When humankind and elvenkind came back into contact, the elves determined human culture to be abhorrent in many aspects and refused to accept it or participate in it. Well, most of them. Xir, however, loved the hair dye and piercings and leather biking jackets, and strove to wear them at every chance. Xe reveled in being the clan’s pariah, influencing the youngest generations xe came across to follow in xir footsteps. Humans were very confused at seeing a troupe of elves with dyed hair, Mohawks, tattoos and piercings strolling down the street in full biking leathers but they opted to say nothing about it. 

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The being whirling around the halfway house, singing songs in the Ancient Tongue, took well care of all its inhabitants, many of whom had spiraling horns, cloven hoof, and/or sharp teeth. This was a house for the disgraced, the exiled, and now the Faerie joined the house’s ranks, furious at being so harshly slighted and bitter enough to make xem taste bile. But nevertheless, xe clutched dearly to that babe, even though it was that very child that had gotten xem exiled at all. The warmth in that babe’s eyes soothed the Faerie’s rage, at least temporarily.

The elemental sat atop the mortal’s workbench, watching in awe the carvings and trinkets xe made. From small statues of stone and wood to toys for, as the mortal explained, xir siblings’ children. The elemental barely understood most of what the mortal spoke, but ze would not have changed it. The mortal gave zem a comfortable place to rest, bundled in blankets before the burning hearth. Even though ze was no larger than a house cat, the mortal cared for zem all the same as though ze was a being of xir size..

The clash raged across the countryside, staining the sky black and carving fissures and scars into the earth beneath their feet as they howled and screamed, hurling eldritch power at one another like it was nothing, caring not for the mortals below. The twin creatures from beyond the heavens scored deep wounds and yet did not stop. 

One of the unlucky folk below could have sworn xe heard one of them howl, “It was my turn with the TV!”

The thief-king lounged on xir throne, dressed in finery and oozing luxury. A devious, dark smile played across xir lips as xe watched the viper in xir fields of thieves cross the room to have an audience with xem. The thief-king would allow zir misdirection and deviance no longer.

The elemental sat atop the mortal’s workbench, watching in awe the carvings and trinkets xe made. From small statues of stone and wood to toys for, as the mortal explained, xir siblings’ children. The elemental barely understood most of what the mortal spoke, but ze would not have changed it. The mortal gave zem a comfortable place to rest, bundled in blankets before the burning hearth. Even though ze was no larger than a house cat, the mortal cared for zem all the same as though ze was a being of xir size..

The clash raged across the countryside, staining the sky black and carving fissures and scars into the earth beneath their feet as they howled and screamed, hurling eldritch power at one another like it was nothing, caring not for the mortals below. The twin creatures from beyond the heavens scored deep wounds and yet did not stop.

One of the unlucky folk below could have sworn xe heard one of them howl, “It was my turn with the TV!”

The thief-king lounged on xir throne, dressed in finery and oozing luxury. A devious, dark smile played across xir lips as xe watched the viper in xir fields of thieves cross the room to have an audience with xem. The thief-king would allow zir misdirection and deviance no longer.

Xe woke up to murky blackness. The streetlights outside had shut off, but it was deep into the night still. Xe thought it was odd, just then, as they could have sworn they saw something standing in the corner of xir room. The moment xir eyes adjusted, xe wished they didn’t. A low moan stretched across the room as the twitching shadow-humanoid in xir bedroom corner started approaching.

The tolling of the church bells was drowned out by the bell towers of the castle, ringing into the countryside with fervor. That was when the people knew something had gone wrong. Children raced into the streets, yelling royal declarations from the tops of their lungs. “We are at war!”