- Navigating the city and finding the stone circle There’s a tunnel, then we emerge. There’s an incline in teh terrain. There’s a small street with houses mad eout of stone on both sides. All teh windows are dark
Stors tries to jiggle a handle, but ots locked. We debate whether to pick it, but decide not to.
We come to a bridge which spans The Black Water. There’s an iron grate the water flows through and it appears to flow out a city wall. Further up stream it flows underneath a building and between others. There aren’t any obvious barriers preventing folks from going in. City seems constructed around the stream. Why does it follow this route? Why does the city accommodate it? What came first, the city or The Black Water? The city seems to coexist with the water.
We approach another staircase. The buildings seem to get taller as we ascend the stairs. The buildings have been mostly residential.
We decide to head to the island. Bridge is painted red. More ceremonial. The path becomes crushed white stone and well kept. The island rises in front of us, we’re going uphill. Looks forested from the exterior and path disappears into it. Forest is dense. Path moves uphill. Tress are a mixture of hardwoods with some conifers mixed in. Old big trees with brush growing into the path. No animals at this time of night. Stonework ahead.
We continue. Storr sees another stone circle ahead of her. It rises
We’re about to turn around and go to the festival. When B hears through his horn “If we could just get through this fucking forest. Through this brush.” The voices are in A forest, not necessarily through this forest.
We decide to go to the festival after all. We head south east, cross another bridge and see a small waterfall to the south. We’re back out on the main path. We take a right down some stairs. The fireworks and noise are that way.
We get to the bottom of the stairs, the path branches left and right. Right path is wider. We take that one
We come to The Black Water flowing into a hole. There’s a stone wall around it with people looking into the hole. They’re wearing black and purple robes. They’re not talking.
K tries to shape The Black Water but feels nothing. The Black Water forms a whirlpool.
We try to engage the people. They look at us and tell us to be quiet.
- The festival We continue on and start hearing a crowd. There’s a fountain in the middle of the square. We see the fireworks that create the shape of a tree in the smoke. We move into the square. As Silas steps in, people start noticing the bear and start crowding around Silas and Arthen. Silas starts feeding Arthyn snacks to show that he is not a threat.
Storr moves toward the fountain. The central carving is in the shape of an Ancient Tree of various colors, black, brown, green. At teh base you see what might be the face of a bear peeking out from under the roots. Ravens are perched on branches. The water is flowing to fill out the form of the sculpture so the water becomes both branches and foliage. It almost looks as though a raven flies and jumps into the pool below. The fireworks are shooting out of tubes in the fountain (is that right?)
You bring the other twin to the festival?
I do indeed. Where be the other?
They look confused and start questioning Silas. Who are you? Where are you from?
We are travelers and we’ve heard of this festival.
They ask do you understand the significance of the presence of the twins.
Silas: Of course I do. Do you??
B is trying to hide his horns
Cricket makes his way over to Storr. As Storr was standing by the fountain the water began to reach out around her and begin to form an ice wall around her.
Crowd: We’re wary of travelers bearing tokens of power. (said with an edge of hostility)
K shapes the water back to the fountain with his weird finger magic.
The person that had been talking to Silas strides over to Storr and Cricket and points to Krambler and questions him. Who are you? Where have you come from?
Man: This city has long been hidden to outsiders. How have you got here and what are your intentions? Are you the ones you accosted our boats 6 days ago?
Storr: (not sure what she said here)
Man: You are not welcome here. Go back to where you came from.
Cricket: We’d like to learn about your festival and about the twins.
Man: Whoever you are you’re not here by our leave. Go. Go now.
Cricket leads us east, saying that he’s seeing some lavender light on a path ahead of us. Some folks are following Silas and Arthen. There’s a wide boulevard, people on either side. More people start following us. Their weapons are sheathed.
The lavender sheen that Cricket says he’s been seeing goes up the grand staircase in front of us. Elaborately carved railings. Marble is carved to look like branches and forest. As we reach the top we see the grand boulevard heading to the north east.
We continue to follow Cricket. The crowd peaters out as we reach a square and turn back west.
- The Boatman leads us back to the stone circle We’re circling back toward the stone circle. We come to a square and there is a figure standing there. It’s The Boatman.
C: What’s the festival about?
B: you have somewhere to go. Let’s walk and talk.
B: This festival celebrates a young girl and an Ancient Tree who are the protectors of those who listen.
C: Are those the twins?
B: They are one of the twins.
S: Who are the other twins?
B: I thought you were told you brought him with you?
S: Arthen?
Boatman makes a face.
We’re back at the stone circle. There’s a path that inclines up and around to the circle.
B: to cricket, I hope that you are prepared for what awaits you at the bircle above. I shall wait to see what happens.
He walks back down the trail and disappears into the trees.
This reminds C of the ancient path from his dream.
- Our hardest fight yet B reminds of of the message form earlier “I see rocks through the trees. I see night through this thing. Shall we, my brother?
Two humanoids walk out through one of the trilithons.
B doesn’t recognize their voices.
“It seems we have found our quarry my brother.”
We fight.
One seems to have glittering armor, carrying a short and long sword, catching the moonlight.
Cricket attacks remarkably well and she deflects that with her dagger. The woman keeps upon a trilithon at one point. The woman’s dagger is made of ice.
K fights the strange moonlight figure. He howls at K, and it sounds like a winter gale.
Woman can throw blasts of cold wind that can push people back.
Storr feels her dagger freeze when she tries to hit the winter creature.
Bronze attack against winter guy has detrimental effect.
Winter man does three attacks at one point.
Cricket hits Silas with an arrow.
We’re on death’s door. A tear of night appears in front of cricket and he stabs through the rift and hits the woman. She stabs back and drives her dagger up into his chin and through his head. He falls; so does she in an attack of ice and fire.
Winter man tries to attack B, misses and staggers under the weight of the loss of his companion.
B deals the killing blow to Winter Man; he dies in a howling swirl of winter wind.