Yavari Nightshade

Spiritual, mystical ,curious sayter musician and ghost story teller. Flowing clothing, wavy light blue hair with roses and gold head dress. After dying she was blessed with her grandmothers spectral horns and other gifts

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Children

Gender

Eyes

Gold

Hair

Light blue

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Light purple, dark purple fur legs

The unforgotten

We are so relieved to have made it to Bazzoxan. The tall black spires set into the foot of the mountain would have been breath taking if I had breath. The history here is palpable. Grandma cannot wait to soak our bones in a warm bath. “Why couldn’t we have been the kind of spirit that floats?” Granny complains. “Cheer up granny. I am sure there are loads of good stories here. There is bound to be some good information here for the colbalt soul.” “And an inn to relax in.” She adds…. As we enter the town we are faced with blob creatures with many eyes and mouths chomping on some poor towns folk. “Sorry grandma, we are going to have to postpone your bath”. I found the battle with the jibber jabbers particularly challenging. Everything that could go wrong did. My cross bow jammed. Their chattering teeth made me feel like my head was splitting and then I think I fainted. To grandmas delight we awoke to the sight of Ciaran bent over us a soft moonlit glow making him look like an angel. Granny reached out with my hand and brushed his cheek. “Thanks Sonny”. She said, much to my amusement. Ciaran’s shocked look on his face made me want to chuckle. Now back in the battle I decided to focus on listening to the stars. Feeling the magic of the ancestors reaching through the stars to me. A tattoo of an archer constellation forms on my arm and glows. From it, a transformation spreads across my body and I am one with the galaxy, star dust and space. I feel the power of the archer constellation and a glowing bow forms in my hand. I draw it back and fire at the chattering mouth blob thing. It withered and died on the spot. Feeling redeemed I see my friends are fighting well also. We had those demons dealt with in no time. We decided to head to the Ready Room a place we heard we could lodge for the evening. As we walked I spoke to a poor soul who told me they had been eaten by one of those jibber jabber things and how grateful they were that we were able to stop them. At the ready room we met two individuals of interest. One was a teafling, who abandoned her friends in some creepy temple in the Betrayers Rise Mountian. We did figure out that she may have come connection to the Colbolt Soul and might even be a spy. She didn’t seem very trustworthy. But she did show us some neat things including a rubbing of a long haired woman from a wall carving in the Betrayers Rise. I noticed Ezra must have wandered off… and there was someone else listening in on our conversation a hooded figure. Very goes to chat with her. Turns out she is willing to pay us to go to the temple and get some rubidium for her. She will give us 100 g if we go in the morning. Armani comes over to me as I am taking with the Drow bar owners. I wished he had been the one who woke me up after i fainted on the battle field. He wanted to know if I wanted to hold on to his Chalace …. “How thoughtful, it’s really so sweet of him to….” While he goes and questions the teefling Question more in her room. “Wait what?! In her room? ALONE? ALL NIGHT!” My mind flooded with images of her hanging all over him while he stood in a silken robe. Suddenly I wanted to chuck his chalace at his head but instead I just pointedly said “No Thank you!” He thinks he can mess with my feelings? Let’s see how he likes it. “Ezera dear! I’m crashing in your room tonight!” Please let me stay in your room I plead in my mind. I can’t bear to be hanging out in this bar where I can look down into the rooms. …. Uh but I also can’t bear to hear them through the walls whispering and her stupid giggle. Ahhh. I have to get out! I tear out of the inn and into the street running. I slow eventually taking in my surroundings and realize I have wandered to the hospital. I introduced my self to the Drow Priest there and offered my assistance. I need something to keep me busy. As I was tending to the injured from the recent demon attacks, I was called over by a wounded warrior of the Aura watch. He reached into a satchel and pulled out a small tiger eye carving with a name on it. He urged me to take it to the wall of the unforgotten. Confused I asked if it was for someone they lost but he would speak no more. I arrived at the wall and saw candles and other trinkets there to honor the dead. This reverence for the dead was something I understood. I was not alone. An elder Drow was there and seemed angered to see a tourist at this sacred place. I reacted by pulling out the trinket the injured warrior at the hospital gave me and explained I was sent there to pay respects. The Drow softened and told me soldiers here carry objects with them with their own names to be placed at the wall when they die. Suddenly I had a moment of realization. The warrior… He knew he was not going to recover from his injuries. He knew he was going to die. That’s why he sent me here with his trinket with his name on it. I was glad to be able to do this for him. I hope it gave him some peace in his final moments. I told the elder Drow that I know my fair share of death and I honor those who have come before. My heart aches for those they have lost and those left behind. He turned to me, looked me in the eyes, reached out his hand and blessed me. In this moment I felt a peace that I so desperately needed. How silly my love life problems seem now. Armani doesn’t even know i like him. He owes me nothing but maybe someday before our trinkets get placed on the wall we .. we will…. I don’t know. I wonder if I can die… or die more permanently …. I wonder if everyone I know will age and die before my eyes. Do spirits see the world pass by them? Ages change? Feel time pass? If I did fall for him and he died as morals do And he went to the other side…. To die alone and unremembered is a horrible thing…. But to “live” as a ghost forever without the one you love would also be unbearable. Good thing I am not in love with him.

