Yuletide and Midwinter Festivities are approaching

The citizens of the Lands enjoy spending the darker, colder months gathering together in cosy places and celebrating the beauty of Winter time.

Ice Garden @ Mara Scamall

Come and visit the River Lands Medieval Fantasy Roleplay Community and delight in the Ice Garden in Mara Scamall where you can pick up some skates and do some graceful turns on the ice rink or simply kick back and admire the frost-covered view. 
Or check out the Yule Wonderland above Shadow Lands for some fun in the snow...

Yule Wonderland @ Shadow Lands

And for those in the southern climes basking in the warmth of Summer... jet on in and cool down a bit! ;D

Hope to see you soon! Safe paths...

You can find portals to each area in Cheshire. Simply wander from the landing point at the Docks through the arch into the town and look for the portals situated around the iced lake there.

HG-address: login.greatcanadiangrid.ca:8002:River City

Amethyst and Audrey share their fears

Amethyst McMahon wakes before the dawn, another restless night behind her. She quickly rises and dresses, determined to continue her search for news of Jaekob.
"I must talk to ArchDruid Fitheach or Fiesty", she muses quietly, her voice echoing in the empty house, "...maybe Fit will be easier to get a hold of than Fiesty has been. The Shire is preparing for possible dangers and Fiesty is so busy that she is rarely at home, but Fit should still be with Mage Gabriel, trying to find a potion to heal the Cheshire Cat."

Amethyst McMahon leaves the cottage, barely noticing the glowing sunrise hinting above the horizon. She nods and smiles at the Elven Ranger in attendance near her home, approaching him shyly and informing him that she intends to visit her friends, Audrey and Gabriel at The Citadel.
The Ranger informs her that possible Drow sightings around the Citadel had been reported during the early hours and she should best stay near Calenhad in safety.

Amethyst McMahon frowns, but her tone is determined when she answers that if that is the case, then she must check on her friends and the Cat without delay. She asquiesces as she notices the Ranger follower her closely as she sets off through the forest.

Upon reaching the Citadel she regards the increased number of guards and Rangers thoughfully, nodding in greeting as she hurries on towards Audrey and Gabriel's home. The Citadel is eerily quiet and devoid of life that morn, the townsfolk remaining within their homes, apparently disquieted by possible Drow encounters so close to their dwellings.

She pauses and greets the guard stationed before the steps leading to the door of the Mage's residence, an obvious increase in security since her last visit. Knocking at the door, she calls out loudly, "Audrey, Gabriel... it is Amethyst. May I come in?"

Audrey Ashgrove strokes the weakened feline, the weariness from her sleepless night finally catching up with her. Gabriel hat not returned until dawn was nearing, but his arrival brought her no liberation from her fears, as he stormed into their home with two guards shadowing him. 
Gabriel had quickly gathered her into his arms, words tumbling out of his mouth, her tired brain hardly catching their meaning... Prowling! Skulking Shadows! Alarm! Drow! Guards! Chase!
From what she had gathered, many citizens of the Citadel had described hearing the same scraping and hissing, sighting the same shadowy presence all over The Citadel during the night. Alarm had been raised at the break of dawn and the Guards had tracked a Drow group and given chase, but their prey were lost when they disappeared within the spectral stone barriers surrounding the Shadow Lands.
Gabriel was not sure that the Drow had gotten wind that the Cheshire Cat was here with them, but before he left for Taibreamh again, after just two troubled hours sleep, to continue his frantic search for a potion with ArchDruid Fitheach, he secured a guard to remain directly at their home while he was away.

The knock roused Audrey from her listlessness and she brightened upon hearing Amethyst's call.

Audrey Ashgrove rose and uttered a welcome as Amethyst entered the room.

Amethyst McMahon crossed to her friend, her gaze moving from the languishing cat to her visibly tired friend. "Audrey! Are you alright? I have heard of the Drow sneaking through the Citadel last night and wanted to make sure you are well!"

Audrey Ashgrove looks up dejectively and pushing a loose strand of hair from her face, she tries to smile at the other woman, but her face crumples and she whispers in dismay, "oh Amethyst, it was dreadful. I was paralysed with fear. I could think of nought other than keeping the Cheshire Cat from harm, but had no idea how I caould manage it!".
She takes some steps backwards and slumps on the lounge.

Amethyst McMahon sits near her friend and takes her hand, her tone reassuring, "Everything is fine, Audrey, you are very brave and your care is what is keeping the Cat alive right now. Do not fear, the guards and Rangers will patrol the Citadel in increased numbers now and you must be certain to try and catch up on some rest during today."

Audrey Ashgrove nods, a small smile lighting up her pale features, "Thank you, Ame. Yes, I will just remain here on the lounge and try to sleep. Gabriel promised to return earlier today."

