| The Willow Sourcebook |
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Some scholars propose that Cherlindrea is a "high fey," or elemental, embodying the collective life spirit of her forest. Indeed, she displays near-total control within a limited scope, a combination seen principally among the elementals. These incarnations of wind, soil, flame, and the sea shy away from human contact. Small specimens appear spontaneously along shorelines, on the edges of volcanoes, in waterspouts, wherever two or more realms abut one another. They frolic, merge and separate, and reshape the elements at will. Usually these youngsters vanish as suddenly as they were born. Larger ones are said to control the weather, but this has not been verified. The elementals show little evidence of intelligence. They do not speak, and their efforts to protect their realms appear instinctive. So the parallels with Cherlindrea are inexact. But her power and, almost as important, her indifference to humanity, point to elemental origins. Some, hearing Willow and Meegosh's tale of the fairy queen's kindness, argue against this supposed indifference. After all, the argument goes, why would she create a wand for Fin Raziel to use against Bavmorda, if she were not concerned about defeating Nockmaar? But the evidence says otherwise. Even folklore recognizes Cherlindrea's aloofness. A tavern song from Galladoorn says it well (albeit with a certain disregard for rhyme): Leaves in her hair, shade in her eyes, Wounded soldiers have accidentally passed through the fairy forest... unmolested but unhealed. Children from nearby villages venture in, and return terribly frightened, speaking of traps and "an awful lady who glowed like fireflies." Some wizards enter peacefully, hoping to learn from her, and emerge bristling with brownie arrows. Most significantly, the ancient druids, nature worshippers, wanted nothing to do with her. How, then, to explain her warm reception for the Nelwyns, her gift of the wand, and the rest? THE HEART OF THE OAK One topic that excites much speculation is, "Could Bavmorda have defeated Cherlindrea?" The question, now moot, is probably unanswerable anyway. Note, though, that Bavmorda never once tried to attack the fairy forest, even when her minions ranged all around it. But the strongest fortress may topple when the surrounding lands fall to the enemy. Sages believe that Bavmorda could have conquered the rest of the world, then concentrated her might against the borders of the fairy forest. Wearing it away, a tree at a time, Bavmorda could perhaps have shrunk Cherlindrea's domain, and her power, to measurable dimensions. Then Bavmorda could overwhelm her, and darkness would fall in the land of the fayara. Cherlindrea thinks little of or about humans, but Bavmorda was an exception. The queen of the fairies could see the threat from the queen of Nockmaar. The high fey considered luring Bavmorda to her forest and challenging her to magician's combat. But this would have endangered her beloved forest. Far better to give humans and Nelwyns her wand and let them do the job. She would even entrust the wand to the sorceress Fin Raziel, despite their cool relations in the past. Raziel had requested the wand to aid her in combat with Bavmorda, many years ago. At the time, Cherlindrea believed Bavmorda was no threat to the forest, and refused Raziel's request. Times change. The guiding principle in reconstructing the fairy queen's thoughts must be her lack of concern for anything beyond the forest's edge. Not for nothing has Fin Raziel written, "In the queen of trees beats a heart of oak, strong, aged and ageless, pulsating with the rhythms of the earth. In her perception the lives of humanity fly unattended, like summer nights." But this portrait overlooks Cherlindrea's respect and affection for Elora Danan. The fairy queen gets along with babies better than with other humans. In infancy human beings resemble fairies as closely as they ever will. Because Elora was not only a baby, but magical as well, Cherlindrea felt disposed to trust her advice. The high fey entrusted child and wand to Willow, with best wishes. But she may have felt a touch of melancholy, knowing that Elora must eventually grow up and become more typically human. Whether they will still live in friendship, who can say? GAMING NOTES Cherlindrea is supreme within her forest, to the shadows at forest's edge, as high as the treetops, as deep as the roots reach. The fairy forest is actually an area within a larger, nonmagical forest; the exact dimensions of Cherlindrea's realm are unknown. The gamemaster should adapt its size to the needs of the story. Statistics and abilities for Cherlindrea are irrelevant. Within the forest Cherlindrea can cast almost any magical effect as often as necessary. However, she can not resurrect dead characters. Her skill is essentially perfect, though characters receive saving throws as usual against attack spells. She will not attack unless a character threatens a fairy, brownie, or any denizen of her realm (including animals), She cannot be attacked except by the most powerful magic. Even if "killed," she will eventually reform from the life spirits of the forest. Outside the forest Cherlindrea has no influence at all, and little or no curiosity. Of course, she never leaves the forest. The gamemaster should regard Cherlindrea not as an adversary for the player characters, but as a plot device. She may heal, or bestow items on them, send them on quests, or provide information (often of questionable accuracy). But she will not aid characters unless she is persuaded that it will help her own interests, which center exclusively on the forest. |
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