Mady

SUMMONS TO THE ROYAL DUMA: DRACOMIR RORIKOV Issued by The Royal Inquisitor, Baroness Sorina Luceafaru 423 ES “The Office of the Seneschal shall serve as interior administrators of the lands, services and infrastructure within the lands directly administered by the Crown within the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska.” -Aulic Edict, 341 ES Since the year of our lord 341 ES, the duties and expectations of the High Seneschal have been clearly laid out and upon his acceptance of the position, His Excellency, Mister Rorikov, was given the task of living up to these expectations and duties. In recent years, there has been a clear issue brought to my attention and this issue would be that of the eviction signs littering our blessed nation’s capital. Typically, one would attribute these signs to a diligent worker staying on top of his duties. Sadly, this has not been the case. Eviction signs have been horribly misplaced, even going as far as to jeopardise our honour in a treaty with the Grand Kingdom of Urguan. A tax free stall holding dwarven wares to be evicted, and recently as well. Aside from this, eviction signs which have remained throughout the Kingdom seem to be outdated, some even going as far back as four years ago. As Royal Inquisitor, I wish to summon Mister Rorikov to His Majesty's Royal Duma to accept his mistakes and to answer for them. Someone in a position such as an Aulic Councilor must uphold his duties and hold a standard for someone in such a position should display. Signed, Her Ladyship, Sorina Lorelei Luceafaru, Baroness of Richtenburg, Royal Inquisitor of the Duma

Sorina Luceafaru would be frolicking in the Krusev woods….

Within the confines of her apartment in the Nikirala Prikaz, Sorina Lorelei Luceafaru would be handed the missive by a servant delivering warm milk. “It has barely been a year since my parents passing.” She’s sigh, the mourning woman looking down at the dark haired child sleeping soundly in his bassinet. “Can I have some time to mourn before they attempt to take mothers and fathers legacy from me?”

A STATEMENT FROM WOLDZMIR The funeral of Lady Moliana and Lord Elimar Luceafăru The Sigil of House Luceafăru [Art by @UnBaed] It comes with great sadness that the House of Luceafăru must announce the passing of the Baron and Baroness of Richtenburg, Lord Elimar Luceafăru and Lady Moliana Luceafăru, leaving behind their twin children, Lady Sorina and Lord Viorel Luceafăru. For those close to the family, there will be a mourning vigil at the Woldzmir Castle for the next two months where flowers or tokens may be left at the front gates in honor of the late baron and baroness. On the 6th of Joma and Umund, a funeral service will be held within the Basilica of Saint Heinrik in the capital city of Karosgrad. The service will be open to the public and those who wish to say a few words about the deceased are welcome to do so. Please respect the privacy of the family at this time.

From a dark room in the Castle of Litchstadt, a Haeseni Ambassador would let out a sigh of relief as the news of peace reached her. “Abou’ time fer peace.” Margot would mutter to herself and the bird which had brought her the parchment. ————————————————— Upon beginning her journey, word of peace within the realm would find its way to the wandering Luceafaru who was currently residing in the dwarven capital of Kal’Drakaan. “And so my travels begin with peace and merriment.” Sorina would mutter to herself as she admired the enchanted sword that was the reason for her lone travels.

