Evanna Spectre – blogpost 6

We embark on a long walk through mud, rivers, forests, and mountains to Parnast. The walk takes around eight hours and halfway, we need a short rest. At 8 PM we arrive at a village with a small square. We stand out because of our clothing, we are very eccentric as a party, and the villagers are not. I can see some of them belong to the cult with their black robes, and some villagers are more toned down. We walk past a stable and see a large castle floating in fog at the end of the village. Two statues stand before it. It seems to be made for giants because it is ginormous for us normal-sized creatures. At the square, I see trails of the loot caravan we are meant to intercept. I walk up to the people at the square and ask some guards (at least, I think those people are guards) for the nearest inn. They look confused: as if they don’t get many of these questions. There are no free rooms available, but they tell me I can ask for food and drinks at the Golden Tankard across the square. We decide to enter the tavern.

I would like to order some Wyrm Wizz because of its healing powers, but the bartender doesn’t have any. He only has regular ale – which I don’t like. Daddy says the only ale that’s good for you is Wyrm Wizz. Instead, I order some food: the bartender (named Ragnar) has some sausage. When we’re waiting for our food, we all feel the rest of the guests looking at us. I don’t mind; I am used to that. Where I’m from, people always looked at Daddy and me because they thought we’re weird. I learned to ignore them, so that is what I’m doing now. The tavern is silent, a couple of people are whispering, but there is no cheer and laughter. After a while, we get our food, but Shishaldix does not want to eat with us: he sits at another table and orders his food separately. What’s up with that? After we’ve eaten our dinner, Ragnar offers us more drinks, but Ilimitar wants to go to the castle to investigate. Ragnar cannot tell us much more about the castle: it can fly (obviously) and is inhabited by a Cloud Giant. He asks us for our stories and what we’ve been up to. Most of us refuse, but Yrod happily obliged. Around 9 PM, Elenyr wants to get a move on; we walk outside – without Shishaldix – towards the castle. We hear a lot of noise coming from that direction. It seems ready to take off: it is shaking and gravel and stone are falling off it. We want to get to it before it leaves.

“THEY CAN’T ENTER THE CASTLE! STOP THEM!”

we hear doors slam shut, indicating many people run from the Golden Tankard and some houses. We make a run for the castle and run onto the drawbridge. The bridge is tilting and the cultists don’t dare to approach. I can hear some of them say: ‘Never mind, let Razmir handle them.’ Morsab and Ilimitar try to fly to the castle the rest is on the bridge. The gate is still open, but the second they try to get to it, the two statues come to life! Two Stone Golems prepare to attack us with their huge fists.

It’s a struggle, but we all succeed in getting off the bridge into the castle. However, Ilimitar got there first and was attacked by the Stone Golems that moved there too. The castle is floating now, with all of us in it – at the courtyard, fighting. Ilimitar is knocked out and inside a tiny dome together with Yrod, who wanted to save him. We hear from the towers: ‘Get the Balista ready!’ and a PANG – the bridge is loose and falls down in the ravine. We see Parnast growing smaller in the distance.

The fight is with Stone Golems, Ogres, Balistas, and more, and I try to protect everyone from harm with my Twilight Sanctuary but am knocked out by a Golem. Ilimitar helps me back up, but soon I’m down again because of the Ogres running towards us from their towers, and Balista’s that are fired. Now, Elenyr comes to my aid. Yrod kills one of the Golems, Shishaldix shoots a fireball to the Balista and burns it down, but I cannot see Morsab.

Suddenly: a door flies open: other Ogres join the fight, after that, more people enter the courtyard… We see Dragon Wings, Kobolds yelling and running with daggers in their tiny hands, Griffions, Guard Drakes, and between them… Razmir. Somewhere behind that, I see two large postures. Giants. I am scared, interested (because of Daddys’ stories), and worried. I am distracted for a second, and then… the lights go out and I fall to the ground: knocked out.