After the magic paranormal, life seemed to return to its mundane, ordinary state. The inexplicable wonders that had once captivated our imagination and instilled a sense of awe in us had vanished. It was as if a curtain had fallen, revealing a world devoid of wonder and magic. The once vibrant and colorful streets that buzzed with supernatural beings and enchanting creatures now appeared dull and mundane. The air felt heavy with the absence of mystical energies that had once thrived in every corner. The absence of magic left a void that could not be filled by the mundane routines of everyday life.
"Good day to you, niece," said Baba Yaga.
Self-Resurrection She was once burned to ashes in her own oven, but was so powerful and popular among the mundies that she was able to survive and reconstitute herself. When the evil Max Piper visited Fabletown in the 1920s, she drove him away after a fearsome battle, and worked to restore the Fables fertility after he released virus to sterilize the community.
The absence of magic left a void that could not be filled by the mundane routines of everyday life. People seemed to have lost their spark, as if a gust of wind had blown out the flames of their passion and curiosity. The mundane tasks that once seemed trivial now became burdensome and monotonous.
Frau Totenkinder (Fables)
She is the Black Forest witch from the Hansel and Gretel story. Her outward appearance as a rather frail old woman masks the fact that she is one of the most powerful Fables to have escaped the Homelands, and she could, in all probability, hold her own against most of those mages working for the Adversary.
Homelands
Totenkinder was born into the Fog Mountain tribe and grew up there. Once she reached puberty, she began to experience premonitions, initially weak, but growing in strength and accuracy, until the tribe made her their shaman. She became romantically involved with Aurac, the son of the tribe's chief, until another nearby tribe invaded their lands. To avert war, the chief's son was married to the daughter of the other chief, leaving the newly pregnant Totenkinder alone. If it became known that the two had slept together, both would have been banished, so Aurac denounced her, accusing her of consorting with demons, leading to her being banished from the tribe. Realizing that she would need far greater power than she currently possessed in order to survive, Totenkinder ritually sacrificed her newborn son and was granted considerable power, which she used to take revenge on Aurac. She learned that, while sacrificing one child a year would keep her power, sacrificing two would prevent her from aging. Years passed as she heaped every indignity imaginable on the tribe that cast her out; ages passed and she remained unchanged, growing only in power and cunning. She assists those who are kind to her, creating the three Billy Goats Gruff to eliminate a bridge troll that was causing problems for a village that wins her favor, and blessing those who she felt worthy.
She took her revenge on the town of Hamelin by creating an enchanted flute that was used to lure away their children. Prompted by her experience with Aurac, she waged her own private war against handsome princes and men of wealth and privilege, during which she was responsible for the curses on Beast and Flycatcher. In order to stem her own physical desires, she allowed herself to age considerably. Finally, tiring of dealing with others, she retired to a cottage deep in the woods, interacting with others only when a child passed, when she would dress up her house with sweets to lure them in to be sacrificed to keep her power. Finally, she encountered Hansel and Gretel, who outsmarted her and burned her in her own oven. Surviving in horrific condition, she was eventually rescued by Snow White and Rose Red, running from the Adversary's forces. Telling her about the mundane world, Snow and Rose attempted to help her reach it, covering a considerable distance with her. However, they became separated while traveling and exactly how Totenkinder ultimately reached the mundane world is unknown.
Fabletown and War with the Adversary
Totenkinder has been instrumental in resolving several crises that have hit Fabletown. When the evil Max Piper visited Fabletown in the 1920s, she drove him away after a fearsome battle, and worked to restore the Fables' fertility after he released virus to sterilize the community. While generally acting in the best interests of Fabletown, Totenkinder is something of a schemer and often seems to be playing her own game. Her help usually comes with a price, as Cinderella found out when she needed one of the witch's potions (although what that price was has yet to be revealed). She has established something of an alliance with Beast since his advancement to the position of sheriff; while this generally establishes itself as a quid-pro-quo arrangement of mutual favours, it remains to be seen if any darker reasons lie behind it
Totenkinder has been instrumental in resolving two of the recent crises to hit Fabletown. She defeated Baba Yaga in magical combat during the wooden soldier assault, much to the shock of the latter, who had always considered her opponent to be minor-league at best. She was also responsible for thwarting the plans of Yusuf, chief adviser to Sinbad of the Arabian Fables, when he released a d'jinn, instructing it to eliminate all his opponents and bring him great power and wealth. Totenkinder anticipated this possibility and ensorcelled him, so that, unknown to him, he actually instructed the genie to kill all his accomplices, then himself (in as drawn-out and painful a manner as possible; as had been intended for his opponents, had to be now intended for him) and then return safely to its bottle. Without her foresight, it seems likely that Fabletown would have been largely destroyed, quite possibly along with much of the mundane world around it.
