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Trickster's Gems
by Woodbee
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Trickster, also known as Limper, was a troll from the time before Voll took his group to establish Blue Mountain - before Ekuar, Mekda, and Osek were stolen, even before the glaciers came down from the mountains and drove trolls and elves southwards. He was injured in a mining accident, and thus was given the worst jobs, like aboveground foraging. There, one day, he found an infant hidden in the bushes, with hair like gold and eyes like gems.
He stole her. He hid her from his fellow trolls, but as they would regularly come to his quarters to shake him down for what little he had, he chose to leave his people and take her overland to somewhere he could safely enjoy her beauty.
Along his trek, he found three more young High Ones: Young Diamond brought him Ruby and he buried the toddler's parents where they'd fallen giving him time to run, Sapphire was acquired when he wandered too far from his group's migration, and Emerald came up and hit Limper in the shins with a stick.
He clothed them beautifully in their namesakes. He refined his skills until gold seemed to grow like vines and blossom under his hammer. But he kept them underground, where they were safe, and elves are creatures who love the light of the sun and moon.
Yurek found their hideout, and shaped the stone to set them free while Trickster slept. He broke the mechanisms of Trickster's hidden doors and moving passageways, and sealed the troll in his own tomb, to dig his way free or die.
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald learned their own true names from members of Yurek's band of wanderers - including Sapphire's parents, who were overjoyed to see him alive again.
Posted June 22, 2025, 09:49:52 AM
June 26, 2025, 06:39:07 AM
Trickster, Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, forge, what-if
He stole her. He hid her from his fellow trolls, but as they would regularly come to his quarters to shake him down for what little he had, he chose to leave his people and take her overland to somewhere he could safely enjoy her beauty.
Along his trek, he found three more young High Ones: Young Diamond brought him Ruby and he buried the toddler's parents where they'd fallen giving him time to run, Sapphire was acquired when he wandered too far from his group's migration, and Emerald came up and hit Limper in the shins with a stick.
He clothed them beautifully in their namesakes. He refined his skills until gold seemed to grow like vines and blossom under his hammer. But he kept them underground, where they were safe, and elves are creatures who love the light of the sun and moon.
Yurek found their hideout, and shaped the stone to set them free while Trickster slept. He broke the mechanisms of Trickster's hidden doors and moving passageways, and sealed the troll in his own tomb, to dig his way free or die.
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald learned their own true names from members of Yurek's band of wanderers - including Sapphire's parents, who were overjoyed to see him alive again.
Posted June 22, 2025, 09:49:52 AM
June 26, 2025, 06:39:07 AM
Trickster, Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, forge, what-if
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| The Secret True Hist… | Rogue's Challenge | Trickster's Gems | Dreamberry Wine | Mantricker |
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Pages: [1]
Amberfox
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Comment #1 - Posted June 22, 2025, 10:10:38 AM
Whoa! Very interesting story! I LOVE the design of each of the characters here! Again, I'm feeling inspired to draw them myself! Trickster seems intriguing, but I wonder why the obsession with the elves. I hope he didn't keep them for more...nefarious purposes. This weekend, I read about male concubines in ancient Rome, many taken when they were children, and this has a bit of that vibe. Yeah, and the female concubines didn't have it any easier. Cringe. Anyway, the design on the "gems" are lovely, and I can see where he could cover them in their namesakes. Another cover with so much going on and all so very stunning! The "gems" are rescued by Yurek? That certainly would help with their gene pool! I always thought a mere four wasn't exactly much for society building. I will reserve rooting for Trickster's fate until I hear exactly what his relationship was with his "gems", but I'm hoping it wasn't negative. Damn it, where's my pencil...Can't stress it enough - GORGEOUS!
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Afke
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Comment #2 - Posted June 22, 2025, 10:16:38 AM
Yay, so nice to see more trolls! And featured on one of the FTP covers even.
 Even though his story does sound a bit creepy. Seems like he views these children more like trinkets, keepsakes (treasure?), even though he seemed to have cared for them well enough, given how they look like healthy elf children. But not quite understanding them and their needs. He seems distracted in this very pose, almost feels like foreshadowing he's going to lose them.
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Woodbee
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Comment #3 - Posted June 22, 2025, 10:29:52 AM
Trickster never thought of them as something to prey on: they were treasures, in the troll sense that children or gems can be. He thought they were beautiful and precious, and it broke his heart that they became so unhappy despite all he tried to give them. Of course he also resented them for their withering, as though all his hard work was for nothing! Very parental with a bit of archivist/curator, making better and better display cases in which to admire them. Ruby kind of harassed Diamond as they became adolescents, but that cut out immediately once they met more people and were reintroduced to elfin cultural norms.
Trickster did not die, but became a Wayland Smith figure to the nearby humans, to whom he had traded marvelous metal workings for fresh fruit and pets to bring to his children. A bit like Two-Edge, much later on. Amberfox, I'd love to see you draw them! I think you'd truly do them justice. |
Woodbee
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Comment #4 - Posted June 22, 2025, 10:36:51 AM
Oh! Elf costume design inspired by/drawing from Erte, if you know who that is. Limper's is from an ancient coin depicting Wayland. I would not have thought of that decorative apron edge, myself!
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Amberfox
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Comment #5 - Posted June 22, 2025, 11:25:52 AM
Ah, okay, good. I was hoping it was more like that. Glad he survived and managed to make a new life for himself. I really like his design, and he did try to care for his "gems" even though it wasn't the right thing for them. Again, this is another story from you I would really like to read. It sounds better than some of the non-Pini stories that are considered cannon. Don't know if I can manage to do them as much justice as you have, and they are YOUR creations, but I'm inspired!
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Treefox
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Comment #6 - Posted July 02, 2025, 12:19:58 AM
Again, this is too gorgeous! Wonderful color combo of dark red paired with Trickster's olive skin tones. And the lighting from below makes him look so ominous. Very fitting from what we read about him here. But I am also glad to hear that he wasn't truly villainous and that he found his place even without his "gems". The elves are all so delicate and again, the color schemes work so well for each of their clothes.
And that fox! Ahhhh!!! I want to cuddle, too! |
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