The first hint of Sijan's proximity came when the Schnellvögel passed over a lonely tomb, and the temperature began to fall. As the Threshold was already feeling the chill of Winter, this made things quite cold indeed.
Start Date: 19 Descending Air
The solitary monument on the plain was soon joined by another … then another, then a group of three at once. As the other circle-mates joined the watch at the bow of the air boat, the burial fields of Sijan began to unfurl before them.
Tombs. Tombs with obelisks. Tombs with statues. Tombs stacked like layers of sediment. Tombs the size of entire towns. They stretched nearly to the horizon, in all their myriad styles and shapes and sizes, unified only by their similarity of materials (marble, alabaster, onyx, and such) and the utter quiet that covered the land like a thick blanket.
Once the ship had crossed the River Avarice, with its twin bridges, they finally arrived at Sijan proper. An old city, Sijan. It was hardly distinct from the mausoleums surrounding it, excepting only the fact that it was raised above the level of the plain and surrounded by a high, white, moss and ivy covered wall. And far denser. Staired gates provided entrance into a labyrinth of jumbled architeture in styles taken from all over Creation and many different eras. But always, always rendered in the ever-present, subdued white and black color scheme, owing to the materials used in its construction.
And it was silent. Solemn. There were no throngs. No festivals. No demonstrations. No open markets. The few people seen going about their business from the vantage of the air boat did so unhurriedly, without fuss or bother.
Anchoring the ship proved to be a problem. The ground around Sijan was covered with burial vaults stretching to the horizon in every direction, save only the rivers to the West and South, and the Black Chase to the North. They lay thickest near the city. There were paved walks between them, to be sure, and clear ground about them, naturally. But neither seemed like good prospects for anchoring, since the paths were presumably there for official business, and the ground probably consecrated. Best not to risk offending either the living or the dead residents of Sijan. With a sigh, Albrecht turned command of the ship over to his cook, ordering that the Schnellvögel circle the city until called for.
Once in Sijan proper, they discovered that the city was possessed of a solemn and restrained demeanor. After witnessing a funeral procession, they spoke to someone who directed them at a Sijanese museum.
At the museum, they are informed that the cultural museums are open to the public for a small fee, but that the libraries are difficult to access.
Ultimately, they meet up with a familiar face … the man known as Jiunan Nightwarden, who they last saw in Seven Willows.
End Date: 19 Descending Air