Entry 16: Keralon

by Hayley Thomas

Dear diary,

Even this close to Keralon, within the comforting embrace of an inn, our night wasn’t as peaceful as we had hoped. In the early hours of the morning, we were stirred from our sleep by a commotion on the landing. The sharp scent of smoke filled my nostrils, and I rushed out to investigate.

Alistan had already found the source. In the room adjacent to theirs, someone had scrawled "Death to the usurper king" into the wall, the letters charred from fire. Alistan shared that the room belonged to the men we had noticed at dinner. They had been loud and disruptive earlier in the night, and Alistan had asked them to keep quiet. In retaliation, they must have burnt the message and fled.

The message puzzled us. Alistan explained that the kings had always come from one single lineage. Yet another mystery, but one we couldn't afford to dwell on now.

We alerted Brok, the innkeeper, of the damage, then went back to bed, hoping for a more restful end to the night.

Over breakfast, the discussion about what to do with our magic items heated up again. Liliana and Gael were keen on heading back to Caern Fussil to store their items there, even though that would cost us another day. Luke suggested hiding them somewhere, but that didn’t seem practical to me. Instead, I proposed asking Brok, the innkeeper, to keep them safe for us. Liliana approached him, and soon our items were stowed away safely in a box of potatoes.

With that settled, we finally set off for the gates of Keralon. I slipped my dagger into a small bag and handed it to Fiachna, who could fly it over the wall undetected while we walked through the gate.

The enormity of Keralon became apparent as we waited in line to enter through the main gate. Hillfield had seemed large, but compared to Keralon, it felt like a small hamlet. The sheer scale and noise of the city were overwhelming, and we barely noticed as the guards waved us through the gates.

Alistan spoke briefly with the guards, though they seemed rather annoyed by his questions. Meanwhile, Luke examined one of the buildings near the gate, and I found my gaze drawn to the sea of wagons and caravans gathered inside. In that short time, Liliana managed to get swept away by the crowd, but Dadroz and Alistan quickly found her.

With our group looking lost, a young street urchin approached us, offering to guide us through the city in exchange for a fee. Given our need for direction, Liliana paid her a silver coin, and we followed the girl into the city.
As we walked, taking in the sights and marveling at the city's grandeur, Liliana and I noticed that the girl was leading us deeper into the winding alleys of Canalside. It seemed like she might have had ill intentions, possibly leading us into an ambush. When we confronted her, she attempted to flee, but I anticipated her move and quickly cast a spell to put her to sleep.

Alistan lifted the girl and gently roused her from her sleep. As she remained tight-lipped and hesitant to guide us safely, I cast another spell to compel her to lead us directly to the nearest guardhouse. With no choice but to obey, she led us along the canal in silence, and soon we stood before the guard barracks.

Seeing no need for all of us to crowd inside, I crossed the street to the bustling market. My intention was to explore the stalls and discover something exotic to eat while my companions dealt with the guards and informed them about the situation in Lorewood.

Once the meeting concluded and we gathered outside the barracks, it was time for the first round of goodbyes. Elsa and Edward gave us heartfelt hugs and handshakes, and I noticed a hint of sadness in my brother’s eyes as he bid Elsa farewell, as though he feared it might be the last time.

Next came Dorr, who announced his plan to find a place to stay and seek work in the city. As I embraced him, I encouraged him to stay in touch and keep us updated on his adventures. I feel I have grown quite fond of him.

We watched as our friends made their separate ways toward their new paths in life, leaving us to press on toward the temple district. As we approached, two massive structures caught our attention. On one side, the colossal cathedral of Belanos loomed majestically, its towering spires piercing the sky and outshining every other building in the city. On the other side, a dark and somber district beckoned, watched over by two guards dressed differently from the city watch. Liliana's quick inquiry revealed this as the mausoleum district, where the dead found their final rest.

Our aim in visiting the temple was to seek the restoration of our last companion's memories, but our efforts proved fruitless. The priest we spoke with could not offer the answers we sought, affirming what I had long suspected: neither a curse nor magic had caused his amnesia. Perhaps it was simply the trauma from the brutal attack he endured.

