Tales From The Myst Update: Touching Grass
These stories have evolved through my Sims 4 gameplay. After getting Realm of Magic, I was inspired to create a fantasy tale of legendary beings living in an epic world. The backstory below was playe...
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Just a little tale for Halloween. A short story, no gameplay. Hope you enjoy it.
A bit of backstory: In my first save with Morgyn, Realm of Magic was an actual game, created by Jace Holder and Simeon Silversweater to help identify latent spellcaster abilities. The actual sages, Simeon, L, and Morgyn made appearances in the game. It will be referenced in this story.
Halloween
Morgyn deftly stepped off of the curb to avoid colliding with the small child eagerly running up the sidewalk. She was dressed in a pink fairy costume, complete with wings, tiara and a magic wand. Morgyn chuckled as she grabbed her mother's hand.
“Let's go, mama!” she exclaimed. “It's Halloween!”
“Or a typical Saturday Night in The Myst,” Morgyn mused.
Willow Creek was buzzing. Children eagerly rushed from door to door as adults dressed in costumes handed out goodies. A group of teens met on the corner, dressed in dramatically dark outfits and over the top makeup, headed for a party. A few blocks down, Morgyn could hear the sounds of rowdy merry makers at the local watering hole.
Morgyn Ember, Mage, Former Sage of Untamed Magic and the last of the ancients, usually avoided travel into Willow Creek these days. Once you've been hunted like a rabbit, the appeal of this charming riverfront town tends to lose its luster. But, curiosity being what it is, Morgyn was interested in how, or if, the creation of The Myst had impacted the way humans viewed its residents. Magical beings went in and out of style in the human world, alternating between adoration and persecution. Morgyn had often wondered what their isolation had done to the human perception of them, and there was no better time than Halloween to find out.
Morgyn smiled and nodded at the passing parade of costumed humans. There were plenty TV and movie superheroes, some horror characters, lots of pretty child fairies, the occasional sheet clad ghost, and some vampires and werewolves that more closely resembled motion picture tropes than anyone he actually knew.
And there were witches. Screaming, cackling, green-skinned, wart covered witches.
Morgyn shuddered. He could count on one hand the number of Spellcasters in The Myst that resembled that stereotype and was pondering the persistence of this particular myth as he passed the Blue Velvet Nightclub. Suddenly a man spun through the door, out into the street and slammed into him, knocking him down.
“Oh, hey dude! So sorry! I hope I didn't hurt ya'!” the slightly inebriated man exclaimed as he pulled Morgyn to his feet and dusted him off.
“No, no. It's okay.”
“You sure? Oh, hey! That's a great costume! Are you entering the contest?”
“I'm sorry. What?”
“The costume contest!” he explained, jerking a thumb toward the nightclub.
“No. I'm not.”
“Too bad. That's perfect! Realm of Magic, right? I'm a fan. Used to play it in college.”
“Ah. That's... cool.”
“Yeah, you're supposed to be... what's his name? The sage?”
“Morgyn?”
“No, that's not it. You know, the sage that taught the untamed magic in the realm... what's his name?”
“Morgyn.”
“No, not him. It's the one that narrates the trailer.”
“Morgyn Ember.”
“No, no. The other one!”
“Simeon?”
“That's it! Simeon Silversweater! You look just like him, dude! Retro game fans will eat that up! You should enter! They're giving away 500 simoleons.”
“Thanks, but I'll pass this time.”
“Hey, you do you,” the man said, as he slapped Morgyn on the back. “And Happy Halloween!”
Morgyn shook his head as he watched his new acquaintance trot off down the street. With a sigh, he straightened his clothes and cracked his back. As he did, a black cloaked figure in a tall witch's hat and badly done green makeup emerged from the club, cackling and waving her fingers in his face.
“I'll get you, my dearie!” she screeched, way too close for comfort. “I'll turn you into a toad!”
Morgyn crossed his arms, seriously considering the merits of changing her into a planter.
“You could do it, but it wouldn't be much of an improvement,” a gloomy, yet familiar voice spoke from the dark.
Morgyn turned to see Cassandra Goth sitting curled up on a park bench a few feet away. Somewhat relieved to see someone he actually knew, he let the faux witch off with a smirk and approached the bench with a wave of his hand.
“Mind?” he asked.
“Nope. I'm glad for some company.” With that, Cassandra scooted over to allow the mage to sit next to her.
