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RUBRUM MALEVOLIA: THE SUMMER COURT OF THE FAERIES

Nicknamed ❝ RUMA ❞ for those traveling through or in tales about the magical lands, Rubrum Malevolia is a wondrous land that never experiences snowfall’s harsh winds, that never has its leaves fade to yellow to orange to red to brown, that never floods and blooms with the hopeful of spring. In Ruma, all year is summer. The only precaution you have to take on whether it is scorch, storm, or solstice. Summer is many things and often, people forget how merciless it can be. 

Rubrum Malevolia’s borders are heavily wooded forests, wild fruits hanging off the trees and bright flowers constantly abloom. Inviting, but untelling of what lies within. A day or two of travel will land a traveler into the heart of Ruma, where most of the fae reside. It’s a harbour town, consequently named the Harbourfront, opening up to a crystalline lake with dozens of lands dotting its horizons and thousands more beyond that. Although there are no qualms amongst the people, there’s a pensive anticipation. The fae are constantly preparing for what summer brings.

SOLSTICE is a joyous time. Songs play in every corner of the bustling town. Large bowls of fruit are passed along from faerie to faerie, whether they are family, friend, or stranger. Travelers hope to come during this time, as solstice brings calm nights where you can clearly see the stars, bonfires can roar and grumble all throughout the day and night without worry. The lake is welcoming, soft waves washing along the shores of the numerous beaches the Harbourfront has to offer. Animals of all kind, as well as enchanted plants and spirits, come to visit all the fae during solstice. It’s a time of celebration. 

SCORCH is tribulating and only dangerous if carelessness takes reign. The heat intensifies to the point that anything unprotected is subject to melting and burning. The fae are wary, tired, but continue to use charms not meant for their magic for the most basic of cool-offs. Many fae disappear from the Harbourfront and into the lake, finding solace in shadowy swamps and cooling marshes. Caution is given to travelers to not light any fires, as the scorch will not be kind to any flame. Many fae are equipped with knowledge of how to stop forest fires from spreading. 

STORM is dangerous, enthralling, and how many people can identify if a faerie belongs in the summer court. Thunderstorms, cyclones, and monsoons dominate the lands and waters during this time. Traveling is not advised, as the lakes are bloodthirsty and the winds aim to destroy. What differs a summer court fae from the others is the adrenaline that spikes through their wings and fingers during storms. It’s hardwired into their magic, to indulge in the disaster that becomes of what the worst of nature has to bring. Nearing the end of storms, the court often comes together to rebuild anything that wasn’t prepared enough, though as the years go on, the Harbourfront has infrastructure against the storms down to an art.

The royals of Rubrum Malevolia reside in an unusual castle. Built farther down the coast, away from the Harbourfront, the shore eventually chips way into a steep, rocky cliff. The castle is built both atop the surface and into the cliffside. It is a sturdy structure, built for withstanding any storm or scorch. It is a tradition for each newly instated King to build new quarters, ballrooms, or galleries into the cliff and has become a labyrinth of enchanted walkways to explore. The latest King built a veranda on the outermost side of the cliff, looking out at the lake. Charmed crystals are nestled onto the doorframe of each entry into the veranda, designed as a barrier so storms cannot get inside the maze inside the cliff. The veranda is nestled well below the top of the cliff, so close to the water level that if one dares to stand outside during a storm, the lake sprays and attempts to take them. 

The lake is large but the forest that surrounds Rubrum Malevolia is larger and completely encompasses it. Rivers flow into the lake from other areas and make easy access points for those wishing to enter. And although Ruma welcomes any benevolent travelers to stay at the Harbourfront, there are seekers who wish to pillage the islands. It’s why the summer court was created around this lake, as precious, magical jewels of all kinds manifest themselves on the islands. Many of them provide a variety of uses in spells, enchantments, curses, and overall magic enhancement. Anywhere else, they are rare and difficult to mine, but they simply rest in the veins of the rocky islands of Ruma. The fae of the summer court have no need for them, they seek their thrills and bounties right there in Harbourfront.

Guardians of the forest hide in the shadows of the thick forest, making sure that all those who travel to Ruma are indeed only seeking to travel. They are resilient and strong, proud and unwavering. All sorts of guardian fae dwell within the forest, all with the same task of protecting Ruma’s splendour. Those who access the realm through the rivers will always see a guardian. Those traveling by foot are often guided by them in the shadows to the town and if there is resistance, they will show their face.

Fae of the summer court come in all different varieties. All of them have enhanced endurance to combat the storm and scorch. But, depending on when a fae was born, their powers match that aspect of summer. Those born during solstice are musically talented in both song and dance, bear the power to manipulate summer fruits and plants, manipulate water as if it was a dancing being, and use the solstice sun’s magic to heal. Those born during scorch can manipulate the hottest of fires, can make people see illusions with heat shimmer, and have an astounding resistance to the hottest of temperatures, some even manifesting fire as a form of flight in addition to their wings. Those born during storm have lightning coursing through their veins they can channel out of their body, can create destructive torrents of water, bend the sharpest of winds to their whim and command, crumble and shatter rock with their very strength, and are the only summer fae able to manifest ice without hindrance ( albeit in the form of hail ). 

Fae of the summer court have a wide range of wing shapes and sizes. Notable mentions are Corentin Auster, Prince of the Summer Court, whose wings are iridescently glassy, quick, agile, and strong like a dragonfly’s with veins that electricity courses through to provide power and Vitaflora Darling, whose wings are so large they trail on the ground when she stands and are hooked and feathered like an eagle’s. Although heritage does play a part in what size and shape wings are going to be for a faerie, rumour has it that any nearby jewels within the lake can influence a faerie’s wings and make them manifest in a new and unique way. No data has been collected to prove this claim and frankly, the summer court does not feel it worthy enough to research.

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