The Undead Battle Mammoth

Begin writing your story here...Ah what an epic day of battle! I mean what are the odds that we would find Ciaran on the road to Bazzoxan fighting a gloomstacker with some goblin companions and a mammoth?! Mammoths are neat animals. I should take note of it in Grannie’s druid book of interesting animals. I wonder if I know any spirits with mammoth stories? I heard a story from a spirit this morning about some beloved friends finding healing fireflies in a field in the fay wild. I gifted the benefits of that story to my new friend Very before we went to fight the Gloomstaker. It’s rather interesting how some of these spirits tales inspire me. I do love a good story. Now that the battle is over we are going to make camp. Maybe I can inspire everyone with a good bedtime story. “Gather round all ye living mortal souls and enjoy the illusion of safety, the light of the fire brings. You somber tired warriors deserve a tale to entertain and delight but that is not the tail I have for you this night. The spirts have spoken and whispered to me a tale of the Undead Battle Mammoth!” The spirit whispering to me, is called Chief Flagstone. He says “ I was there the day of the great battle, Blood soaked into the ground And squished beneath our feet, like a red Sponge, as we defended our small goblin village from the Dark invader. The goblin village Pikewood was in a valley in wild Mount And was chief flagstones home, as it was too many other goblin families. They are mostly farmers and traders and were unprepared for what Emerged from the fog rolling in that morning. A little girl played with a ball at the edge of town, and it bounced into the wood. She paused to decide if she should go after it but then the ball rolled out back to her. Fearful of the fog, and the shadows moving within, the girl did not move. The ground shook with a great thump, thump, thump. She Stood frozen, listening to the creature’s breath, some unidentified clacking sound like wood wind chimes, and the snapping of branches as it pushed through the forest. With a thunderous trumpeting shriek from the beast, the girl jumped, turned, and ran back into town. We had heard whispers of the Undead Battle Mammoth but as scary bedtime stories for children. We never expected it to be real. Goblins gathered at the town’s edge to see what was emerging, but we should have ran. We should have all ran. When it emerged, its eyes were glowing red and its skin and hide were torn and flopped open revealing its bones and putrid flesh. Flames and smoke leaked out of the creature’s holes. The bones of those it killed hung and clacked from its tusks. It had one great unnatural horn in the middle of its head said to be the horn of Orca the demon prince of undeath, which was the source of its evil power and hatred. One of the villagers loosed an arrow at it. And then a barrage came after from the brave yet fearful villagers. It was a mistake. We fought back but it was of no use. It was already dead. The beast was enraged by this insult and charged into the town ramming and smashing into buildings setting them ablaze, trampling group of people under its feet, swinging its great head and impaling those in its path on its tusks. The monster’s fur was drenched in blood and it slowed as it surveyed its dreadful destruction. It lowered its head as it set its sights on me. I stood alone defending a group of hidden children. They were couched in a great tree’s roots. “Don’t come out of that tree” I called to them “No matter what happens to me.” I pulled back an arrow with a shaky hand and shot arrow after arrow at it as it slowly approached. Thump Thump Thump. When it got to me it wrapped its snout around my neck and lifted me off the ground. I dropped my bow gasping for breath. It’s red eyes burning into me looking right at my soul. Then snap! So if you hear the Undead battle Mammoth’s bones clacking in the fog or hear the thump thump thump coming towards you. Don’t pick a fight you cannot win. Run. Run far away. Well that’s it. Don’t beg me for more stories tonight. It’s time for us to rest. Everyone have a good night! Ah I love foggy nights.

