Desidera

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Desidera in Action

Desidera is one of Quelmar's many reclaimed populations of creatures, monsters, and beasts.

Everything on this page was invented by the attendees of Awesome Con 2023, who visited the Quelmar Table and world-built on a shared story using the rules of The Deep Forest.

About

Desidera was founded during The Arctic Autumn, a great freeze which enveloped the realm. Many monsters in the region were forced to find a warm clearing to live in together, after killing and displacing the human settlers inside it.

A good omen was found in Desidera early on: A human skull, meaning that the humans would rather die than be caught sneaking back into Desidera. This omen came true, as humans would be gone from the region for nearly a year before their sudden return in the Winter.

In Desidera, it became important to communicate across many monster languages, and a new form of speech was invented: by banging rocks together, they could create sounds of various volumes, like letters of the alphabet, and form a sort of monstrous "[re]morse code" .

If someone in Desidera misbehaved, they were made the town's leader, as it is truly a punishment to have to be in charge of a bunch of chaotic monsters. The town's "Throne" featured a pointy crown built into the seat of the chair, on which the butt of the leader was poked.

The Desidera denizens (or Desidenizens) entertained each other every weekend after being inspired by similar shows done by humans: they would do comedy sketches on a stage in the town like SNL and laugh about current events to keep warm and happy.

The Desidenizens also wanted to become stronger and more competetive as they evolved new powers and claws and abilities, and founded an Olympics of Desidera, in which monsters could play sports competitions against each other and win metals (not medals).

The Beginning of the End

When rumors of humans were afoot, the town's monsters dug up an old sword-based mortar and other army defenses left behind by humans. Setting it back up, they were sure humans wouldn't come near the site. However, during a misfire event, a sword was shot straight into Dex's toe, angering the dragon. As such, a new law was set up: YOU CAN'T FIGHT.

The monsters, respectful of the law, did their best not to fight each other even when angered. However, a loophole was discovered when a group of monsters discovered Grimlet the Brood had been hoarding all the candy. Rather than fight Grimlet over this development, they "accidentally" left "bombs" in Grimlet's house...marking the end of that problem. Though it introduced death into the colony, it technically was not a fight, and no one got in trouble over it.

Shortly afterwards, the bloodlust of the town grew as a human moved into Desidera looking for shelter from the cold. The town gave him warmth....by burning him live at the stake in the middle of the town square.

The End

As the year progressed, and the icebergs around the town began to thaw after the Arctic Autumn, they released a new unseen disease: a strain of parasitic worm called "Frotime" that infected the minds of the residents and causing more anger and frustrations, as well as freezing them further.

The monsters were already very upset as fighting had started to occur between many of the town's residents, and a small army of goblins came together to form the "Justice for Dagan" mob, who wanted revenge on the town and the humans for causing Dagan the elder to kick the bucket out of stress and anger. With food getting low, the Vorpal Bunnies (who only ate humans) then caused the town to need to raid a nearby settlement, which was easier now that they had an angered mob of goblins.

The attack by the bunnies and the mob on the humans invited a counter attack by the humans, who appeared in Desidera in a large army only a week later. What came of Desidera after their arrival...well that's a story that nobody knows yet.

Residents

Dagah the Elder

The original resident of the land of Desidera, Dagah was a strange goblin like tree-folk with an intricate tie to the Tree of Hope, marking Dagah as some sort of Dryad or Nymph of this forest. Dagah used to fight off humans in this land a long time ago, and returned when he heard monsters reclaimed the land. He doesn't trust technology (especially the mortar that was set up) and he HATES FIRE. NO FIRE ALLOWED was his famous saying, especially because fire could burn down the tree (and himself)

After the era of bloodlust swarmed over the land, Dagah got so angry at the monsters for fighting and starting fires that he kicked the tree of hope out of anger. Unfortunately, he pops a sap vessel in his neck and keels over in the process, leaving Desidera with no leader or figure of wisdom.

John from Accounting (with Horns)

Works in Accounting.

Ell 🥰from Accounting

A fun lithe spirit, Elle spent most days watching John from a distance, doing nearly nothing else except working opposite John at the office, even as the world grew and collapsed around them.

Dex from HR

Upper management. A powerful dragon, Dex (they/them) loved mochi filled nuggets and 3 XL venti espressos. On their days off they could be found singing karaoke and k-pop

Percy the Talking Clocktower

Percy hated being late and was always keeping the town on alert of what the hour was. Until one day percy disappeared and where he once heralded the hour stood a tower. Now the town's streets ring with a strangely eerily sounding high pitched "bell" every hour.

The Bird of Despair

"He He." - Bird of Despair

Protects the Hope Tree (see below) from harmful wishes that are cast under it's canopy. Any bad or harmful wishes are instead eaten by the bird, who steals the wish's soul.

The Bird of Despair hates Dex from HR. Just don't ask them why.

Grimlet the Brood

Uses drums and clocks to turn the tides of realms. A 3 eyed monster to be more enlightened and a foreseer. Grimlet's blood burns when it tou After a mutation event in the town, ches sunlight, turning him evil. Grimlet's curse took effect at one point, causing Grimlet to turn evil and steal and hoard all the town's candy. As a result, Grimlet mysteriously "disappeared" after other monsters "accidentally" left "bombs" inside Grimlet's house.

Oni of the Darned

FFriend of Grimlet's, the Oni of the Darned ediinto a fearsome demon like their friend Oni. Grimlet grew big horns and sharp claws to attack s the protector of the Magic Shrine, and likes long walks on the beach. They are a fearsome and gruesome fighter, but are really a big ole softie.