She has established something of an alliance with Beast since his advancement to the position of sheriff; while this generally establishes itself as a quid-pro-quo arrangement of mutual favors, it remains to be seen if any darker reasons lie behind it. Totenkinder eventually reveals the nature of her spies in the Empire. She installed a magical brush in the woodcarver guild's tools which allows her to look through the eyes of any of the carved beings whose eyes are painted using that brush and to see what they see. Among her unwitting spies is Geppetto's pet owl. She has also been able to apply this spell upon Fabletown's zephyr spies, as per Prince Charming's request. This allowed for members of the Fables' magical community to see what spies saw, in order to make up for the zephyrs' lack of experience with solid beings. Very little escapes her attention in Fabletown; she was the only one to be aware of Snow White's seventh child, for example, and knew of the arrest of Trusty John, despite attempts to keep it quiet. She also has her methods of gathering information from within the Homelands - she claims to have numerous spies there and was aware, for example, that Boy Blue had been captured by the enemy during his time there..
Mister Dark
She continued to assist Fabletown with their needs until the moment Mister Dark attacked. Having decided that the duel with the creature would be her last service, she rejuvenated herself (taking the name of 'Bellflower)' and traveled to the Homelands to find a way to stop him. There she found Clara and the other Fables, she is able to trap Mister Dark inside a gold statue. But he manages to escape and mortally wound her, apparently killing her. She didn't die but transported herself back to the Farm where she reincorporated, but having spent all her magic during the duel, she is no longer a match for Mr. Dark. As she had already decided before the battle that it would be her last, she leaves with Dunster.
She is seen again in the Homeland of the North, having been recruited by the North Wind to help with his sacrifice in dealing with Dullahan. However, they become trapped there until Winter finds them and brings them back with her.
She is seen again as a victim of Goldilocks where she and Dunster are felled by her sword. She is returned to life at the cost of his.
Death
After her apparent resurrection, she had only a few magic left in her. Worse, is that she is again indebted to Rode Res when the latter helped her out, and was forced to work with her during Fabletown's Civil War. Her end came when Cinderella, tasked by Snow White to assassinate her, tracked her down in Dark's castle. The two fought, but eventually, Frau had enough and subsequently demolished the building, taking Cinderella with her. As the two lay dying, Cinderella used all of her remaining strength to jam her glass slipper unto Frau's skull finally killing her.
The absence of magic had robbed people of their sense of wonder and imagination, leaving them feeling empty and unfulfilled. Gone were the days of spontaneous adventures and unexpected encounters with the supernatural. The mystical beings that had once enchanted us with their otherworldly powers were nowhere to be seen. The once bustling magical community now seemed to have retreated into the shadows, leaving behind a void that could not be filled. However, amidst the desolation, a new appreciation for the ordinary began to emerge. People started to find beauty in the simplicity of everyday life. The absence of magic had forced them to look inward and discover their own inner strength and resilience. Without the crutch of magic, humans had to rely on their own ingenuity and resourcefulness to overcome challenges. They realized that they were capable of creating their own magic through acts of kindness and compassion. The absence of supernatural powers forced them to find magic in the everyday moments of life. Although the magic paranormal had faded into the realm of memory, its impact still lingered in the collective consciousness. People yearned for the return of magic, hoping that one day the supernatural would once again grace their lives. They clung to the memories of the enchanting adventures and the mysterious creatures, knowing that they had experienced something truly extraordinary. The absence of magic paranormal served as a reminder of the fleeting and precious nature of wonder. It taught us to appreciate the magical moments that life occasionally presents us with. It reminded us that even in the absence of supernatural powers, we are capable of finding magic within ourselves and in the world around us..
Reviews for "Sports and Games "After the Magiv Parannoul": The Rise of Quidditch and Other Magical Competitions"
1. John - 2 stars - After the Magic Parannoul was a disappointing read for me. The plot was confusing and poorly developed, making it difficult to follow along with the story. The characters lacked depth and were not relatable, leaving me uninvested in their fates. Additionally, the writing style was choppy and lacked consistency, making it hard to stay engaged. Overall, I found this book to be a letdown and would not recommend it to others.
2. Emily - 3 stars - After the Magic Parannoul had an interesting concept, but failed to deliver on its potential. The pacing was uneven, with slow and dragging moments interspersed with rushed and underdeveloped ones. The world-building felt incomplete and poorly explained, leaving me confused about the magical elements and their significance. The dialogue also felt unnatural and forced, making it difficult to connect with the characters. While there were a few intriguing moments, they were overshadowed by the book's flaws.
3. Sarah - 1 star - I regret picking up After the Magic Parannoul. The story was cliché and predictable, offering nothing new or exciting. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any depth or growth throughout the book. The writing was also subpar, filled with unnecessary descriptions and repetitive phrases. I found myself skim-reading just to reach the end and conclude this disappointing journey. I would not recommend wasting your time on this book.