I sure am glad we saved Ciaran from the gloom stalker. If he had died, he probably wouldn’t have told me any good stories. He is so secretive! It seems that Armani is staying up. Guess he is a night owl like me. I get the feeling we have something in common but I cant put my finger on what.

Under the Moon of Ill Omen

Our mirthful chatter on the road ceased as we caught first sight of the Barbed Fields. Jagged rocks jutted up from the ground like broken glass and steam rose up off bubbling tar pits. “We have to cross that?!” There was something heavy in the air as we continued forward in a careful silent trudge. That first night we took third watch with Armani. He’s a night owl, too, like me. We had picked a spot on top of a rock. We looked down on the camp. Though I found it hard not to stare in awe at the vastness of the starry sky. Suddenly there was a red sickly glow from a Ruidous flair. Grandmother was uneasy telling me to “Beware the moon of Ill omen! It has cursed you all! Doom doooooom!…. But its effects are temporary and you should be fine. Just stay hydrated. That will help.” Grandmother was always so knowledgeable about astrology the stars in the moons. Armani leaned back soaking in the moons glow, sipping on a drink from a goblet. I wanted something to say to him so I asked if I could try sip. I really miss flavors. And maybe it was sitting there under the stars or the red glow in Armani‘s hair, but something seemed a little extra magical. And when I took a sip from that goblet I was pleasantly surprised by a delicious flavor of the Cool Refreshing liquid. It tasted like smoosh berry juice from the Fay wild. Armani sort of smiled at my surprised expression as I gulped it down. I leaned back and rested my eyes, but sleep would not come for me. However, I found myself face-to-face with grandmother. It was like a dream, but I was not asleep, A vision? Grandma, it is so nice to see you I said and leapt at her for a hug. but I stumbled as I passed through her. "Silly girl I’m not actually here. But the road is flare has stirred something the spirit world, and made it easier for me to communicate directly to you. I need to tell you something important. You are on an epic journey but you are not alone. Yes, you have me, but you also have all of our ancestors watching." "Oh no pressure thanks Grandma." "Just shut up and listen! In the Fay wild when one from our clan passes, their spirit will cross over into the afterlife but they can peer in at us from the stars. They shout wisdom down to us, but the living can often not hear. Our family tends to be able to hear the stars more easily and now with your er um condition you may have the gift. I want you to spend some time meditating and listening to the stars, feel the wisdom of our ancestors trying to help you on your journey as they helped me. Use my Star chart to help you focus and connect to them. Sit with me and breathe. Breathe? I don’t do that anymore Grandma. "We’ll just sit there then. If I wasn’t already dead girl, you’d be the death of me!" We sat there for a time. And for a moment I think I see spirits around grandma … but they looked more like figures made of glittering stars. Then they faded. I was Trying to concentrate but nothing. “Oh this is pointless Grandma” “It’s that man isn’t it?" she said, "he’s distracting you.” “Oh no” I say, “he does have really beautiful golden hair but I barely know him. You don’t think he likes me do you? Not that I care.” “Gold hair? You mean salt and pepper right? Oh man that Ciaran guy is very distracting.” “Oh Gross Grandma! “ “What? He has a nice butt! I am dead, but I’m not that dead.” We bust out laughing. Keep working on it girl. Listen to the stars. The ancestors and I, we are with you… Then she was gone. I dug through my bag and found grandmas crystal ball. It had small specks inside. Interesting. I cast light on it and suddenly pinpricks of stars glittered all around me. I remember this from when I was a child! Maybe this will help me focus. I put it back in my bag for now. We have a big day of travel in front of us and my companions are starting to stir. I nearly jumped when a spirit leaned over my shoulder whispered in my ear. Out of the corner of my eye I could see it was dark, slick, and heat and steam radiated from it. He was a prisoner of war who was tarred to death for his war crimes. He was filled with the desire to avenge his people. This tale sent chills down my spine but I could tell it would be helpful in a battle. Hopefully we wont need it. As we traveled down the road we were assaulted with rain and wind. What a miserable ….. shit! What in the name Ioun is that! Suddenly we were in battle with some monstrous looking birds and batty creatures. There was some ape like thing in a tar pit and the monsters were coming out of its fur. Ezra let out a bunch of neat looking mechanical fire flies and they attached themselves to the creatures. But IO slipped and fell in the mud and Maggie green eyes got hit with some spores and flew up into the air. Honestly we need to get it together as a fighting group. But then Armani stood tall with the wind whipping his hair and long coat in the air. He threw a spear at a beast and it returned to his hand in an instant. “Stop your gawking girl and get in the fight” I heard grandma say. In that moment I bestowed the tail of the Avenger on Ciaran. He seemed the most likely to take some hits so maybe this will help. Hugo killed the last remaining creature in an epic battle between machine and beast. Maybe a good story to add to my book. Armani, Very, and I started looking for anything useful on the bodies. For some reason Ciaran had an issue with this. I explained their spirits are not here. They can’t take positions with them where they are going. He doesn’t understand because he hasn’t died before. I volunteered to do watch with Armani again. Gosh he is so beautiful and mysterious. When we were relieved from watch I went to meditate but I just couldn’t focus. Maybe Armani would want to share some of that drink with me again? When I got to his camp I was met by Hugo who indicated Armani was not available. I asked for a drink and when he handed me the chalice I was so excited. I took a big gup and immediately spit it out. I guess Hugo can’t make it the way Armani does. Where is he any way…? After a few more nights of travel we come across the Aura Watch fighting off some nasties. We did assist and after the battle the Watch guards offered to escort us to the military post of Bazzozan. It will be nice to have a peaceful rest after this grueling travel.

