*
(thurston>This armor breathes very well. 'Tis suited to the desert swelter!)
Sabina: Time to get building. I can't wait to move in!
Once the house is ready, the first thing I'm going to do is invite everyone for tea!
It'll be my first tea party where the other guests weren't dolls!
(Sabina>Now, let's make sure to follow the plans exactly, and then place the capstone.
This is the first time in my life I've been able to have something just my own!
22. Sabina's House *place & build Sabina's House*
(Sabina> Home sweet home! This is the happiest day of my life. Thank you so much!)
IVY: I went by Sabina's house. She was just sitting there with her hairbrush, looking uncertain.
I think she's been brushing her hair for hours each day for so long...
She doesn't know what to do now that it's gone!
Ruler: Poor Sabina. Do you think we can help her?
IVY: I was thinking we could give her, her hair back!
Ruler: Really? How?
IVY: A lot of help! I wrote up a proclamation for you to read:
Ruler: "Hear ye, hear ye? by royal command all blondes must proceed to the Castle."
IVY: Hmm...I didn't realize how that might sound when I wrote it.
Ruler: Well, your heart is in the right place, at least.
(ivy>Let's send a *properly-worded* message to our neighboring kingdoms
and see if they can lend us a hand. Or a hair, rather.
23. Wigging Out *ask for 75 hair donations- for a big ol' wig!!*
(ivy>Look at this huge pile of hair! Now, I just have to connect it all together?)
Sabina: SO...I couldn't help but notice Ivy trying to secretly piece together a giant blonde wig.
IVY: Heh! Guess we're busted! I was hoping to surprise you.
Sabina: You've been so sweet to me. I should give you something in return.
Ruler: You don't have to-
[Sabina hands you bank notes worth 100,000 Coins!]
Sabina: 100,000 Coins!? I'm sorry. Is it not enough?
Ruler: It's way too much! I can't accept this.
(Sabina>Oh, don't worry. Father had a lot of coins that were kept in trust for me.
There's plenty more where that came from.
24. A Grateful Princess * accept the gift- she's loaded!*
(Sabina>As for the wig, it's probably best that I get used to my new haircut. But thank you.)
Sabina: Oh, my first visitor! This is exciting.
Ruler: No visitors back at the old tower, huh?
Sabina: Well, I did have *one*. But I don't know if it counts.
In fact, that "visitor" is why I came to the Glimmer Wood!
Ruler: Oh yeah? What sort of visitor was it?
Sabina: I used to sing at my window every night, to keep the blues away.
Sometimes, a flying creature would approach the tower and circle, listening.
It was a great winged beast with a scorpion tail, and the body of a lion!
Ruler: That sound dangerous!
Sabina: I'm sure it was. But I sensed a gentleness about it, too.
I think it was lonely and wanted to hear someone singing. Lonely, like me.
After a few years, suddenly as it has appeared, it stopped visiting.
Still, occasionally when I would sing, I'd hear a beast's cry on the wind.
Ruler: And the cry came from this direction?
Sabina: Yes. I think my old visitor is somewhere in this wood.
Here, take this. If we find him, he'll recognize you as a friend.
*Sabina gave you the [Jewelled Talon] !
(Sabina>I saw a rock spire to north that seems a logical home for a big, flying beast.
Don't worry-I'm sure he'll recognize me. 25. A Cry In The Night
*find and expand to The Forgotten Roost, go to the roost with Sabina*
(Sabina>Ah, there's the spire! Hold on tight to the Jewelled Talon.)
Ruler: It looks...there's a nest up there, but I can't see what's in it.
Sabina: Hold on, I'm going to try singing, just like I used to.
... Laaaa-la-lala. Lalala-laaaa, la-la...
[Sabina sings a mournful, beautiful song.]
ruler: I think there's something stirring up there!
(Sabina>Should I keep singing?
26. Sabina s Song *have Sabina continue her song*
(Sabina> Laa-la-la-la! La-la? Oh, something is happening! Look!)
Ruler: Something rolled off the top! It's ... an egg?
Sabina: So that's why it stopped visiting. It was building a nest?
Poor thing. Something bad must have befallen it, if it left it's egg alone.
Ruler: What should we do now? There's no way to get the egg back up there.
Sabina: Without the warmth of its mother, it'll never hatch.
Ruler: Well, we can't sit on it ourselves, but I have an idea.
We have a Magic Forge that gets pretty toasty. We could incubate it there.
(Sabina>It's worth a try! We'll build it a little crucible and keep it safe until it hatches.
27. A Mysterious Egg *use the magic forge to incubate the egg- find out what's inside!*
(Sabina>Oh, how cute! Oh! But watch out for his little stinger!) -baby manticore hatches!
Sabina: I'm going to call him "Little Manty", the Manticore.
Thurston: What's this? Monsters within our hallowed kingdom walls!?
To arms! Someone, slay that beast, quickly!
Ruler: Thurston! It's just a baby!
Thurston: But... 'tis a fearsome creature! Manticores have devoured many a knight!
IVY: Oh, come on. Look at how cute he is, poking his little tail around!
Thurston: Cute? It's about to stab thee to death!
Ruler: It looks like it's hungry.
Thurston: Surely thou art not thinking of feeding that beast!
(Sabina>I promise you, Sir Knight "Little Manty" wouldn't hurt a fly. Can't you sense the gentleness in him?
28. Little Manty *raise Little Manty to adult-feed* (Sabina>Look who's all grown up!)
Sabina: Finally I'm free! I don't know what I can ever do to repay you.
Ruler: No payment needed. Rescuing people in this wood is kinda our thing
Sabina: This is an amazing place. The sights, the sounds, the smells!
Much better than my stuffy old tower.
Ruler: You don't have to worry about that anymore. You're free to go wherever you want.
Sabina: Yes, and I've decided where I want to go!
Ruler: Oh? Where's that?
Sabina: Right here! It's got everything I've read about! Castles, gallant knights, magic, danger, adventure!
Most importantly, it's got other people, to talk and laugh with. I've always wanted that.
Ruler: Well, we're glad to have you. As ruler, I hereby officially welcome you to my kingdom!
Sabina: Wow, you're royalty too?
Ruler: Sorta. Don't worry- I haven't let it go to my head.
Sabina: Well, you can just call me Sabina. I'm tired of being a Princess. It's nothing but trouble.
Ruler: Sabina, it's a deal.
So, um...where will I be staying?
Ruler: Well, we have cottages, and there are some extra rooms at the Castle...
Sabina: I see. And what is the magic word to summon your elves to serve meals?
Ruler: Umm... about that...
Sabina: Are these cottages made of marble? What sort of tapestries do they have?
Ruler: I'm afraid we don't have anything that fancy.
Sabina: Fancy? But it's quite simple! I've read plenty of books about architecture.
I can show you how to make it exactly right. From memory!
Ruler: That's ... pretty impressive.
Sabina: I had a lot of time on my hands.
(Sabina>My father used some of these building techniques to construct my tower.
They're not so difficult, it the materials can be found. Here, let me show you.
19. Strictly Ornamental *craft-ornate block & beam, magic cement-unbreakable once set*
(Sabina> Great! All the luxury of my tower, without the inconvenience of being stuck for eternity!) *unlocks adventure*
, 5 xp
