Wondermere – A History

Research from the Wondermere Historian

Size: 248 square miles

Population: ~15,000

County: Bullmar

Capital: Wondermere, Est. 1554

Access: Bullmar Railway passes through Bullmar County

Tourist Attraction: Magicianary at the colosseum and other smaller establishments

Ruling Family: King Cyprus II

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WONDERMERE

The year was 1535 and King Malfus I (born Seamus Conroy) was planning a birthday party for his only son, Andrew, turning twelve years old. A party that took the better part of an entire year to plan. In that time there is very little mention made in the historical archives of Tilly, Andrew’s sister, five years old at the time. At least, none that I could find in my research. Not even of Andrew’s mother, Queen Gertrude, who was pregnant for the fifth time and likely on bedrest due to her first two childbirths: stillborn.

As it turns out, the king, too busy making sure everything was perfect for his son, couldn’t be bothered with the women in his life. After all, Andrew was his only son (at the time) and heir to the throne. But then, along came a traveling stranger to Bullmar who changed everything. I could find no mention of his name, but I digress.

The stranger brought with him magic tricks that captured the attention of the children of Bullmar. His popularity became so widespread that the king felt compelled to invite him as the main entertainment for his son who was jealous that all the children were enjoying magic, and he was left out. This invitation turned out to haunt the king and his lineage for generations to come.

From the moment Andrew witnessed his first magic trick he wanted to know more. He ordered the traveling magician to only perform magic for him. It didn’t take very long for him to want to learn how to perform the magic himself. The stranger relented. News of this reached the king who hoped that by forcing the stranger to teach his son magic, it would repair their fractured relationship.

Unfortunately, prince Andrew was not as apt a pupil and grew frustrated that he could not manage to perform even the simplest of magic. Fearing that his head would be lopped off if the prince continued to be upset the stranger decided his last resort would be to teach him card magic. It required quick fingers, a delicate touch, and most of all, hours of practice per day. He hoped this might give him the ample time he needed to escape with his life.

Prince Andrew picked up a few of the simpler tricks. In fact, I found brief mention of his even performing private shows for staff and his family. There were faint scribblings of his sister, Tilly, showing great promise as well! I wonder if that means the stranger not only taught prince Andrew but princess Tilly as well.

This “play time” as king Malfus came to call it grew tiresome. The prince had reached adulthood, and the king wasn’t getting any younger. In fact, records indicate he was likely dying of some incurable disease I can’t pronounce!

The time had come for the prince to assume the throne as he was well into his twenties. First, he needed to take a wife, be crowned king and produce his own heir, all before his father’s death. These were duties that prince Andrew refused to acknowledge or show any interest in.

I should also state that I uncovered the death records of Matilda “Tilly” Conroy. She died in the year 1542, at the young age of twelve. Also, Queen Gertrude (nee Gertrude Lyford), died in the year 1563, just three years before her husband. Prince Andrew would’ve been forty-three when he was crowned king, but all signs indicate he was far from ready.

He did have a younger brother, prince Seamus Conroy II, but he left the kingdom as he expected it would succumb to ruin due to what he viewed to be his brother’s obvious lack of leadership. I have an entire historical account I can share on Seamus, but for another time.

I can also state (with very little authority) that I find no record on what ever became of the stranger. It is believed that when Andrew was still a prince he was imprisoned until his death. No one was allowed to see or speak to him except prince Andrew. This was to ensure magic would be something only the royal family had complete control over. Once crowned king and his parent’s deceased, King Malfus II (nee prince Andrew Conroy) immediately set out to have a colosseum built. 

He wanted a place where he could perform his magic for everyone. Of course, he still wasn’t very good. But if you wanted to eat, drink, and not be executed, you clapped and applauded whenever you received an invitation to the palace. No one refused a direct invitation from the king.

The Colosseum of Wonder was completed on King Malfus II fiftieth birthday, in the year 1573, in what quickly became the capital of Bullmar; Wondermere.

I can’t find any accounts that state exactly how many people it can hold, though, if you ask Mrs. Pomroy, present-day caretaker of the colosseum, it can comfortably seat over forty thousand.

It didn’t take long for the Conroy’s to lose what little rule and respect they once had in Wondermere. But, fortunate for King Malfus II, the Colosseum of Wonder was an absolute success. Especially, once he decided to step back from the stage and take a more managerial approach. He realized that magic could not be contained or controlled. Once people from far and wide heard about the colosseum, visitors were paying him to perform on the stage. Wondermere became the most visited place in the world.

Nearly two hundred years later and Wondermere is still the largest and most visited place in all of Bullmar. None of it possible without the control that King Malfus II put in place.

There is one thing I feel must be mentioned for the record and although the royal family would never allow it under normal circumstances, for the purpose of my job, I must now tell the truth behind the First Deck.

Remember when I mentioned the simple tricks that King Malfus II learned and performed on stage? Well, it wasn’t exactly the best performances on record. In fact, it was on the opening night of the Colosseum of Wonder. It wasn’t a packed crowd as news hadn’t reached quite as far and many were not about to travel for days by land and sea to watch a performance given just by the king and no one else.

Therefore, it was attended by everyone who lived in Wondermere. Suffice it to say, the magic wasn’t exactly well received. In fact, it was right at the time when King Malfus II was about to regale the crowd with a card trick that required several members from the audience to join him on stage. He was, by all anonymous accounts, nervous and sweating and his hands were shaking slightly at having strangers so close to him. The cards flew out of his hands and into the air. The audience thought it was a part of the act and applauded but the ones on stage knew that it wasn’t. They scrambled to pick up the cards for him, he tried to stop them as they were his deck, and no one was allowed to touch them. Someone bumped into him, and he fell, breaking a bone in his wrist which left him unable to use his left hand ever again.

There are no names of the people who were on stage with him, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were executed immediately. That’s how it was back then when King Malfus II ruled Wondermere. He decreed that cards were never to be used for playing and especially not in a magic act. He searched endlessly for the deck that he used that night. It was supposedly the same deck that was given to him (stolen, some believe) by the traveling stranger. To this day it has never been found though rumor exists that it’s still in circulation, kept safe by a secret group of underground magicians. Whether that’s true or not, to be caught in possession of that deck or any other leads to immediate death by hanging.

The colosseum was closed for several weeks afterward the incident, until a traveling act asked him for a meeting and persuaded him to open the doors to others who would pay him a lot of money for the privilege. He would, of course, have complete say in who could perform on the stage.

This deal caused a ripple effect throughout Wondermere. Buildings were converted to small theaters where acts could practice, and the king would get information from those performances to determine who should be invited to the colosseum. To get an invitation from the royal family is the highest honor any magician could hope to receive.

Today, invitations come from King Cyprus II based on council he receives from the many theaters around Wondermere.