Stories with Amurru, Chapter One: Reunion

Nineteenth Day, Second Moon,
Twenty-Third Year of Recent Awakenings

In accordance with the will of Her Majesty and in upholding the duties charged to me as Senior Chronicler, I hereby submit the account of Stories with Amurru, Chapter One: Reunion.

The evening started in the courtyard on the eighteenth day of the second moon, but it did not end there.  The denizens that were present to greet Amurru the Mountain and aid the castle found themselves taking quite the adventure.

Once all the proper greetings had been seen too, Amurru requested a room of stone. This was so that the group could linger in comfort and tell stories. He swiftly dismissed a few options, such as the practice hall for having too much wood. He settled on the Outdoor Gallery near the black marble obelisk.  The group was accompanied by both His Excellency, Lord Boreas, and Her Majesty Princess Maeveen.

People settled onto the cushions brought by Her Highness, Princess Maeveen. Amurru the Mountain called forth some lumber to set a fire. Amurru requested the first of the stories. The first story was presented by Mistress Rikka.  This story involved the telling of her being challenged by the previous Black Knight Sir Marren. Once her tale was finished Amurru was slowly circled by wisps of sand and light began to gather in his clawed hand. This light then shot downward and caused the stones to flicker with light.

The next to share a tale was ser Izrith. He told a personal tale of his time before the castle and his final memories. Once more, after he finished sharing his story light began to gather in Amurru’s hand. Once more it shot into the stones on the pavement, this time the glow lingering a little longer.

The final story of the evening was a tale before sent in by Royal Handmaiden, Mistress Brighde. Her tale was one of fear, rescue, and dashing swordsman. It included being saved from a basilisk.  Following this tale, Amurru and Lord Boreas joked with those present about people's statues. Amurru again lifted his claw. The light was once more pulled into his hand, a story made manifest. It shot down into the ground but this time the glow did not fade as it had the previous times.

Slowly the stones on the pavement began to peel away, showing a stream of light. Amurru rumbled as this happened, "Ahhh! The Stone hears us, at last! The time has come!" An eerie echo blew through the halls, as if in answer with the wind. The stones began to pile on top of each other. A chute of bone seemed to almost build itself from the stones, forming a pedestal of bone. At the top of this, an ancient-looking dusty and tattered red toom rested.

Amurru explained that this was how the Castle had chosen to speak with the denizens. He warned the group, "It cannot start at the end; a story is not read backward." He relayed further that the castle had only provided one page, the first chapter. And that to get more chapters and stories we would need to continue to share more stories with the castle.  Her Highness explained in excitement, "One ending is just another beginning, so it can tell stories for like ever."

Amurru went even further with his explanation "To see this story, you must leave the mortal plane, and enter that place wherein memories are stored. Once inside, you will have to find a way to the end. There may be dangers inside, depending on the nature of the tale."

The book takes you to what Amurru referred to as ‘The World of Ideas’ but we know better as ‘The Dreamscape’. Though Amurru insisted upon sharing a word of caution with those present. Stating that to turn to your desired page would leave your body behind. One can not physically walk within the realm of dreams.

Those present were divided into two groups for more manageable viewing. As the first group went, their bodies fell to the floor. They awoke in the dreamscape with a blinding white light and with a deafening silence. This slowly faded until the group realized they were standing in the Alchemist Hall.

A thin, pasty man in a dark robe hunched over one of the tables. It was clear to most present that it was Master Orson, the Royal Alchemist. The group watched as he experimented and read, pausing to take notes. Yet the dream quickly stopped, seeming almost stuck in its telling. A small puzzle needed to be sorted before it began anew, the group setting the room to rights once again.

As the story again began, a feeling of unease went through the room. Master Orson’s diligent research was overtaken by a hooded interloper. Some tense back and forth happened between the two were joined by a third. This time the player added to the story was a sleek woman with violet-highlighted black hair. Miyako was standing mere inches behind Master Orson.