Knowledge is Power

Will he or Wont He? Today was the big event and there was quite an epic crowd. My team members and I prepared at the start of the race. We were wondering if CIARÁN would show as he had explained that he was not sure that running a race was the best use of his time. He indicated that he was on his own mission to find someone and was concerned that doing this race would take from his journey. But this group has already started to demonstrate cohesion as both myself, and Ezra offered to help him with his journey after the race. Ezra says he’s particularly good at finding people, and I am particularly good at investigating. Some people don’t want to be helped though. Some don’t easily let their guard down. I feel that perhaps he’s been through a lot. CIARÁN may be the kind of person that you just have to give time and space to. Sure enough, right before the race, CIARÁN approached the group. Our team complete and ready to go he just gave a look to the rest of us to say “yeah I’m here, don’t make a big deal.” When the horn sounded, I raced into the cave and was the first one in with the rest of my team on my heels. The only thing in the cave was a pool of water, and I quickly decided that we needed to jump in. The RACE Without drinking the underwater breathing potion, I went under and swam. There was a crossroads, so I picked a direction and went left. We came upon a barrier and we started to work together to clear the path. At this point, I noticed we were missing Armani. He must’ve gone right. Splitting up might’ve been a clever choice. They could be on the other path pulling ahead. If Armani went with them, he might be able to slow them down a bit. Once the path is clear, we swim into an open space with big pillars and saw a shimmering group of a school of fish with rather nasty, looking teeth. We would have to swim through. CIARÁN and Ezra swam forward without hesitation, while Very and I hung back. Suddenly I saw bright light come from CIARÁN, and the majority of the school had been dissolved, but Ezra was getting swarmed by some of them. I quickly swam over to help, stabbing slashing and getting him free of the attack. Swimming on we came to a space were something was swimming between the grate pillars in this cavern, lurking in the distance. I knew what it was before I saw it as a spirit, more floating than swimming, drifted past with a big bite out of the side of its body. There was a shark with the emerald, our prize hanging from its neck, and the shark had a spear sticking out of its side. The poor thing seemed to be suffering and was not too happy about it. I decided to end its suffering and swam up to it to pull the spear out. I did not expect all the guts to come pouring out into the water around me. When I looked for the emerald, I had discovered Very had already retrieved it. She is very quick. The Beast thrashed and slammed into a pillar which cracked and then fell into a wall of the cavern. It cracked open and when we went to explore, we had a shared vision. Elaxian? Its a Celestial thing. Not dead. He was begging for us to save him. Flashes of Ruidous Red and gold Light. Ezra picked up an item there, something that was touched by Deities. Then we were back. THE VISION After emerging from the race victorious, we were presented with our reward, but we were all still dazed and thinking about our experience. What, if anything, would it mean for us? CIARÁN was talking to Ezra and I about it and felt we should ignore it, saying he did not believe in fate. I don't think Ezra or I said we believed in fate either but we both seemed more open to getting more information about what happened. I know that CIARÁN feels he is on a path to find someone and does not want to get sidetracked. But Grandma used to say life is what happens when you are making other plans. Or at least DEATH is what happened to me while I was making other plans. You can't avoid dangers if you don't know what they are there. We could be pulled into this weather we ignore it or not. I believe finding out everything we can about this Elaxian situation will be wise. I'm not saying we help. I am saying we find out what is going on. Knowledge will prepare and protect us. Blessed be Ioun.