“So, Morgyn Ember. What are you doing on this side of The Myst?”
“People watching. What are you doing out here, alone?”
“Same.”
They sat for a time in companionable silence, enjoying the night air and the Halloween ambiance. Creepy music drifted out into the night from the club, mixed with the sounds of laughter and the chatter of the patrons. As the night grew deeper, the streetlights came on to cast an eerie glow on their surroundings. No doubt about it, the humans were having a good time celebrating and representing all that is supernatural. But it was a supernatural that they had rejected, some years ago.
“These posers would blow a cork if the saw the real thing,” Cassandra commented, as a particularly discount representation of a werewolf passed them.
Morgyn chuckled. “I suppose so.”
Morgyn sat for a while in thoughtful silence before commenting again.
“So, Cass,” Morgyn started. “You live here among them. Are they still as antagonistic as they used to be?”
“It depends. Some of the young people are getting interested in magic all over again. Spellcasters that stayed on this side are beginning to have a voice. But the idiots are still out there. And they're still violent and they still have most of the power.”
Morgyn sighed. “How are you doing?”
“Oh, just peachy,” Cassandra replied in a deadpan voice. “I go to school with a bunch of normals who are very in tune with me. I might try out for homecoming queen next year.”
Morgyn smiled. “I'm sorry.”
Cassandra shrugged. “Don't be.”
Cassandra turned to look at Morgyn with sudden intensity. “Morgyn, you know what it's like. Not fitting in. Not being like the rest.”
“Yeah. A little.”
“I feel homeless. A lot. Halloween's the only time I feel any connection with these people, and they're just faking it one day out the year for kicks and candy. I want more.”
“More of what?”
“I want to belong. Somewhere. Anywhere.”
Morgyn nodded. He did understand.
“You know what,” Cassandra continued. “I... I just wish we lived in The Myst. There are humans in The Myst, right?”
“Yes.”
“We should be there.”
“Your family was invited.”
“I know. Dad went all noble and decided he could do more good here.”
“Well, he's not wrong. He's been a good ambassador for us.”
“Yeah. Great.
Cassandra stared at the ground in gloomy stillness as Morgyn glared at a trio of hideous pretend crones, laughing and flirting with a group of men dressed as wretched looking zombies. It seemed, at least at this point, that humans were coping with the supernatural the only way they knew how... by imitating it. Badly.
“You know,” Morgyn said, finally breaking the silence. “I have this cottage in Mooncrest. I use it sometimes, but if you and your family wanted to visit...”
Cassandra looked up, her eyes gleaming. “You mean, we could visit The Myst?”
“I think that could be arranged.”
“We... We could come to The Myst?”
Morgyn nodded. “We do allow visitors. By invitation only, but yes. You could visit.”
Cassandra closed her eyes and let out a slow, shuddering breath in an attempt to control the flood of emotions. She wasn't usually the emotional type, but this seemed like a dream come true. Something she had been wanting ever since The Myst was formed.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she broke eye contact, embarrassed at her response.
“You're very welcome,” Morgyn replied, sincerely.
They sat quietly for a time, just people watching until the moon rose high in the sky. As the hour grew late and the revelers began to retreat to their homes, Morgyn finally stretched his legs and stood up, with a sigh.
“Well, I guess I'd better go,” he said.
“Yeah. Me too.”
As Cassandra stood up to join him, he took her hand and pressed a portal glimmerstone into her palm.
“Let me know when your family is coming. I'll send you directions to a portal. The stone is your ticket, so don't lose it.”
“You really mean this? I can visit The Myst?”
“Yeah. You really can.”
“Thank you, again.”
“Goodnight, Cassandra,” Morgyn replied, as he began to channel the energy for a transport spell. “I'll see you soon.”
With a wave of his hands, the mage disappeared into the air, leaving only sparkles of magic energy behind as he returned to his home in The Myst.
Cassandra stood in the light of the streetlamp, her fingers tracing the edges of the glimmerstone, her thoughts running ahead to the longed-for trip she now knew she'd finally be taking.
“Hey Cassandra!” The black dressed teens, returning from their party, were passing on the other side of the street. “Trick or Treat!” they called, as they gave her a friendly wave.
“Yeah,” Cassandra answered. “Trick or Treat. Trick or Treat!”
