The Fae Path Quest

Important Announcement!

Thank you so much to every single one of you for your participation in this event, both in playing and supporting. We are so grateful to you.

We are currently preparing the treasure rooms and getting things set up to contact the winners. You will receive an email when the treasure rooms go live, and we will contact you by email if you have won some of the other prizes as well.

Thank you again!

Feel free to skip the story and go to the next heading (Your Quest: Rules and Forms) if you want to get straight to the rules, quest, and eligible stories.

Tristan Stormrider

Something has called you. Not a voice precisely. But a sensation. A knowledge.

With every step through the forest with its deep interlocked branches, you are aware of that calling. Then you see it. A stone gateway, an entirely separate scene lying beyond it. Here it is night. There it is morning.

Whatever has called you is through there.

You barely step across the cracked stone threshold when bursts of color dance before your eyes. A chorus of pinks, oranges, and purples swirl around you. And now you stand here at the break of dawn on the edge of a forest. A great sea shimmers in the distance. It would be an easy walk to its shores, and the sparkling waters are probably warm. Morning larks sing happy songs that rise and fall on the pleasant wind.

Wait. Who is that?

A broad-shouldered figure strides out from behind one of the sprawling evergreen oak. He holds a massive battle axe, and every inch of him breathes power and strength. Dawn light streams around him. He looks you up and down, then smiles. “I did not expect the answer to my summons to be so striking.”

“You summoned me?” You set your hands on your waist, finding his smile contagious.  This day is off to an intriguing start already.

“So it would seem, would it not?” His confident smile turns crooked, then he steps forward and extends his hand. “I am Tristan Stormrider.”

“Stormrider?” Accepting his hand, you note his nearly swallows yours up. He could probably crush you if he chose. “Does this mean I should credit you for there being no storms or be concerned that storms are on their way?”

He laughs, his voice a jovial rumble. He smells like salt and chamomile. His dark eyes are warm and expressive. “This day is fine, it is true. But whether I make the storms or drive them off, I will not say. “

“Perhaps you would tell me why you summoned me here.”

Chuckling, he starts to circle you. “So swift to business then?”

“It depends on what the business is.”

“Perhaps you’re right. If you are what I believe, there will be more time for more pleasant things.”

“And what do you believe me to be?”

“Someone who can help me find particular tales.” He stops in front of you.

“Well…I do know quite a few. What stories are you searching for?”

“Love stories.” He winks. “Love is my weakness, striking one. You know some?”

“I know many.”

“So I hoped.” He stops in front of you and removes a piece of parchment from his belt. “My people and I have come here in search of stories so that we may better understand the people of this place. As you can see, we are looking for rather specific ones.”

You glance over the sheet, then nod. “Interesting. Some of these are just my own choices though. You’d be relying solely on my judgment.”

“Indeed. You are part of this land. Your preferences are as relevant as anything. The only other restriction I must insist upon is that all of these stories include the fae in some way.”

“Why the focus on the fae?”

“There are none in my land. Most stories are not true, but they often hold truths in them if one knows how to read them.”

You hadn’t thought of it like that. It’s an interesting perspective. Slowly you nod. “Are you certain this is enough then?”

“At least for now. But that may soon change. I will take as many tales as my longship can carry. And if you prove yourself worthy, then perhaps—” he tilts his head, then grins. “Well, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Gather the stories for me. Then return. I will reward you well with tokens as well as my thanks.” He steps back and rests his axe on his shoulder. “I would say don’t disappoint me, striking one. But I don’t think that’s in your nature.” He cuts his gaze up at the sky, then whistles a few trilling notes.

Something rustles in the trees behind you.

You turn.

Neither the trees nor grasses are moving.

The wind stirs around you in the opposite direction.

You look back.

Tristan is gone.

Intriguing might be an understatement.

He’s right though. You do know a great many love stories involving fae. And while some of the requests on this parchment are rather specific, you know precisely where to look to find just what he needs. It will be good to meet him again.

Your Quest: Rules and Forms

Prizes

Everyone who turns in a completed Fae Path Quest Form will get access to the Fae Path Treasure Room, which is a series of digital prizes ranging from ebooks to prints. (You’ll get a link after the event closes. A few items may take some time to arrive after the event.)

