Whom Mortals Seldom See By Tadhg Lyons
Instruments: 1d4, 1d6
Game Description
You are a fantastical creature, something mortals think only lives in fairy tales. You are shy and powerful and there is something that you Lack and the only way to fill that lack is to be loved by a mortal.
Game Content Warnings
These are content warnings that are from the game prompts and are present in all playthroughs.Playthrough Content Warnings
These are content warnings specific to this playthrough only.
Word Count: 1,755 Played: Nov 23, 2023
Gnome, people of the earth, buried deep within the fairy realm.
Purpose. People were created to be loved and ruled by the gods, and fairy were created to be free.
We live in Fairy, which can be connected to any forest, gnomes live underground, burrowing tunnels and eating rocks.
Name: Clay CMXLII, they/them
Mood Roll: 4, Awe or Disgust
Act Roll: 2, A close relative, your age
Tally: 1
DIARY:
My sister left today to find her mortal. If I ever see her again then I’ll know she wasn’t successful.
Most of the people in my family have returned, which is why I guess there’s still a lot of us. I’ll be heading out soon too, but I’m not sure about all of this. It seems so troublesome to have to do things. I wonder if I should just stay here? Mortals don’t seem worth it, honestly.
Mood Roll: 2, Wrath or Fear
Act Roll: 3, + 1 = 4 A distant relative, your elder
Time: Several Months
Tally: 2
DIARY:
My second cousin, Loam XLXI, has come back But he is not the same. He has an empty look in his eyes and is missing one ear. He refuses to speak on why. We asked if it was a human or a dog or some other creature, but he wouldn’t not even say as much.
There are other things to fear out there besides the humans. I have heard of creatures big and bigger. Creatures even like us, but who still live in the moral realm. They’ve grown angry or scared because the mortals fear and hate them.
What will happen if I have to leave? Do I have to leave? Everyone expects me to, but this is too much. What’s wrong with just staying?
Mood Roll: 2, Wrath of Fear
Act Roll: 2 + 2 = 4 A close relative your age
Time: Several Months
Tally: 3
DIARY:
Loam has finally started speaking.
He said the mortals chased him out of every town. He was down in a city on a beach with the desert to its back. He said the people were fearful of creatures like us, and did not take kindly to him. They had cut down almost every forest in the area, so there were only trees in rows and rows of orchards, organized and controlled.
He searched for years for a way back to fairy, and finally made it after traveling through the sands in the desert.
I think I want to stay here. I want to be free and play with the dirt and rocks and sleep under the stars.
Mood Roll: Joy or Sorrow
Act Roll: 3 + 3 = 6, your first glimpse of the mortal world
Time: 3 Weeks
I met a mortal today. He was lost among the trees, but I think he wanted to be lost. He was lying down in the dirt, staring at the stars as the sky shifted from day to night to day within minutes.
I didn’t approach, I was too scared, but I knew others were around me watching him too. He didn’t move for a long long time until one of the wandering witches came to speak with him.
They talked for a long time about the mortal world. Everything he described was fascinating. The lights in the city, the bells and whistles, and the noises. He didn’t like it, but it sounded so much more than just the dirt.
I left while they were still talking and it made me think of how there’s just nothing here. There’s only the dirt. I.. I think I do need to leave. I can always come back. I can always just come back.
Mood Roll: 2, Wrath or Fear
Act Roll: 5 A mundane part of mortal life you’ve never experienced
Roll: 1, a Day
Tally: 1
Diary:
Everything is so much! They have loud vehicles with bright lights that scream and honk, and large tall buildings made of glass and hard mixed stone. And I hardly know where to go! I watched from the bushes as people waited to get across the streets instead of just walking.
They had to push a large knob and a voice told them to wait over and over until it finally told them to cross. I guess it’s some kind of ritual. I did it a bunch myself, all over the city. I wandered around and got a bit lost.
There weren't a lot of trees, except the ones sequestered off in small sections. There were signs that designated them as parks, so I guess trees aren’t allowed to grow in other areas. There isn’t a lot of dirt either, everything is covered in the mixed stone.
