Tag: #Fantasy

A Closer Look

A Closer Look: The Great Tower of Radix (Silvia’s Tower)

KC J. Hutchins

Built to spite her jealous husband, Madame Silvia Muffet created the building using her shaman magic. Twisting vines, roots, branches, and thorns weave together to form this grand tower to the very top room where a single window looks out on the land of Fabulum. To most beings, there is no door to enter this place. It only appears if one passes the test of the tower.

Two vines will spring forth from the tower; one having an allspice flower at the end of it that will wrap its petals around a person’s chest. The second has the jaws of a Venus fly trap, the tips of its teeth teasing the flesh all around one’s head. After a few minutes of suspense, the vines will retreat to the tower and form an archway; revealing a large round door made of Maple tree wood. That is only if one passes. On the other hand, if the person does not pass the fly trap gets brains for dinner. The only way to pass this test is to have enough compassion in your heart to care others more than yourself. Once one does get inside, they see the true wonder of this place.

Flowers light up the walls with a variety of vibrant colors that rival the splendor of a rainbow. Creatures of all shapes and sizes roam the tower, neither prey or predator seeking any hostility toward one another. If one makes their way down the steps and underground they can her the very tower breathe. The roots under the building are curled around a green glowing gem that keeps the structure standing. One must be careful approaching the sight for if they do not, giant moles will come up and smack intruders.

Going back upstairs, one would climb the spiraling staircase of Silvia’ tower. Each step is made of thick oak branches that run along the walls, From the ceiling trickles vines with radiant flowers that light the very tower. Finally, at the very top of the stairs it opens to a large circular room. A corner of the room contains two large tables side by side. One is obviously a work bench with tools scattered about and wood shavings covering the table top. The other seems strange to the most people. On it are several vials, tubes, and bottles that are kept neatly in rows against the back wall. Above them are shelves of powders, glowing liquids, and ingredients that are used for potions. In the center of this table is a small cauldron that is usually boiling. Like most of the tower, flowers of magnificent colors decorate the pointed ceiling. Branches stick out from the roof as most of the time Silvia’s owls perch upon them, except for Vitro, Silvia’s closest owl, who has his own perch next to her work bench. A single window lets the light in with a flat bay bottom and a coned shaped top. Across from this is a huge book case aligned with tomes of magic and guides to plants. A humble wood carved bed stands next to this with faded linens. The wooden plank floor is decorated in the center with a finishing of an owl in flight.

A Closer Look

A Closer Look: The Muffet Clan

KC J. Hutchins

The Muffet family crest was based on the founding members’ animals. At the top of the symbol were an eagle’s wings spread on the outside while the middle has a bat’s. The lower half was in the jaws of a crocodile with its toothy smile. Located in the middle of the crest was a curved elephant’s trunk next to a bear’s paw.

During the Graecian Expansion, Cyclops from Graecia attempted to invade the land of Fabulum. The five founding members of the Muffet clan rose up to stop them led by Ellie Muffet thus where the name comes from. Battle after battle they fought, making the cyclops more and more fearful of their reputation. Eventually, they surrendered, begging to be spared their lives and from returning to Graecia. The founders graciously allowed them to stay, forming an alliance with their homeland in the process.

Since then, they have served as the protectors of Fabulum. Whether it be fighting trolls, wolves, or giants; they have been a reliable and formidable force. Notable members include Gruff Muffet whose duel tactics ended the Troll conflict. He is deviously clever man who chose a particularly large breed of goats to train. This is an ode to his mother Bo Peep who trained sheep. Gruff’s wife, Silvia was an owl trainer and discovered she was a shaman. Her skills soon outshone her husband’s and gave her much respect among anyone she met.

Both of the couple’s sons were gifted as well. One became the head of the clan while training ravens. His name was John and took the characteristics of his father. On the other hand, his brother with his wife was able to train the dreaded pack. Unfortunately, he was struck down by Mallupo’s handiwork. However, this gave rise to the greatness of their daughter, Red Muffet. With the gone, she now had the responsibility of leading the wolf pack, despite the land rejecting her for being a werewolf. Her renown cousins live in the Muffet Manor. Goldilocks is a celebrated warrior warrior riding atop of her three bears, while her sister Luda (though she prefers Miss Muffet) ensnares her opponents with her trained giant spiders.

The only famous member not directly related to the family is a man by the name of Serlep. He is a talented warrior who is enlisted under a special strike force for Gruff as an orphan. The first to train snakes, he showed amazing skills even before he trained his adoptive deceased brothers’ animals after their deaths at the hands of Red. Though there may just be more than skill involved with his feats.

