Somewhere, a circle of standing stones stands alone on a high hill. Perpetually illuminated by moonlight, it is a place held dear to the Fae. Only three types of folk can approached the Circle: the true-blooded Fae, the mortals of Fae blood however far the connection and the mortals whose dreams are strong and true, for the Circle may only be reached in dreams by mortals.
If any folk comes to the Circle, they will find the hosts of the Fae in perpetual festivity.
If any of the true Fae who approach the Circle, they are met and guested as long-lost cousins, invited to join in their feasting and dancing, and none refuse the invitation.
If any mortal comes to the Circle, the pipes and dancers will call them to come and feast and revel and dance in the Circle with the Fae, and few can resist the temptation. Yet dancing in the Circle is perilous for mortals, for the Fae are jealous and possessive of their powers, and they will try to trick or trap any mortal dares gain their powers, to steal their mind or spirit away through their enchantments. Only mortals who will is surpassingly strong, whose hearts are surpassingly pure or who skill is surpassingly fine will finish the dance whole.
To any mortal who dances the Circle and remains whole, the Circle grants its powers, and the more one dances, the greater the powers it grants, yet also the greater the possible damage to mind and spirit.
To dance in the Circle once is to risk one’s mind. To any mortal who dances in the Circle once and remains whole, the Circle teaches that all Shadow is illusion, so as to change Shadow is to change only illusion. To any mortal who dances once in the Circle and fails, those who have lost their mind will forever after always chase after the dream of the circle to regain what they had lost, never to find it.
To dance in the Circle twice is to risk one’s mind and spirit. To any mortal who dances in the Circle twice and remains whole, the Circle teaches that all Reality is illusion, so that to change Reality is to change on illusion. To any mortal dances twice in the Circle and fails, those who have lost their mind and spirit will forever after always remain a shattered, empty shell, never to remember the man or woman they once were.
To dance in the Circle thrice is to risk one’s mind, spirit and body. To any mortal who dances in the Circle thrice and remains whole, the Circle teaches that they, too, are illusion, so that to change themselves is to change only illusion. To any mortal who dances thrice in the Circle and fails, those who have lost their mind, spirit and body will disappear from mortal ken, never to be remembered.
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