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.
Kya Truth Finder
What a night to behold all the wonders and beauties that this mystic land holds.
The mountain you walk along overlooks a mysterious castle. Silver and indigo fog shrouds it, catching the brilliant light of the full moon. That twilight glow makes it all the more enticing as it creates a shimmering effect in the abyss surrounding the castle.
What a place to be.
Something is happening at the castle. Dragons and bats as well as other creatures fly about. Their leathery wings flap and slice through the air, the sounds surprisingly muffled. Other creatures move along the stone walls. You catch the scent of blood, iron, salt, sulfur, and blood. Beautiful as the night is, that might not be the best place for you to be.
Yet you can’t deny you feel drawn to it. The air seems to hum.
The wind changed, and on it came the smell of amber, cloves, and lavender. A tall woman emerges from the fog. She has straight black hair and coffee-brown eyes. Her manner is calm and collected, her shoulders squared. Her long brown woolen gown suggests she is a traveler, and her sword and the way she carries it confirms she is a warrior. “Are you the hope I have sought in these troubling times?” She speaks with a clear but gentle voice that cuts through the heaviness of the night.
“I’m not sure,” you admit slowly. “I felt like I was drawn here, but I don’t know why or for what.”
“Perhaps I can help with that.” She steps closer to you, her gaze moving over you as she considers you with contemplative grace. “I am Kya Truth Finder. For many months, I have been searching for the source of the danger that was to come this night, and I have found it.” She gestures with her sword toward the strange castle with the creatures swarming it. “Within that castle lies the Abyss of All Consuming Evil and Enormous Inconveniences. They were locked up there ages ago, kept from harming humanity. There is a powerful ward that surrounds the castle, but it is weakening.”
“Why is it weakening?” You squint as you peer at the strange architecture. Yes, you can see the energy of the ward if you focus hard enough.
“We’re nearing a most sacred holiday.” Kya lowers her sword, her stance steady. “One in which the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest and the magic infused into that ward is at its weakest. We need to infuse it with the necessary ingredients to get it through the holiday and allow all to remain unharmed. I would go and fetch the items myself, but it’s weak enough a few of the inconveniences might break through. A couple of the meaner dragons too for that matter.”
“What items do you need? Is this what you meant about my being the hope you sought?” You step closer, eager to be of assistance.
“Love stories. They are the most powerful in all the world. Especially the ones that include these elements.” She removes a piece of parchment from her pocket. It smells of lavender and has been written in purple ink. “Do you suppose you can help me, wanderer?”
“Actually, as fate would have it, this is one of my specialties.”
“Really?” Kya’s face brightens. Her eyebrow lifts. “You know where to find these tales?”
“I do! I know all about love stories like this.” You almost laugh with relief. You had feared it might be hard to complete this task. “I know exactly where to look.”
“Then you will help me?”
“Yes!”
“Thank you, wanderer.” She smiles warmly, dipping her head forward and then brushing her hair back from her face. “With your help, I’ll be able to hold off the creatures that are trying to break through. And when you return with what I need, I’ll be able to strengthen the wards. Thanks to you, we will be able to protect our people and this land.”
A howl rises from the castle. She glances over her shoulder, then back to you. “Until we meet again, wanderer.” With that, she taps her hand to her forehead and slips down the side of the cliff disappearing from sight.
Well, this isn’t what you were expecting, but still, you know how to get this task done. You take a look over the list once more. Then you start off into the fog, beginning your quest.
Your Quest: Rules and Forms
Prizes
Everyone who turns in a completed Other World Quest Form will get access to the Other Worlds 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 Other Worlds Treasure Room will include
- (will be updated as the event continues)
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
- winner’s choice of sweet or salty treat (no more than $10)
- winner’s choice of tea/dry packaged beverage (no more than $10)
- $25 Amazon or online bookstore retailer gift card
- Second Place Prize Pack
- winner’s choice of sweet or salty treat (no more than $10)
- winner’s choice of tea/dry packaged beverage (no more than $10)
- $15 Amazon or online book retailer gift card
- Third
- winner’s choice of sweet or salty treat (no more than $10)
- winner’s choice of tea/dry packaged beverage (no more than $10)
- $10 Amazon or online book retailer gift card
Rules
To complete the Quest, you can only use stories that are included in this event. (All of the Other World 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 #otherworldbonus (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 authors and 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.
- 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).
- Save and fill out the PDF and then upload it to this form.
- 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 October 30 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 Kya Truth Finder.]
Heat Levels
All stories are ranked on a romance scale of one to four chili peppers to indicate spice levels. We use the Heat Levels Guide depicted here.
This graphic has also been saved in the Graphics Folder for the event in case you want to share it as well.
Stories in Other World