Nonetheless, he needed a name, and when we offered suggestions, Alistan suggested the name "Feyrin." Grateful for the help we'd provided him and with his new name in hand, Feyrin embraced this fresh start. He thanked us and accepted the priest's offer to guide him toward a new purpose and occupation.

With our previous tasks complete, we made our way toward the De La Roost mansion, with Alistan brimming with anticipation to show us his family's town house. As we approached, we spotted a light flickering through the windows, which struck me as odd. I expected a servant or a distant relative to be inside, but the reality was far different.

Upon entering, a woman with a bread knife and a wary dog met us, her eyes alight with suspicion. She demanded to know who we were and why we were intruding in her home. Liliana and Alistan's confusion deepened, and as we wished to avoid conflict, the guards and an administrator intervened.

After a lengthy explanation, it became clear that another noble family had petitioned the king for an exchange—trading their smaller home for the grand De La Roost mansion. There was little we could do about it, and Alistan seemed content to accept the situation as it was, even if it meant losing his family’s ancestral home.

With the keys exchanged, we made our way to the new address we'd been given. The rest of the day was spent tidying up our new residence and setting up the furniture, but at least we now had a base from which to start our next adventure. Though not the mansion Alistan had hoped for, it was a home nonetheless, and a place to forge a new future.

15th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Continue reading...

Entry one: The trials

Entry two: The bramble

Entry 3: Rosebloom

Entry 4: Hearts and Dreams

Entry 5: of ghosts and wolves

Entry 6: Hillfield and Deals with Fae

Entry 7: mysteries and pastries

Entry 8: The scarecrow ruse
6th of Lug, 121 Year of the Tree

Entry 9: A betrayal of satyrs
7th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 10: The fate of twins
8th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 11: Cursed twins
10th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 12: Loss and despair
11th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Hayley's rules to being a Witch

Entry 13: the price of safety
12th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 14: A golden cage and fiery tower
13th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 15: A trial by fire
14th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 16: Keralon
15th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Letter to Luke 1

Letter to Luke 2

Letter to Luke 3

Letter to Luke 4

Letter to Luke 5

Letter to Luke 6

Entry 17: I shall wear midnight
1st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 18: peace in our time
2nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 19: Caern Fussil falls
3rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 20: I see fire
4th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 21: Cultists twarted
10th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 22: Ravensfield
14th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 23: The Hollow Hill Horror
15th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 24: Burn your village
16th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 25: Ravensfield burns
17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 26: There will be blood!
21st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 27: A happy reunion
22nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 28: The embassy ball
23rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 29: The fate of Robert Talespinner
24th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 30: A royal summons
28th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 31: of Dogville and Geese
29th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 32: A boggle named Pim
30th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 33: A deal broken
1st of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 34: The cost of doing what is right
2nd of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 35: A dish best served cold
9th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

entry 36: Cornu returns?
10th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 37: A letter from Amarra
11th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 38: The case of the (not) missing villagers
14th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 39: A curse broken
15th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 40: Into the Lorewood
18th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 41: Cabin in the Woods
19th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 42: Myrdin and Anaya
20th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 43: Into the Immerglade
21st of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 44: A tale as old as time
22nd of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 45: The truth
23rd of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 46: Luke's Ordeal
24th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 47: The festival
26th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 48: Trouble at the Cathedral
2nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 49: Quinn's court
4th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 50: onwards to Latebra Velora
5th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 51: Where is my cow?
6th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 52: Here be dragons
7th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 53: Dragon hoard with a side of scarabs
8th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 54: Leave the basilisks alone
9th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 55: Return to Ravensfield
10th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 56: The needs of the many...
11th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 57: Dreams of Sister Willow
12th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 58: wetlands be wet
13th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 59: Baron Perenolde
14th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 60: Talebra Velora and the lady Morenthene
15th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 61: Cypria
16th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 62: Dragon takes Knight
17th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 63: Return to Talebra Velora
18th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 64: Your presence is “requested”
19th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 65: I stand alone
20th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 66: A day of normalcy
21th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 67: Into the Neverhold
22nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 68: The Warg King

Entry 69: Chased by birds

Entry 16: Keralon

Continue reading...

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