The Festival of Merritt at Jigow

PREFACE It was an odd sensation knowing you were fully alive and maybe less so now. That something horrible happened and to not remember any of it, the precious memories that are one's life, my story ... just gone. How can you miss something you can't remember? But in that hole where my life would have been, was something else spectacular, or rather someone. Gran-gran. I imagined a version of myself that would have happily given up anything for Gran-gran to be with me. And now here she was, part of my soul, right when I needed her most. After the unsavory event we were unsure which direction to head. The curator suggested starting off slow, “Now that you have made a full -ish recovery, maybe look into interesting customs in the area to report on.” I was now in a different city than I was where the event happened and would be safe here. We were in an Inn and the curator was getting up to leave. "Trust in Ioun " He said, “We will be blessed with the knowledge We need, not the knowledge We want. The journey to discovery will make you strong." After the curator left we started to venture out of the room. A rosy cheeked woman at the front desk of the inn waved to me and said "Feeling better dearie? My, my you look white as a ghost. I didn't think you should be having visitors so soon after your ordeal. Same breakfast as usual?" Before I could explain we had no idea who she was, she bounced off and when she returned, she had brought us a green drink and fluffy white bread with orange icing and smashed berries on top. Almost reflexively I whispered, "Smoosh berry cake". And then Gran Gran in my head added "your favorite". I couldn't remember the lady or how I knew her or anything from my time after leaving the Fay wild but this,,, maybe I would remember this. I picked up the fork and cut into it, gently raising the perfect bite to my mouth. I realized I haven't been breathing... was breathing before? No, no more weird stuff. This is my first memory on my own after coming back and it would be this good pure normal thing that I lov..... "WHaT the moon maiden trickery is this!? It's nothing! It tastes of dust and emptiness." We dropped the fork, and it clattered on the table. We turned to the woman saying "I'm sorry my illness must have taken my appetite. Will you please clear the table". Confused, she rushed to remove the items. The rest of the morning we sat and watched others enter and eat eggs and bacon and weird green things with power on them and crumbly muffins and fruit. And we listened as we heard a group of goblins say they were so excited to get on the road, something about fried frog on stick, and Horizon backs that knock down houses. “Im sorry" we interrupted, "what are you talking about." The shortest one replied “the festival of Merritt at Jigow.” Then the taller one “We go every year” then the thirds said “You have to go!” JIGOW And so it was that we arrived in Jigow, where people gathered in the streets, colored flags waived in the air, painted animals pulled decorated carts, and music and noise filled the air. Suddenly I felt my sayter hoofs keeping time beneath me and in a moment, I was playing an electric gig on my jet black viol with a group of likeminded musicians. It was almost like what I imagine having a heartbeat would be like. When the song ended we shook hands and I got a slap on the back and they wondered on and I started deeper into the festival. MEAT PIES Everywhere I tuned things were happening, a puff of smoke, man with a twisted mustache offering a bottle to me, a woman laughing way too loud. And meat pies. So so many meat pies. A woman shouted that a pie eating contest would start soon. How I ached to join in the fun, but food and I no longer mixed. I chose a long shot, purple hair small girl with a cute hat, to be my champion. I hooted and hollered for her in the crowd and was quite pleased when she wasn't the first one out and didn't look ten shades of green like that other poor fella. I was hoping to interview her when she came down off the stage to get her impressions of the experience and to find out how good those meat