The “Princess of Diamonds” was actually a Green Hag named Bonnie in disguise who tricked the party into helping her before being discovered and killed.
Description
- Appeared as beautiful young woman/princess
- Actually a Green Hag using illusion magic
- Not well regarded by fae messengers
- Had ancestral cave holdings
Backstory: The Seamstress
Before her time as the “Princess of Diamonds”, Bonnie lived as a seamstress at the Love Shack with a water mill and loom. This cottage became the site of a tragic love triangle:
- Bonnie fell in love with Jack, a local man
- Jack instead fell in love with Rose, daughter of DeWitt
- Consumed by jealousy, Bonnie orchestrated a deadly deception:
- Lied to DeWitt, telling him Jack was a vampire
- Lied to Jack, telling him Rose would meet him at Wise Men Falls
- DeWitt killed Jack with a crossbow bolt through the heart
- Rose died of grief, becoming a ghost
- After Rose’s spirit found peace, she possessed the water wheel at the cottage
- Rose’s heart strings fed the loom, producing a single bolt of moonlight cloth
- Bonnie took this magical cloth: the Dress of Love
This backstory was depicted in a drama performed at an inn during The Intervals, explaining the origin of the Dress of Love.
The Deception
Claimed to be:
- Princess of Diamonds in love with Ace of Spades
- Victim of Queen of Hearts’ power grab
- Targeted for execution unjustly
Reality:
- Green Hag using disguise magic
- Attempting to manipulate party
- Poorly regarded by actual fae (“that creature deserved what came to her”)
Chronology
The Rescue
- Three satyrs dragging her as prisoner
- She pleaded for life, mentioning their prince
- Party intervened from cliff vantage
- Combat with satyrs - party killed 2, one escaped
- Found royal writ of execution on satyr captain
Her Story (lies)
- Claimed to be Princess of Diamonds
- Said she was in love with Ace of Spades
- Claimed Queen of Hearts seized control
- Said she was in small town when invaded by humans
- Humans appeared 4 days ago (different timeline than party’s)
- No jungle transported out from her location
- Queen allegedly had her kidnapped for execution
- Couldn’t contact Ace of Spades
Journey to Town
- Party approached town with her
- Remains of Lyric literally transposed in patches
- Large military presence, humans being corralled
- Helia Oriela questioned messenger who revealed:
- Town seized under Ace of Spades’ orders
- Queen of Hearts acting as emissary
- No one had seen Ace of Spades since humans arrived
- “Princess of diamonds is not well regarded, that creature deserved what came to her”
Ancestral Cave
- Suggested retreating to her ancestral holdings
- Old cave with minor furnishes and overgrown mold
- Party spent hours arguing about goals
Political Explanations
- House of clubs in disrepair after events centuries ago
- Queen of Hearts was consort to King, clutching at lost power
- Ace of Spades has most current power
- Claimed Ace loved her, lifting her house above squalor
- Party sensed she wasn’t entirely truthful but couldn’t pinpoint lies
Discovery and Death
- Helia Oriela confronted her about lying
- Princess was dismayed
- Revealed true form as Green Hag
- Combat initiated
- Party dispatched the hag
Loot
- 5 vials: 3 empty, 2 yellowish with floating eyeballs (potions of clairvoyance)