Mirror, Mirror is the second episode of season 15, Neverafter.
Intro[]
"Hello, one and all! Welcome back to another thrilling episode of "Dimension 20: Neverafter." I'm your humble Dungeon Master, Brennan Lee Mulligan. With me, as always, are our Intrepid Heroes. Say "hi," Intrepid Heroes!
[...] It's a little scary. And, indeed, we have much reason to be scared, for last we left off, our Intrepid Heroes were stopped by the roadside in the Blackwood Forest with the Chandling Caravan on their way to Shoeberg in the lands of the Neverafter. We met Rosamund du Prix, aka Sleeping Beauty, having escaped from the thorn-choked towers of the kingdom of Reverie. We met Mother Timothy Goose of the village of Pottingham, a witch, a bard, a storyteller, and someone who's made a terrible bargain with a [...] We met the living puppet and marionette, Pinocchio, [...] with a nose ripped off his face, and with a strange relationship with a woman who seems to be able to speak from beyond space and time, conjuring doors that she needs to communicate to the fabled wooden boy. We also met Puss in Boots, former benefactor of the Marquis de Carabas, making his way through the world once more after the downfall of the Kingdom of Marienne, and the coming of terrible giants in the storm. We met the Prince Gerard of Greenleigh, currently unaware of the location of his lady wife, the Princess Elody, [...] and slowly transforming back into a frog, which sort of feels like it shouldn't be happening. And we also met Ylfa Snorgelsson, [...] aka Little Red Riding Hood, with a strength more than would at first appear to be quite normal for a young girl in the village of Pottingham. And we saw some of what maybe transpired back amongst her family, and the wind that blew them all away"
However, these visions and echoes of the past are not where we find ourselves now. No, indeed, we find ourselves here on the way to Shoeberg for various and sundry reasons. But now, gathering around a campfire for supper, on the long travel to one of the few cities left during these Times of Shadow.
Last we left off, Pinocchio, you were just emerging from your carriage. The rest of you were engaging in some chores here and there to help, as the matron of the caravan, The Red Hen, had said that nobody that didn't help would be able to have any dinner. Lord Bandlebridge, who, of course, was horrible with a very violent coterie of people, is hiding in his shoe carriage. But The Hen and Boffit, the trollson kind of right-hand enforcer of the caravan, as well as one of your fellow travellers, King Cole of the Kingdom of Jubilee, who does not wear a crown on his head any longer. Probably for the painful irony of wearing a crown when you have no subjects or kingdom. We return as dinner becomes ready around the campfire, and we see the warm light and glow as the trees are framed in warmth and orange light."
Content Warnings[]
This episode contains the following content warnings at the given timecodes
- Hemophobia (35:32 - 37:13)
- Flashing Video (43:41 - 43:42)
- Flashing Video (1:19:34 - 1:19:35)
- Forced Transformation, Mind Control (1:54:02 - 2:01:34)
- Body Mutilation / Self-inflicted Body Mutilation (1:57:42 - 1:57:52)
- Body Mutilation / Self-inflicted Body Mutilation (1:58:57 - 1:59:05)
- Hemophobia (2:01:41 - 2:02:26)
- Body Mutilation / Self-inflicted Body Mutilation (2:05:08 - 2:05:20)
- Cannibalism, Filicide (2:05:41 - 2:06:16)
- Forced Transformation, Mind Control (2:11:30 - 2:11:40)
- Body Horror, Animal Cruelty (2:21:33 - 2:22:13)
- Forced Transformation, Mind Control (2:29:21 - 2:32:24)
Synopsis[]
Back at the Chandling Caravan, the party finishes up the preparations for dinner. Ylfa Snorgelsson stirred the pot of soup with the hilt of a blade that her paw had been stuck to after arguing with Stephan, and “Mother” Timothy Goose heals her. Old King Cole notices, and notes that their party is magical. Timothy claims he’s just a writer, which prompts Cole to ask about his writing. Timothy explains that he used to be very famous in his village for his stories, but has lost motivation since his son, Jack, died. Cole tells Timothy that since his kingdom, Jubilee, was destroyed in war, he’s been seeking someone with answers. Timothy sees that he and Cole have similar grief. Cole discusses how different the world feels since the Times of Shadow began, and how it doesn’t just feel like a world depression, but something much bigger. Timothy asks Cole to tell him about when times were good.
