03-05-2013, 03:37 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-06-2013, 05:27 PM by MelancholyFae.)
The Arrival of Winter
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The nights were getting colder, with frost lining the trees and grass like icy silk in the mornings, making people hurry before winter truly arrived in all its frozen glory. Extra clothing was being made, pelts and blankets were being finished, meat cooked and smoked and dried for the winter, and harvests brought in from the outside. Repairs were being completed, and pests getting exterminated on a daily basis, with still no definite end to the spiders.
Snowfall showed up right on time as the year ticked from Autumn to Winter, covering everything and sticking in layers to the cold ground. Flowers and any other plants that were not brought inside wilted and died from the temperature and snow, and many of the animals scampered around to seek warmth in nearby roofed buildings, just as the people were trying to move in.
Above the cliffside, in the upper sections of the city, movement could now be seen.
Strangers in the Snow
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The snow continued to pile up in drifts for the first few months, creating a winter which most from Auria had not experienced before. The wind was at times harsh and biting, with almost constant grey skies and a dim sun that was unable to give warmth. Most moved to the tavern and inn, called Hero's Hall, in the inner section of the city, for its private rooms and fireplace. The rest stayed at the docks; some in the newly refurbished building that was given to the groupâs healer, some in the pub, and others in the fort. A firepit was made outside the Healerâs Home for warmth during the cold days.
The threat of spiders within the city was finally taken care of; any queens that were left were killed, the nests were destroyed to prevent another swarm come spring, and the people felt more at ease. Those with building experience - or those willing to learn - started work on the houses previously claimed by the spiders, cutting down the overgrowth nearby and fixing the roofs and floors, hoping to get a few done for the families before winter ended.
No sooner were the spiders taken care of, when a group of people appeared near the inn. Curiosity and suspicions arose making for a rather mixed set of confrontations. The townspeople tried different ways to find out who these people were; from a more hospitable approach to curious questions to a diplomatic and casual invitation. The method that caused the most reaction was when a hunter followed the small group, and was captured by them. When he was returned and the strangers left quietly and peacefully - though looking rather distrustful - the hunterâs stories confirmed at least one thing. There was an Xitian amongst that group.
The Talk of the Town
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Discussion about the group of strangers buzzed around the town quickly, and questions and theories abounded. Why were they here? Where were they staying? How do we learn more about them? How do we defend ourselves against them, if theyâre dangerous or hostile? There were no immediate answers, and while some preferred to be aggressively defensive to protect their home and family, others wanted to make sure the townspeople did not antagonize the group of strangers or give them any reason to attack the town.
This knowledge of a possible threat didnât stop the town from continuing on, however. There were still places to fix, wood to collect for fires, food to hunt and fish, and snow to keep off of the paths from place to place. The game started becoming scarce as most of the herds had either migrated or already been hunted, and the ice in the quickly flowing rivers made fishing difficult.
Mining had also started, bringing back stone and other things to help with the re-building of the town, as the giant cavernous area underneath the upper-city had been explored some. People kept themselves busy either with work or with talk, and with the additions of other people from Auria (and other places). Ravenna was slowly becoming more of a proper town.
Winter Blues
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It was nearing the middle of winter when another small group of people showed, mostly in blue. They were welcomed into the tavern at first, though one was quickly recognized as someone known from Auria back in the days - an eccentric Lucin by the name of Cervantes. While the meeting was short and somewhat hospitable, it once again left the townsfolk feeling edgy, with mixed reactions and more questions than answers. With the aggressive tendencies by some to protect home and family, it was clear that there needed to be a few guides established, to make sure no one caused any undue issues with either group of strangers. The old mayor of Auria, one of the more recent arrivals, had decided to conduct a town meeting to address this as well as other concerns and questions the townsfolk had.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The nights were getting colder, with frost lining the trees and grass like icy silk in the mornings, making people hurry before winter truly arrived in all its frozen glory. Extra clothing was being made, pelts and blankets were being finished, meat cooked and smoked and dried for the winter, and harvests brought in from the outside. Repairs were being completed, and pests getting exterminated on a daily basis, with still no definite end to the spiders.
Snowfall showed up right on time as the year ticked from Autumn to Winter, covering everything and sticking in layers to the cold ground. Flowers and any other plants that were not brought inside wilted and died from the temperature and snow, and many of the animals scampered around to seek warmth in nearby roofed buildings, just as the people were trying to move in.
Above the cliffside, in the upper sections of the city, movement could now be seen.
Strangers in the Snow
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The snow continued to pile up in drifts for the first few months, creating a winter which most from Auria had not experienced before. The wind was at times harsh and biting, with almost constant grey skies and a dim sun that was unable to give warmth. Most moved to the tavern and inn, called Hero's Hall, in the inner section of the city, for its private rooms and fireplace. The rest stayed at the docks; some in the newly refurbished building that was given to the groupâs healer, some in the pub, and others in the fort. A firepit was made outside the Healerâs Home for warmth during the cold days.
The threat of spiders within the city was finally taken care of; any queens that were left were killed, the nests were destroyed to prevent another swarm come spring, and the people felt more at ease. Those with building experience - or those willing to learn - started work on the houses previously claimed by the spiders, cutting down the overgrowth nearby and fixing the roofs and floors, hoping to get a few done for the families before winter ended.
No sooner were the spiders taken care of, when a group of people appeared near the inn. Curiosity and suspicions arose making for a rather mixed set of confrontations. The townspeople tried different ways to find out who these people were; from a more hospitable approach to curious questions to a diplomatic and casual invitation. The method that caused the most reaction was when a hunter followed the small group, and was captured by them. When he was returned and the strangers left quietly and peacefully - though looking rather distrustful - the hunterâs stories confirmed at least one thing. There was an Xitian amongst that group.
The Talk of the Town
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Discussion about the group of strangers buzzed around the town quickly, and questions and theories abounded. Why were they here? Where were they staying? How do we learn more about them? How do we defend ourselves against them, if theyâre dangerous or hostile? There were no immediate answers, and while some preferred to be aggressively defensive to protect their home and family, others wanted to make sure the townspeople did not antagonize the group of strangers or give them any reason to attack the town.
This knowledge of a possible threat didnât stop the town from continuing on, however. There were still places to fix, wood to collect for fires, food to hunt and fish, and snow to keep off of the paths from place to place. The game started becoming scarce as most of the herds had either migrated or already been hunted, and the ice in the quickly flowing rivers made fishing difficult.
Mining had also started, bringing back stone and other things to help with the re-building of the town, as the giant cavernous area underneath the upper-city had been explored some. People kept themselves busy either with work or with talk, and with the additions of other people from Auria (and other places). Ravenna was slowly becoming more of a proper town.
Winter Blues
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
It was nearing the middle of winter when another small group of people showed, mostly in blue. They were welcomed into the tavern at first, though one was quickly recognized as someone known from Auria back in the days - an eccentric Lucin by the name of Cervantes. While the meeting was short and somewhat hospitable, it once again left the townsfolk feeling edgy, with mixed reactions and more questions than answers. With the aggressive tendencies by some to protect home and family, it was clear that there needed to be a few guides established, to make sure no one caused any undue issues with either group of strangers. The old mayor of Auria, one of the more recent arrivals, had decided to conduct a town meeting to address this as well as other concerns and questions the townsfolk had.
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