Contents
CHAPTER 2
Overview
Peregrine Wickwrackrum, Scriber Jaqueramaphan, and the opaque newcomer Tyrathect witness a blazing object descend and land near Flenser’s Castle. They survive the heat and debris, then spy the grounded craft while Flenserist troopers assemble an ambush. Scriber reveals anti-Flenser leanings, and the pair decide to hide, realizing the object is an unprecedented made thing from the sky.
Summary
Peregrine Wickwrackrum travels west with Scriber Jaqueramaphan and the unsettling newcomer Tyrathect toward Flenser’s Castle. Peregrine distrusts both: Scriber may be a spy, and Tyrathect seems a rigid Flenserist fugitive. As the coast comes into view, the land’s beauty contrasts their tense destination.
A deep, growing rumble draws their attention skyward. A searing spear of light descends, flooding daylight with harsher glare and heat. Peregrine dives for forest cover as the noise crescendos and momentarily blacks out. When the sound ends, glowing droplets fall and small fires sputter out in the damp summer woods.
Regrouping, Peregrine spots Scriber using a long, pointed viewing tool. They communicate in high, directional tones and creep to the ridge. Below, a huge stilted structure rests amid scorched ground and steam—clearly the fallen “star.”
Scriber points out Flenserist troopers belly-crawling in ambush formation from the west, likely on prior patrol. The threat forces Peregrine to hide deeper among hollows and watch for Tyrathect, who is missing and suspected to be a high-ranking Flenser Lord.
Scriber admits he is not loyal to Flenser and judges the fallen object more valuable than anything at the Castle. He presses Peregrine on old knowledge; together they conclude the thing is a crafted visitor from far beyond anything in legend. They remain concealed, aware that discovery by Tyrathect or the troopers could be fatal.
Who Appears
- Peregrine WickwrackrumExperienced pilgrim; witnesses the fiery landing, survives the blast, scouts the site, and chooses to hide from Flenserist forces.
- Scriber JaqueramaphanEnergetic, clever traveler; uses a viewing tool, spots Flenserist ambush, admits anti-Flenser leanings, and recognizes the object’s significance.
- TyrathectNewly formed, secretive traveler; likely a high-ranking Flenserist, disappears during the landing and becomes a potential threat.
- Flenser’s Castle troopersCamouflaged patrol from Flenser’s Domain; rapidly converges in ambush formation to seize the fallen object.