[MelancholyFae]

The Approach to Ravenna
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It was almost halfway through the autumn season when the Pilgrims had finally come across signs as well as beacons, following an overgrown gravel path through the thick, old forested area. "€œRavenna"€ was carved in these signs, with arrows pointing north.

The excitement was noticeable the moment a grand bridge was seen spanning across a great river, and in the distance a small, stone fort at the other end could be seen, along with wooden roofs of other buildings. Their destination had been found, and it was a welcoming sight after the years of travel. They had been through troubling caves and unforgiving deserts, past death traps made by both man and nature, continuing on even after finding farms, outposts, temples, oases, and monasteries - all to find the where the trail of beacons led.

The stone fort had crumbled with time, but the wooden buildings along the riverside looked much newer, yet abandoned, with no trace of where the inhabitants had gone. A veritable jungle of overgrowth choked the area past the dockside buildings, but hinted at an ancient city; the rest of Ravenna.

Their first few nights at the docks of Ravenna were met with aggressive dusk spawn. Determined to not be driven away from their new home, the Pilgrims fought well, and soon the threats of dusk spawn ceased.

With the dusk spawn gone, the Pilgrims were able to focus on healing, defenses, necessities, and gathering food. Soon after, they started on the restoration of the docks, clearing away obstructions, cutting a few trees for fuel, and making sure there were enough supplies for everyone.

Making A Place to Call Home
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Soon after, a few went to work on the farmlands, while some hunted and skinned the wildlife for meat, fur, pelts, and wool. Others gathered seasonal foods in the forest nearby, or fished alongside the river, preparing for winter's too-soon arrival.

There was no rest, for even as a few tried exploring a little into the forested ruins, the spiders that ruled over Ravenna were found to be aggressive and dangerous. The spiders, while not as large as some, had a bite deadly enough to cause paralysis, and they were able to drag away human-sized victims. Disturbing their nests caused the dockside to be suddenly overrun with the venomous beasts for a while, with the people being noticed as new prey. A small group went to clear out what they could, defeating a few of the largest spiders, and killing the nests as they were discovered. Most of the closest danger was now eliminated, but there was still unknown dangers within the ruins, and so everyone was warned to be careful as they wandered, and to not go too far.

Not Alone
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By now, another person had been found living here for a few months; a woman by the name of Athena. Concerned that the group were more plunderers than pilgrims, there were a few mixed meetings between her and the others; some saw her as an odd hermit, while others took a liking to her.

More of the wildlife within Ravenna had been discovered by now as well; though the spiders appeared to be more the top on the predator list, there were also wolves, snakes, weasels, and others that ranged from dangerous to nuisance. Even with the danger, the idea of moving to one of the larger buildings inside the city seemed a good bet, with winter coming close, and so repairs started quickly to make it livable for everyone.

Exploration wasn't limited to just inside the city - eventually a few people made it around the rivers, going up the steep hills where the waterfalls fell, and found there was an upper section of the city. It was completely walled off and closed, impossible to climb or get into without significant help and equipment. What could be behind those walls?

[MelancholyFae]

The Arrival of Winter
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The nights were getting colder, with frost lining the trees and grass like icy silk in the mornings, making people hurry before winter truly arrived in all its frozen glory. Extra clothing was being made, pelts and blankets were being finished, meat cooked and smoked and dried for the winter, and harvests brought in from the outside. Repairs were being completed, and pests getting exterminated on a daily basis, with still no definite end to the spiders.

Snowfall showed up right on time as the year ticked from Autumn to Winter, covering everything and sticking in layers to the cold ground. Flowers and any other plants that were not brought inside wilted and died from the temperature and snow, and many of the animals scampered around to seek warmth in nearby roofed buildings, just as the people were trying to move in.

Above the cliffside, in the upper sections of the city, movement could now be seen.

Strangers in the Snow
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The snow continued to pile up in drifts for the first few months, creating a winter which most from Auria had not experienced before. The wind was at times harsh and biting, with almost constant grey skies and a dim sun that was unable to give warmth. Most moved to the tavern and inn, called Hero's Hall, in the inner section of the city, for its private rooms and fireplace. The rest stayed at the docks; some in the newly refurbished building that was given to the group’s healer, some in the pub, and others in the fort. A firepit was made outside the Healer’s Home for warmth during the cold days.

The threat of spiders within the city was finally taken care of; any queens that were left were killed, the nests were destroyed to prevent another swarm come spring, and the people felt more at ease. Those with building experience - or those willing to learn - started work on the houses previously claimed by the spiders, cutting down the overgrowth nearby and fixing the roofs and floors, hoping to get a few done for the families before winter ended.

No sooner were the spiders taken care of, when a group of people appeared near the inn. Curiosity and suspicions arose making for a rather mixed set of confrontations. The townspeople tried different ways to find out who these people were; from a more hospitable approach to curious questions to a diplomatic and casual invitation. The method that caused the most reaction was when a hunter followed the small group, and was captured by them. When he was returned and the strangers left quietly and peacefully - though looking rather distrustful - the hunter’s stories confirmed at least one thing. There was an Xitian amongst that group.

The Talk of the Town
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Discussion about the group of strangers buzzed around the town quickly, and questions and theories abounded. Why were they here? Where were they staying? How do we learn more about them? How do we defend ourselves against them, if they’re dangerous or hostile? There were no immediate answers, and while some preferred to be aggressively defensive to protect their home and family, others wanted to make sure the townspeople did not antagonize the group of strangers or give them any reason to attack the town.

This knowledge of a possible threat didn’t stop the town from continuing on, however. There were still places to fix, wood to collect for fires, food to hunt and fish, and snow to keep off of the paths from place to place. The game started becoming scarce as most of the herds had either migrated or already been hunted, and the ice in the quickly flowing rivers made fishing difficult.

Mining had also started, bringing back stone and other things to help with the re-building of the town, as the giant cavernous area underneath the upper-city had been explored some. People kept themselves busy either with work or with talk, and with the additions of other people from Auria (and other places). Ravenna was slowly becoming more of a proper town.

Winter Blues
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It was nearing the middle of winter when another small group of people showed, mostly in blue. They were welcomed into the tavern at first, though one was quickly recognized as someone known from Auria back in the days - an eccentric Lucin by the name of Cervantes. While the meeting was short and somewhat hospitable, it once again left the townsfolk feeling edgy, with mixed reactions and more questions than answers. With the aggressive tendencies by some to protect home and family, it was clear that there needed to be a few guides established, to make sure no one caused any undue issues with either group of strangers. The old mayor of Auria, one of the more recent arrivals, had decided to conduct a town meeting to address this as well as other concerns and questions the townsfolk had.