Hello again. Today was so long.

We followed the trundling wee dirt golem Harry through the woods from sun up. He lead us through the lightening woods, and into the first sign of civilization. Orchards, tucked into little valleys or spreading across hilltops. Fruit bearing trees ringed by fences, and with the farmers houses tucked beside them.

Interspersed among the orchards are occasional vineyards. Long trellises threaded with heavy vines lined up into neat lines along the hillsides. Stoic men and women tend their fields in the early morning light. None seem interested in our little group. Though I do see a young woman or two eyeing Julius as he rested on top of my head.

All these farms are tucked quietly in the woods. Surrounded by old trees and flourishing brush. Harry leads us up a tall hill and we catch our first view of the city of Papil. A port city, Papil is spread around a bay and cut in two by a river delta. Ships are sailing about the bay. Some coming in to the docks to unload goods from distant lands. Others simply local fishermen with the morning catch.

On the near bank of the river a huge boulder dominates the center of the city. It is mirrored by a twin boulder on the far side of the river. Seeming like the eyes on the wings of a moth or butterfly. On top of these monoliths sit twin fortresses. High walls rise from the stone. Towers jut proudly into the sky festooned with banners and streamers.

Squatting beneath these fortresses are two seemingly diametrically opposed cities.

On the far bank stand tall stone buildings. Gleaming metal can be seen from where we are, and wide roads cut straight lines through the city. Polished stone mansions with roofs all in the same shade of midnight blue stand in steady lines. There is an air of efficiency about the whole thing. As if not a single hair is out of place in the entire city. It is still, almost seeming dead if not for the smoke from cook fires rising from chimneys.

On the near bank sits a chaotic mess of haphazrdously slapped together wooden constructs. Colorful paints seem to have been used to clean up the ugly mess, but the riot of colors gouge the eye and tire the mind. Twisting roads wind maddeningly through this mess. On the shore rest the warehouses. Large wood buildings. The only sign that order and reason are still in use on that side of the river. Wide dirt roads cut through the chaos and along these wagons move. Hauling supplies to and from the ships and warehouses and who knows where else.

Connecting these two oddly different cities into one are three islands. They sit in the river, the largest connected to both side by a full dozen bridges and housing a fortress of similar design to the rock topped ones. 

The next largest one holds an odd bowl-like building and has six bridges connecting it t the city. Three on either side.

The smallest is hidden from view by a wall of mist. Two bridges lead to it.

Surrounding all of this is a long, high, and thick wall. Massive towers sit on either side of the river and bay. Smaller ones stand at even intervals along its dark grey length.

Harry led us to the gate in the wall. Six men in worn and slightly rusted armor sit and stand outside a wide open gate. One saw us walking towards them and lumbered over, leaving his spear behind.

"Entry? Three coppa apiece, one fer tha rodent." He grunted at us, scratching at a matted beard. I always burn off my own stubble. Beards are so itchy. Harry produced the coinage as requested, and led us past the gallery of gawkers who call themselves soldiers. Pathetic.

Into the mindboggling maze of color and people Harry led us. I would have gotten lost immediately. Glad I traded the tinglewood for a guide. He led us past beggars and hawkers. Butchers and bakers. Cobblers and candlestick makers. Lots of small businesses and restaurants tucked into these little brighly painted houses.

We followed Harry. Lena was everywhere, touching everything and talking to everyone. I followed in a daze. Half deaf and mostly blind from all the noise and confusion a large gathering of people bring. Dwarven street gangs etching kneehigh gangsigns in alleys. Elven bards and sailors carousing in taverns. Human merchants shouting out deals and swatting flies and the odd thief.

Some little shit actually laid their hand on my satchel! I torched his hand into charcoal and left him screaming in the crowd. Nobody else tried after that.

Harry led us through the entire city. Finally we reached our destination. The little mist enshrouded island. A sign indicated the island was called 'Heaven' odd name that. We crossed the bridge and entered the mist.

On the other side were odd looking buildings. Porches and balconies lined the dim streets. Multi-tiered towers reached into the mist. But all of them appeared more decorative than defensive. Dark alleys between the buildings were littered with unconcious men. Most of them quite naked. I covered Lenas eyes.

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The buildings all had weird names too. House of Blooming Roses, House of Midnight Dreams, House of Tempted Souls, House of Jade Hands, House of Broken Hearts, House of Firey Eyes. Lots more too. Finally Harry led us to the House of Dancing Wings. it was the largest building I had seen on this island so far, and seemed pretty impressive. Where other houses had open doors and balconies the House of Dancing Wings had closed metal bound gates and high sturdy walls.

Banners of a golden butterfly on lilac hung on either side of the gate. Harry knocked on the gate and waited. And waited, and waited, and waited. Then he knocked again. Much louder this time. Muffled grumbles came into earshot and a small woman with angry eyes opened the door. 