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A young Sorina outside the Woldzmir Castle wandering between the trees and bushes, discovering bobbles and trinkets of yore. [Art: Golden Ball by Liga Klavina] 6th of Jula & Piov, Year 410 ES, Garden Notes: ⊱ The lupin prefer a misty shower rather than a heavy sprinkle. ⊱ Be weary of the dark fae, they are gathering under the leaves in secret whispers. ⊱ Yellow, yellow, purple, yellow, blue - the pattern of the wildflowers today. Today the land was greeted by a frost gifted by the fae, covering anything the small hands of the creatures could reach. Even my treehouse was extra slippery to climb into. I had left a book which I had snuck from Mama’s special library inside and had to grab it before any ongoings of the day began. One thing led to another and I ended up scraping my knee on a tree branch as I climbed down. I made sure to clean up any blood so the dark fae didn’t take it to steal my soul. That would be hard to get back and Papa would not be happy with me. As usual my face stung in the cold air as I began my trek to Karosgrad. These morning walks have allowed me the solace I have needed to properly think and keep my mind occupied at the same time. Some people walk as though it is muscle memory but I find I need to concentrate in case any haberknacking fae try to trip me. It is dangerous work. As I counted my steps, four thousand and some odd to be exact, the city walls came back into view. By now the first rays of the sun greeted me, defrosting the flora of the landscape around me. The glistening sparkle of the dew on the clovers and grass illuminated my path like a spotlight falling on a field of pearls. I had hoped to meet Liza and Barley before lunch, that way we can have a small meeting regarding the vermin complaints as of late. Sadly, neither of them were around. Isabel did want to talk about relocating some of her whales soon, so I decided to look for her. Alas, another council member missing. Throughout the day I could have spoken to many people, though I decided to keep to myself. Karl waved to me in passing but we are at odds regarding the vermin inhabitants in the palace so I ignored him. I wonder if he noticed. I hope so. I should make it a point to meet with King Siggy soon. He could be the answer to all our problems. Or potentially the ruin of everything. . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10th of Msitza & Dargund, Year of 412 ES, Garden Notes: ⊱ Find a special breakfast treat for the birds. They have been withholding as of late. Mama’s cries rang through the castle. I could hear them in my room over my own cries. It was a day or two before we heard the news of Josephine. I knew something was wrong when the birds didn’t say hello to me today. I had written them off as simply grumpy but no, they knew what was coming. Aunt Josephine had always been someone I could talk to. She was nice and always told me about Grandmama Charlotte and how I looked like her. What is the right amount of time to cry? I have this ache in my chest that feels like when I fell once out of a tree and onto my back and had the air leave my lungs. It hurts but it also feels like bliss. Like I am locked in one of my dreams where I am being pulled under the water of a lake. Those were my favourite. Right now my pillow and Vogel are the only ones I can talk to, and occasionally the spider in the corner of the ceiling, though he has been busy making his web so I’ve kept my crying rather quiet to not disturb him. Does the feeling of missing someone ever go away? Is this what the book's call heartbreak? Or is that different? I have so many questions but I don’t know who to ask. Mama and Papa are sad, just like Viorel. I’m still trying to learn how to talk in Vogels language so he’s out of the question for now. What hurts the most is that Aunt Josephine would be who I would want to ask. And now she’s gone forever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8th of Joma & Umund, Year of 417 ES, Garden Notes: ⊱ Talk to someone about the trials of being ordinary. ⊱ If Mama asks, blame the tear in my skirts on the sheep. I awoke early this morning, before Viorel, Mama or Papa. The birds had not even begun their chirping when I took my first steps out onto the path leading me to Karosgrad. Something was different today and it only took me my walk to truly understand what had been amiss. Since I could remember, my mind and sight had been different from others. One could hear the gyration of leaves and assume a squirrel was afoot but no - in my mind I knew a creature bearing butterfly wings and a pixies body was watching my every move. I saw the oddball creatures which lingered in the shadows of the woods, their multiple eyes watching different parts of my figure as I passed by. The world around me glowed an ethereal yellow, rays of the sun and moon illuminating my surroundings as spheres of glowing fairy dust would float around my vision, attracted to whoever my sight rested upon. Yet, today as I walked, my rose tinted view of the world was gone as though it was stolen from me as I slept, never to return once more. The neon colour of the forest was now dull and grey, pale and darker than I had ever seen it before. The ground below my feet would not hum as I walked, it’s familiar greeting now lost to me as if it had never existed. As I grew nearer to the red walls which had grown so familiar to me, I walked past the patch of wildflowers which usually bloomed and faced me as I walked, flashing their intense colours my way. But, this very morning, they remained held inside their slumbering shells. The more I walked the more lost and confused I grew. It was like the world was now foreign to me and I saw just how plainly others viewed it. It was almost as I had feared after Liza had warned me. I was now simply ordinary. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A young Luceafaru would repeatedly read over the poem, the words lingering in her mind as the girl muttered them out bitterly. Akin to a breakup ballad, Sorina would begin reciting the words: “I hate you I hate you I hate you!”

