📜 The Tale of Blackroot Hollow The letter had arrived before dawn, sealed in dark wax with no footprints leading away. Kannyay had read it once, folded it carefully into his inside pocket, and said nothing to anyone. He had, however, immediately begun selling tickets to a Ricardo Asterley concert in Blackroot Hollow. Two hundred of them, at two silver pieces each. The fact that the village had been cursed and sunless for three days was, he felt, largely irrelevant to the matter of ticket sales. The party set off down the eastern road at first light, though there was precious little light to set off by. Kannyay led the way with his chest puffed and a hand-drawn map held upside down, which nobody pointed out. Goldfish lasted approximately four minutes on the path before vanishing into the pines after a moth, reappearing shortly afterwards holding someone's tooth and pronouncing herself fine. The woods grew darker and narrower around them. Ricardo Asterley, hunched in the cart at the back, quietly identified three separate escape routes and committed them to memory. Blackroot Hollow was exactly as advertised in the letter and considerably worse than advertised on the tickets. The fields were the colour of ash. The well murmured things that didn't bear repeating. The chapel bell rang once, slow and deliberate, despite having no ringer — and Valeska Crane's Silent Bell, the clapper-less relic she carried always at her hip, answered it. A single resonant hum, felt more than heard. She said nothing, but her hand did not leave it for the remainder of the walk through the village. Kannyay went directly to the chapel and began measuring the interior for stage dimensions. Goldfish followed him in, drawn by a candle flickering on the altar in a room with no draught. The candle guttered as she approached, and those outside later swore it whispered her name. Goldfish herself reported no such thing, being entirely preoccupied with the rotted floorboard she then fell through, dropping with a surprised yelp into whatever lay buried beneath the chapel. She emerged approximately thirty seconds later through the same hole, glowing faintly, holding something ancient and sealed and covered in symbols nobody recognised. She asked if anyone wanted a biscuit. Nobody did. Ricardo Asterley watched all of this from the chapel doorway, arms folded, and made the executive decision that twelve coppers did not cover any of what he had just witnessed. The concert was cancelled. Kannyay straightened his moustache — which twitched once, briefly, when he announced he had known about the curse all along and had everything completely under control — and turned to face whatever was coming next. Something was buried beneath that chapel. Something that had called to Goldfish by name and lit up at Valeska's bell. Kannyay had absolutely no idea what it was. He was, he decided, definitely going to find a way to charge admission. -------------------- Hear ye, VIPs, let us commence! (Dun dun dun dududun dun) Alright halt! Join hands and hearken, The road to Blackroot Hollow, cold and darken'd! No sun in three days, the fields are grey, He sold two hundred tickets, wants his pay! Kannyay's out front, chest puffed, acting brave, Leading the whole party to an early grave! Goldfish chased a moth into the pine, Came back with someone's tooth and said "I'm fine!" The woods grew darker, narrower the track, Ricardo checked the exits at the back, Something in the shadows, something wrong, But Kannyay said "great acoustics for a song!" Dice dice baby, Dice dice baby! Roll them bones and pray thee Dice dice baby! Alright stop! Kannyay's on a roll, Selling cursed venue tickets, bless his soul, Ricardo's in the cart, he's not amused, Twelve coppers and a curse, feeling used! Blackroot Hollow, not a sunrise in sight, The well didst whisper something in the night, The bell rang alone from the chapel tower, Valeska's Silent Bell shook with power! She gripped it tight, said not a word, The darkest omen any of them heard! Kannyay marched straight in, cool as you like, Sizing up the chapel for the mic! Goldfish followed in, distracted by a flame, An altar candle flickered, called her by her name! She fell right through the floor without a care, Came back up glowing, ancient relic in her hair! "Dost anyone want a biscuit?" said she, Holding something buried for a century! Ricardo watched it all from outside the door, Wondering what in three realms he'd signed up for! Dice dice baby, Dice dice baby! Roll them bones and pray thee Dice dice baby! Alright stop! Kannyay's on a roll, Selling cursed venue tickets, bless his soul, Ricardo's in the cart, he's not amused, Twelve coppers and a curse, feeling used! Word to thy mother, And word to the quest, Sometimes the fool leads, And luck doth the rest! Goldfish finds treasure, Without even trying, Valeska talks bells, And the chapel's replying! Kannyay's tash twitches, And he claims a success, The concert's cancelled, I confess! I never got paid, Not a copper, not a crown, But I'll do it again, For twelve coppers next time! Dice dice baby, Dice dice baby! Roll them bones and pray thee Dice dice baby! Dice dice baby, Dice dice baby! Dice dice baby!