Prince Gerard of Greenleigh, who has been eavesdropping, begins to hear fiddles off in the distance. He asks the Princess Rosamund du Prix if she hears them as well, but she only asks if he is feeling well. However, Timothy, still talking to Cole, hears them too, and recognizes that they’re coming from his book. He points this out to Cole, who is alarmed how familiar it sounds to his fiddlers back in Jubilee, before they were killed. Timothy searches through the book for the sound until he comes across a beam of light, spewing out music. As Cole begins to weep, Timothy writes the nursery rhyme about him and his fiddlers, Old King Cole. Cole then begins to see himself in the beams of light, which, as he describes it, becomes visible to Timothy. This old version of Cole begins to recite the Old King Cole nursery rhyme. His fiddlers also appear in the motes of light, and embrace Cole, who disappears a second after.
The rest of the Chandling Caravan, who has seen this, begins to accuse Timothy of regicide, unsure of what happened. Timothy sees that while the Old King Cole rhyme stays in writing in the book, nothing else he writes does.
Boffit and Hen, the drivers, grow panicked by Timothy’s actions, under the assumption that he is a witch. They take dinner and pack up the other members of the Caravan to escape, leaving Timothy with Ylfa. The pair of scam artists, Pinocchio and Puss in Boots (“Pib”), stay, due to their intrigue of what just occurred. Meanwhile, Gerard and Rosamund attempt to go back to their carriage, but Gerard lingers, curious as well. Pinocchio attempts to get Stephan to stay with them, but he refuses, running off as well.
However, one chariot, shaped like a teapot, lingers oddly. A man in a blue coat, Herr Drosselmyer, steps out as well. He inquires why everybody is leaving, and Gerard claims it was because of the ostrich that Rosamund summoned in the previous episode. He accepts this answer and disappears into a beam of light, leaving the chariot to the six stragglers. Pib picks the lock and enters, finding a dimensionally transcendental manor on the inside, with clocks lining the walls.
Timothy, still distressed, tries to figure out the ties between Jack and Cole, but comes up empty. Pinocchio, curious, drags his finger across the book, and a beautiful drawing of an island with toys appears. Ylfa, excited by the toys, slams her hand on the book, hoping for a similar outcome. However, instead, Ylfa begins to transform into a werewolf. This leads the book to draw a picture of her picking flowers while transforming, though this time, in blood, not ink. Something moves in the drawn trees, and as Timothy closes the book, a wolf tries to escape and bite Ylfa’s hand.
Ylfa, humiliated, tries to leave and cries that she’s a monster. Timothy soothes her, telling her she’s a good kid, but accidentally calls her “Jack.” Ylfa pouts as Timothy turns back to the sort of audience they’ve gained.
Gerard, thinking that Cole was brought to his old life, snatches the book out of Timothy’s hands and attempts to do what Pinocchio and Ylfa did. Gerard only begins to transform back to his human form before the book begins to rot. Ylfa, scared he will destroy the book, tells Timothy to take it, which he does. Gerard transforms back into his froggish form. Timothy opens the book back up to see the rot is gone.
Rosamund, now interested, takes her turn as well. Beautiful briars are drawn in the pages and surround an unfamiliar portrait of a prince, Rosamund’s true love. The drawing makes Rosamund sob, until she begins to realize that the picture of the prince is flickering between different men, and is not just one person. However, the briars are covering his face. Rosamund attempts to get them to move, but a new painting appears. Instead, a quick charcoal sketch of a fireplace appears, and a figure in gleaming glass armor jumps into it. They run towards the exit of the book, calling Rosamund their “sister.” The book is shut once more. Pinocchio tells everyone that they must stop messing with the book.
Meanwhile, Pib is still looking around the chariot that was left with them for anything or anyone useful. Pib finds a mirror, crafted in the fallen Kingdom of Tapestry, that was clearly made by magical dwarves. In the center, Pib sees a vapor, which transforms into somewhat of a face. Pib asks the Magic Mirror to see what is left of Marienne. He sees rubble covering the now inhospitable land, with no life to be seen. Pib asks if there is anything he needs to look out for, and the mirror shows him a vision of all of the world’s troubles being swallowed in a book. Before Pib asks his last question, the mirror, in exchange for the visions, asks Pib to tell Pinocchio of their existence. Pib agrees and asks what the future holds. The mirror tells Pib that, past Shoeberg, there is a road to the Kingdom of Elegy, which nobody has traveled on since the Times of Shadow began. They tell Pib this is the first place they must go to find the components needed for Timothy’s book to save the world.
