Blueleaf S02E05: The Hound of Winter
With Dox sick and Stonks gone, Vorx decided into Kharmissa, the fae realm to ask advice from their patron. Astrid came as well, after Vorx gave her a lecture on how to interact with the fae: “Don’t agree to anything. Don’t talk to anyone.”
After visiting the Museum of Justice, Vorx opened a wardrobe door and entered the fae realm, heading to the Winter Court, whose aspects were law and judgement. As they approached a building in the distance, a fae hound approached them, desperately for help. He recalled being human, had made a deal with the fae, but had failed to complete it and ended up as a fae hound. His doom was to be summoned by changelings in need. Vorx and Astrid agreed to help the dog and visited the court, where they met the Judge, Vorx’s patron. The Judge, a giant wearing a smooth ivory mask, advised he would answer three questions.
After some discussion, they asked:
Who is the fae that the changeling impersonating Tom was working for? What do they want? This was the Breaker of Edifices, a fae of the Court of Scorch (or High Summer) obsessed with freeing bound beings. The Breaker wanted to find the Cup and Bracelet artefacts to release the Bloom.
Who should we speak to next? Gregory Stanthorpe (although at this stage, they are not sure who Gregory Stanthorpe is or where they may be located).
What is the dog’s name? Maxford Smith. From Astrid’s questions, the dog was a youth from the 1960s, which meant he’d been in the fae realm for over thirty years.
Astrid and Vorx returned to the real world, where they planed to get Maxford to track the other changeling. Astrid bought a bunch of dog supplies, and promised one way or another they would restore Maxford to his human form. The dog, unable to speak in the real world, grew frustrated and chewed up Dox’s couch.