But, as the teens hurried on their way, she looked down at the stone in her hand, a smile curling her lips as she traced the runes that were faintly glowing in the dark.
“No. No tricks” she said, softly. “Just a treat. A wonderful Halloween treat.”
A bit of backstory: In my first save with Morgyn, Realm of Magic was an actual game, created by Jace Holder and Simeon Silversweater to help identify latent spellcaster abilities. The actual sages, Simeon, L, and Morgyn made appearances in the game. It will be referenced in this story.
Morgyn deftly stepped off of the curb to avoid colliding with the small child eagerly running up the sidewalk. She was dressed in a pink fairy costume, complete with wings, tiara and a magic wand. Morgyn chuckled as she grabbed her mother's hand.
“Let's go, mama!” she exclaimed. “It's Halloween!”
“Or a typical Saturday Night in The Myst,” Morgyn mused.
Willow Creek was buzzing. Children eagerly rushed from door to door as adults dressed in costumes handed out goodies. A group of teens met on the corner, dressed in dramatically dark outfits and over the top makeup, headed for a party. A few blocks down, Morgyn could hear the sounds of rowdy merry makers at the local watering hole.
Morgyn Ember, Mage, Former Sage of Untamed Magic and the last of the ancients, usually avoided travel into Willow Creek these days. Once you've been hunted like a rabbit, the appeal of this charming riverfront town tends to lose its luster. But, curiosity being what it is, Morgyn was interested in how, or if, the creation of The Myst had impacted the way humans viewed its residents. Magical beings went in and out of style in the human world, alternating between adoration and persecution. Morgyn had often wondered what their isolation had done to the human perception of them, and there was no better time than Halloween to find out.
Morgyn smiled and nodded at the passing parade of costumed humans. There were plenty TV and movie superheroes, some horror characters, lots of pretty child fairies, the occasional sheet clad ghost, and some vampires and werewolves that more closely resembled motion picture tropes than anyone he actually knew.
And there were witches. Screaming, cackling, green-skinned, wart covered witches.
Morgyn shuddered. He could count on one hand the number of Spellcasters in The Myst that resembled that stereotype and was pondering the persistence of this particular myth as he passed the Blue Velvet Nightclub. Suddenly a man spun through the door, out into the street and slammed into him, knocking him down.
“Oh, hey dude! So sorry! I hope I didn't hurt ya'!” the slightly inebriated man exclaimed as he pulled Morgyn to his feet and dusted him off.
“No, no. It's okay.”
“You sure? Oh, hey! That's a great costume! Are you entering the contest?”
“I'm sorry. What?”
“The costume contest!” he explained, jerking a thumb toward the nightclub.
“No. I'm not.”
“Too bad. That's perfect! Realm of Magic, right? I'm a fan. Used to play it in college.”
“Ah. That's... cool.”
“Yeah, you're supposed to be... what's his name? The sage?”
“Morgyn?”
“No, that's not it. You know, the sage that taught the untamed magic in the realm... what's his name?”
“Morgyn.”
“No, not him. It's the one that narrates the trailer.”
“Morgyn Ember.”
“No, no. The other one!”
“Simeon?”
“That's it! Simeon Silversweater! You look just like him, dude! Retro game fans will eat that up! You should enter! They're giving away 500 simoleons.”
“Thanks, but I'll pass this time.”
“Hey, you do you,” the man said, as he slapped Morgyn on the back. “And Happy Halloween!”
Morgyn shook his head as he watched his new acquaintance trot off down the street. With a sigh, he straightened his clothes and cracked his back. As he did, a black cloaked figure in a tall witch's hat and badly done green makeup emerged from the club, cackling and waving her fingers in his face.
“I'll get you, my dearie!” she screeched, way too close for comfort. “I'll turn you into a toad!”
Morgyn crossed his arms, seriously considering the merits of changing her into a planter.
“You could do it, but it wouldn't be much of an improvement,” a gloomy, yet familiar voice spoke from the dark.
Morgyn turned to see Cassandra Goth sitting curled up on a park bench a few feet away. Somewhat relieved to see someone he actually knew, he let the faux witch off with a smirk and approached the bench with a wave of his hand.
“Mind?” he asked.
“Nope. I'm glad for some company.” With that, Cassandra scooted over to allow the mage to sit next to her.
“So, Morgyn Ember. What are you doing on this side of The Myst?”
“People watching. What are you doing out here, alone?”
“Same.”