Sat upon the garden balcony of the Noble Apartments, Sorina Lorelei Luceafaru would look down on the rallying warriors in the square below. As the wind brought forth an edition of The Hearsay of Haenseti-Ruska, a red hue would creep over the girls face. "This is...this is all too much." She'd sigh, looking down to a cross which was held in her palm.

I have a super fun colouring book that distracts me and helps me distress!

The Fairy Queen, Sorina Lorelei Luceafaru would do a happy jig at the news!

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A WOLDSKYEV FOREST The Mondblume-Luceafaru Costume Ball 11th of Grona & Droba 419 ES A folk painting of an enchanted forest. Să avem sânge în vene, The Baronial house of Luceafaru is proud to announce the highly anticipated Lifstala event, A Woldskyev Forest. With the first born daughter or the Baron and Baroness of Richtenburg coming of age during Ve Lifstala, Lady Sorina Lorelei Luceafaru has announced that her debutante will be shared with the participants of Ve Lifstala and will reflect the culture of her house. The Woldskyevan people have a rich and elaborate culture which reflects into its myths and legends, which will be the theme of the evening. Guests will be required to attend wearing their most elaborate and extravagant costume which relates to the theme of Woldskyevan folklore and fairy tales. The House of Luceafaru has a unique identity that the family has earnestly sought to educate others about. The event will be invite only and those interested in attending should seek out the Lady Sorina to secure an invite which must be presented to a guard for entry. Music, food and drink will be provided during the event as well as fairy tales and traditional displays from the House to introduce the culture to those in attendance. As the night pushes on, those who wish to compete for the prize of having the best costume will have their chance. The winners of the contest will be crowned as the Doamnă and Domb, Lady and Lord of the forest and will receive a traditional gift from the House of Luceafaru. For those who seek courtship with Lady Sorina, suitors will be encouraged to offer the lady a dance throughout the evening or steal her away for a brief moment of privacy within the Nikirala Prikaz. Traditional gifts of sweets and flowers are also welcome from those in attendance. To mark this milestone in her life, a fortune teller will be present to announce a fortune for the Lady’s future for all to hear. Signed, HER LADYSHIP, Sorina Lorelei Luceafaru

