Spring Fairy Festival 2012

Read the Auburn Reporter Article!

One weekend after Norwescon, it was a beautiful beginning to Spring.  There were no Barbarians-named-Wotan to be found at the Spring Fairy Festival (though a few loyal pixies did report that he was definitely kindling this year's battle of pranks with aplomb - and we'll get back to that...)


The day began with a lovely parade stroll outside and around the fountain (circles open the gate :) so that everyone could see our beautiful outfits...


...and we rolled into an amazing costume contest from which everyone walked away a winner!  For the first time ever the judges had so many awesome choices they had to have honorable mentions :)...

...and then this lovely Fairy Princess had the pleasure of  hosting two workshops.  In the first, we created Butterfly Terrariums by building moss, flower petals and assorted foliage into glass ornaments for our butterflies to live in...


...this was followed by a wonderful workshop of making Fairy Luminaries.  We transformed mundane candle jars into fae-tastic tea-light holders!


The rest of the day was merriment and revelry with friends old and new...speaking of knew, WHO knew that Wotan hearts My Little Ponies?!


Next stop: Wenatchee RenFaire!

Bad Breath Barbarian of Norwescon 34

Princess Lolly gazed out the window of her carriage.  She was on her way to Faerieworlds and during the long ride, occupying her thoughts with pranks to play on her arch-nemesis Wotan kept her amused.

Recently, Wotan had sent her a nasty-gram, threatening to show up at Faerieworlds.  He was probably still upset that he had to share the opening act at Norwescon 34 with her - but really, what did barbarians know about fantasy anyway?

Maybe she could find someone to throw him in the river.  It would probably be the first bath he'd had since, well, ever.  Ideas rolled through her mind as the landscape passed by outside and she smiled to herself....

Card or Coal?

Where's WOTAN??

Yuletide greetings my fairy friends, both near and far!  Last week I decided to snail mail some holiday postcards.  Sending Christmas cards filled with magic is one of my favorite things to do every year.

Of course, anytime I decide on a project or fun adventure, that pesky barbarian WOTAN is always around to try to pluck the wings off my fun.

Writing Fairy Postcards

This time I was prepared! I looked high and low, left and right, before beginning.  WOTAN was nowhere to be found, so I sat down with my long list and boy-howdy was it looooooong!

I collected all the names of every sparkling friend out there that needed a card mailed to them: Abigail, Reianna, Dominic, Nicholas, Mia Loriette, Genevieve, Gwen, Brianna, Katie, Connor, Abbie, Megan, Lili, Skylar, Logan, Salud, Niko, Nora, Aiden, Malia, Renee, Hannah, Ella, Serena, Sierra and Mikayla - That's an impressive list!

Off to the Pixie Post!

Donning my frothy princess pink feather quill, I went to work.  One by one all the cards were filled out.  Each one was carefully decorated, stamped and ready for the Pixie Post Office (as you can imagine, things get a little crazy with a horde of frantic pixies trying to sort through all that faerie mail!)


Fortunately I wasn't interrupted at all as I filled out all the postcards for my friends.  Lavendina the Dragon helped me get them all into the mailbox without a single WOTAN sighting.

Card or Coal for WOTAN?...hm...

In fact, I was beginning to wonder...what should I send to WOTAN?  He spent all year terrorizing myself and my faerie court!  He tried to smash me at Norwescon.  Then he used a magical bear to defeat my champion then sold me to some pirates at Midsummer Faire.  After that at Orycon he left me cockroaches and a rat!


Of course...he did sneak a kiss on my cheek at Midsummer and he did write me a love note at Orycon (even though he denies everything)...


What do you think? Should I send a Yule Card to WOTAN?  Or should I instead send him a Christmas Coal?


I need your help to decide!  Cast your vote for Card or Coal on the upper right and next week I'll send him one......or the other :)

Faerie Magazine Winner & Orycon Drossbox!

Faerie Magazine

If you loved faeries, you might have wonderful dreams at night.  For example, you might dream about winning a prize like Cathy Lallemand.  She won the beautiful, full color Faerie Magazine for a whole year!  Or perhaps you would dream about finding hidden treasure around town, stashed in secret faerie caches.

Probably what WOTAN dreams about.

You might however be the rather savage and uncivilized sort such as a Redcap.  Perhaps a Boggart instead or even...a filthy, dirty, nasty, rotten Barbarian named WOTAN.

And if you were WOTAN, you'd probably be happy as a hedgehog to dream about plucking pixie wings or making kabob spears out of spritelings.  No doubt, skewering faeries on a giant needle would be one of your favorite nightly visions - if you were a Barbarian.

WOTAN in the Mandalorian jail.

