Mab

Mab frozen in ice

Mab is a Faerie noble of Etheria and queen of Dreamland.

Background

When Malicia plots to destroy the Realm of Eldritch, she curses Mab to be trapped in a block of ice on her island in Dreamland. After being ordered by the Fates to talk to Mab since Oberon and Titania are gone, Valanice enters Dreamland by falling asleep in the home of Doctor Mort Cadaver and is shocked to discover that Mab is frozen in a block of ice. With the help of Ceres, Valanice is able to learn that Mab can be unfrozen by a Crystal Shaft with Sunlight, but she must enter Dreamland in physical form. The Dream Weaver is able to provide Valanice with a Tapestry of Dreams that will carry her into Dreamland awake.

Valanice enters Dreamland using the tapestry. After defeating a Nightmare, Valanice locates Mab and frees her from the ice. In thanks, Mab promises to ensure that Valanice will always have good dreams. Mab provides Valanice with a Magic Bridle to ride Sirocco and instructions on how to use the winds to contact the king and queen before teleporting Valanice to the Mountain of Winds. Mab later joins Oberon and Titania in creating a magical web to contain the volcanic eruption, buying Rosella and King Otar Fenris III time to stop it.

Titles and nicknames

• Lady Mab
• Queen Mab
• The Keeper of Dreams
• The Lady of Dreams
• The Queen of Dreams

Behind the scenes

Queen Mab is a queen of the fairies mentioned in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, where "she is the fairies' midwife". Later she appears in other poetry and literature, and in various guises in drama and cinema. In the play, her activity is described in a famous speech by Mercutio published originally in prose and often adapted into iambic pentameter, in which she is described as a miniature creature who performs midnight pranks upon sleepers. Being driven by a team of atomies, she rides her chariot over their noses and "delivers the fancies of sleeping men". She is also described as a midwife to help sleepers "give birth" to their dreams. She may be a figure borrowed from folklore, and historian Thomas Keightley has suggested a connection to Habundia, a more likely origin for her name would be from Mabel and the Middle English derivative "Mabily" (as used by Chaucer) all from the Latin amabilis ("lovable").

In later writings she is often associated with Titania. She has appeared in later works, sometimes as alternative name for Titania, and other times as the sister of Titania.

It’s often assumed that Weaver and Mab are related somehow but this is never confirmed. He at least appears to be a servant of Queen Mab.