Chapter 1: The Town of Irving

The tiny village of Irving sat near the northern woods. It was a small community that was not shown on any maps, tucked away in a small pocket of the world. Only one sign mentioned it, it was a rough beaten up sign just off the only road that led to Irving.

I reread the sign, and checked my map, and Irving wasn’t there. People in Humboldt told me there are small farms and villages not shown on any maps, but signs would lead me to where I would go. As I traveled along this road, I made a note of the villages on my own map, but this town of Irving was different in two ways: Other towns that didn’t appear on any maps had a few signs that revealed their location, and no other town had a powerful source of magic emanating from it.

I headed north towards Irving, and noticed the road had become unused for quite some time. Grass had begun to grow in the wheel tracks of wagons and caravans that might have made their mark in the ground previously. But no matter, maybe they haven’t had any reason to have visitors.

As I approached the town, I felt a powerful wave of magic hit me. It wasn’t an attack, but more like a warning: I’m here, be careful. I entered the town and was greeted by a guard, an older gentleman by the name of Henry.

“Welcome to Irving traveler. If you are in need of a rest stop, we don’t have a regular inn, like other towns,” he said. “But rather, we have rooms for rent in a few houses occupied by families. If you would like to stay, the Grimble, the Rose and the West family all have rooms available to rent. They will provide you with lodging and food if you wish to pay for it, that is. We have a small store where you can refill your supplies, but do not we don’t have much to offer. You would be better served in one of the larger towns in the nearby area.”

“Thank you,” I told him. “My name’s Syric and…” I stopped myself mid-sentence. Something caught my eye. A young girl was playing in the middle of the square with other children. Her magical aura was unlike anything I ever seen before, simply incredible. She was a source of raw magical power. But the energy was spilling out of her, unchecked and wild, and to be honest it frightened me a bit. “I only plan on spending a night or two here.  Where could I find the houses with the room for rent?”

Henry pointed out the houses and told me they usually have names on a sign by their houses for travelers. As I walked towards these homes, others from the village greeted me and said hi. I sat in the town square to rest and relax and watch this young child, to investigate her just a bit without drawing any attention.

As I rested from my journey, I watched the young girl play with two boys. They were pretending to be heroes and battling a fierce imaginary beast. The young girl was running to strike her pretend foe, tripped and fell on the ground. She started to cry, holding her knee in pain. A young woman rushed over to her side and helped her up. They made their way towards my bench.

“I have a bandage if you would like,” I said as I pulled out a small piece of cloth. The woman thanked me and applied it to the scratched knee. After a second, the little girl hopped back up and ran back to join the battle. 

“My name is Fiona.  Fiona Rose,” she said. “Henry always tips me off when a guest enters Irving. He is my brother-in-law’s father,” she said smiling. 

“My name is Syric the Scribe,” I said. “I’m a traveling professor from Windhelm University. I’m on vacation and well, I was walking and saw a sign that said Irving and decided to follow it. I’m a bit of an amateur cartographer in my spare time.” 

Fiona seemed a little troubled. “Are you going to put our town on your map?” she asked.

“Yes, but this is for my own personal collection. It won’t be going in any books or in any atlas.” 

“We like not being on maps. Not that we don’t like travelers and guests, but too often we get people who come here and are disappointed because we don’t offer as much as other places. They are nice people, but we feel a bit of disrespect when they treat us as less worthy because we don’t have a proper inn. Many of them complained to the local regents about this. I was told other towns had similar problems. So map makers only started to put towns that have full inns and stores on maps. Since we don’t have one, we stopped appearing on maps. But we get the stray guest or guests from time to time. Mostly those who get lost, trapped in bad weather, or just curious people like you Mr. Syric,” she smiled.

“I understand,” I said.  “Like I said, no one will ever see my maps, this is just a hobby I like to do from when I have when Windhelm is on break.” 

“You said you were a scribe?” 