That's probably what WOTAN was dreaming about the very day that Amethina was zipping along the silvery freeway path on her way to Orycon 32.  Fortunately for all the little fae, WOTAN was just dreaming.  And snoring, very loudly.

In fact, his foghorn snore is probably what accounted for the whirlwind of autumnal leaves that piled along curbs and eddied them into the air.  Amethina knew that this year at Orycon, she had better watch out for WOTAN - he was bound to get some revenge for being thrown in galactic jail the year before.

Tumwater Bridge Path

Just in case, she decided to hide her Drossbox along the way at Tumwater Falls Park.  It was a blustery day to be hiding anything outside, but Amethina thought up this rhyme for a clue as she navigated her way past the playground.

Through a park of autumn leaves
A path lies to the right
Under the bridge, near the fence's end
Hides a Drossbox out of sight.

Venturing down beneath the concrete structure she searched around until she found a suitable hiding place for the treasure and tucked it safely away.  After WOTAN tried to steal the Faerie Treasure from the pirates at the WA Midsummer Renaissance Faire, Amethina was very careful about keeping them out of his reach.  He's a Barbarian though, so it is highly unlikely that he will be able to solve any riddles that might give away the location of the treasure!

Definitely what Amethina dreams about!

As it turns out, that was a smart move because WOTAN was on a pranking rampage that weekend!  He even left a gruesome rat and disgusting cockroaches all over Amethina's magical booth.

That's alright though, in the end, Amethina and her court of faeries and spritelings conquered that great, hulking barbarian in the end.

Or maybe that was just a dream....

A Knight to Remember

Even Queen Elizabeth who was visiting from Canterbury Faire came by the Faerie Bower to express happy returns at the safe rescue of the Fairy Queen.  

Queen Elizabeth and her entourage.

She was most pleased to see everyone in good health and cordially invited the Fairy Court to visit Canterbury Faire next year. A splendid offer!

"We are about to have a ceremony here," Amethina told Elizabeth.  "Would Your Majesty grace us to stay?"


Queen Elizabeth smiled, "I would delighted."


Waving her hand, all the chattering elflings perched around and Morgan - the Fairy Queen's Champion - was summoned forth for audience.

The Fairy Queen's Champion
 kneels at court.

Morgan was fierce in battle and bravely defended all the childlings and elves, hobs and sprites from that brash and hulking, faerie-smashing barbarian WOTAN.


Kneeling down before the Queen, Morgan bowed her head with respect as Amethina spoke for all the court to hear.


"You have done a great service to the Fae with your constant vigilance and dedication to protection, even at the risk of your own life."


Amethina touched her magic wand in an arc from the Champion's shoulder over to the other,  "For this loyal service, let it henceforth be known that you shall be called Lady Morgan, a sworn Knight of this Court."

Amethina presents Lady Morgan
 with magical bracers.

Zane, one of the young fae, brought over a box from which the Fairy Queen withdrew two black leather items. 


"In recognition of your advancement, we present to you these magical bracers.  They have had a protection enchantment placed upon them to aid you in your duties."


Lady Morgan gratefully accepted her gift and rose to a chorus of cheers and congratulations!

WOTAN the Barbarian is blocked by
 Lady Morgan from entering the Faerie Bower

Just as she finished securing them to her arms, a booming voice echoed down the lane to the Bower.  "WHERE IS THAT FAERIE QUEEN?!!" 


It was none other than WOTAN the Barbarian and he was in a fit!


"Stop right there!" commanded Morgan as she immediately sprang forth.  "You may not enter this Bower."


Just like magic, glamor rippled in the air as a protective shield surrounded the brave Knight and all the Faeries in the Bower.


"Aaaaarggggh!!!" WOTAN roared angrily.  "What is this disgusting faerie magic?  Your pathetic, glittery Queen stole my mallet!"  He raged and shook his club but he wasn't getting past the Champion...

...TBD...

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Amethina told Lady Morgan that she had cast a magical protection enchantment the new arm bracers...


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From Queen to Shining Queen

When last we left our Fairy Queen Amethina, she was being held for ransom by swashbuckling Pirates!  Mary, Queen of Scots, remained to true to her most gracious and royal promise to use goblin fruit to buy her fellow Queen's release.


Spritelings of the faerie courts flew into action!  They flitted all around Midsummer gathering all the goblin fruit they could find into a huge basket.  Soon it was practically overflowing and the Queen Mary designated her loyal servant Vidor Karoly Fedence Kovacs to assist with the delivery.

A favor is offered

Well, the Pirates hemmed and hawed and tried to extort some more booty but they made a deal with Queen Mary and weren't going to risk a full-scale, cannon-blasting, mast-cracking battle out on her waters.

Escort home

"Besides," said Amethina as they unlocked her cold iron shackles. "That illiterate Barbarian Wotan has a treasure map that he can't read.  You can trade rotten goblin fruit to him for the treasure map - Barbarian's love rotten fruit."


