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

[thequestgiver]

As if deaf, the villager continued on, pausing a few feet down to chat with another man heading the opposite direction.

[shorterinperson]

She frowned, then turned on the other villagers.

"Can any of you hear me? Can you even see me?"

[thequestgiver]

There was utterly no reply or acknowledgment from anyone.

It would seem that indeed, they could not.

[shorterinperson]

Finally fed up, she attempted to physical stop someone from walking past her. She grabbed a man by the arms and attempted to swing him to face her.

[thequestgiver]

Her hands would find no hold, slipping through the man as if he-- or she-- were not there at all. The man continued walking, stepping through here as if one or both of them were a ghost.

[shorterinperson]

That answered that question, at least. And now she had a better idea of what she was dealing with, she headed in the direction of the castle again. She was careful to notice what was happening around her, to see if any of the conversation would give her a clue as to what was happening here.

[thequestgiver]

All the conversation was pretty standard gossip. Who was seen in the bar when he should be at work, who was seen leaving a married man's home at 2 in the morning and did you hear, did you hear, Elena danced with the prince at the coronation ball! Oh, but he's not a prince now, he's king, remember? Such a shame they moved the capital to that new city, else they all could have gone to see.

[shorterinperson]

That was odd. Coronation? It sounded as though... as though this was all one big ghost, a vision of the past.

She moved on towards the castle. Maybe she could learn more there.

[thequestgiver]

The world seems to slow down as she approaches the castle in the center, the air getting thicker, her steps slowing despite all intent, as if the castle itself is extruding some force to keep her away from it.

[shorterinperson]

Being the stubborn mule that she was, Alanna attempted to force her way through to the castle until she literally couldn't move any more, cursing creatively all the way. When she was finally pushed back she turned around and stomped off, looking for something else to distract her.