Traditional Myths & Folk Tales Of the Woldzskyevan People A traditional Wordzkyev folk painting Să avem sânge în vene. “May we have blood in our veins.” Courage; it is something desired and respected amongst those of House Luceafăru. We wish it to our loved ones, and give praise and commemorate those who possess it. Courage in battle is respectable, yet it is often misinterpreted as the only possible display of it. The family of Luceafăru do not often choose to live life by the sword, yet still respect its occasional need. Yet the House respects bravery most when it is of the mind and soul; the courage to open doors no other has seen before, to ask questions others would not dare to make due to fear taking their tongues, and the possession of stalwartness of one’s own ideals and principles. Yet when there is a line to be drawn between courage and foolishness; children of the Woldzkyevan people are warned to keep caution and discipline close to them - to now allow for one’s emotions to rule over logic. Yet it is an old tradition of the Vasoyevi people to teach lessons and warnings through elaborate tales, for they are wisened from the generations of waywardness and revered for their ability to weave stories. Bravery is the most prominent lesson amongst tales, yet there are other common themes to be found; to be resolute, a hard worker, generous, honest, and watchful. Lastly, there is the value of memory. Never forget the lessons of the past and never forget yourself. The Enchanted Pig When an emperor had to go to war he left his three daughters with one word of wisdom: do not step into the room at the back. Of course they did, for reading and sewing had soon become a boring routine. Here they discovered a book where each one read her fate. And soon it happened as it was written there. When the third suitor arrived, the one destined to the youngest princess, he was indeed a pig. The princess married him and followed him to his home. Days passed, the groom behaved much like a pig during the day, loving his mud bath: only at night did he remove his skin to become a man. The princess, worried, took the advice of a decrepit hag, who gave her a red string to tie around his left ankle while he slept. A mistake she would pay dearly for, as the prince had only three days left from the spell cast upon him by none other than the very same hag. The princess would travel over nine seas and nine lands in hope of finding her beloved husband again. With the help of Saint Moon, Saint Sun and the Wind, the princess discovered the forest where her husband hid. And since they both suffered enough for their love, they could finally be together as humans. The Old Man’s Clever Daughter Left without any spark in the fireplace the good daughter goes in search of a flame to cook breakfast. True to her nature she helps the needy along the way until she arrives at the house of Saint Friday. Here she does not shy away from chores and when she can finally choose her own reward she chooses with her heart, a small, clean cut chest. Only at home does it prove to be filled with jewels and precious stones. Of course, the stepsister quickly does the same rushing through the chores and choosing the reward with her greedy eyes. And she gets what she deserved while the old man and his kind daughter lived in peace. And I mounted the saddle. And I whispered into the candle. The Fox & the Crow I bet you can’t guess what I like to eat best of all? Yes, I knew that you would say that foxes like to eat hens best, and stolen ones at that. I don’t mind admitting that I wouldn’t ever say no to a nice fat chicken wing once in a while. But not many people know that what foxes appreciate even more than chicken, is a nice piece of cheese once in a while. Well, today I ate a wonderfully rich and creamy slice of cheddar for my breakfast. It was kindly given to me by a beautiful black-feathered bird whose voice is even more wonderful than her looks. No, I don’t mean a sky-lark, or a fancy bird of paradise. I’m talking about Miss Crow, up in that tree. It was a fine bright morning, and I was following my sharp nose through the woods in search of a bite to eat, when I caught a cheesy smell on the breeze. I looked up into the tree and there on the branch I saw Miss Crow, looking terribly pleased with herself, for in her beak she held a large piece of cheese. It was stolen, no doubt, from the farmer over the hill, but I’m not one to go around accusing people of this and that. I called up to my neighbor and said: “Good morning Miss Crow, you are looking very lovely today, if I may say so.” Miss Crow cocked her head on one side and looked at me with her beady little eye, but she kept her beak firmly closed on the cheese. “Such a charming creature,” I mused to myself, making sure nevertheless that she could overhear. “Such a fine sheen on those wondrous black feathers. What wings! What legs! And that beak, exquisite!” I could see that Miss Crow was paying close attention to my words, even though she was pretending ever so hard not to hear. So I gazed up at the tree with admiration and love in my eyes and said: “Ah, my heart is smitten by this wonderful bird. If only I could hear her voice. I’m sure that such a charming creature must sing most sweetly! If I could but hear one line of her song, I would hail her as the Princess of The Forest!” Now I could see my words had hit home. Swelling with pride, Miss Crow puffed up her feathers and began to sing the most lovely music I have ever heard. “CAAWWWWWWWWW!” Well alright, I know that you are saying that Miss Crow’s voice is not exactly star quality, but to me that was just the sound that I’d been waiting for. Because as soon as she opened her beak, the cheese fell to the ground and I snapped up my breakfast. Which only goes to show that: Flattery will get you everywhere. Florin & the Bear It happened in ancient times that a slave named Florins escaped from his master and fled into the forest, and he wandered there for a long time until he was