As everyone knows, hunting for treasure a favored activity amongst the sea-dogs and wayfarers.  If they weren't convinced before, the opportunity to find gold cinched the deal.


Grateful for the help of Queen Mary, Amethina presented an offer in kind.  "From one queen to another, please accept that we owe you a favor for dealing with all of this....unsavory business."

"Goodbye, sweet Chia."
(Pic: Douglas Herring)

A favor from the Fae was no small matter.  They do not grant such things lightly and Queen Mary smiled in agreement.  She was a clever woman and no doubt would use the boon quite craftily when the time was right.


Queen Amethina kissed the bright green parrot that had kept her company in captivity.  "Goodbye sweet Chia, I shan't miss those Pirates but I will miss you."

Faerie Court back at the Bower.

With that, the pirates returned the Fairy Queen's wings and chiming magic wand.  Amidst the happy chatter of all the elflings, Amethina was escorted back to the fairy bower at the top of the hill....

...now where did that Barbarian go....?

Deals Between Goblin King & Fairy Queen

Wotan the Barbarian was on the rampage around Midsummer Faire and it was going to require extra measures to subdue him. 

Gnerkgzorp the Goblin King

It was time to cut a deal with Gnerkgzorp, the Goblin King.  Now, Elves and Goblins don't always get along, kind of like brothers and sisters.  When the sun goes down however, they're all still Fae-folk so sometimes they work together...


...and so Gnerkgzorp the Goblin King said to Amethina the Fairy Queen, "If you help with my Goblin Parade, and make a loud ruckus noise, I'll cast a spell on Wotan to make him do our bidding."


Yelling and whooping isn't very dignified, but the agreement was struck and the Goblin Parade ensued.  Elflings and sprites, goblins, gnomes, and fae of all kinds both light and dark marched all through the fair.  


Horns were blaring, rattles shaking, woodwinds piped and voices hollered. It was a rumpus to behold indeed!

Parade Dancing
(Photo: Chris Yetter)

Just as the wild ruckus was coming to an end, Wotan began to feel dizzy, "What's going on here?  Why do I feel...hey!  I was under a spell!  Oooh, you glittery gnats, I'll smash you all!  I want the Queen!"

Queen's Champion blocks Wotan's mallet!
(Photo: Iris Thiel)

The loyal court of the Fairy Queen formed a wall between she and Wotan, making as more noise in protest than his Barbarian ears could handle. "If you want me," declared the Fairy Queen, "then you must defeat my Champion!"

Did you see that?  A giant bear head!
(Photo: Iris Thiel)

A great battle ensued. Wotan's mallet smashed down, skillfully blocked with crossed sai.  They parried and the Champion rolled aside, dodging a forceful blow.  She lept on Wotan's back but he flung her over his shoulder to the ground.  Just as she leaped back to her feet, the fight took a shocking turn!


"Oh no, my valiant Champion!" cried the Amethina turning away with an indignant huff. "You cheated to win - Just like a filthy barbarian...."


Much to everyone's surprise Wotan had used a giant magical bear head to reduce the Champion into a crumpled pile on the ground, lain in defeat.

Wotan capturing Thorne!
(Photo: Richard Doyle)

"Your Queen is now mine!" he roared, shaking his mallet at the flock of fae.  Thorne twilled her nose at him and stuck out her tongue defiantly! "I'll get you too, you winged vermin!" And gave chase, capturing Thorne over his shoulder.


Now that Wotan had the two ladies captive, he had to think about what to do with them...


...and think...


...and think...

Yarrrrr! Lemme at them fairy wings!
(Photo by: Richard Doyle)

...and FINALLY he came up with the brilliant idea that he could sell them for profit toooooooo....the pirates!


In short order, they plucked the wings off the two faeries to prevent them from escaping by air.  Next, they unceremoniously placed a Cold Iron shackle on each of the their arms.


As everyone knows, Cold Iron is the bane of all Fae, stealing their magic powers away from them and robbing them of their glamour.


Pirates, always having an eye for riches, decided that they were going to hold the the Fairy Queen and her lady Thorne for ransom.  The price?  A trove of Goblin Fruit, enough for the crew, that is good for making a pirate impervious to at least one stabbing out on the high seas.

In Her most royal and magnanimous grace (and recalling that Thorne was a very amusing jester to the Queen's Royal Fool), Mary Queen of Scots beneficently agreed to set a basket by her throne for the collection of such fruits.

Thorne tickling Calabash, Queen Mary's Fool with a feather
(Photo: Chris Yetter)

After the last joust on Sunday, it was her promise to deliver them to the Pirates when the ransom price was reached...