Species Spotlight

Species Spotlight: Trolls

KC J. Hutchins

A head tall over the goblin and much lankier with colorful skin; it is a relative of the goblins, gargoyles, ogres, and gremlins. Long mullets of hair drape down their back and around their pointed ears. Instead of fangs they have tusks that curve around the outside of their mouth. Boils can be found on the surface of their skin especially on their hands. Once part of the realm of Conflictus, they were force out of their home by Delsey when they refused to follow her rule. They fought to be an equal people once they fled to Fabulum, but were defeated due to the somewhat cruel tactics of Gruff Muffet. From then on, they became servants to the royal family. Their skills as stone smiths were put to work as they built bridges on which they collected the tolls that went to the king. Often they dream of returning to their fishing village and be whole gain in the land of Conflictus.

Species Spotlight

Species Spotlight: Goblin

KC J. Hutchins

The goblins are a honor bound society, fighting battles with a sense of fairness. Their skills with all forms of weapons can even put a dragon’s back against a wall. They have long been the leaders of their relatives the trolls, gremlins, and gargoyles until the end of the Tech War. During a bloody battle, the blame was placed upon the royal family for the catastrophe. This paved the way for the sorceress Queen Delsey to take control of the realm of Conflictus. Goblins stand at the same height as humans with a thicker skin. They come in arrange of colors such as red, blue, and yellow with decorations of scars and burns earned by combat. Solid metal earrings are a popular fashion trend among the goblins that they pierce on their pointed ears. It can be intimidating walking up to these creatures with their fangs somewhat sticking out. Rest assured most goblins will bring you no harm unless you cross them. Then you can expect a fair fight and a place to sleep after you have been knocked out.

Exploring New Lands

Exploring New Lands: Fabulum

KC J. Hutchins

A land of meadows and mostly small villages, this place has stayed out of most wars that plagued Magitotum except the Graecian Expansion. At that time, the Cyclops looked to escape the gods and goddesses of Olympus. When they saw the meadows of Fabulum, they were eager to take what they wanted. They were surprised when the people did not only fight back but completely defeat them. This was impart due to the formation of the Muffet clan; a group of animal trainers that have incredible fighting ability. At the conclusion of the fighting, the founders made a treaty with the Cyclops for them to live above them in the clouds and calling it Reus. In return, the one eyed creatures taught the land how to shepherd their flocks. For many years this relationship stayed in tact, until the Giants, descendants of the mixture of Cyclops and humans, came to start war once again. They were only stopped when the brave farmer Jack killed the leader of the kingdom of Reus. Peace once again settled but only for a short while. A short conflict followed when the Trolls of Conflictus fled from their homeland. They attempted to settle in the rivers of Magitotum by building great bridges and a fortress. Led by the Muffets, they were quickly thwarted and were forced to serve the kingdom of Fabulum. They was no pause from the fighting as a new threat came.

It came to pass that the werewolf Mallupo, who was thought to be dead, plagued Fabulum. Through scores and scores of men and women he killed, but the children he did something worse. He turned the children of his victims into Lunalpha werewolves like himself. With that control, he was able to bring Fabulum to its knees. Not feeling he had enough power, he headed to the forest found in the Southern part of Fabulum. There inside was a pack of large wolves that had occasionally caused trouble for the people of the land. They were now calmed by a members of the head Muffet family who took it upon themselves to train the wolves. Unfortunately, when Mallupo showed up that training meant nothing as he turned the wolves on their friends. With more of an army to take over the land, he headed straight to royal castle. He was stopped by a man in a full suit of shining silver armor. That day he was stopped with his arm chopped off by the blade of the mysterious assailant. Peace was again settled in this land, or so it was thought.

The place itself has three distinct places known by most. In the South is a grand forest where no one dares to venture. There inside the twisting branches and crawling roots the pack of wolves hunts for food, only straying off if there are very little left. To the North is the Muffet Estate. This stretches from to the edge of the mountain range that surrounds Pruina to a few miles from the royal city near the Northeast side of the land of Magitotum. A small forest can be found within this estate where many creatures wander and one can even see the tower made from thorns and vines that was created by Silvia Muffet behind the main household. The royal city is where the king sits on his throne and governs the land. His people live outside his castle walls in two different sections that have caused a conflict within his nearby home. It seems that the cutoff land of Fabulum may just need some outside assistance after all.