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Hello everyone, this is Asclepius. Once again I’m delighted to welcome Lady Adnor to the microphone – she is bringing us a wonderful story by Enderandrew, entitled

Zoe’s Travels – Soltown
Background music is “Lover’s touch” by Smartsound

Zoe’s Travels: Soltown
By Zoe Marie the Bard

Shortly after leaving Ardoris I met with a courier on the road looking for me. My presence was requested in Soltown to perform at Soltown Inn. This was the first time my services had been commissioned ahead of time for another town. I had already planned on exploring more of the Perennial Coast, so a trip to Soltown made sense.

I am always excited to visit new places, but I’ve never had an eager audience waiting for me. I traveled with haste. That excitement abated and quickly melted into a somber tone when I reached the village.

There was a weary guard named Stanley on the road coming in. I could see immediately in his eyes that he had witnessed things that cannot be unseen. He told me of a recent battle at Solace Bridge. The fort and surrounding homes were burned. Many lives were claimed both by the fire and the undead.

I found refugees up the road in makeshift tents. They still seemed to be in shock. A few looked up desperately at the sound of my footsteps only to look down with heartache and desperation. They seemed to wait for loved ones that may never be coming back.

I made my way to Soltown Inn to talk with Richard, the proprietor. He explained that he sent the courier before the attack. While Soltown is a small village that largely keeps to itself, its residents have a healthy love for music. He makes it a point to bring in as many different bards as he can to entertain his guests. Initially he wasn’t so sure a performance was still appropriate.

I suggested my usual fare might not, but perhaps there was something I could do. His tavern could fit most of the village if people packed in tight, but it wasn’t just the villagers I wanted to perform for. Richard helped round up his guests and anyone he could find, and together we all walked down to where the refugees were camped.

For a night we all sat together under the stars around a fire. I sang soothing songs of hope and healing, but interspersed my performances with moments of reflection. I invited the displaced residents of Solace Bridge to share their favorite memories of home.

One of those residents was a kind woman named Linda, surrounded by her beloved cats. She had just lost everything, but was passing out bark bread to everyone gathered. Richard ran up to his Inn and returned with mead to share with the crowd.

That night I learned that Soltown tries to live quietly on their own, not unlike Braemar and the villages of the Hidden Vale. But Sequanna’s influence of love stretched beyond Ardoris into the rest of the Perennial Coast. Here this private village had welcomed in others with open arms and open hearts. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

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Please note: This is a SotA community run project, and any and all content may deviate from the fictional canon of the game.