Pib returns to the rest of the group and only says that the carriage is full of clocks, leaving out any mentions of the Magic Mirror. Timothy tells Pib about the visions they saw within the book, which Pib brushes off to once again talk about the clocks. At the mention of them, Herr Drosselmyer returns with the leashed naked ostrich that Rosamund accidentally summoned. Gerard tells Drosselmyer that they still mean to make their way to Shoeberg, which he says he’s also intending to do. Timothy attempts to explain the book to Drosselmyer.
Meanwhile, Pib pulls Pinocchio aside to ask where he went when he disappeared into one of the carriages last episode. Pinocchio brushes the question off, but asks where Pib went when inspecting the teapot chariot. Pib tells Pinocchio about the mirror, which panics him a bit, much to Pib’s confusion. Pib explains how the mirror told him that Timothy’s book may be the answer to the Times of Shadow, and more importantly, their “ticket” to luxury. Upon hearing this. Pinocchio agrees to sneak back into the chariot with Pib.
Back with the rest of the group, Timothy asks Drosselmyer to inspect the book, as he is an actual mage. Drosselmyer touches the pages of the book and discovers that there are more books like this one. He explains that it is no accident the six of them were joined on this quest and that they must complete it together. Drosselmyer, like the mirror said, says that there is a first gift that must be given to the book, and that, if they can get it, it will be the first step to the world potentially being restored. Due to the book’s magic, however, Drosselmyer has begun transforming into an owl. Before Timothy can shut the book, he disappears. Rosamund’s naked ostrich flees.
Pib and Pinocchio, however, make it into the chariot. Pinocchio speaks to the Magic Mirror, who demands to be brought back to “her.” Pib throws the sheet over the mirror in fear, and the chariot begins to decompose from the outside. They narrowly escape as the chariot disintegrates into scraps of what it once was.
Gerard demands an explanation of everything and gets an anxious, half-informed one from Ylfa, who mostly just reveals she’s a werewolf, though Gerard claims he obviously knew this already. Pib steps in, claiming that he knows that other magical artifacts could potentially reveal more about the book. Gerard then recalls the magical golden ball that his wife Princess Elody dropped into a pond of lily pads when they first met, which resembles the shape of the rot in Timothy’s book. When asked where it is, Gerard wonders if it is back in Greenleigh, but reveals that his castle has fallen, and that he is only here because he “bravely fled” during the battle.
Pib asks if anyone has any ties in Elegy, where he believes the ball to be due to the mirror’s suggestions. Gerard recalls the prince of Elegy turning the kingdom upside down by asking every eligible maiden to try on a shoe, but no other suggestions pop up. Timothy brings the conversation back to the possibility of there being more than one book, stressing his belief in Drosselmyer’s warning: that the six of them were bound by fate and must stick together in order to complete the quest. Gerard doesn’t know what significance the ball has, but Timothy and Ylfa suggest it has to do with his “story”, which tied Jack and Cole to the book. In inspecting the book again, Timothy sees the charcoal spell the word “Elegy” and then illustrate a frightening picture of a shard of glass, resembling a spear, dripping with some kind of liquid. Quickly, the party ties this back to Rosamund’s vision of the soldier in the glass armor.
Pib inspects a scroll he stole from Lord Bandlebridge and reads the name “Cressida Lumley”, the burgomaster of Shoeberg, who is listed as being one hundred and seventeen years old, nearly the same chronological age as Rosamund.
The party decides they will head towards Elegy, which is just past Shoeberg, riding both in the remains of the teapot chariot, and on the backs of the massive rabbit that pulled Drosselmyer’s carriage, Eidelgrin, and a ram that was left behind by the Caravan (which Pinocchio named Senator). Timothy, worried about being recognized by people in Shoeberg who were potentially warned about the six of them, asks if there’s a way to disguise the group. Instead, Eidelgrin the rabbit suggests they travel through the Blackwood Forest instead, which the party is immediately against. However, Rosamund insists that she knows enough about forests to help them traverse through. In the end, the group decides that it’s most likely fine, and Gerard even shows off his ridiculously named sword forms. Pinocchio recruits Senator for the mission.