“Yes, I do mostly busy work, writing schedules, the lesson plans, the syllabuses, the class rosters every year for Windhelm. I also prepare the magical books, tomes and scrolls and make sure the commissary is fully stocked,” I said with a smile. “Right now we are on our 2 week break and I had some freetime.”  

We sat in silence for a little bit, watching the kids play.  

“That is my little girl, Aeli,” she said, pointing at the girl battling the unseen foe. Something caught my eye. Something was different. Something changed. 

“Are you looking to rent a room?” she asked.

“Yes, just for the night, maybe two at the most,” I said. 

“Well the price for one night is fifty copper, plus 10 copper per meal you want me to prepare,” she said. 

“That’s fair,” I said. “Saves me the trouble of shopping around and finding the best rate.” 

“Well I best be going,” she said. “I was on my lunch break when I got word from Henry that a traveler came by. So I stopped by to say hi.” 

“Thank you,” I said.  “I shall do some wandering, shopping and maybe exploring.  Which one is your house?” 

“Oh, the signs are out in front. But it’s right there,” she said, pointing to a small two story wooden house. “The one with the green door.” 

“Well I’m going to rest up some more here and then I’ll see you for supper.”

She nodded and walked away. I looked back at the children playing and realized that the two other children that Aeli was playing with aren’t the same. Instead of two young boys, she was now playing with two young girls. Did the boys go home and this new pair join in? It was only a minute or two since she fell and hurt her knee. 

I got up and decided to wander around town. Everywhere I went, I could feel magical energy pulsating around me. It was bouncing off the walls inside the general store, it was in the ground as I walked down the street, it was even in the water as I drank it. The origin point was this little girl Aeli. But why was it everywhere? There were no visual signs of it. Just the feeling of magical energy.

That night at dinner, Fiona and I discussed the history of Irving. It was once a lumber community and would send wagons full of oak and pine to Humboldt. But then the war with the Kingdom of Dovan happened. The war was an unusual one. It was a quick war, only lasting five years, but it created an impressive body count of slain and injured. A lot of the young men in Irving and the neighboring towns went off and never returned. Fiona’s husband was one of them, along with many of the lumberjacks. He left before Aeli was born and she got word of his death when Aeli was four. The war ended soon after that.

“I know it well,” I said. 

“Did you fight in it?” Aeli asked, looking up from her plate of pot roast and potatoes.

“No, well. Not in the traditional sense. You see…well, I don’t know if it is appropriate to talk about here,” I said, looking at Fiona.

Fiona nodded and said “It’s alright, I’m very open with Aeli about the war.” 

“When…war happens, and blood is spilled out of hate and rage…well, this draws the attention of creatures called Dirges. They wait until the battles are over and they, well, reap the leftovers…” I said, lowing my voice and eyes. “Wizards and other magically gifted individuals are tasked with battling these creatures to prevent them from gaining in strength and power. I was at the Battle of Sirt and then at the Battle of Trian.”

“My daddy died at the Battle of Sirt…” Aeli said, picking up another piece of pot roast and eating it.

“I’m sorry,” I said. 

“Did you win the battle?” she asked.

“Yes, we managed to drive the Dirges back and eliminate them.”

“That’s good,” she said. “Mommy can I go play in my room now?”

“Sure,” Fiona said. “I’ll clean up. Change the bandage of your knee before you sleep. I don’t want you to get blood all over your bed if the bandage falls off.”

Aeli walked up the stairs to her bedroom and shut the door. 

“She’s a very smart child,” I said.

“Yeah, others try to soften the conversation when it comes to the war. But that doesn’t work with Aeli. She needs to know the facts and circumstances of everything. Now if you’ll be needing anything Mr. Syric, please help yourself. I’m feeling rather tired all of a sudden. I think I shall retire to my room.” 

I thanked Fiona for dinner and went to my small room on the first floor. The magical energy now was more focused in one location, it wasn’t spilling out and flying in the air. It was bottled up in Aeli and the rest of the house. I decided I wanted to go out and explore the town for a little bit. But the combination of the long traveling day, the heavy meal and two cups of wine made me suddenly extremely tired. Best to do it tomorrow I said to myself and went to bed for the night.