The Carbon Golem

Can harden like a diamond and can turn to dust to fit through any space. During the Era of Bloodlust (in which monsters were killing each other), someone went to visit the Carbon Golem only to discover that he had been turned into ONE HUNDRED PENCILS. The killer was never found. It is perhaps the Carbon Golem's death that allowed the humans that swarmed Desidera in it's final days to seize a powerful victory, rather than be driven away like humans before them.

The Vorpal Bunnies

After the death of Grimlet, the area where Grimlet used to live became home to a family of Vorpal Bunnies, sweet fluffy white rabbits who were incredibly cute and incredibly hungry. They actually ate men for sustenance which was great for the monsters around them. They had very long sharp teeth and are very fond of daisies.

Bob and Patricia the Blobs

The last residents to move into Desidera, Bob was an Evil Blob who liked eating, doing crime, and gambling. Bob did not like any humans, celery, or his apparent arch enemy: Rob the Good Blob.

Bob was settling in to Desidera when he fell deeply in love with the Bird of Despair. Together the two of them huddled through the winter and eventually had a child: Patricia. Patricia was the child of Bob and the Bird, and liked eating human toes, gambling, and flying. They disliked humans, planes, and Vorpal Bunnies. Perhaps that last hate was warranted, as some say the Vorpal Bunnies were the cause of the town gathering attention of humans and leading to the end of the story.

Landmarks

The Magic Shrine

Dedicated to ancient magical witches. It sat mysteriously by the Dag Yam for most of the year, until one day a couple of Desidenizens rediscovered the human game of Cornhole. After that, it became known as The Cornhole Shrine.

The Dag Yam

Perhaps named for the Dryad who was attached to the Tree of Hope, Dagah, the Dag Yam was the name of the massive lake in the clearing. The fish mysteriously disappeared after the monsters moved in, but it's proximity to the magic shrine meant that it could be used like a wishing well.

At one point, the denizens of Desidera uncovered The Bones of the Ol Undersea Uncle, a creature even older than Dagan that lived under the sea, they thought that the bones of this "guiding creature" was a good omen, but it was in fact a "bad omen", meaning that there was going to be many more bones (deaths) in the future.

The Adventurer's End Inn

A rest stop for all. Had nearly as many employees as it did patrons, including John and Ell from accounting, as well as Dex the HR Dragon.

The Hope Tree

A bastion of hope in a land of dispair, when under the canopy of the tree, life is bearable.

Stories

Once upon a time, during the dreaded Arctic Autumn, a collection of monsters and creatures from across the realm found themselves huddled together in the warm clearing of a deep forest. They had just uprooted a human settlement and claimed it as their own, christening the new monster haven, "Desidera". Their victory was marked by a chilling omen – a human skull, signifying the retreat of their former human adversaries.

Communication was initially a challenge amongst the various monsters with diverse languages. In response, they created a novel language system, an adaptation of Morse code, using rocks. The town's governance was unique too. If someone misbehaved, they were made the leader, subjected to the constant chaos and commotion of ruling over the monstrous inhabitants.

Life in Desidera was eventful. Every weekend, the Desidenizens, as they began to call themselves, would gather to entertain themselves with comedy sketches mimicking the humans they had once driven away. They laughed about current events, the chill of the autumn air swept away by their collective warmth and happiness.

The residents of Desidera sought strength and competition, hosting the 'Olympics of Desidera'. Monsters honed their evolving powers, abilities, and monstrous physiques, competing not for medals but for precious metals, reflective of their savage origins.

Their peaceful existence, however, was short-lived. Rumors of humans returning sparked a defensive uproar. The Desidenizens dug up old human weaponry, including a sword-based mortar. But the triggering of this weapon led to an accident, a sword lodging itself in Dex's toe, the dragon from HR who, despite being a lover of karaoke, mochi filled nuggets, and venti espressos, had a fiery temper. This led to a new law: "YOU CAN'T FIGHT."

Then, a troublesome development unfolded. Grimlet the Brood had been hoarding all the candy. Rather than confronting him directly, the Desidenizens cleverly circumvented the no-fight law by leaving "accidental" bombs in his house. Grimlet's disappearance marked the end of the candy crisis, but introduced death into the colony.

A human, seeking refuge from the cold, wandered into Desidera. The Desidenizens greeted him with a horrific warmth, burning him alive in the town square. As the Arctic Autumn began to thaw, icebergs around the town melted, releasing a parasitic worm known as "Frotime." This worm infected the Desidenizens, causing frustration, anger, and a chilling coldness that seeped deep into their minds.

Meanwhile, Dagah the Elder, the original resident and protector of the Hope Tree, became so incensed by the colony's bloodlust and fires that he kicked the tree in frustration, tragically rupturing a sap vessel in his neck and dying in the process. Desidera was now left without a leader or sage figure.

The Vorpal Bunnies, who had taken residence in the abandoned abode of Grimlet, wreaked havoc by feeding on humans, drawing attention to the quiet town. Soon, a human army arrived, leading to the mysterious end of Desidera, its final fate lost to the annals of time.

This was the tale of Desidera, a tale of unity among chaos, of a monster haven birthed from a human's demise, and of the merciless power struggle between nature, humans, and monsters. The town may have vanished, but the story of its peculiar residents and their grim fate lingers on.

Archived Notes

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