Amethyst McMahon furrows her brow, her eyes watching the cat as it lays panting near the fireplace. "And have Gabe and Fitheach made a breakthough as yet, Audrey? I fear our wee friend here will not be able to hold onto life much longer."

Audrey Ashgrove slumps in her seat, shaking her head, concern in her voice as she answers, "He hasn't said as much and I suspect that they are still examining different possibilities, as he has only had a few hours sleep each night and returns to Taibreamh at the crack of dawn each day to pore over the old recipes."

Amethyst McMahon sighs and gets up, crouching by the Cat to brush a hand along it's ginger fur and murmurs softly, "Stay strong, dear Cat. We will find a cure for you soon."
She rises and moves towards the door, turning to give Audrey an encouraging smile. "You get some sleep too, Audrey. I will return on the morrow, but if you should need anything until then, please send a guard with a message and I will be here as soon as I can."
She quietly opens the door, both inhabitants of the house falling into a doze and steps out into the fresh air, the weak winter sun struggling to warm the cobblestones.

As she fastens her cloak again, she signals to the guard and instructs him to have her notified if either Audrey or Gabriel should need her. She smiles warmly as he nods and returns to his station and starts back down the path towards Cheshire, the Elven Ranger appearing suddenly from beneath an archway to escort her back to the cottage...
"As hard as it is, I will simply have to trust that Jaekob is safe and that he will return soon. Fitheach and Fiesty have more than enough to trouble them right now, without me plaguing them with my worries..."

She wanders swiftly along the track hugging the coastline... her anxiety growing as the rough seas and blustering wind mirror the disquiet which has become her daily companion and suddenly turns her steps towards the bridge to Taibreamh, "No, I must seek out Fitheach. I cannot go another day without hearing from her if she has knowledge of where Jaek is gone."  

Fitheach Sends the Undines to Reconnoiter, Part 1

Fitheach paced around her home in Calenhad impatiently. The Aran had been gone for 2 weeks with no word and she had no idea when or if he would return.  The elven guard had come seeking advice about whether to plan an attack on the Shadowlands as a preemptive measure, but she had counseled patience.

Fitheach in her home in Calenhad

There had been no additional signs of activity since the dragon ambassador had gone to negotiate and been attacked. More information was definitely needed but remembering the pain of the spider poison and Saphira’s injuries she was cautious about scouting too close to the underdark.

On the Bridge to Taibreamh

Suddenly she thought of her undine friends; the tiny creatures could travel anywhere there was water and even Drow needed that. Fit rushed out heading towards Taibreamh; the warmer water there would attract the undines.  As she crossed through the mist into Taibreamh, she felt the sense of welcome that always seemed to be there and then the warmth of the air, even more welcoming after the chill in the River Lands. The undines were frolicking in the thermal pool by the waterfall as she thought they might be. Fit left her clothes on the bank and slid into the warm water with them.

Fit and the Undines

“Greetings my sisters”, she said smiling as the small group of barely clad tiny women played around her, splashing her in their games. “We are glad to see you, Druid Fit”, the undines chorused; aside from slight differences in the shades of green skin color, it was hard to tell them apart.

 Fit watched the playful creatures and felt hesitant about asking them to go into danger.  Then one of the undines stopped playing in front of her and said: “How can we help you water sister; your need is plain?” Fit looked seriously at her: “We need information about what is going on in the Shadow Lands; is this someplace you can go?” The undine replied: “The land where the dark ones live? We can come and go there as we please; they never see us. Tell us what you need to know.”

The River Lands Community featured in Virtual Art & Lifestyle Blog

China Dream (as she is mainly known in GCG) showcases regions, events, hunts and all things virtual worlds over various grids in her blog. She graced the Lands with a visit last week and we headline her latest blog piece! *smile*

Huzzah Riverlanders!

Our heartfelt thanks to China. 
Check out her virtual world roundup here:
Virtual Art & Lifestyle

Everyone is welcome to come and explore our multi-region roleplay community and participate in our weekly events... we look forward to meeting you here soon!

Evienne evades the Drow and discovers an old friend

Evienne duLac shimmies and flutters her wings, the frothy skirt of her new "pastoral" outfit tickling her legs... "ooh, how delicious that feels", she exhales with a breathless giggle.

Leaving her Otherworld sanctuary, she moves fluidly through the cool water, paying special care to avoid the naiads converging for their frolicksome gathering under the nearby waterfall. 
Evienne duLac scowls and mutters in a low tone, "...bothersome creatures! The only companions who currently seek me out and I simply loathe their mooning about and constant appetite for new love affairs!". She shudders and breaks through the water's surface, shaking her wings and spraying droplets like diamonds in the air, ".. and mostly mortal lovers being their chosen prey too! Simply ghastly!"