pies were. They looked delicious. I cast mage hand to record the conversation on some parchment as we spoke. I debated hanging round to see who the winner was. It was taking a long time and the longer I stood there the more discussing it got. ARMWRESTLING We heard a small crowd cheering across the street and headed over to see what the ruckus was about. There we came upon an epic battle of strength and will. An arm-wrestling contest! A fancy man mumbled something about a "bunch of brutes" as he wandered off. There was a group of soldiers rooting for a short woman. They had a couple of spirits with them too they did not seem to be aware of who were probably fallen comrades. Its nice that they stuck together. There were whispers as an older man with greying hair and weathered skin approached the champion, Meril Bronzefang. Bookies were placing bets, and the odds were not in Ciara'n favor. But I always did like an underdog... I think.... well I do now anyway. Ciara'n seemed calm and had a tense stare like a lion about to pounce. Bronzefang seemed smug and smirked as she straddled her chair and locked hands with the man. Biceps flexed, sweat dripping off their brows, a warrior scream as he pinned her arm to the table. The crowd roared! Some turned their attention to their losses; others recounted their disbelief to those around them. But I focused on the two competitors and noticed a tense moment between them before they turned to exit the stage. I pushed my way through the crowd but only got a few questions asked before he moved off. "What did it feel like to beat the champion? Have you done much arm wrestling before?" What a great story this would make for the Cobalt Soul. Though I know they would prefer harder to get stories of the ghostly variety this would do. BATTLE OF WITS I felt Grama-ma pulling me down the street and into a shop with a sign out front "Riddles And Rhymes". It was a dark intimate space at the center of which was a table with a light floating overhead illuminating the table. A Wizard sat across from someone who's back was to me and was slightly in shadow. And a tall mechanical thing in a top hat waited at his side. Curious. His butler maybe? They seemed to be engaged in some sort of battle of wit. We hung back and explored the shop which was full of potions and star scrolls. I could see why Gran-gran liked this place. Then the man stood and bowed. As the wizard placed a metal around his neck, I could see he was a quite beautiful man with gold locks and fine clothes. We could not wait to slip into the now vacant seat across from the wizard named Colbu Kaz. He explained the rules of the game and set out 7 bottles with colored liquid. We just needed to select the correct bottle after listening to the riddle. I could feel the fancy man and his butler standing behind me watching. Good. I perform better with an audience. And in a weird way I felt like he was supporting me, rooting for me. I will try not to disappoint. The first bit of the riddle seemed clear and I was able to eliminate 5 of the 7 right away. I remember he said the “light one” was the correct choice. And I only had a Purple and White left. So maybe the white potion? I reached my hand out and felt Granma-ma smack it and say "no"! The she urged me to breathe and listen. I could hear whispers pulling me to the purple bottle third from the right. I picked it up and downed it with confidence. I began to glow. I waved my hand in front of my face fascinated by the light emanating from it. Colbu Kaz stood and lifted a ribbon to place around my neck. I felt the weight of the medal before I saw it. I tipped it up to look at it and then smiled at the fancy man with his medal. We did it. That was exciting. Let's go find another challenge to participate in Gran! GRAIN We did three more challenges. The first we lost but it was fun because they gave us a scythe to swing to cut grain. I teamed up with the purple haired girl from the meat pie eating contest. Her name I found out was Very which I thought was rather unique. She seemed like she needed a win. I did try to see if the spirits working in the field could give me some