The Ravenwood Chronicles: Heart of Stone pt. 1

New things are always brewing in the wood. Any who live in Ravenwood town know that, year to year, we see new faces and hear new tales with regularity. Travelers often pass through town moving between the kingdoms East and West Anglia, bringing with them stories of life beyond the forest. Some choose to stay, some choose to continue on their way. Almost all leave with a new tale to tell.

We encountered many new faces after our long and difficult year, and the vast majority of them comprised a merry, valiant bunch. Warriors and adventurers from near and far. Some fought monsters, some engaged in chores for the public good such as clearing a plot for the New Mousling Village. Through charitable donations and the guidance of Mousling Mayor Bombalurino, New Mousling Village was constructed and its all-new orphanage was opened. A gambling table was also opened by Ivan in town, while Ilyn operated a table for monster hunters, and Thokk and Ada held down the homestead with a hut shop and bar. It seemed the day was shaping up to be peaceful welcome to our many new visitors.

That is, until trouble began ramping up in town. An out-of-towner began asking questions of the folks of Ravenwood, seeking out Ilyn, Brennus, Ramses, and Hiro. Questions from strangers usually bode ill in these parts. Most attempted to avoid his questions, and Ilyn seemed to take the danger in stride- nothing he hadn’t seen before.

The dangerous words culminated in dangerous actions. The man and his companion attacked Ilyn in an attempted assassination, but he held his own, killing one and sending the other packing. No sooner had he recovered from this attack than Brennus at last returned from his goblin-hunting sabbatical- wounded and exhausted. He confessed that he had taken on Ilyn’s name while on dubious business in West Anglia. Trouble appeared to be following them.

An archery contest was had to calm everyone’s nerves, where Mertag again showed his prowess. While out exploring, Ivan and Thokk uncovered a strange, sizable stone gutting out of the riverbed. Water flow from the felling of the forest by McKenna’s soldiers a year ago had resulted in erosion, exposing the rock. Bringing it into town, Ivan and Thokk considered its economic value, while Meldryn became suspicious. The rock appeared to have strange properties, and enlisted the assistance of townsfolk to acquire the natural supplies necessary for him to determine its magical properties.

When Meldryn touched the stone, it seemed that his concerns were founded. Though the stone elicited a kind of youthful, manic joy in him, he was also unsettled by its presence. He told the town that it was the Heart of Ravenwood, an ancient stone, a deposit of deep and old magic that the forest relies upon for balance and life. Exposed, the entire wood was in danger. At Meldryn’s behest, the town agreed to protect it.

Following a series of dances in the heat of our waning summer sun, the townsfolk began on their way back to town. At a deep ravine in the forest, however, they encountered an old acquaintance. The Duke of Devlin, Coriander Magot, long thought dead! He and his men, known colloquially as the Spice Boys, declared that they had heard of the Heart of Ravenwood and wanted it for themselves. They claimed to have amassed an army under orders from on high. Upon recognizing Ilyn, however, the Duke concluded that he would gladly take either- Ilyn for the price on his head, or the Heart for its monetary value. He gave the townsfolk until the end of the day to make their decision of who to hand over, threatening the destruction of Ravenwood if they refused.

Returning to town, the people of Ravenwood struggled with their answer. While Ilyn had obviously brought trouble to town, to forfeit him and trade lives would prove to set a dangerous precedent. While the Heart was not an occupant of the wood, there was the fear that the forest would no longer be able to sustain itself without it. Though to fight the terms of the Duke’s agreement seemed natural, the numbers of Ravenwood were too low- there was no facing an army of one hundred West Anglian soldiers. Not after the plague and the losses of the past year.

Meldryn confessed that he had not heard from the Woodland Queen in nearly a year, and that there seemed to be no chance of help from them. The townsfolk sent a message to King Rupert to seek his aid, against all hope of making it in time. Seeking out more fighters, the townsfolk went to the monsters in the wood to plead for aid against a common enemy. While the troll family of Featherhead, Mort, and Mort Jr. proved willing to assist in the battle, their numbers were also less than desirable. Our numbers remained feeble, and many of those in Ravenwood were new to the forest.

In order to prove their salt, Ujel Rook and Brennus of Caide displayed a duel of swordsmanship. Marshall Law and Ilyn guided the townsfolk in battle-drills. As a last Hope, a group of our warriors were sent out in an attempt to flank the West Anglian army.

The citizens of Ravenwood took the Heart and Ilyn and brought them before the Duke and his men, hoping to buy time for a miracle. Facing off with the Duke, Brennus presented a shackled Ilyn as an offering. The voices of hundreds of soldiers floated down from the hilltop. At the last moment, however, Brennus and Ilyn leapt to action, attacking the Duke’s men and inciting a mighty battle. The conflict raged on, as King Rupert’s guard and Mc appeared, racing down from the hilltop with an announcement- the King had sent his army to attack the West Anglian forces, and they were winning!

Ilyn faced off with Duke Coriander and struck him down as the Spice Boys were overcome. At the last moment, however, a magic user from among their ranks cast a fiery spell upon the exposed Heart of Ravenwood. He was shot down, but it was too late. Set alight, the Heart was engulfed in flame. Meldryn rushed forward to extinguish the fire, but drowsy tongues of flame continued to lick the Heart even as he knelt beside it to ascertain the damage.

Despairing, Meldryn set his hands on the Heart. The stillness of the wood was palpable, as even the birds overhead grew silent. There was no flicker of life, no sign of the magic that had once permeated the stone. When asked what its result would be, what this meant for Ravenwood, even the ancient wizard could not say.

That night, the sun set upon Ravenwood, and it has not risen since.

To be continued