weary. Just then he heard a bear near him moaning and groaning and at times roaring terribly. And when he tried to get up, there he saw the bear coming towards him. Instead of attacking him it kept on moaning and groaning and looking at Florin, who saw that the bear was holding out his right paw, which was covered with blood and very much swollen. Looking more closely at it, Florin saw a great big thorn pressed into the paw, which was the cause of all the bear’s trouble. Plucking up courage, he seized hold of the thorn and drew it out of the bear’s paw, who roared with pain when the thorn came out, but soon after found such relief from it that he rubbed up against Florin, and showed that he knew, that he was truly thankful for being relieved from such pain. One day, a number of soldiers came marching through the forest and found Florin. They took him prisoner and brought him back to the town, and he was condemned to death because he had fled from his master. Now it used to be the custom to throw murderers and other criminals to the bears, and on the appointed day he was led forth into the arena. The Emperor of the land was in the royal box that day and gave the signal for the bear to come out and attack Florin. But when it came out of its cage and got near Florin, what do you think it did? Instead of jumping upon him, it rubbed up against him, and stroked him with its paw. It was, of course, the bear which Florin had met in the forest. The Emperor summoned Florin to him. So Florin told the Emperor all that had happened to him and how the bear was showing gratitude for having relieved it of the thorn. Thereupon, the emperor pardoned Florin and ordered his master to set him free, while the bear was taken back into the forest and let loose to enjoy freedom once more. The Fairy Mountain Once upon a time there was a poor servant girl who was diligent and neat. Every day she swept out the house and shook the sweepings onto a large pile outside the door. One morning just as she was beginning her work she found a letter on the pile of sweepings. She could not read, so she stood her broom in the corner and took the letter to her employers. It was an invitation from the fairies, asking the girl to serve as godmother at the baptism of one of their children. At first the girl did not know what she should do, but finally they convinced her to accept. It would not be right, they said, to decline such an invitation. Three fairies came and led her to a hollow mountain where the little people lived. Everything there was small, but more ornate and splendid than can be described. The new mother was lying in a bed of ebony decorated with pearl buttons. The covers were embroidered with gold. The cradle was made of ivory, and the bathtub of gold. The girl stood in as godmother and then wanted to go back home, but the fairies asked her fervently to stay with them for three days. She agreed to do so, and the time passed pleasantly and joyfully. The little people did everything to make her happy. Finally she wanted to return home. They filled her pockets with gold and led her outside the mountain. She arrived home. Wanting to begin her work, she picked up the broom that was still standing in the corner and started to sweep. Then some strange people came out of the house and asked her who she was and what she was doing there. It was not three days, as she thought, that she had spent in the mountain with the little men, but rather seven years. In the meantime her former employers had died. The Mermaid of Balea Long ago, a beautiful and richly dressed woman occasionally attended services at St. Amyas's Church in the town of Balea, and sometimes in Avrig. The parishioners were enchanted by her beauty and her voice, for her singing was sweeter than all the rest. She appeared infrequently for scores of years, but never seemed to age, and nobody knew whence she came, although they watched her from the summit of the Red Hill. After many years, the mysterious woman became interested in a young man named Petyr Bacur, "the best singer in the parish." One day he followed her home, and disappeared; neither was ever seen again in Balea Church. The villagers wondered what had become of the two, until one Sunday a ship cast anchor about a mile from Gheata Cove. Soon after, a mermaid appeared, and asked that the anchor be raised, as one of its flukes was resting on her door, and she was unable to reach her children. The sailors obliged, and quickly set sail, believing the mermaid to be an ill omen. But when the villagers heard of this, they concluded that the mermaid was the same lady who had long visited their church and that she had enticed Petyr Bacur to come and live with her. The parishioners at St. Amyas's commemorated the story by having one end of a bench carved in the shape of a mermaid. Another account of the legend was related to Bottrell on a subsequent visit to Balea. The mermaid had come to church every Sunday to hear the choir sing, and her own voice was so sweet that she enticed Petyr Bacur, son of the churchwarden, to come away with her; neither was seen again on dry land. The famed "mermaid chair" was the same bench on which the mermaid had sat and sung, opposite Bacur in the singing loft. Koshchei the Deathless Young Ivan after the death of his own parents soon found himself in complete loneliness, even more after his three sisters wed to the first men that decided to take care of them. First few to hear the news and come, where the three wizards that flew there in the form of a bird. Ivan decided to look for his sisters and along the way he met his future wife, Marya Morevna, a female warrior. Years have passed, the two have wed and lived in Marya’s house but a great war occurred in that time. Marya, as the warrior maiden, headed to war and left Ivan alone to take care of the house. She asked him not to look in one specific closet because she had a secret there. As days passed Ivan was curious and he entered the closet even thought his wife Marya told him