tips. There was a bugbear woman kneeling next to me picking at the grain who was quite skinny whispering "not enough....need more". I tried to ask her if she had any tips on how to work the field more efficiently. Suddenly she sucked in some air and then started screaming in my face. Screaming about how she was starving, dislocating her jaw in the process. So.... maybe not the best person to ask. To make it worse the game masters caught me and said it was using magic which was cheating. I can see how it could be an unfair advantage, so I promised to ignore any ghosites in the field during the competition. I hoped Very wouldn’t be mad at me for nearly getting us disqualified. We lost but you can't say we didn't try. MAZE We also participated in a maze. I saw the fancy man and his butler robot, and a human with lots of pockets on his clothing and a few others gathering around the map. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw someone wander into the maze. Probably a spirit wandering around. When we were ready we could enter. I saw some evil looking children spirits snickering as the human went the wrong way. I was going to tell him but I thought a few times I saw my grandmother's spirit going around a corner. Usually, I don't see her. I just feel her in my soul, a part of me. I followed her a good bit of the way before I realized it wasn't her. Just some quick old lady. I saw the spirit of a hedge trimmer who walked with me and told me a story of a clever animal who lived in the maze. In his story were clues to the exit and maybe something more. A gift hidden in the story. The old lady had made it out before me. I wanted to interview her but she disappeared into a crowd of people. But where there is a crowd there is an audiance. So I told them of the adventures of the maze, the dangers of losing your sanity at every wrong turn and the story of the clever animal. It was so fun to entertain the crowd with my story. I waited to see if anyone else would make it out, but no one came. SWIMMING I lost the crowd to the swimming event. A disgusting bloated spirit in the water called to the crowd. His skin looked transparent and slimy, and he had a big grin saying “The water feels fine, come on in and have a swim" Though water gurgled up out of his mouth on the last word and water looked rather rough. No I will take a hard pass on this challenge. I saw the fancy man there. We chatted a bit though it was difficult to pull my eyes away from the disgusting blob spirit in the water. His name was Armani. He complimented me on my clothes which I thought was kind as they needed a wash. Armani seemed like the kind of person who would know clothes. He excused himself to participate in the event. I thought maybe we should warm him of the drowned spirit but… he probably wouldn’t believe us. A while later he emerged in a swimsuit and he looked so blindingly pale, I thought he was a ghost. A water Ganassi, a human, an orc and Armani the Pale jumped into the water and made an attempt to retrieve a spear from the other side. Armani and the orc discovered quickly they were in over their heads as the current was strong. They turned back right away. The drowned spirit laughed and pointed at the struggling swimmers. The ginassi and human were struggling. We worried they would drown so we cast bardic inspiration on both of them and watched as Ciara'n and Armani’s metal butler attempt rescues. The ginassi as it turned out didn't need saving as she was well…. a water ginassi, dispute the valiant efforts of the arm wrestler. Hugo the metal man was able to rescue the human and no one won that event but no one drowned either so that is a sort of a win. HORIZONBACK HEARDING We saved the best event for last. The baby HorizonBack Hearding. It was the reason I came. The goblins we traveled with to get here told us about how in last year's races the horioznbacks knocked down 10 houses, an outhouse, and trampled 2 grain fields. It took 50 men to wrangle the beasts back to their pins! We walked up the hill and looked down into the gorge where the animals were kept before the race. Seeing them all squished together