This is a possible future.
It is the Tenth Day, Second Ride, Winter Eve, 1262, ride’s end and the day before the winter solstice. The start of winter is soon approaching and there are many celebrations planned to mark the occasion.
As with most things, the solstice is celebrated differently by different people. Rural folk consider the solstice a moment of great trepidation, when spirits reach across the veil to announce a time of great hardship where food is scarce, infants die from the shivers, and wolves prowl around the boundaries of the village. These folk still refer to the solstice by its name in the elder tongue; Midinváerne.
To those living in cities, the solstice is nothing more than a time to celebrate the coming of winter, of securing the granaries, and to celebrate one last feast before the winter’s fast. They reject the concerns of the rural folk as superstitions imposed upon them by the queer traditions of the elder races.
Meanwhile, the elder races, much like the szygani, share the concerns of the rural folk. They recognise the importance of the cycles of nature, and Midinváerne as the moment where winter is at its strongest, and summer at its weakest. It is the moment that darkness starts to give way to the light.
Kingsport is covered in snow and people are huddling closely together, around hearths and stoves. The Careless Wanderer is quiet and has seen few guests, only the odd traveller or sailor. Ramsey has been holed up in his kitchen, furiously working to improve his sugar wheels by filling them with cream. He intends to win the Solstice Treats competition being organised by the baker’s guild.
During this downtime, Astrid has taken to being away from Kingsport for a few days at a time, as she helps Aram the boatsman drive his boat up and down the river Lyn. When she is in the city, she spends time walking the docks, or admiring the falcons outside the Bastion of Restraint.
Wojciech has been asked by Magda to use quiet time at the inn to make various repairs. Chakuq has been helping him in between time spent at the Bard’s College and going out on lonesome drives along the borders of Kingsport’s environs.
While Falka spent most of her time continuing to catalogue the library in the vault, Luca and Emrys were experimenting with the pillars, and making some progress with their research. The potential of those pillars, they insist, is not to be underestimated.
Luca seems to be in his element, and has been feeling good ever since he came to an understanding with Blackstar. In hindsight, it seemed surprisingly simple. Emrys spent the remainder of his time lost in thought or communion. Vydia had revealed some information on an item he had asked her to divine the lore of which had left him in need for solitude.
Neamhan has split her time evenly between helping Lauryn and Durham out around the inn, taking walks around the park in Blackheath, and taking flights down to the Seat of Friendship when the weather permits it. There, she talks with Ciarán and the other druids on the nature of nature.
Lastly, Quentin has been attending the diplomatic negotiations between the thrones of Lyria and Beauclair, on occasion accompanied by margravine Ulrikke who was granted access to observe parts of the negotiations to assure the Daerlan empire was not negatively affected. Outside of that, he was spending time in the company of cardinal Roark to deepen his dedications to the Raven Queen.
It feels like a time of rest.