As suspected, Rosamund knows just enough about forests to get the group through Blackwood within about two days. Upon entering Elegy, no human footprints can be noticed, and the sky is in an eternal twilight, though the sun burns bright.
Pib stumbles across a dwelling, and inside, a wine cellar, hiding behind a fake wall. As Gerard recruits Ylfa, Pib, and Pinocchio to help him look for wine, Rosamund finds a village of mice in small, makeshift homes in a cupboard. She speaks to them, though they are terrified of her, and discovers that they’re hiding from an unnamed woman “up the road.” Panickedly, they explain that a kind woman used to share this space with them, but was one day approached by a fairy that turned them into humans for four and a half hours, before turning them back into mice, which rendered them able to speak the common tongue. Timothy approaches and recalls an event with a shoe, which the mice say actually occurred two separate times. The first, it was getting everyone to try on a glass slipper after a ball. However, the second occurred when the daughters of the woman who used to live in the cellar went missing upstairs, next to the fireplace. The princess of Elegy visited to inspect the crime scene, but the woman had already left. The mice used to know the name of the woman, but no longer do. During the inspection, the fairy returned, telling the princess to forget about this. Angry, the princess broke off the heels of her glass slippers and stabbed the fairy through the heart. Ylfa, overhearing all of this, investigates the well, where the mice say the murder took place. She sniffs out fairy blood, which lingers forever, and figures out that it’s the blood of a fairy godmother specifically.
Meanwhile, Pinocchio looks up the staircase at the dwelling to see a door at the top. Anxiously, he stops collecting wine and walks to it, feeling as though he is looking at something he shouldn’t be looking at, labeling it as the “original door.” Inside the room, two skeletons linger next to the fireplace -- one with no toe bones, and one with its heel carved off, and bloody handprints stained everywhere. Pinocchio determines that though his Stepmother was not calling him again like she had last episode, this was the place she used to live, meaning that she was the woman the mice used to know. Due to the state of the skeletons, Pinocchio also comes to the conclusion that the Stepmother ate the bodies of the two girls, her daughters. Pinocchio steals an etching of a man, a bloody knife, and the loose doorknob before leaving.
The party follows the scent Ylfa has found to a cliff, leaving Eidelgrin and Senator back at the dwelling. On the way, they find old corpses that have been brutally murdered. A pile of gold has been left in favor of the chest that once carried it. They also find animal remains and terrifying sculptures, such as a birdhouse made of finger bones, and watering cans filled with blood.
In the distance, the party begins to hear voices before hearing an extremely shrill one that commands a group of servants to find a princess. Rosamund has Pib climb up a tree to get a view of the situation: a rotting pumpkin carriage, where a sickly Fairy Godmother with glass protruding from her chest stands. She has a collection of half-completed transmutated servants that flank her, all listening to her deranged speech.
When Pib returns, the party tries to formulate a plan, separating into “Team Extraction”, with the intention of removing the glass from the godmother and “Team Distraction”, with the intention of keeping the godmother entertained long enough for the extraction to occur. However, as the party begins to disagree on how their fight will go, their voices raise, alerting the Fairy Godmother to their presence. Ylfa, panicked, rushes right into battle, starting the fight.
Locations[]
Characters[]
Players[]
- Prince Gerard of Greenleigh
- Puss in Boots
- Pinocchio
- Mother Timothy Goose
- Ylfa Snorgelsson
- Princess Rosamund du Prix
New[]
- Herr Drosselmyer
- Cinderella (vision)
- Magic Mirror
- Donal
- Ogbert
- Fairy Godmother
- Fairy Godmother's Minions
Returning[]
- The Red Hen
- Old King Cole
- Boffit
- Senator
- Stephan
- Bald Ostrich
- Eidelgrin
Mentioned[]
- Lord Bandlebridge
- Big Bad Wolf
- Jack Hubbard-Goose
- Tomas
- Princess Elody
- Cressida Lumley
- Norbert
- The Stepmother
Clips[]
Trivia[]
- The recommended reading[1] for this episode is: