From publisher blurb:
AN EPISODE FOR FOUR TO SIX WANDERES IN THE AESYR SETTING
The wanderers enter a small town, far South of Fort Hunter’s Breath. A break from the long stretch of savannah, almost an oasis, the town Stone Water is always a welcome sight. The air is crisp, fresh with the smell of vegetation. Tall, thin trees surround the edges of the town, casting long shadows for reprieve during the sun's highest point. Small water pumps, clearly designed for animals, are situated between every other building. The paths are paved with a dry, red brick that has been worn by weather and traffic. Birds dot the roofs of the clay buildings, while smaller beasts slowly wander the paths between; all of them chirping or huffing or mewing. The orange walls are painted with elaborate murals using vibrant colours, obviously touched up frequently. Potted plants sit on open windowsills. Elderly people stand and sit in doorways, contentedly watching and waving to any passersby.
Lively chatter of an open market fills the air. The promise of food and water and smiles would draw anyone in. Cheers and haggling, mixed with uplifting music and the scratching of heavy boxes on brick. While a few people mulled about the outskirts of the town, as the centre draws nearer, the density of people shoots up. Large groups move together in a flawlessly flowing river of people through the market stalls. The ground is flat and the area is ringed by houses and establishments. Fruits and trinkets, pelts and furniture, almost anything is being sold. Some vendors even try to catch the eyes of wanderers. There are unique wares to be had here. As the wanderers reach the market, the ground shakes. They shouldn’t be surprised, though. Everyone in Javajhuuv has felt the shaking for weeks now. Everyone stopped caring. They’re always light, barely enough to wobble a mug on a table and they always stop after a few seconds. The conversations in the market continue on as if nothing is happening.
But the seconds pass. The conversations are dimming. People start looking around at each other. The music falters. The shaking intensifies. The birds leave their perches for the safety of the sky. The shaking intensifies. The perfect flow of people becomes a sudden push outwards. The shaking intensifies. An enormous, gnarled, alien tree bursts from the paved ground of the market. The shaking stops.