Hello friends, family and those who just happened to stumble through out of curiosity. =)
I hope that today is finding all of you well. Before I get into the Royal Archives, I just wanted to give you guys an update on my horror novel, Closer. I am FINALLY nearing completion. I have 42 chapters in, have given myself more than a few nightmares and I'm so crazy excited to start the editing process!
I will have an interview coming up in October with my friend and mentor, best selling author, K.M. Jenkins soon, as well, which I'm super excited about sharing with everyone! Now... onto the Royal Archives!!
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The Royal Archives
Eight Edition
The Creatures of the Underworld
"If you believe every creature in the Underworld is dangerous, you are mistaken. If you believe none of them are dangerous, you are considerably more mistaken."
—Royal Field Guide, Fourth Edition
The Underworld is home to more than the Fae.
Across its five realms live creatures both familiar and extraordinary—some gentle enough to earn a place beside the hearth, others best admired from a considerable distance.
Many have existed in the Underworld for longer than written history can remember.
Some are woven into Fae legend.
Others are simply part of everyday life.
And a fortunate number are perfectly happy to remain undiscovered.
Creatures of the Greenwood
The forests and meadows of Scaoilte Glas are home to countless creatures.
Some are small enough to fit within a Fae's palm. Others are large enough to make an experienced hunter reconsider their career choices.
Many woodland creatures possess some degree of natural magic.
Some can change their appearance.
Others communicate through thought, song, or changes in the surrounding plants.
A few are said to recognize individuals they have encountered generations before.
Whether this is true remains uncertain.
The creatures of Scaoilte Glas have declined to comment.
The Beasts of Talumh
Talumh's harsh landscape has produced equally resilient creatures.
Many possess thick hides, powerful claws, or magical adaptations that allow them to survive the realm's unforgiving terrain.
Some travel the mountain passes in herds.
Others live solitary lives among the cliffs.
Travelers are advised to observe unfamiliar creatures before approaching them.
Especially if the creature is larger than the traveler.
Especially if it has teeth.
And particularly if it appears to be smiling.
The Archives would like to emphasize that last point.
The Creatures of Oceana
Beneath the waters of Oceana lies an entirely different world.
Coral forests stretch for miles beneath the surface, providing shelter to creatures of extraordinary beauty.
Some glow in the darkness.
Some possess remarkable intelligence.
Some have been known to guide lost travelers safely toward shore.
And some have been known to do precisely the opposite.
The sea has never been particularly interested in explaining its choices.
The Iceborn
Oighear is home to creatures adapted to a world of perpetual cold.
Many have fur, feathers, scales, or magical abilities that protect them from the freezing temperatures.
Some are peaceful.
Some are territorial.
Some are nearly impossible to distinguish from the surrounding snow until they move.
The Royal Archives strongly recommend that visitors refrain from sitting on anything that appears to be a snow-covered rock.
It may not be a rock.
It may not appreciate the mistake.
The Creatures of Ifreann
Little is known about the creatures inhabiting Ifreann.
Records are scarce.
Descriptions are inconsistent.
And the few travelers who have ventured deep into the realm have rarely agreed on what they saw.
Some speak of creatures that seem to have been changed by the land itself.
Others describe shadows moving through the blackened forests.
There are even accounts of beasts that appear to vanish entirely when approached.
And dragons....lots of dragons.
The Archives cannot verify these reports.
For the moment, we consider this fortunate.
The Bond Between Fae and Beast
Not all creatures of the Underworld are wild.
For thousands of years, certain Fae have formed bonds with animals and magical creatures.
Some serve as companions.
Some assist hunters, healers, or travelers.
Others simply choose a Fae and remain with them.
The important distinction is this:
A creature cannot truly be owned.
It may choose to stay.
It may choose to leave.
And the Fae understand that the strongest bonds are those freely given.
There are stories of creatures traveling beside the same family for generations.
There are stories of animals returning to the homes of those they loved long after their original companions were gone.
And there are stories the Archives refuse to record.
Not because they are untrue.
But because some things are better left as stories told beside a fire.
A Final Word From the Archives
The Underworld is a place filled with magic.
But magic does not belong solely to the Fae.
It lives in the forests.
The mountains.
The oceans.
The snow.
The soil.
And in every creature that calls this strange world home.
So the next time you hear something moving beyond the edge of the firelight...
Do not immediately assume it is a monster.
It may simply be curious.
It may be frightened.
It may be lost.
Or...
It may have been watching you for quite some time.
Until next time,
May the King's Tree light your path,
Keeper of the Royal Archives-
Joli G. Campbell
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~ Joli