The next morning, I paid the 10 copper price for breakfast and sat down for a meal. Aeli came running down and asked her mother if she could go play with her friends. As she entered the room, the massive magical energy that I felt the first time I entered this town came back. The energy was no longer bottled up, but rather being truly free and unrestrained and chaotic. 

“Not before you have breakfast,” Fiona said.

“Aeli, do you go to school?” I asked. 

“Yes, Ms. West is my teacher. She teaches all of us. But she left to go visit her mother in Humboldt. So we have to wait for her to get back before we go back to school,” she said in between mouthfuls of bread slathered with jam and butter. 

I nodded. Aeli quickly ate the rest of her breakfast and kissed her mom goodbye as she ran out the door.

“What are your plans for today, Mr. Syric,” Fiona asked?  “Are you going to continue your journey or spend another night in town?” 

“I think I’m going to stay one more night, if you don’t mind. I like these little towns. I might climb those hills I saw to the west to get a better view of things, for my maps,” I said. 

“That is no problem at all,” she said. “Enjoy your time here in our little town. But I need to go now, you don’t have to lock up before you leave, just make sure the door is shut tight. The latch is a little loose, so you may need to fiddle with it for a bit.”

I nodded. “Thank you for breakfast, it was delicious.”

I gathered my things for an afternoon of hiking and exploring. I traveled eastward from the village, seeing an elevation in the distance where I can get a better view of the surrounding area. The magical energy coming from Aeli dissipated as I walked further and further away.  I wasn’t actively scanning for her energy, I wanted to see how far away I could detect it just passively.  As I climbed a large hill, I suddenly could no longer field the wild energies coming from that little girl. She is incredibly powerful, but I am unsure what type of power she has. 

After I made notes on my map of landmarks and other sights, I headed back to Irving. I ended up taking the same road I took the previous day, arriving from the south. And as I walked in, the old guard Henry welcomed me.

“Welcome to Irving traveler. If you are in need of a rest stop, we don’t have a regular inn, like other towns,” he said. “But rather, we have rooms for rent in a few houses occupied by families. If you would like to stay, the Grimble, the Rose and the West family all have rooms available to rent. They will provide you with lodging and food if you wish to pay for it, that is. We have a small store where you can refill your supplies, but do not we don’t have much to offer. You would be better served in one of the larger towns in the nearby area.”

“Henry, I was here yesterday,” I said.  “My name is Syric. I’m already staying with the Rose family, Fiona and Aeli.”

He looked at me a little puzzled, then simply smiled. “Must have forgotten in my old age.” 

It was near dusk and I decided to head straight to Fiona’s house. I knocked on the door and little Aeli opened up the door, with a fresh scrape on her knee. 

“Did you hurt yourself again?” I asked. 

She nodded.

“What was it this time?”

She looked down at her feet.  “A…minotaur…” she whispered. It was a strange sound, it was almost as if she was ashamed she got hurt by this imaginary creature, but also proud that she defeated it in her head. 

“Ah, Mr. Syric, I was about to serve dinner. Pot roast and potatoes, Aeli’s favorite,” Fiona said. “Did you have a good day exploring our little town?” 

I smiled and walked in. “I had a lovely hike, the area around here is truly beautiful. I had lunch at a beautiful stream and got some nice landmarks for my map,” I said.

“That’s great to hear,” she said.

I asked Fiona if she needed help with preparing dinner and she said no, she has everything under control. She said she knows just how to prepare the pot roast and potatoes to Aeli’s liking.

“Aeli, ask him,” I heard Fiona say, gesturing to me with her head.

Aeli looked down at her feet dangling off the chair. “Aeli, is there something you wish to ask me?” I said.

In a low hushed whisper, she asked “Can I see your maps?” 

