Project Spellcheck: Introducing Fantoma Blanche
THE PHANTOM OF THE WOODS
The ancient Ramhorn Woods are fraught with a near-endless slew of threats—those who do not lose their way in the sprawling maze of trees are just as likely to fall prey to goblin hordes, hungry snappers, and other threats both seen and unseen. Where clumsy mankind would often meet a tragic end, a handful of fairy hives make their homes, precariously protected by the forest’s dangers.
Still, one does not inhabit such a place without legends arising—even among so mythical a breed as faefolk. Deeper than even the boldest weeyun* might go is a giant monolith known as the Ancient Slate, constructed centuries ago by a long-since-passed culture of magic humans. Some say it was constructed by exiles to be a simple monument, while others believe its illustrations to detail the people’s history, or perhaps an illustrious treasure.
In the generations since its discovery, old stories claim that the Ancient Slate was haunted, if not by the spirits of its builders, then perhaps by doomed explorers. However, such claims were little else but spectral speculation—that is, until a lost weeyun child returned from Ramhorn’s depths frightened beyond belief after a peculiar encounter with a figure bathed in snow-white color, singing haunting hymns of day and night with eyes that could pierce the shroud of even the blackest night. On that day, the faefolk of the woods discovered that the long-fabled “Fantoma Blanche” might have been more than just a tall tale.
*Writer’s note: “Weeyun” is a slang word for fairy—a corruption of “wee one.”
WHO IS FANTOMA BLANCHE?
While overimaginative sprites might reasonably think her a ghost, the one they call Fantoma Blanche is (presumably) mortal upon closer inspection. Her true name is a mystery, and she would seem to prefer that it stay that way.
While nobody knows the reason for Fantoma’s hermitage into the Ramhorn Woods, her decision to inhabit the Majus ruins that lie deep in the heart of the forest indicate an extraordinary fascination with Majus architecture and history. Whether she is some kind of devoted seeker of their secrets and lore, a guardian of them, or some mixture of both, remains to be seen.
For the time being, Fantoma has resigned herself to peaceful isolation, waiting for the day that one strong and brave enough to heed her hopes may arrive. Eventually, she will cross paths with the young magician Meeko, setting him upon a path that may change the course of his life—and the destiny of the entire Kingdom of Lancet—forever…but when that time does come, who will she ultimately prove to be? A helpful, albeit riddling guide, or an ambitious manipulator with objectives more sinister than suspected?
BEHIND THE SCENES
Fantoma Blanche serves as a mysterious mentor and watcher on Meeko’s journeys—especially those that greatly involve people, places, and objects associated with the Majus. Her story is deeply intertwined with the history and overall narrative currently set in place for Project Spellcheck, but for obvious reasons, the full extent of the role she plays and her ambitions will remain in confined to narrative bibles and outlines for the time being.
Similarly, her physical appearance can’t be fully delved into—though unlike Luna, there is a definitive vision: a woman draped in an alabaster-colored cloak, her full countenance veiled in shadow beneath a hood while her icy blue eyes peer brightly through the darkness. Her hair, identical in color, flows from her cowl and over her shoulders, parted evenly into a pair of elegant locks.
MORE TO COME…
Much remains to be discovered about Fantoma Blanche, just like the rest of what lies ahead for Project Spellcheck. As always, your interest in support is appreciated, and I hope that you’ll continue looking forward to the next update to the project!
Starting with the next Writer’s Wall posts (eta late June-early July), I’ll be trying something a little different from the norm. I’m happy with the general format of Writer’s Wall introductory posts, but for the next couple times I make one, I’d like to make it feel more in-universe in terms of tone (not quite a short story, but something with just as much heart). Stay tuned until then!