I am running an Arthurian fairytale game where the characters slowly realize the gritty, hard world they live in is full of magic, wonder and terror.
They have just discovered that the doors between the mortal world and Faerie have been opened by a learned (if unhinged) alchemist, seeking the usual font of pure mana, well of limitless power, etc. What's more, it would seem that the alchemist's success is largely due to help from Puck, an ancient faerie and advisor to the Queen of the Fae herself. Puck confessed that he hatched this scheme in hopes that a "True Hero" would march into Faerie and slay the Queen, so one of her other reincarnations (one that embodies the Queen's less kindly aspects, such as Autumn or Winter), would take the throne and send Puck out into the mortal world to sow mischief--spoil milk, steal infants from their cribs, start wars--as is his wont.
Puck has made it clear that the characters are NOT the heroes he seeks. That they're just a happy, entertaining coincidence for him.
So now, the characters are trying to find a way to foil Puck's s plan.
I would like to have a few contingencies at hand, depending on what they try to do and how they go about it.
What I'm asking is: if you were one of thar characters, what would you do?