I don’t know why nature is so hated here. I wonder what they’ll do if they find me out. Maybe I should go home.
Mood Roll: 3 Surprise or Calm
Act Roll: 5 + 6 = A Misunderstanding which draws attention to you
Roll: 1, A Day
Tally: 2
Diary:
I guess doing the crossing ritual too much is wrong. I got followed by some people in guard uniforms. They glared at me and I tried to lose them by ducking into other places, but there really was nowhere to go because of all the mixed stone.
I tried to find my way back to the park, but I kept getting lost and eventually had to just hide down a narrow path in between two buildings. They followed me in but I was small enough to hide away behind some round metal crates.
I’ll have to be more careful. I don’t know what else to do in this place! I guess I can’t keep doing the crossing rituals anymore.
Mood Roll: 2 Wrath or Fear
Act Roll: 6 + 1 = You think you found your person
Roll: 4, a month or two
Diary:
It’s been a while! I’ve been so busy! I met someone! It was while I was at the park! They were out there with their dog, who I think is suspicious of me.
It was just a little itty bitty dog too, the smallest that I’ve ever seen, but it jumps really high. Anyway, we got to talking, and we talked a lot about how there aren’t enough trees or greenery in the city. They said they had just moved in from the country, I lied and said I had moved in from a little town surrounded by the forest up near the mountains.
I’m glad they didn’t ask any followup questions since I don’t really know the names of all the places here.
Things moved fast since they asked where I was living, and I told them I was looking for a more permanent place.
Turns out they were looking for a roommate since their “”landlord”” was increasing rent. I met them again the next day and we did an ‘interview’ and apparently I passed since I was invited to live with them.
I’ve been playing the ‘landlord’ directly with some “”fairy gold”” as I call it. He believes me since apparently his cousin is a witch. I don’t think he realizes that fairy gold just turns back into leaves if it gets too far away from me. I hope he doesn’t take it into be stored anytime soon.
I need to find a human job I guess.
Mood: 4, Awe or Disgust
Act Roll: 6
Roll: 2 Several Days
Tally: 1
Diary,
Hosea and I drove all the way down to the beach today since I told them I’d never seen the ocean. They were really excited for me to see it and IT WAS SO GREAT!
It was also really scary since it was so big. I didn’t get much further it to the water than ankle deep since I was afraid of being swept away and they held my hand the entire time.
We kept having kids come by to pet the dog, and I kinda wished we were alone but it was ok that there were lots of other people there. I guess it meant the water was (relatively) safe.
It was a good day! And I didn’t have to think about human work.
Mood: 4, Awe or Disgust
Act Roll: 3 + 1 = 4 A being from your past
Roll: 6, Years
Tally: 2
Diary,
Wow, I thought I had lost this book! I started a whole new diary in another one, and when I finished the pages on that one I found this one again! Wonders never cease! I guess things are going pretty good.
Maevis stopped by the shop again to give yet another lecture. She keeps telling me to stop selling fakes to humans, but I still don’t care! They don’t even know how to properly use them. She’s just mad that her coven can’t tell the difference between my stuff and the real deal.
That’s her fault for not teaching them properly! She keeps threatening to tell Hosea but I know she won’t. That will deff get her kicked out of her little club even if she is the senior member.
Besides, what can she do? Report me to the cops? Report me to the city? I’m not doing anything illegal that she isn’t. Crystals is crystals and they can’t prove nothin’.
Mood: 2, Wrath or Fear
Act Roll: 6 + 2 = , your story is ending, so is your time with your person.
Roll: 4, a month or two.
DIARY,
Maevis that snake. She did report me. I’ve got an entire investigation on my neck, and the whole thing is a pain. Hosea doesn’t want to talk to me. They took the dog to their mother’s and they won’t answer any of my calls.
I know they’re just mad for now, but I can’t stay. One investigation is going to lead to another, and I’ve got basically no paperwork that holds up to scrutiny and even the landlord is starting to question the “fairy gold”, which is actual fairy gold, which just happens to not be human gold.
I’m going back into Fairy to lay low for a while. I’m taking the phone with me, so hopefully it will still work and Hosea will call me back.
They’ve gotta, right?