"We are closed during the day you idiots! Come back at night if you want to try your luck!" She was glaring at me, seeming to think I had been the dastardly door knocker. Harry tugged on her pants legs and she thankfully transferred that glare to him. I was glad I could breathe again.

Harry reached into his chest and pulled out a letter stamped with a lilac butterfly. 

The small woman choked and sputtered upon seeing it. I gave her a smack on the back to help. She glared at me again.

Why!?

Still glaring, and now muttering under her breathe too, she led us inside.

Small trees lined a smooth riverstone path that wound its way up a small hill to a light purple building. This compound was much larger than I had expected. It was still partially hidden in the ever present mist.  Ahead la another smaller set of purple walls they were quite high. Two large dark red laquered doors with balck metal fittings stood in the middle of the purple wall. The small angry woman pushed them open with a grunt. What lay inside these walls was a garden. Decorative shrubs and ponds were lined by small stone foot paths. These paths meandered through the garden. Three gazebos were nestled inside the garden. A wider stone path followed the rectangular walls around the idyllic garden, and it was on these that our grumpy guide led us. 

At the back of the garden was a pale purple building. It was still inside the second wall. This one seemed like the rest of the others outside of the two sets of walls. Open covered porch with a balcony above it. Many windows and densely covered in decorative artwork. Seeming more like artwork than shelter. Inside we were sat at a little table and the angry woman stomped off.

I was just starting to get bored when our guide returned. Accompanied by a tall elf with shockingly bright yellow hair. The elf seemed to glow with joy upon seeing Harry and the letter. She bounced over, scooped up the letter, and flomped down onto a cushion.

 "Heya Harry! Hows Gramma!" she joyously greeted the dirtball. Harry gave her a thumbs up. "Good good good, lets see what she wants, shall we? Who're you guys?" She started opening the letter and wiggled her left ear at us.

We introduced ourselves. As best we could. I still don't have a name. Lena had stopped calling me Bobb after the whole pirate kidnapping thing. The elf nodded and said "Right, nice to meet you Lena, Julius, and friend! My name is Tara! Gramma says in her letter you lost your memories and could use some help integrating into society. True?" 

I nodded sheepishly. After what happened last time I was a little leery of strangers but Tara was so bright and open it felt wrong to think of her as anything besides sincere.

"Really? Cool! I mean not for you obviously, but it isn't often this kind of thing happens outside of a book you know? Gramma mentioned your. uh, 'special skills' here so I can definitely use you guys. Nothing seedy or dangerous though I swear! I would like you, mister forgetful, to please heat up water for the baths. The girls have been whining for years over the cold baths, but chopping and burning wood for heat is against the elf code. So I bet they'll be pleased to have you here. Lena dear, if you could freeze water into ice cubes for drinks that'd be great hon. You are so cute the girls are gonna just eat you up. And speaking of, Julius dear, if you want to just hop about in the garden and keep my girls safe while looking darling, that would be great. Now don't burn the garden down. It took me decades to get it just right. Just hop about about and be adorable and protective ok?"

I swear she didn't breathe the entire time she was talking. It all came out so fast we nodded before we could even think.

After that things started moving fast. I was shown to a water tank and heated the water inside until it was boiling. Then it would run down pipes to the bath house.

The 'girls' Tara mentioned would mix it with the cold water from the spring inside the bath house to get their desired temperature. The water tank naturally filled from the river. I wasn't clear on how. But because it was river water I had to boil it before it could be used sanitarily.

Lena was whisked away to meet the girls and Julius was given free rein of the garden. As long as he followed the very long list of rules Tara wrote up so he wouldn't accidentally wreck her prided garden.

Then I was shown a room for me to sleep in by the small angry woman, who had lovely wavy black hair, and told that my common sense lessons would start tomorrow. 

I went looking for Julius and Lena. To make sure they were doing fine and nobody was being mean to them. It was getting late, and I met some of the girls Tara mentioned as I searched. They wear light and loose fitting robes that look super comfy and easy to move in. They also thanked me for the warm baths and they like giving hugs. Which I have decided is nice.

I found Lena. She was in the middle of a swarm of ladies. They were all hugging her, and she and many others were crying.

I backed away slowly.

So she seems like she is fitting in then. Julius is loving the garden. Not only are there lots of new and delicious plants to eat, but he gets to cuddle with lots of people. One of the girls has already found his weak spot at the base of his ears. He seems happy.

Good, then I guess we can stay here for a while. If either of them was not happy I would have moved on.

By the time all of that had been settled the sun was going down. I heard music and laughter start but I was exhausted from all the new stuff I had seen and done today. So I am blocking it out and heading to bed.

Goodnight.