As the evening sun dropped lower, a waterfall dropping from one of the many high cliffs that formed the Pamplaxian plateaus caught the light, changing them into cascading rivers of golden fire dropping into the mists below. Exploring some of the streets around Braz's childhood home, I get a good sense of why his sense of direction is so good- to accommodate the bridges and cliff edges of this mountainside town, the roads twist in unexpected directions, often ending in dead ends, or looping back into common squares that form communal spaces here. There's a sense of pattern, but it's something the minotaurs barely even notice.
The town however, houses more than its usual residents currently though. Youths from Estoria have come to compete on the games- measuring glory and tradition against a years service to the town. It's a curious custom- in some ways it feels like forced slavery, but these people are all here of their own free will and snatched conversations with Braz suggest many of their parents send them here with polite arrangements for them to fail- a time of service to teach them lessons of humility and discipline.
We've seen a number of people from our friends' past here. His Uncle Borborygmus seemed to make Braz uncomfortable and meek, no doubt a remnant from a strict upbringing. Sadly, we could not make the acquaintance of his old mentor, Garnox, who I suspect nurtured Braz's more calm nature.
We explored and saw some of the town and the preparations for the festival, including Pythor and some of the runners themselves. I see why some of them are in need of seasoning- a year of work and independence would do many of them good. Still, it's on them and their abilities- it feels against the spirit of the run to interfere with them, though i did drag my staff through a paint trail I saw one young person using to cheat ahead of the run to mark out a route.
We rested after taking stock and rose with the dawn. For the joy of it, Xan and I slipped in with the runners and to my surprise, Corinna was amongst them, having had her own ideas about the benefits of the altitude training. Closing my eyes, I called upon spirits of wind and air to lighten our steps and make us swifter in the run to come. The hulking forms of some of the chasers began to assemble behind us.
As we prepared, I noticed a greyish minotaur having words with Braz and his face fall. But before I could see more, a horn blared.
The Run was about to begin.