Moving the boulder was impossible, 200 odd years of it being set in place has pretty much fixed it there in mud and fallen leaves.
So Steven and I sought an alternative way out of the well by scaling the rock.
A short walk from the well we found the living area for Fehnir’en and Nalen, a small area like the one situated in the well, containing a bedroom and small study. It seems they would head down to the well to eat with the others. Not to surprising really, even members of a close knit family still want their moments of privacy and peace.
There were no paths leading off into the forest, if there were they have long since grown over. So Steven and I headed into the nearest gap in the trees to explore.
We wandered around for about 2 hours before we found Jilen’s camp. A large boulder sat in the middle of a clearing. Sections of it had been carved out, and a wooden structure attached. Wooden steps lead across to a stream of fresh water. The first thought that hit me was that it was all very neat and tidy, for a location that has been around 200 years I expected it to be overgrown. The problem with this line of reasoning was that I assumed Jilen was no more, this reason was quickly changed when a figured stepped out from the house as we approached it.
Unsurprisingly he was weary, the man has been in solitude for 200 years, and it is very apparent we are not D’ni, a fact that Jilen himself acknowledged and muttered as we approached. So it came to a surprised to him (and an amusing one at that) when both Steven and I waved, said shorah and introduced ourselves.
He ushered us inside and motioned to sit before pouring us all a drink which he later mentioned was a wine he had made from some of the fruit that can be found in the forest, interesting idea, I should try doing that with the Norapods in Fahets some time.
We sat for a few hours talking, Steven doing most of it on our side as his D’ni is better than mine. He asked who we were? Why we came to Ahry’ahn? What happened to the plague? And many more questions. We explained how D’ni had fallen, many fled to the Ages like he had, then 200 odd years later humans discovered the Cavern and had started restoring and living in D’ni. How Atrus had gathered survivors and moved to a new home called Releeshahn. He took a lot of interest in the news about Releeshahn, not sure what he made of humans being in D’ni though.
A lot of what Jilen had to say we already knew from his journal. He had sealed the well up after Laia died and kept an eye from a distance over all that time in case people returned. Which is why he was expecting us, he had been watching our efforts in the well since we stepped through.
Dusk fell on Ahry’ahn and we parted company, Jilen wanted to rest and think over what had been talked about, especially the part about Releeshahn and joining the others. I asked him if he would mind us stopping by again sometime and speak to him more. As an Archivist he would be an excellent source of information regarding D’ni history, he said he will come find us in time.
Before we left however, he noted the Books on our hips, I asked him if wanted to take a look at Relto, but he said maybe later. He watched in awe and confusion as Steven Linked out first, the Book going with him instead of falling to the ground. Looking to me for an explanation, I told him that it was written by a D’ni descendant who was very good with the Art, with that I bid him goodnight and left myself.
At first I was hesitant about continuing the restoration process on Ahry’ahn after discovering Jilen was still living there, I explained to him that more may find their way to his house if we release the Age, but he didn’t seem troubled by that, he was keen for others to see it. I guess it’s the archivist in him, Ahry’ahn is now a page in history that others can witness.