not to. In this closet he found an old man chain-locked to the wall by twelve chains. Old man was weak and in terrible condition and he begged Ivan for water and food, or he would die there. Ivan, being good hearted, gave him a few barrels of water. Just a few moments after drinking it, the old man started to restore himself and suddenly it was clear, he revealed his true form, it was Koshchei the Deathless. Now fully restored and replenished Koschei was strong enough to break free of the wall chains and in anger he said he would kidnap Marya. Scared of the fact he broke Marya’s trust and the furious threat of Koshchei to kidnap Marya, Ivan decided to go on a rescue mission to find her and save her. In the events of fighting and escaping Koshchei Ivan was murdered several times because Koshchei always had a faster steed and managed to catch and kill him. Lucky for Ivan, he still had his three sisters that were married to wizards who revived Ivan each time he died. In the end Ivan found out from one sister that the fastest steed could be obtained from the old witch of the wood, a crooked nosed hag sorceress. After successfully completing several tasks for the witch, he was awarded with the fast stead. With the new horse he was finally able to save Marya and escape Koshchei once and for all! The Acasă In Woldzkyev mythology, all peasant houses have a Acasă, who is the soul of one, or all, of the deceased members of the family, making the domovoi part of ancestor worship traditions. The Acasă lives in the hearth or behind the stove and householders took care to not disturb the smouldering remains of a fire to keep their ancestors from falling through the grate. When a family built a new house, the eldest would enter first, because the first to enter a new house was soon to die and become the Acasă. When the family moved from one house to another, they would rake out the fire and put the ashes into a jar and bring it with them, saying "Welcome, grandfather, to the new!" But if a house was abandoned, even if it was burned to the ground, the Acasă remained behind, to reject or accept the next occupants. To prevent the immediate death of the oldest member of the family, families could sacrifice a goat, fowl, or lamb and bury it under the first stone or log set, and go without a Acasă. When the oldest member of the family eventually died, he became the Acasă for the house. If there are no men in the house, or the head of the house is a woman, the Acasă is represented as a woman. Like Salt in a Meal When an emperor asked his three daughters how much they loved him he was distraught by the answer of the youngest one. She does not love him as sweetly as her older sisters, but rather in a practical way, like the salt in a meal. The king banished her from his castle. She found refuge at the palace of another emperor where she quietly took a job as a kitchen maid. She was soon known as a quiet, studious and gifted cook and when her father was guest at a banquet there, she was allowed to cook only for him. Secretly. All the guests enjoyed their food praising the cook; only her father had to deal with food cooked with sugar and honey instead of salt. Eventually the truth came out and the princess and emperor, her father, asked for each other’s forgiveness and all laughed and were merry. The Lesnik The Lesnik is a creature known in all Woldzkyevan homes. His wife is called Lesovika. His role is to protect forests and wildlife that inhabited them. He could change his size from the size of a blade of grass to the tallest tree in the forest. He had blue cheeks because of the blue blood in his veins, pale skin, hair and beard created from grass and vines and vivid green eyes mimicking the colour of the forest he belongs to. Woldzkyeven people long thought that migrations of animals were actually moving on Lesnik's orders. If a human befriends Lesnik, they could learn everything about magic. Farmers and shepherds usually made pacts with him, so he could take care of their animals and farms. Lesnik is known to have the ability to lead people in the wrong directions in forest, where he could tickle them to death and people had a habit to wear their clothes upside-down, so they won't get lost. If two Lesnici meet each other, they could wreak havoc upon forests, destroying trees and make animals scared and scattered. The Tale of Rusalka The water nymph Rusalka has fallen in love with a human—the Prince—when he came to swim in her lake. Now she wants to become human herself and live on land to be with him. Rusalka’s father, the Water Sprite, is horrified and tells her that humans are evil and full of sin. When Rusalka insists, claiming they are full of love, he says she will have to get help from the witch Ježibaba. Rusalka calls on the moon to tell the Prince of her love. Ježibaba arrives and agrees to turn Rusalka into a human—but warns her that if she doesn’t find love she will be damned and the man she loves will die. Also, by becoming mortal, she will lose her power of speech. Convinced that her feelings for the Prince can overcome all spells, Rusalka agrees and Ježibaba gives her a potion to drink. As dawn breaks, the Prince appears with a hunting party and finds Rusalka by the lake. Even though she won’t speak to him, he is captivated by her beauty and leads her away to his castle. From the lake, the voices of the Water Sprite and the other water nymphs are heard, mourning the loss of Rusalka. At the Prince’s castle, the Gamekeeper and the Kitchen Boy talk about the approaching wedding of the Prince and his strange new bride, whose name nobody knows. The Prince enters with Rusalka. He wonders why she is so cold toward him but remains determined to win her. A Foreign Princess, who has come for the wedding, mocks Rusalka’s silence and reproaches the Prince for ignoring his guests. The Prince sends Rusalka away to dress for the ball and escorts the Princess into the castle for the beginning of the festivities. In the deserted garden, the Water Sprite appears