Midsummer Faire: Barbarian Birthday!

B.O.O.M. Pirates fire their cannons.
(Photo: Richard Doyle)

Trumpets blazed and cannons boomed, signaling the opening of Midsummer Faire for the second weekend!


A lovely patch of land known as Maris Farms was now transformed into a Renaissance Realm, complete with privateers and swashbucklers, faeries and goblins, knights and jousters and of course the elite court and Her Royal Majesty, Mary Queen of Scots.

Amethina the Fairy Queen
(Photo: Larry Bennett)

Mount Rainier towered on the clear blue horizon - perfect weather for the Fairy Queen to keep an eye out for her arch-nemesis, Wotan the Barbarian!  This weekend was Wotan's birthday and Amethina had a suspicion that he would make an appearance so she planned ahead.


Being a Barbarian, Wotan had probably forgotten that it was his 274th birthday and so the Fairy Queen decided to arm all the elflings of her court with confetti poppers!

Aidan vs. Wotan the Barbarian
(Photo: Tammy Krout-Johanson)

When he arrived, they would all be prepared to bring the party to him! (As everyone knows, Barbarians LOVE colorful, shiny things).


It was a good plan, stalwartly defended but it wasn't enough.  Wotan was on a smashing rampage - he was still perturbed over the Cave Decorating incident.


Amethina was just going to have to come up with a new plan for how to counter-act that troublesome Barbarian...

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Seen in this post:

Elf Ears by Faire Play

Hair Braiding by Brenda the Braider

Earrings by D & D Chain Maille Creations

Headdress by SwanesDowne

Hair Wraps by Redwolf Hammer

Fairy Crown by Friendly Faeries

Norwescon Review 2010

Well my faithful Gilded Quill readers, as you may know, Norweson 33 was this last weekend and the great barbarian Wotan was on the loose. After he was caught licking some crushed Kelpies off his fingers at Orycon 31, Amethina had him thrown in jail by the Mandalorians (that's those Boba Fett types out there)!

As you can imagine, Wotan was NONE-too-pleased. He raged in the cage and swore to get the Faeries back at Norwescon.

True to his word, he starting smashing fae left and right with his great hammer. Not even Amethina suspected that he would terrorize a little baby boggan though! Fortunately...since he's a loud barbarian, his secret plan wasn't very secret and we Fae stick together! When Wotan arrived to register his mallet, he was in for a surprise because none other than the Faerie Queen appeared to lay a geas upon him as she declared this proclamation:

"In this crossroads of creatures, there will be no flattening of Fae!
No gnashing on the Gnomes, or squishing of the Selkies.
You may not bop the Boggans or moosh the Merfolk.
Shiving the Sidhe with cold iron is RIGHT OUT.
You are not allowed to pound Phouka or gank Goblins
And you are sworn to hold your hammer whilst in these borders!"

Then, the Peace Bond Barbarian tied specially made frilly bows all over Wotan's mallet, binding him to agreement. Wotan howled with anger and Amethina flittered with glee that her plan had worked. When he realized what she had done, he gave chase.

Around the merchant's market the two flew! Amethina darted past Eraserhead Press (one of her favorite bizarre publishers) and then ducked into Badger's Den (awesome colored contacts) where that randy Satyr tried to help by gnawing on Wotan's shield (goats like trash).

Around the room they rolled past Art of Wings (where Amethina's faerie-sister Meghann gave her some feather bracers for defense!) and zipped by Cleo Wolfus Design (best Faerie Hair ever!).

A little birdie tipped Amethina off to Wotan's weakness: TOE SOCKS! He hates those things, they gross him out. The Faerie Foo ensued - it was all striped socks, glamour bombs and glitter poi as the Realm was defended by naked twinkle toes and a little help from Faerie friends!

Where you see one fae though...a troop is hidden. While Wotan was busily distracted in the great chase, Amethina's ally from Faeriecon - the Gaoler - secretly found Wotan's cave and set about beautifying it. By the time he was done, it was a perfect nest for any Faerie-loving-Barbarian!

Well, unless you aren't a Faerie-loving-Barbarian (but I heard a rumor that Wotan has a crush on Amethina and just isn't very good at trying to court a Faerie...shhhh....).

After all was said and done, everyone had so much fun that they decided to do it all over again at the Spring Fairy Festival on April 17, in Tacoma Freighthouse Square! The Faerietale Minstrel, Amy Brown, Rob Carlos and a host of other awesome guests will be there.

Amethina will even be teaching the elflings how to make their own Fairy Wand just in case a very very angry Barbarian named Wotan appears!

Vanya Sulie, Faerie Friends (see you all at Spring Fairy Festival & watch out for Wotan!),

Aerowynd Flightfeather

Realm Reporter ExtraordinAIRe!

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