A scattered account of Dammrök by Lilja, first of the fairies (according to herself).
Mechanical Summary:
Preferred region: R140
Starting resource: Sand
Desired import: Lumber
Technologies: Tall Sails, Animal Husbandry
Faith: Älvdans
Ruler: Kabbleka (D2 - M5 - S5 - F4 - I1)
On Geography:
Dammrök contains a great deal of sand. If you face south there is nothing but gently rolling dunes of itchiness stretching out for as long the eye can see. It would be an empty wasteland, if not for the sound of crashing waves from behind. Don’t look south silly, it's boring.
Turning north the expanse of Blötöken provides the region with a thin sliver of life, turning dry itchiness into a slightly wetter menace. Besides an abundance of brambles, well more than ten dozen at least - look there’s plenty of them when the only other growing thing around is sand dunes, okay?
Oh, and sometimes the sand becomes hard. Then we dig into it and make a home but if it’s too close to the water it gets damp from all the fog but if it’s too far away there’s no food and you get hungry. The best is Lagom it’s not too wet but it’s close to the fishes and there’s lots of friends to chat with!
On Fairies:
It’s Älvor stupid, and we’re the best! Not big and clumsy like you, and look I can lift like ten dozen more than myself, but not in the air. Being in the air is soooo exhausting but super fun - look I can be over here and then over here and over there, upside down!
Breathing, breathing is great too - then I can tell you all about my friends, they’re the best.
[Scribe’s Note: Fairies live for 6-7 years, are about 10-13 inches, weigh 4-9 pounds, appear human save the translucent butterfly wings on their back. They’re prone to outlandish claims, can lift 5-10 times their own weight while walking, and fly short distances before needing rest. They could probably glide much further than they fly, that would however require a Fairy to remain still and not become distracted. Fairies do not sleep, they crash when they have no energy left. To summarize: they’re annoying insects living short and fickle lives.]
Aaaand that’s Timotej, Gullviva, Skogsstjärna, Blåklocka, Rödklöver, Vitsippa, Prästkrage, Smörboll, Lupin, Syren, Snödroppe, Påsklilja, Krokus - they’ve been my best friends forever but they’re all dead now, so I’ve hooked up with Fjädervallmo instead. They’re the best, I’ve never been so happy!
Anyways we live with her group in Törne, Törne is not as good as Lagom but there’s lots and lots of brambles, ten dozen! Right now Videkvist’s group feels like digging so they’re doing that and Liljekonvalj has become obsessed with rabbits so there’s lots of food and Gökört is making new and pretty clothes from all the un-chewy parts. Do you see how slim and shiny my new dress is? It’s dead rabbit!
There’s so many more groups in Törne and many many more in Lagom, ten dozen at least. But they don’t have Ängsskallra, Ängskallra is great. She can count to a dozen dozen and has sooo many ideas, we’ve never been bored with her - Or hungry! She also has two kids and their friends . . .
[Scribe’s Note: The Faries live in clans with an elder mediating between them. Except that the clans are more defined by individuals current obsessions than their blood and the elder is whomever can starve of boredom the longest while still keeping the others fed. Lilja claims the mediators hold a sliver of intelligence. I am doubtful any Fairy can remember their last thought, far less manage a semblance of logical reasoning.]
. . . And then when Näckros and I had dug for three days he just fell to the ground, that’s when I realized we hadn't eaten, I’m kinda hungry now thinking about it.
On Resources and Technology:
Do you want some Sand? I own the dune to the right of the leftmost middle dune between the two similar dunes with the brown rocks on. It’s somewhere behind you, I bought it for three fishes, best buy ever. Seller was a dumb-dumb it’s full of magic sand that moves and makes you forget where it is. Look I got a sample right here and now it’s gone!
[Scribe’s note: She threw it in the air.]
I’ll give you the location for ten dozen fishes. Only place you’ll find the magic sand, promise! You’ll become rich in a moment, such a big fella as you could carry lots and lots to sell, maybe enough to buy lumber. Wouldn’t you want that? Your own ship with tail sails, King of Blötöken. Tell you what I’ll make you a deal, only a dozen fishes if I get to be on the ship. Super generous! Practically for free, you’re gonna be richest ever if you buy the magic sand today but offer is only today, tomorrow it might have moved, be quick, chance of your life!
[Scribe’s note: The Fairies have made a game out of selling sand to strangers. There is no discernable difference between the sand in Dammrök or adjacent realms besides the incessant sales pitches for it.]
Oh is that wood in your backpack, what do you want for it, I’ll give you four fishes! Wait no - I’ll teach you how to breed the birdies. Delicious eggs, most tasty you’ll ever drink, and they’re super fun to fly with too! Oh, I’m starving just thinking of them. But wait you’re too big to fly, silly me I’ll just borrow that tinder to have a look you don’t mind do you?
[Scribe’s note: Make sure all your possessions are well secured in Dammrök, otherwise the local insects might borrow them indefinitely.]
On Faith:
Gods? Don’t be silly, that's just you bigguns naming things you don’t understand, stupid! Try it out yourself instead like Vass sailmaker or Förgätmigej recordkeeper or Nyponros birdtamer or me Lilja meatfinder. We know more about the world than any of your boring gods. Life should be fun not spent kneeling for some made up rules on false promises, do it yourself instead of begging, come join us in our Älvdans!
[Scribe’s Note: The fairies worship free will and their own progress above all else. Those that achieve notoriety through inventions, discoveries, or mastery of their craft become living icons, passing into myth if no one outshines them after death. This is likely a result of the insects limited mental capacity and lack of proper decorum.]
Last Ramblings:
Oh are you tired, life’s no fun when you have to stand in your thick clothes and listen to a little insect blathering on and on and forever? Mouth all dry and limbs all tired? That’s just how I like humans, such big meathunks!
[Scribe’s Note: When a Fairy calls you a hunk and smiles with small pointy sharp glistening teeth that’s not an invitation. Run.]
Scrib Not: Oh No
A few clarifications: We are no insects and perfectly capable of proper decorum but where is the fun in that? Yummy!
Sincerely,
Lilja, needling devourer of scribes and first among the fairies