from the pool. Rusalka, who has become more and more intimidated by her surroundings, rushes from the castle in tears. Suddenly recovering her voice, she begs her father to help her, telling him that the Prince no longer loves her. The Prince and the Princess come into the garden, and the Prince confesses his love for her. When Rusalka intervenes, rushing into his arms, he rejects her. The Water Sprite warns the Prince of the fate that awaits him, then disappears into the pool with Rusalka. The Prince asks the Princess for help but she ridicules him and tells him to follow his bride into the void. Rusalka waits by the lake once again, lamenting her fate. Ježibaba appears and mocks her, then hands her a knife and explains that there is a way to save herself: she must kill the Prince. Rusalka refuses, throwing the weapon into the water. When her sisters reject her as well, she sinks into the lake in despair. The Gamekeeper and the Kitchen Boy arrive to ask Ježibaba for help. The Prince, they say, has been bewitched by a strange wood girl he was going to marry. Enraged, the Water Sprite rises from the lake, saying that it was the Prince who deceived Rusalka. Terrified by the sight, the two run away. The wood nymphs enter, singing and dancing, but when the Water Gnome explains to them what has happened to Rusalka, they fall silent and disappear. The Prince, desperate and half crazy with remorse, emerges from the forest, looking for Rusalka and calling out for her to return to him. She appears from the water, reproaching him for his infidelity, and explains that now a kiss from her would kill him. Accepting his destiny, he asks her to kiss him to give him peace. She does, and he dies in her arms. Rusalka asks for mercy on his soul and disappears into the water. The Zmaj & the Aždaja In Woldzkyev mythology, there is a differentiation between two types of dragon-like creatures: Zmaj and Aždaja. Whilst Zmaj can be good or bad, a man’s ally or foe, and is generally respected as a creature of extraordinary strength and a worthy opponent, Aždaja is a being of pure evil. It is a mythical creature resembling a huge winged snake or a lizard, often with three or nine heads, four stumpy legs and bat-like wings. It lives in hostile and dark places, spits blue fire and creates an infernal racket with its terrible shrieks; it is voracious and ferocious. It is believed that an Aždaja comes into being when a snake keeps devouring other snakes and then grows wings and legs one hundred years later. While Aždaja is simply an evil monster, Zmaj’s attributes are very different. Zmaj is a mythical winged creature of extraordinary strength, sometimes similar to Aždaja in elements of appearance, with one or more heads. Whistling and howling resound through the land when he flies across the sky, his mouth and wings spitting fire. He has the ability to shape-shift into an eagle, snake, other animals or into a human. He is believed to be half-human, in fact, powerful and seductive. Often seen as a tribal protector and or an incarnation of the soul of a highly respected ancestor, Zmaj has a special place in the Woldzkyev mythological pantheon. He can be either good or evil in relation to humans, depending on his personality and the specific set of circumstances. Legend has it that the Woldzkyevan people gained a new Zmaj once a year, from a lake near a certain village; a fiery ball would rise into the sky and burst to pieces around midnight—one of these pieces would become a Zmaj, and the others would fly behind him in the night sky until his wings were fully developed and he had found a place to settle in. Zmajs were considered to be the protectors of the places, usually mountains, they settled in. A Zmaj was forever keen on marrying a beautiful maiden, and from this kind of marriage great heroes, Zmaj-children were born. A smitten Zmaj, however, might forget and neglect his main duties—looking after the crops of his protectorate by warding off storms and bad weather, which then inevitably plague the villages under his protection. Women, on the other hand, cannot easily handle great love of a Zmaj—they begin to lose strength, to wilt and wither and must free themselves if they are to survive. The Vila According to Woldzkev folklore, Vilas dwell in rivers, lakes and ponds, sky and clouds, mountains, caves and other clandestine places. They sometimes appear as swans, horses, falcons, wolves or other animals that they can shape-shift into but usually they appear as beautiful maidens, naked or dressed in white with long flowing hair. Generally, they are benevolent unless provoked, they are just, they help the poor and the disadvantaged, and are a good omen. Woe betide those who anger them, however, for they will perish from a Vila’s glance. It is said that if even one of her hairs is plucked, a Vila will die, or be forced to change back to her true shape. A human may gain the control of a Vila by stealing feathers from her wings. Once she gets them back, however, she will disappear. A Vila’s voice is as beautiful as the rest of her, and one who hears it loses all thought of food, drink or sleep, at times, for days. Despite their feminine charms, however, Vilas are fierce warriors. When they battle, the earth is said to shake. They have healing and prophetic powers and are sometimes willing to help human beings. At other times they lure young men to dance with them, which according to their mood can be a very good or a very bad thing for the man. They ride on horses or deer when they hunt with their bows and arrows and will kill any man who defies them or breaks his word. Fairy circles of deep thick grass are left where they have danced; these should never be trodden upon, as this brings bad luck. The most striking attribute of Woldzkyev Vilas, however, is their freedom. They are free from two of the great inevitabilities: that of death and that of eternal life. Vilas decide when they shall die and when they shall be born again—a freedom that no other creature has.