More tense words were had before the figures finally revealed what they were after. They wanted Master Orson’s research and materials for the Philosopher's Stone. Master Orson attempted to call the Watch with his duckcall. That was quickly stopped by Miyako who follow with a warning not to try anything foolish again.

Miyako and the hooded man insisted that Master Orson turn over his materials and he refused. He cited that such artifacts were not meant for the hands of troublemakers. Following this Master Orson made another attempt to escape. He attached the two intruders with a trick in his cane. This was stopped, though this time in a much more upsetting and physical manner.

Once more the memory got stuck and once more things had to be set right to fix it. Those present within this chronicler’s group quickly worked together. This got the story moving once again, the scene resuming. Master Orson attempted a smoke trap. The trap caused a brief distraction as Miyako and the hooded man attempted to defend themselves. After it, all faded the Royal Alchemist warned the pair that an alarm activated with the smoke. Others would be there to rescue him soon.

In retaliation, the hooded man brought for a golem that stood about ten feet tall. Master Orson then tossed three sigil-marked scrolls on the ground. From these scrolls burst forth his clockwork creations.

The story paused itself just as the battle was to take place. The dream once more called our interference.  Lieutenant Vessa, Serjeant Kathris, and ser Jeffery took to the field along with Master Orson’s clockwork creation.  The creatures brought forth from the Royal Alchemist were controlled by Mistress Taite, sera Aleysia and ser Arikon. A dangerous battle commenced.  After some length and dedicated battling, the dreamer group won and defeated the golem. Once completed it resumed the story.

The cloaked figure shed his cloak, revealing himself to be a burned man. Those present recognized this burned man as Renart. After a brief exchange, a mechanical tail erupted from beneath Renarts robes, striking Master Orson in the chest. As the burned man was making his gloating goodbyes Master Orson collapsed into a pile of dirt.

The Royal Alchemist has replaced himself with a clay construct.  As Miyako explained to Renart that Master Orson had done so during the smoke trap she also showed Renart a bag tossed over her shoulder.  She explained that these were the pieces for the Philosopher's Stone but some of the important parts were still missing, “ Amongst them, the phoenix's ashes, the heart of a hydra, and one of the essences required -- the dragon's essence.”

She assured Renart that she would be able to get them and dissuaded him from trying to go after Master Orson again. They left shortly after and the dream seemed to be still. The denizens present assumed this was all the castle had to show them. They returned to the realm of the waking.

Amurru greeted those as they returned to waking and asked if anything of note had been found within the first page. He determined that the memories of true value were likely further in the book.

He took once more to explaining things to the reunited and awoken group.  He relayed that anyone who wished to view further pages as he unlocked them would have needed to complete the predecessors. One could not jump around the story and had to start with the first page.  He also assured everyone that the book would be left there for people to use in preparation for the next chapter.

He noted that it was time to rest and assured the castle he would be back in three days.  Once he returned more of our memories would need to be fed to the castle to expose the second page which we could see was titled “The Darkness.” He then turned a dull, almost ashen grey before crumbling into dust.

The pedestal remains in the Outdoor Gallery along with the book. The Army would like it noted for people to be cautious. As the dream realm is not just a dream, injuries or death sustained there will affect your sleeping body. This can cause permanent injury in the realm of waking. Please see here for the Army’s warning.

Those present for this event included His Excellency Lord Boreas, Her Highness Princess Maeveen, Lady Calamity, Sir Petris, Major Vincint, Luientant Vessa, Serjeant Kathris, Yeoman Vaden, Mistresses Blodween, Filusae, Rikka and Taite, Masters Ammanas and Leodegrance, sers Arikon, Izrith, Jeffery, Maireath, Venture and seras Aleysia, Diana and this chronicler.


This chronicle will be subject to changes and corrections. I humbly ask all readers to please indicate to me discreetly, any falsehoods I may have mistakenly communicated. It is by means of the conservation of the Past that we continue to serve Her Majesty and give substance to those that follow.

In service to Her Majesty Queen Vivienne, The Office of the Chronicler, and the Denizenry of Her Majesty's Realm.

Sera Kaira
Senior Chronicler