They sat for a time in companionable silence, enjoying the night air and the Halloween ambiance. Creepy music drifted out into the night from the club, mixed with the sounds of laughter and the chatter of the patrons. As the night grew deeper, the streetlights came on to cast an eerie glow on their surroundings. No doubt about it, the humans were having a good time celebrating and representing all that is supernatural. But it was a supernatural that they had rejected, some years ago.
“These posers would blow a cork if the saw the real thing,” Cassandra commented, as a particularly discount representation of a werewolf passed them.
Morgyn chuckled. “I suppose so.”
Morgyn sat for a while in thoughtful silence before commenting again.
“So, Cass,” Morgyn started. “You live here among them. Are they still as antagonistic as they used to be?”
“It depends. Some of the young people are getting interested in magic all over again. Spellcasters that stayed on this side are beginning to have a voice. But the idiots are still out there. And they're still violent and they still have most of the power.”
Morgyn sighed. “How are you doing?”
“Oh, just peachy,” Cassandra replied in a deadpan voice. “I go to school with a bunch of normals who are very in tune with me. I might try out for homecoming queen next year.”
Morgyn smiled. “I'm sorry.”
Cassandra shrugged. “Don't be.”
Cassandra turned to look at Morgyn with sudden intensity. “Morgyn, you know what it's like. Not fitting in. Not being like the rest.”
“Yeah. A little.”
“I feel homeless. A lot. Halloween's the only time I feel any connection with these people, and they're just faking it one day out the year for kicks and candy. I want more.”
“More of what?”
“I want to belong. Somewhere. Anywhere.”
Morgyn nodded. He did understand.
“You know what,” Cassandra continued. “I... I just wish we lived in The Myst. There are humans in The Myst, right?”
“Yes.”
“We should be there.”
“Your family was invited.”
“I know. Dad went all noble and decided he could do more good here.”
“Well, he's not wrong. He's been a good ambassador for us.”
“Yeah. Great.
Cassandra stared at the ground in gloomy stillness as Morgyn glared at a trio of hideous pretend crones, laughing and flirting with a group of men dressed as wretched looking zombies. It seemed, at least at this point, that humans were coping with the supernatural the only way they knew how... by imitating it. Badly.
“You know,” Morgyn said, finally breaking the silence. “I have this cottage in Mooncrest. I use it sometimes, but if you and your family wanted to visit...”
Cassandra looked up, her eyes gleaming. “You mean, we could visit The Myst?”
“I think that could be arranged.”
“We... We could come to The Myst?”
Morgyn nodded. “We do allow visitors. By invitation only, but yes. You could visit.”
Cassandra closed her eyes and let out a slow, shuddering breath in an attempt to control the flood of emotions. She wasn't usually the emotional type, but this seemed like a dream come true. Something she had been wanting ever since The Myst was formed.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she broke eye contact, embarrassed at her response.
“You're very welcome,” Morgyn replied, sincerely.
They sat quietly for a time, just people watching until the moon rose high in the sky. As the hour grew late and the revelers began to retreat to their homes, Morgyn finally stretched his legs and stood up, with a sigh.
“Well, I guess I'd better go,” he said.
“Yeah. Me too.”
As Cassandra stood up to join him, he took her hand and pressed a portal glimmerstone into her palm.
“Let me know when your family is coming. I'll send you directions to a portal. The stone is your ticket, so don't lose it.”
“You really mean this? I can visit The Myst?”
“Yeah. You really can.”
“Thank you, again.”
“Goodnight, Cassandra,” Morgyn replied, as he began to channel the energy for a transport spell. “I'll see you soon.”
With a wave of his hands, the mage disappeared into the air, leaving only sparkles of magic energy behind as he returned to his home in The Myst.
Cassandra stood in the light of the streetlamp, her fingers tracing the edges of the glimmerstone, her thoughts running ahead to the longed-for trip she now knew she'd finally be taking.
“Hey Cassandra!” The black dressed teens, returning from their party, were passing on the other side of the street. “Trick or Treat!” they called, as they gave her a friendly wave.
“Yeah,” Cassandra answered. “Trick or Treat. Trick or Treat!”
But, as the teens hurried on their way, she looked down at the stone in her hand, a smile curling her lips as she traced the runes that were faintly glowing in the dark.
“No. No tricks” she said, softly. “Just a treat. A wonderful Halloween treat.”
