A dark forest flanked on one side by the Doku Mountains. It is very isolated from the small surrounding villages. In the heart of it a vast castle sits, crumbling stone and magnificent stained glass. The inside is a maze of passages - open and secret - leading to hundreds of strange rooms. It is rumored that the place is enchanted, and a Beast lives within, guarded by demons.

Some years ago a girl named Sari disappered in the wood, and it is believed that she was devoured by the Beast.



Hasu Directory



Isaiah comes out of the door into the darkness of the forest. He immediately doesn't like it. Nothing like the trees in Hasu Vale, these are just shadows, and don't look fit to climb.

A path along the ground, long overgrown with shadowy weaver's grass, lights up in bright pink. 

Hey. You must be new here.

A massive frog, easily the size of a reasonable wolf, hops out onto the path, ribbiting loudly. A green frog, only its lips are painted entirely gold. "Hey. If you want to get where you're going, just follow the yellow-lipped toad." And it turns to hop on down the path.

Isaiah watches in fascination for a moment, then follows behind. He can't wait to tell Roscoe about this.

Up ahead, the dark shadow of a castle looms.

The unmistakable form of a woman in a hood can be seen before the castle gates, pacing in an elaborate yellow dress. She looks at Isaiah when he comes closer, showing off a pretty face marred only by a pair of horizontal scars.

"Are you here for the ball?" she inquires, giving a curtsy.

Isaiah blinks. Shakes his head. "Not really... I was hoping to find... the path home." I wonder if she's a damsel in distress?

"Oh... well. Take the way you came here, and walk it backwards." The girl smiles an elven smile. Under her hood the long, pointed ears common to her kind can just barely be seen. "But the ball will be fun. There will be food, and drink, and I will dance all night, until my feet decide they have had enough." She smiles wider. "And then I will dance on my hands."

Isaiah smiles. Dancing on her hands! How silly. "Who is hosting it?" he asks, looking around for the toad.

"Well," the girl leans down just a little, as she's actually quite short, shorter even than Isaiah's mother. "Don't tell anyone I told you, but... everyone says this is..." she whispers. "The Beast's party. But officially," she raises her voice to normal, "this is the party of Carlito de las Dentes de los Monos con Queso y Colgador, or just Carlito as he likes to be called. He's a German."

Isaiah blinks. "Is it his birthday?" He wonders why he's called The Beast, but decides not to ask that.

The hooded girl shrugs. "I'm not sure. Everyone in the forest received an invitation, though. I just got here first so I wouldn't have to wait in line to get inside. Do you have yours?" She holds out a paper plate with the words "Carlito's Mole Bash - October 2.500th at midnoon, at 100 Big Scary Castle Full of Monsters Street. Be there or don't!"

At the mention of an invitation, Isaish's face falls, and he feels suddenly a little disappointed.
"It sounds wonderful. I've never been to a big party before. But... I don't have..." a sudden thought suddenly occurs to him, and he reaches into his pocket, wrapping his eight-year-old fingers around one of the blue stones he carries with him when he remembers.
"...Oh!" he pulls out a paper plate invitation and grins. "I do have one. We can go together now!"
Now, he was old enough to hear the little right-and-wrong voice in his head, but he chooses to ignore it this time. This was his chance to have a real adventure. Just like his Momma and Papa had.

"Fantastic! I was hoping I could find a taller date but you will do just fine!" The girl holds out her hand, which has a white velvet glove. "My name's Anuwen." About the time she speaks the gates roar open, revealing a spooky, dark staircase behind.

He takes her hand, suddenly filled with light and the thrill of coming adventure.
"My name is Isaiah," he replies.
Breifly, he is scared at the sight of the darkness ahead, but he remembers the stories and remembers that there were many times his Momma and Papa were scared, too. So he starts walking, wondering what this Carlito looks like, if the inside of the castle is warmer than the forest, and if Anuwen will teach him to dance on his hands.

Through a collection of meaningless, like-decorated hallways Anuwen leads him, bowing occasionally at the odd gargoyle or talking kerosene heater they happen to come across. Mirrors sing so badly they break theirselves until a fairy comes along to heal them, though down the hall a band can be heard playing folk music. A crowd has gathered, only a few of them human.

"Look," she points, "that tall man is Carlito." The fellow is dressed like a harlot on halloween. His gold flash suit is sparkly and decorated with violet trim, and his blue beard has been shaved into the word 'yes'. "He's a real lady-killer."

"I see why he's called The Beast," Isaiah mutters under his breath, and he smiles as soon as he says it, as it strikes him as something his Papa might say in a situation like this. He's fascinated by the castle and all the magic flowing. It reminds him very much of Etinifni's house.
"Should we go greet him?" he asks Anuwen.

Anuwen looks at Isaiah. "You think he's the beast?" She giggles. "Oh no, he's just the beast's Spokesjackass. But he's fun. I will introduce you!" She steps through the crowd, dodging a suit-bearing rabbit and ducking underneath a clockwork orange tree en route. "Carlito!"

The much taller fashion disaster turns from his conversation with a faster bastard (sword) when he hears Anuwen's voice. "Lily white," he greets her, "and you have brought me a circus midget at last!"

"Lily white is what my name means," she clarifies to Isaiah, "and he is not a circus midget. At least not that I know of. That is to say, I didn't bring him here because he was a circus midget, not that he is or isn't, because I had no prior notification as to his status affirming or negating any particular rank of circus midgetry."

Isaiah blinks. "I'm not a circus midget," he says. Thinks. "I've never even seen a circus midget before," he muses aloud.
"Are you a circus clown?" he asks the tall man suddenly.

The entire room erupts in one large, drawn out gasp. Silence follows, as Carlito bends way down to talk to Isaiah.

"... why... yes, actually." He nods. "Though it's been a while since I did any tricks."

Anuwen lets out a relieved breath. "Carlito is one of the best."

Isaiah's face lights up at that, and he feels the funny warm feeling building up inside him that means his wings will appear soon.
"Could you do a trick right now?" he asks eagerly.

"I can," Carlito nods, "and I shall! I will need a volunteer," he looks at Anuwen, "any volunteer," he gets very close to her face, "anyone, really."

Anuwen raises her hand.

"Oh, Anuwen, I didn't see you there. Okay!" He takes her hand and immediately she starts levitating into the air. "Oh my! I do believe your buns have grown wings!"