Open Exploration: The Old Capital.

[thequestgiver]

Where: The Old Capital
When: RD6, all day
What: The Hero of the Mountains has come and gone from the Old Capital, just passing our heroes on the way. Time to explore the city in her aftermath?



On the surface, the Old Capital looks much like Schwanheim, only without the two rivers flanking the castle. It's much smaller, the houses father apart and older looking that the more crowded capital, and far more ordered. It has the feel of a city that was planned out. The castle stands in the center, simple, yet impressive, navy blue banners flapping from the the towers that grace each corner, acting as gateway to the 4 wide streets that slice through the circular town like the spokes of a wheel, dividing it into sections. One quarter is the market and craftsman district, the road leading to the castle lined with stalls and merchants with goods on blankets, side streets winding down towards the less sightly businesses. Flanking it on both ends are two housing districts, the smaller homes closer to the market, getting larger as they head for the 4th district, full of large mansions and an impressive church.

There's a large clock tower in the market district that matches the one back in Schwanheim, and a bulletin board much the same.

The clock is stopped, the board blank, and there is an eerie feeling as if something is just... missing. A lack of bird song. A lack of breeze. An odd feeling of stillness, almost as if one were walking through a ghost town even though there are still people about their daily chores as if nothing's wrong.

Comments

before checking out the castle!

[shorterinperson]

Alanna was frustrated, but not quite ready to give up yet. The clock tower was another suspicious outlier. If time was stopped, or turned back like she was beginning to suspect, then a clock was a good place to look. She approached the tower with a frown.

She didn't actually know anything about clocks.

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia rides toward the clock tower on the back of her horse, surveying the tower as it grows closer. She remembers how strangely the clock tower back in Schwanheim was acting and wonders if there's any connection here. It may be a stretch, but it is a lead where are none others.

It pleases her to see someone else at the tower and she offers a friendly smile and wave of her hand as she approaches.

[shorterinperson]

She huffed before turning to the newcomer. Asking for help was never an easy thing to do.

"Do you know anything about how these contraptions work?"

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia shakes her head and dismounts from her horse, giving him a pat on the side. While it may look like she's ignoring Alanna with her silence, in truth, she's quickly getting a small journal and something to write with out of her bag. A message is quickly scribbled out and the book held out for the woman to read.

All I know is it's a series of gears that work together, but beyond that, I'm not sure. I take it you also had the idea of seeing if the clock tower was connected to all of this?

[shorterinperson]

She frowned as she read the message, then nodded.

"Not sure what good it will do, but it's better than standing around doing nothing."

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia nods in agreement, quickly scribbling out another message.

Do you know if the door to the clock tower is open or will we have to find an alternate means of entry?

And by alternate means, she means breaking down the door.

[shorterinperson]

"Not sure yet," she admitted. "I just arrived myself. I suppose it's time to find out."

She marched forward and threw the door open. "Guess not then."

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia removes her horse's bridle and hangs it off the pommel. With nowhere to hitch him too, she trusts he won't wander off too far (and if he does, hopefully she can see from the top of the clock tower).

Makes it easier for us. Now let's hope it isn't trapped. I'm Ginia by the way.

[shorterinperson]

Alanna left her own horse tied near the center of town, but she didn't seem too worried. They'd been trained, so they shouldn't run off unless something came by to scare them.

"Alanna. I'll go first, in case it is." And so she did, in the door and up the stairs, peering around her as she went.

[thequestgiver]

The base of the tower was largely empty, with just a long staircase clinging to the walls, curving upwards towards the top where a thick wooden floor supported the innards of the clock above it.

Once they reached that floor, however, they were greeted with a room of tightly packed clockwork, the edges of the gears polished from use, the tops dulled with age. There was a thin layer of dust on the floor, but non on the clockwork, despite its stillness. It seems only recently had it stopped...

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia doesn't argue Alanna taking the lead, but she still draws her knife from its sheath and keeps it ready as she follows behind the other woman. They spiral up slowly, step after step after step until they reach the top. Ginia looks around at their surroundings, then crouches down to investigate the floor. She swipes up some dust onto her fingers, then looks ahead, searching for any tracks or signs of other activity and seeing nothing. She goes next to the clock, carefully looking at the gears and other machinery involved.