The Haunting of the Rose - Chapter 4, Night Falls
Jubei was quite easily overheard by other folk nearby and very quickly drew a crowd. Seeing this crowd gathering, and the overhear a few people talking about the events they had heard about in Kyssea the guardsman relented. Though one of them was not defeated going so far as to say he would keep an eye on you. Clearly this was just an idle threat to try and save some kind of face.
Guards at the Gate: 100 Experience Points for each player and recieve 1 Fortune Token.
Once you were past them, and well out of earshot, Amare said ”I pity them for being unable to see your hearts.” he sighed. Amare hardly resembled the buck-nude man which had descended from the sky less than a fortnight ago. After little less than a day Amare had demonstrated the ability to conjure almost anything out of thin air. What he described as manifestation, he explained that he could only manifest rather simple items for now such as clothing or crude instruments and he wore clothing he himself had brought into existence. A dark blue, long sleeved, roughspun tunic which he wore over an off-white vest of linen. His pants were a dull brown set of woolen trousers and he wore simple leather boots. All of which had needed some tailoring after their initial creation as Amare was not quite as capable at making things as they should be as he would have liked to have been able to. His other possessions included a backpack which he had at first attempted to make himself before having one given to him simply to spare him the embarrassment of failing to make anything that would actually resemble something as complex as a backpack. As well as other items common to travelers you had pitched in to acquire for him and one final item he had made himself over the span of the last few days. A long, sinuous staff made up of what appeared to be hardwood or bone into a fragile-looking helix which joined into a thick almost-sharp point at the bottom and a long, stylized bident at the top. The appeared very unwieldy and flimsy but you had seen it change its shape in response to Amare’s will, as the helix would close and swell into a proper shaft for Amare to grip no matter where on the staff he held it. It was also at least as strong as tempered steel as Amare had asked Jubei and Drex to try and break the staff to a lot of huffing and no avail. Amare also seemed to be able to be able to make the staff vanish and appear at will which fascinated Willa to no end. Though Amare explained he could only do that with a few specific things for now and none of those could in anyway be another living thing. The staff was referred to by Amare as his “instrument” he he claimed he would need if he was to make more precise manifestations.
A few minutes passed as you made your way down the main road which lead into the city of Strine, where immediately the cries of hawkers and merchants assaulted you from almost every side. Criers expounded the wonderous wares and services of merchants and business in the city, street performers cavorted, astounded and amazed folk and yourselves as you passed by. The main road through the city was a thoroughfare of activity impossible to take in all at once and yet incredibly delightful all at the same time. Even music from minstrels and songs from bards could be heard mingling into a cacophony of humorously disjointed stories and themes.
No one seemed particularly disturbed by the giant working overhead. Despite the colourfulness of the city streets the citadel at the center was a dark and foreboding building within which no life seemed to stir, there was almost a mesmerizing quality to it you had to shake yourself to get away from.
Not long after you entered the city the giant paused for a moment with an odd frown wrinkling the top of his snout and cast his completely sea-green eyes about the city as if looking for something and stopped his gaze in your general vicinity then he crooked an eyebrow and seemed to be in thought for a moment before giving facial shrug and resumed his work. Only Willa and Amare appeared oblivious to the giant’s actions.
[This is the last major city you’ll find yourselves in for a while so if you want to buy stuff, or make use of any services now will be it. I assume you will also be spending the night in the city and setting out at dawn the next day. So please state your Inn preference.]