I nodded. “Sure, after dinner we can clear this table and I can show you some maps I’ve made.” She smiled and started to eat faster. After dinner, I grabbed four heavy cups and opened up some of the maps I had created. I used the cups to weigh down the corners and I showed Aeli and Fiona all the places I’ve been and traveled. Aeli, between yawns, had a million questions about each place. 

“This is Irving,” I said, showing her the map I was working on. “I was creating the eastern portion today, where this lovely little stream runs through the forest…” 

I looked at the little girl at the table. She was fighting her heavy eyelids every second.

“We can talk about these tomorrow,” I said. “It looks like you need to get some sleep.” 

After Aeli and Fiona went to bed, I stayed up putting the finishing touches on the map I had just created. Two hours later, I decided that I would like to explore this town just a bit more, and see what the nightlife offers, if any. 

I left the house and realized Irving has no nightlife. All the lights were extinguished, no one was awake, and no one was at the town gate to welcome any midnight travelers. As I walked through the town square, I felt a twig snap under my foot. Upon closer inspection, I realized it wasn’t a twig, but rather an arrow. 

How curious. 

I picked it up and studied the wooden shaft and metal tip. It was hastily made. This wasn’t a hunter’s arrow. Those are more durable, stepping on one won’t snap it quite as easily and as clean as this arrow. A hunter’s arrow is meant to be used more than once. The wood on this arrow was a rough-hewn quality. No time or effort was taken to smooth out the shaft. It was meant to be single use only. The metal tip was also chipped and not as sharp, it could still kill, but it wouldn’t do much on an armored foe. 

These arrows are peasant arrows. Their name had two meanings. First, their original name was given because they were given to peasants in times of war. But soon people started calling them peasant arrows because of how easily they can kill peasants. 

I put the arrow in my knapsack. As I continued to investigate the town, I heard a noise I had not heard in quite some time. 

“No. It can’t be. Why is there one here?” I thought.  

I pulled out my silver wand and illuminated the tip. A shadow rushed into the house on the same street as Fiona’s. I rushed over to it, the sign on the outside said West. The sign was broken and battered, hanging on by just one loose nail. 

No screams. I hope I’m not too late. 

As I rushed towards the door, it too was broken, as if it was kicked in and never repaired. There were no signs of life anywhere here. The room was filled with dust and debris. No one has lived here for quite some time. 

I heard footsteps above me. I ran up the stairs. And there it was.

A dirge. 

It was a wolf variety. It stood up on its back two legs and displayed its claws. It snapped at me with its powerful jaws. 

I’ve fought a few of these in the past. But I am woefully unprepared now. I only had one chance to get this right or else I won’t make it out of this building alive. 

Another snap. It was displaying aggression to try and frighten me. In a flash, it dashed towards me, aiming to kill me in one quick attack.

While this creature looked, acted, smelled and sounded like a wolf, it was not anything from our world. The Dirge take their form from creatures on the worlds they visit. This Dirge picked a wolf, or rather, a werewolf, to try and kill me. This Dirge was a juvenile, deadly but not as powerful as a full adult. 

“Noo-ra,” I said as the tip of my silvery wand burned bright red. A burst of flame shot out and engulfed the demon. The flame bellowed from my wand and I kept it focused and pointed at the demon. With my other hand, I reached into my pouch and pulled out some silver shavings. The demon howled in agony. I had to end this quickly before it could harm anyone.

I sprayed the silver shavings over the beast’s body. The shavings landed on the open wounds of the dirge, and were absorbed into the beast.  That should do it. The silver shavings poisoned the dirge’s blood, causing it great agony in its last moments of being alive. 

The creature was dead. The threat was gone. But yet, I felt at a loss. Something was not right in this house or in this town. The magical energy from Aeli was causing some great disturbance. 

The West household wasn’t the only one decrepit. House after house after house showed the same thing. Broken doors, shattered windows, empty rooms, and no signs of life. I found a few more peasant arrows on the ground, and what looked like to be the tip of some kind of spear. 

A battle had taken place here.

No, not a battle.

A massacre.