The Confectra

      Deep within the alluring and perilous twists of The Plates , tucked away in one of its most delectable forests, lies a secret village in the Cottonfrost Canopy. Towering candy-striped trees stretch skyward, their cotton-candy tufts of leaves drifting on the breeze, giving the impression that spun sugar fills the air.   From below, the village is a marvel to behold: candy flowers and licorice vines coil around the trunks, while bursts of color from sprinkleberry bushes and glimmering citron serpents dazzle the eye. Laughter often drifts down from the treetops, playful and melodic, echoing through the canopy. Slow-moving caramel creeks wind between the platforms, eventually merging with the Carameltine River, which flows north into the Chocolate Vale.  

The village from which laughter so often spills is called Frostwhisper, named for the way the cotton-candy tufts resemble frosting drifting across the treetops. Here, among branches heavy with sugared bloom, homes of spun sugar and gingerbread perch high above the forest floor. Candy wafer bridges and taffy ropes connect the dwellings, their steps chiming softly as wafers snap gently into place and the ropes sway with passing feet. The breeze carries a sweet, melodic song from hundreds of sugar-crafted wind chimes strung throughout the canopy.   Sometimes, jewel-toned Gumdroplet beetles can be seen crawling along the trunks and paths, their shells glittering like sugared glass. At night, Frostwhisper glows with the gentle radiance of bioluminescent sugar crystals, harvested from the depths of the Dulcra Caverns, bathing the village in soft, dreamlike light. The ones who dwell here are the Confectra. Legend says that when Magnon shaped the Plates, all who lived here were born of food—the heartbeat of life itself. The Confectra are, simply put, sugar elves: artists of sweets, perfectionists of flavor and form.     Though peaceful, their home is not without dangers. The Plates are as treacherous as they are delectable. To keep safe, the Confectra lace the forest floor with clever traps to ward off the mischievous Crumpetkin, while they live in harmony with most of the canopy’s creatures—playful cinnasquirrels, soft honey bunnies, and nimble marshmice. But danger prowls beneath the sweetness. Vast molasses bears lumber across the ground, their sticky hides leaving trails that can trap the unwary. Candibucks clash in fierce sparring matches, their shattered sugar-glass antlers often left embedded in trees. And most dreaded of all, the Treacle Turtles—immense, territorial beasts—claim whole swaths of the forest as their own.   Whispered in hushed tones is the tale of the Marzipan Wyrm, a great and ethereal dragon said to dwell deep within the heart of the canopy. Some believe it is the forest’s guardian, warding away the Feastborn who hunger for the Plates. Others claim it is older than sugar itself, a spirit of sweetness and sorrow who watches, silent and eternal, over Frostwhisper.   Unlike the elves of Selenia, the Confectra are touched by sugar itself. Their skin shimmers in pastel shades, some marbled with swirling, galaxy-like ribbons of candy hues. Birthmarks and freckles scatter across them like tiny sprinkles. Their hair ranges from wisps of spun cotton candy to long, glossy strands like pulled sugar.  

Their eyes gleam in shades of violet and deep blue, always lit with silver flecks, as though dusted with sugar crystals. Tall and lithe, with delicate hands made for sugarcraft, they may appear fragile—but do not mistake them for weak. Life in the Plates is perilous, and the Confectra know its dangers well.   The Confectra keep a few connections to the greater world of Astrovos. They are known to aid Gale Stormbreaker, a wizard once trapped too long in the Plates. Madness took him after he consumed too many cursed crumpetkin, leaving him with his strange “mayo fingers.” Though they could not cure him, the Confectra taught him the ways of the Plates and helped restore his strength. Now, Gale comes and goes as he pleases, eccentric but trusted.   Gramma Nut, or Ana as she prefers, is another frequent visitor. From her prison within the Plates, she often arrives with her pudgy gingerbread companion, Chips. She is a sugar-obsessed lich shaped by the Abyssi Domani known as Candrith, Ana bears the stain of his corruption. Yet when she visits, she brings memory-laced confections and exchanges sugarcraft secrets with the Confectra, slowly working to reconcile her crimes of the past.   Perhaps the most beloved visitor is Butter Biscuits, part halfling and part celestial, descended from a grandmother once native to the Plates. Butter brings spices, herbs, and fruits seldom found in that realm, delighting the Confectra with flavors beyond sugar. She is as much a friend as a muse, bringing them whispers of the wider world and resting in the gentle peace of their crystalline halls. She is never without her companion, Ginger Snapped, a doll made of gingerbread-like crocheted threads, adorned with candy-themed accents and bristling with ornate needles.   Ginger’s hair is spun fairy floss in pastel blues, pinks, and purples, crowned with two fluffy buns piped with royal icing and sprinkled with candy pearls, lollipops, and whipped sugar dollops. Her eyes are glossy black buttons, and her crooked stitched smile is said to trap whispers. Some claim she moves when no one is looking, or speaks only to Butter, suggesting recipes, secrets, or warnings. A sugar crystal at her core, gifted by the Goddess Vespera, is said to hold the power to sweeten—or twist—dreams.   The Confectra treat Ginger with a mixture of awe and caution. Though small and doll-like, she is rumored to be a fiercely loyal protector of Butter, a silent sentinel of the Plates’ sugar-dusted mysteries. Whether alive in the magical sense or simply enchanted, Ginger Snapped is as much a part of Frostwhisper’s lore as the cotton-candy canopy itself.    

    Sugarcraft magic is said to draw directly from the sweetness within one’s heart, capturing a trace of the soul within the sugar itself. This craft is a form of creation magic, woven from both emotion and energy, and it leaves a shimmer of the caster’s spirit in every piece.   The Confectra are highly skilled in sugarcraft; their artistry can be seen everywhere in the village—from sugarblown sculptures of delicate flora and fauna, to intricate spun-sugar screens that catch the light like stained glass. They have also mastered the alchemical side of sweetness, honing their craft to bring out the richest flavors when preparing their decadent desserts.      

In daily life, sugarcraft can be used to heal—by weaving back the essence of a Confectra with spun-sugar threads—or to soothe, infusing a gentle warmth of magic into tea or confections. Its sweetness carries comfort, mending both body and spirit.   But sugarcraft is also highly adaptable for defense and offense. Because it is creation magic, its limits depend largely on the caster’s reserves of energy and the depth of their heart’s sweetness. In battle, shields of crystalline sugar, towering sugar walls, or even animated sculptures can be conjured to block or parry attacks. Offensively, a Confectra need only sugarcraft the weapon they require—an axe, a spear, a dagger—each one spun swiftly into being. Such versatility makes the Confectra a formidable foe if provoked.   Yet, this magic is not without cost. Overuse can drain the very essence of a Confectra, leaving them weakened and burned out. Recovery may take months, even years, to restore what was lost. Thus, sugarcraft demands balance: too much sweetness drawn forth can hollow its wielder from within.