Tag: WellingtonGrove

Their wooden weapons are drawn from the secret grove where the Wellingtons grow their “magical” trees.

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The Pherencia

I’m going to introduce these people here. This will only be a relatively brief introduction as these people and their practices will be considered ancient myths and mysteries for the most part. However, there is an excellent chance for modern practitioners of their crafts and skills.

One such person, at least one well-versed in their history, is Aerilon, the wizard. He has studied all that he can find about the Pherencia, and of the current scholars on the subject, he is considered the most learned. Some may say he has even been able to recreate some of their magics. The notion of this being possible is still considered entirely outlandish and more parlor tricks than anything else. Aerilon has never felt the thoughts of others to be of any importance on these ideas for much longer than most of these nay-sayers have lived.

Although at this point, when Aerilon and Alex meet, there is no direct evidence of the Pherencia being involved. Close inspection, especially in the Wellington Grove escape route into the mountains, points to the architecture used by the Pherencians; it is also something to consider the inherited magics of the people of Nottilham, especially the hidden grove of the Wellingtons and its innate magic qualities.

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The Grove

Aside from a new, nearly 1600-word scene, the good news is that no one died. Mitch, Gurty, and our hero Alex survived the encounter with the shambling plant creatures.

First, Mitch had a definite possibility of not leaving “The Grove.” Then, Gurty was going to be sacrificed — spoiler alert — Mitch led the way out of the valley, and Gurty proved to be an unexpected guardian.

They scanned across the secret grove valley for signs of what they thought they spotted earlier. There were no telltale signs, although Alex felt something was out there all the same. They saw the trail entering the hidden tunnel to the grove, and there were additional markers throughout the tunnel. Still, once they reached the valley’s opening, especially at its height above the tallest trees in the woods, they could not see anything that looked like it made the tracks they had found.”

In the scene “The Grove.”

I’m happy not to have taken out any characters, but I also recognize I will only sometimes have the opportunity to save everyone. However, as the author, there will always be hope.

One can never know; Mitch might find a more prominent role than being the best friend from Nottilham… and there will always be room for Gurty the gizzard.

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The Tunnel To The Grove

It took a couple of pauses, but I finally got more of an initial draft for this scene in “The Chronicles” (another 1000+ words). Alex and his best friend Mitch continue to Wellington Grove to harvest timber for the Wellington Sawmill in the village of Nottilham.

Alex stowed his pack in the back of the sled, adjusted his coat, and hitched up his pants, adjusting his suspenders to snug them up. His father taught him many things, but he needed to learn how to sew a stitch. Alex learned what he knew by trial and error, and no one would ever confuse him with a sewist. He thought about asking Mitch’s sister Phoebe, knowing full well that as skilled as she was with a wood blade and quartering a piece of lumber, she was all thumbs regarding needle and thread. However, asking her for some alone time to help him with his needlework would be a good ruse.

In the scene “The Tunnel To The Grove”

Not everything in life is a roaming adventure. Sometimes, even the interactions with the villagers can be an adventure. Learning more about the people who live in Nottilham will help to move along the story and give some more background to Alex and the skills he has learned, and a few more are exposed in this scene.

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The Swamp At The Gateway

I’ve scratched out another 1000-plus word scene to move the story further. I’m filling in some gaps that are separating several scenes I have already written to these opening scenes I am using to set the stage and send our hero off on an adventure.

Alex thought himself a bit of a tracker; for a good reason, he could track better than anyone else in the valley with a natural ease and surety that few could match. When Stu Wellington suggested he and Mitch keep an eye out for any signs of little Billy Watkins, Alex took that up as a challenge.

In the scene “The Swamp At The Gateway.”

Interestingly enough, these opening scenes I have hinted at here are starting to take the stories around Alexandre Bellweather, a young woods guide, or some may say “ranger,” in a slightly different direction than I originally envisioned—a good approach, just not exactly how I had initially imagined the story would begin.

If you follow me as @Reistache on Twitter, you might have seen a reference to “the gateway” in my #dungeon23 entry for today (January 18, 2023), but you will have to gain access to the novel “The Bellweather Chronicles” to read how a swamp is involved.