When Craek returned, and told them what he’d seen, everyone suddenly remembered the bix village massacre in Summer Woods many years ago.
“They were caught by surprise!”
A thriving group of little people of the forest, the bix were an important part of trade between the Summer Woods and outside villages of humans. You could find healing ointments, teas, remedies of all kinds, at a Bix Market. They could enchant acorns to guide you, put a protective leaf in a locket for you. The Bix were hard-working magical people living in harmony with the humans around them. The Summer Woods, always a delight to travel through, had been such a helpful place for humans and animals alike, partially because the Bix were there offering everyone the best that herbs and magic could devise. They enhanced the kingdoms around them.
This is how they were noticed by the Orcs. Everyone had heard a version of the story of the Maebon Massacre, or Bix Slaughter, or some other title. It was the kind of story that made good people think twice about being too kind, too open, too vulnerable. The bix didn’t make swords or weapons. They made medicines and remedies. Sometimes the story was told in a way to suggest, “See what happens when you get known for being nice.”
They were all killed and eaten. They say the orcs put their teas and medicines around what was left of their corpses. As if to say, heal thyself.
It reminded them of the horror that others could do. But it was so unthinkable that it became unthinkable— to think about it too much made people anxious and scared and paranoid. Orcs could turn up anywhere! In some ways, the story just couldn’t settle in a mind that believed that good things happen to good folks. Some variants of the story had to give the Bix some fault—outside of being noticed by Orcs. Others just said it was myth.
Nevertheless, the story drove them now into a frenzy. How do they protect themselves from this passing group of orcs? Why were they here in their woods? What did they want? Would the same fate await them as the bix of Summer Wood?
No.
They wouldn’t believe it.
They would fight and they would be clever and they would survive.
“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals, all retired from dazzling adventurous lives, ready for peace and quiet in the midst of a spellbound forest, a woods with a very long autumn. When a mysterious troop of orcs, armed for battle, march into their woods, the heroes will do anything they can to keep the orcs away from their loved ones. Sometimes, though, the wards and tricks won’t work. Sometimes, you have to fight harder just to keep what you have.
This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. Anyone who wanted to play along could draw pictures according to the prompts and post them on social media with the #autumnwoods hashtag for 31 days. I drew pictures and posted them. But I added D&D classes, and then a story happened. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods, or hear them all narrated to you on Substack as you go through the “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show happening at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.
A reception and opening happens this Friday, November 1st. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, Friday, November 1st, or come back any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.
Bear Witness 