The discerning Fae steers her course towards Taibreamh, which suits her flowery costume and floral ambitions on this day. She skirts the high walls of The Citadel where she had witnessed those hideously drab Drow skulking during the darkest hours of the previous night. She chose to ignore such base creatures, only intent on misery and terror and if they were encroaching upon the Citadel, as guarded as it is, she could only wonder that the Elven King had chosen such an in opportune time to disappear and leave the townsfolk so open to the Drow's grim mischief. 
"I will go and favour the unicorns with my presence this morning," she nods vainly, her thoughts soon swerving away from Drow and the danger they present. "Perchance they know where that Elven King has disappeared to. I rather fancy another audience with him. He amuses me somewhat..."

Evienne duLac reaches a sylvan glade and smiles benignly at the brilliant white creatures lazily enjoying the late afternoon sunshine among luscious meadows covered with wildflowers.
"This land Taibreamh is such a delightfully peaceful place," her attention is captured by the tumbling waterfall nearby, her true element drawing her gaze and making her long to return to the cool flowing rivers around her refuge. She lets out an impatient breath as a petite Faerie flutters past her, her eyes widening in wonder as she catches sight of the powerful Fae.
Evienne du Lac waves a hand listlessly, as the tiny Fae nervously squeaks a reverential greeting to the famed, yet reclusive, Lady of the Lake.
"Yes, yes, it is I," she sighs wearily, inclining her head in greeting. "Please simply go on with whatever it is you are doing and do not concern yourself with my appearance here."

The wee Fae glances uncertainly from Evienne to the unicorn standing at attention nearby, the bowl of water in her hands shaking, some of the liquid seeping over the sides onto the grass below. She gasps and her whole little body begins to shake, her wings drooping as she lights on the ground between the two mythical beings. The other Faerie flittering among the unicorns nearby pause in mid flight, in awe at the visitor and anxious for their nervous sibling.

Evienne duLac arches her eyebrows, her patience dangerously thin, but the rebuke on her lips dies as she peers down at the shivering Faerie, whose tear-filled eyes stare up at her appealingly. "Oh, do get a hold of yourself, Wee One," the Lady of the Lake addresses her small kin, not unkindly. "Yes, it is I. You have likely been fed on tales of my wondrous deeds your whole life... but as you see, I am very real and have graciously chosen your home to visit today... and... I do not bite."
She turns and scrutinises the area, convincing herself that the unicorn population is healthy and well served by the Faefolk of these parts and returning her gaze to the tiny Fae, she finishes in a soft tone, "May your efforts be rewarded with generosity and kindness, Wee One. I have seen enough and will visit again when I next feel the desire to immerse myself in flora and fauna.

A little annoyed at having her plans disrupted by her kinsfolks tending of the unicorns, she sets her sights on an Elven Tower in the distance and hovers over the balcony before smoothly landing and surveying the glistening sea stretching before her.

Evienne duLac twirls around, enjoying the vista when she lets out a sudden shriek of glee as a long sinuous neck emerges from the waves, "Nessie!", she squeals, immediately taking flight and speeding towards her ancient friend and confidante, glowing with anticipation at renewing an old attachment and catching up on the gossip of the high seas! 

Farewell dear Drow Hunter Montgomery

News of the passing of Hunter Montgomery, a lovely guy, a magical maker of music and a handsome Drow to boot sadden our community and his many friends and admirers on the Great Canadian Grid and the Metaverse today. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family and those closest to him.

Safe paths, dear Hunter, and until we meet again.

Ame, Jaek & tRLs Community

Audrey is stalked by Shadows

Audrey Ashgrove dozes on the lounge of her home inside the secure walls of The Citadel, the Cheshire Cat laying limp and panting softly on her lap, as the midnight hour approaches.

A sudden noise, a scratching and scraping outside the window, has her alert and awake within seconds, her hold tightening on the withering feline, so that it lets out a barely audible mewling at the unexpected pressure.

Audrey Ashgrove stands noiselessly, the cat held gently in her arms and places it tenderly in its basket near the fading fire.
"No need for alarm," she murmurs quietly, whether to the Cat or herself remains unknown. "Gabe should be home from his work with ArchDruid Fitheach soon," she tries to sound reassuring as she strokes the moist mottled fur, barely containing her gasp as the scraping continues along the house wall towards the door after a short pause.

Audrey Ashgrove goes rigid, her focus entirely on the eerie noises coming from outside. She gathers her courage and moves cautiously towards the window, peering into the murky darkness outside.

Without warning a spine-chilling shadow passes beneath the window, a creature half crawling, sneaking and searching in the gloom and Audrey presses her hand to her mouth to quell her rising panic and stop herself from screaming. 

The sinister shadow moves in near silence around the house and Audrey falls to her knees, sliding back across the rug towards the Cheshire Cat as the ghastly scraping begins again, whispering in despair to the near unconscious feline, "I f-f-ear the Drow have found you, my friend. What am I going to do?"

To be continued...