Right now the Fae Treasure Room will include

  • Artwork from Stephanie BwaBwa
  • A map from Mel Braxton
  • H.R. Moore’s The Water Rider and High Born Fae ebook
  • L.J. Swallow’s Daughter of Shadow Complete Series ebook
  • Ophelia Wells Langley’s Of Smoke and Shadows (ebook)
  • Digital artwork from Jesikah Sundin
  • Digital artwork from Jes Drew
  • Digital artwork from Megan Van Dyke for A Bargain with the Fae King
  • Sarah K. L. Wilson’s Fly with the Arrow (ebook)

There are also three additional prize packs. You need to be in the US, UK, or Canada for shipping unless otherwise noted.

  • First Place Prize Pack
    • choice of hardcover or paperback up to $35
    • winner’s choice of sweet or salty treat (no more than $10)
    • winner’s choice of tea/dry packaged beverage
    • $25 Amazon or online bookstore retailer gift card
    • Ophelia Wells Langley’s The Borderlands Princess plus swag (character art, bookmark, and stickers)
    • Marina Simcoe’s Wingless Crow (paperback limited to US)
    • Rachel Rener’s Inked (signed paperback deluxe color edition, international)
    • Jessica M. Butler’s Identity Revealed (paperback, international)
    • E. Menozzi’s Eve of the Fae (paperback limited to US)
    • H.R. Moore’s Kingdoms of Shadow and Ash (ebook)
    • Megan Van Dyke’s A Bargain with the Fae King (ebook)
    • Marina Simcoe’s Serpent’s Touch (ebook)
    • Megan Van Dyke’s A Bargain with the Fae King (ebook)
    • Jessica M. Butler’s Bound By Blood (ebook)
    • Jesikah Sundin’s Of Thorns and Curses (paperback, limited to US)
    • character art cards from Casey Blair by Kalynne
  • Second Place Prize Pack
    • choice of a paperback up to $20
    • $15 Amazon or online book retailer gift card
    • Jessica M. Butler’s Bound By Blood (ebook)
    • Megan Van Dyke’s A Bargain with the Fae King (ebook)
    • Jesikah Sundin’s Of Thorns and Curses (paperback, limited to US)
    • character art cards from Casey Blair by Kalynne
  • Third
    • $10 Amazon or online book retailer gift card
    • Megan Van Dyke’s A Bargain with the Fae King (ebook)
    • Jessica M. Butler’s Bound By Blood (ebook)
    • character art cards from Casey Blair by Kalynne

Rules

To complete the Quest, you can only use stories that are included in this event. (All of the Fae stories are included on this page.)

You can only use a story for one element on the list in each quest.

As part of the point is to read new stories and celebrate ones you’ve already read, we’ve got a fun little tweak. If you know or discover that a listed story fits one of the items on your quest (even if the trope card doesn’t include it), you can put it on your list.

So, for instance, if you’re looking for a fairy tale retelling and there’s a story on the list that you know is a Beauty and the Beast, you can list that story as fulfilling that requirement even if it isn’t listed on the story’s trope card. You can also read the book’s blurb for added clues.

Be kind to your fellow readers and other authors.

The Forms

Your parchment includes the stories you need to find. You can download it as a PDF or you can fill out the Google Form. The prompts are the same.

(If you download it as a PDF and fill it out on your device, make sure you save your answers.)

Bonus Tokens

In addition to the regular tokens, you can get bonus tokens by completing the following acts.

One extra token for every story you share in an individual social media post except for the story with a trope, theme, or element that you think should get more attention. (Yes, you can post on multiple platforms.)

Two extra tokens for sharing on social media  an individual post about the story with a trope, theme, or element that you think should get more attention. Be sure to state what the trope/theme/element is in your post and why it matters to you. 

Use #faepathbonus (and if you want to absolutely bless me, save off the links and paste them in the forms or an email to make sure we definitely see them).

(We have graphics of all the stories here so you don’t have to make something separate. Just look look under the author’s last name to find the stories.) 

Submitting Your Form

Once you’ve gathered up your collection of stories, you’ll need to turn them in so we can verify.

You can turn your stories in three different ways.

  1. Complete this form and directly post your answers (if you do this, you don’t need to turn in anything else. The form will allow you to return to it and edit your answers).
  2. Save and fill out the PDF and then upload it to this form.
  3. Directly email the form to faeornofae@farofeb.com. Make sure to include any of the bonus activities you have done as well.

Make sure to submit your completed form by July 3 at 11:59 PM EST.

If you have any problems, please feel free to email faeornofae@farofeb.com.

Ready to get started?

Great!

[Once you’re finished, be sure to see the conclusion of your quest with Tristan Stormrider on the Fae Path.]

Stories on the Fae Path