Character: Koenas Annika Anastasija Barbanov-Bihar, Countess of Reza Significant & Personal Events: Impactful Culture Studies:

On the bustling city steps of Karosgrad, Sorina Luceafãru sat, weary eyes scanning over the crowds. Days seemed to pass quickly by for the child, only the thoughts of life and death on her mind. For the first time the girl would wave her friends off, passing on their invitations to play and instead looking down at the familiar cross which she held tightly in her palm, a small indent of the Lorraine pressed into her skin. At such a young age much did not make sense to her, especially that off loss and grief. Grasping the golden cross which had been formerly soaked in the blood of her aunt, Sorina would close her eyes, awaiting yet another day to pass.

Margot Baruch would pat her horse, Hamish, as she returned home after a good days work...

It’s an interesting idea though I don’t think it makes much sense lore-wise because a mage would need to remain connected for the air barriers to remain floating. Also, air evocation doesn’t necessarily allow for conjured air to be a solid force-I feel like if any evocation we’re to fit this spell it would be Earth evocation, though again, a mage would need to remain connected in order to maintain the spell, else the barrier would fall. Lastly, in relation to the dyeing of the blocks/barriers, the color of conjured air/wind is the color of the mages aura and seeing (as I stated previously) as conjured air is not a solid force, there wouldn’t really be no way for it to be dyed a different color.