made me think of giant land masses smashing together to make mountains. And these were just babies! The hulking animals huffed and stomped their massive feet as they waited to be freed from their pins. Animal handlers attempted to attach saddles to them for the riders of the upcoming competition, though it looked wildly dangerous. There was a team hopping about distracting the animal while four others worked quickly to get the straps around the beast. As I watched I was surprised by how unique the Horizonbacks looked from each other. Though they were all turtle-like in structure, one was muddy with roots poking out, another with ridges like a conch shell and barnacles crusting its underside, one looked like it had a small mountain on its back and another had swampy looking dead trees and moss. One had a spirit squished under one foot. Just two feet, two hands and a head poking out and every time it stomped the spirit man would say “ooo my back!” But my favorite was the one that looked like it was made of carved stone with blue glowing ruins and Azure Aster flowers growing on it. It had a willow tree sprouting out of the back and fireflies floating around it. It reminded us of Fay wild. We decided that would be the one I rode in the contest. The herders were pulled aside and instructed by an animal handler to not put your arm or any body part you didn't want bit away from the animal's face, no sudden movements when mounting and if we fell off, we were to roll away and avoid getting trampled. We signed a waiver acknowledging that we could get injured or die and then he said "Right! Well go choose your animals, have fun and try not to die." My Horizonback had a sign next to it. "Azure Heart". I gently stroked her neck. "Azure Heart, Is that your name girl? Well, nice to meet you. Easy girl. You are safe with me. I bet you feel cramped in here. How about we go for a run?" A big glassy eye looked at me, she slowly blinked and bent down so I could climb up easier. "Thats it girl, nice and easy." Once up in the saddle I was lifted up off the ground about 10 feet. Looking side to side I was even with the other riders as we were lined up to start the race. Then I gripped the rains and Azure Heart and I set our sights dead ahead in the open space. A flair shot, the gates clanged open, and we ran. I leaned forward into the air rushing past my face and felt free. For a moment I felt weightless and almost let go of the reins to spread my arms out but ahead of me someone was tossed from their mount. I heard a high pitched "YEEEEEE" as the man pinwheeled and skipped along the ground past me. Well, that was a good reminder to stay focused. I have already died once, and I did not intend to get trampled. I hunkered in to get a better feel of Azure Heart's rhythm. She was breathing hard now but had hit a steady pace. As we approached the finish line, I realized we were winning. I squeezed a little tighter as we crossed past the flags and the animal handlers banked us along a natural rock formation expertly slowing us down as they guided us into another holding pin. I laid flat hugging her and letting my tired limbs hang down on either side of her neck as he as she panted, exhausted. That was fun wasn't girl? Thank you for letting me come along for the ride. I stood at the end of day ceremony with 3 medals around my neck. One for wit, one for the maze and one for my Horizon Back ride. The Riddle master Wizard stood tall in front of the crowd and announced teams for tomorrow's trials. We were elated when our name was called. Gran Gran was so very proud of us. The folks on the other team seem tough but I am happy with who I got teamed up with. The fancy man seems like a risk taker, the arm-wrestler seems gallant and strong. I thought Very and I made a good team, but grain was just not my challenge. I am looking forward to getting to know the others. Right now, I just need a long lie down under the stars. I could write 10 stories and 20 songs based off this day. Years of my life were gone from my memories, but I knew I had never lived a day like today. This is one was truly unforgettable.

Yavari Nightshade