Hexton City - story three

This episode of our road trip takes us to the city of Hexton, to collect 8 miniscule widgets.

Oct 03, 2023

∙ Paid

Welcome fellow Road Trippers to a tiny dimension of escapism and fancy. Today we’ll continue our road trip into our fantasy world of maps and stories.

This armchair road trip is like no other. Our uncrewed airborne people carrier (UAPC) affectionately known as Drewp, offers top of the range comfort whilst it silently cruises the pink skies above our fantasy world, giving us front row seats to the unfolding story.

Welcome onboard. Get settled in your preferred seat on Drewp. As we take off, relax and let the real world fade away. This is a place where anything can happen and flights of fancy are encouraged! Meet me in the comments to share your experiences of this leg of the trip.

This episode of our road trip takes us to the city of Hexton, to collect 8 miniscule widgets. Hexton is on the same bit of land as Tenich Outpost. You can see where this is on the larger map at the bottom of this letter.

“I’m so glad I came to get you, and I don’t have to face this alone. Are you sober and ready for this ‘Isse?”

“Yup. And you? You’ve memorised the map?”

Kriliah is subdued as the group approaches Hexton City. This foray is dangerous but crucial and made so much more difficult by the enchantment that sits over Hexton and the four Trekkers that Kriliah is suddenly responsible for. Jalisse (‘Isse for short) sits on Kriliah’s shoulder as they finalise their plans.

As night falls, Kriliah and company approach from Leftward along Outpost Way. The most recent flood has just subsided, giving them 2 hours to collect The Widgets and exit by the River Gate to Rightward.

The rocky boundary wall Beneathward of the Hexton Castle Compound provides enough cover for the group to get to the shallow river crossing. Creeping Rightward of the Castle, they head along the less guarded Upward Road through the city. As expected, on entering the city as humans, it is deceptively deserted, abandoned. Knowing which of the hundreds of pieces of hexagonal masonry are beings versus actual masonry will be their biggest challenge.

The first 2 Wall Bridges are unguarded and with thanks to Tandi, Kriliah is able to collect the first 2 widgets without detection or Jalisse’s help. Each widget is stashed in a separate, secure pocket in Kriliah’s voluminous coat. “So far, so good,” Kriliah whispers to ‘Isse.

As the group passes a small copse of trees, Kriliah conceals The Trekkers there temporarily, in relative safety. ‘Isse has noticed that several wall bridges are built behind low, secondary walls, with the steps seamlessly joining directly onto the wall. Whilst the first such bridge was easy for Kriliah to scale, Wall Bridge Three Three presents a bit of a puzzle for ‘Isse to solve before Kriliah can climb the steps to retrieve the widget.

“Take a run at it, Kriliah, to get some momentum and then use that to lever yourself up the steep steps this side of the bridge.” She’s not concerned with why they’re like this - she just needs to help Kriliah ascend the bridge as quickly as possible.

Atop the wall bridge, Kriliah senses movement nearby. ‘Isse powers into a ball and as she tumbles, she emits a dazzling arc of light that blinds everything in it’s path - even the Hextonian robots.

“Good one, ‘Isse” breathes Kriliah as the third widget is safely stored in the coat.

Kriliah gasps as they crest the fourth Wall Bridge. The space below is packed with many, massive hexagonal blocks. As Kriliah reaches down to grab the widget, the granite stones transform into cumbersome robots and advance at a surprising speed.

“Quick ‘Isse, do something. There are so many of them!”

‘Isse spirals upwards in a corkscrew motion, scattering hundred of shards of light, which wedge into the robots’ joints, disabling their movement in the short term.

“Go, Kriliah, I’ll deal with this lot. Get widget 5 and I’ll meet you at Wall Bridge Six.”

After retrieving widget 5 (without any unwanted surprises, Kriliah remembers The Trekkers. They retrace their steps and urgently usher The Trekkers towards Wall Bridge Six. “Hide there by the wall and don’t move a muscle.”

Kriliah grabs the widget and leaps onto the sixth bridge to see where ‘Isse is. She swoops in, breathless.

She nods towards The Trekkers “Hurry, get them over Wall Bridges 6 and 7, before that lot get the use of their limbs back.” Kriliah pushes each of The Trekkers over the next two Wall Bridges and directs them forward along the open path.

“Make for the path just beyond he tower with the red light and for Tandi’s sake don’t make a sound. We don’t know if the tower is a robot or not.”

‘Isse’s ephemeral form keeps watch as Kriliah collects widgets 6 and 7 and they both rush to join the others. In a urgent whisper Kriliah says: “Just one more item to get, then across the river and out through the river gate. Time is running out, get a move on!”

A low grinding sound erupts behind them. The red tower is a humungous Hextonian Guardian with large square red flashing eyes and massive stone limbs.

“Oh no … ‘Isse…?”

Highly tuned to danger, ‘Isse has already worked out a way to deter this robot. Zipping at light speed through the gnashing forelimbs, she trails skeins of light ropes from her fingertips, weaving them around and through the robot’s limbs, in a complex web. “

Not sure these’ll be strong enough to hold this beastie, but grab widget 8 and get to the river, K.” Only marginally slower, Red Tower encroaches on the group at a remarkable speed. With Red Tower nipping at Kriliah’s heels, they trip and hit their head on the sharp edges of Wall Bridge 8.

“Ouch, that hurt, you lumbering sod.” They reach for widget 8 as they tumble down the steps to the other side, dazed and in pain.

“C’mom, K, get up” ‘Isse holds her hands on with side of Kriliah’s head and a film of green energy forms over their head. “That should help. Now move!”

Five pairs of feet clatter over the wooden river bridge and turn immediately right to flee through River Gate, into perceived safety, for now they are outside the city walls.

“Can we rest, Kriliah,” The Trekkers hum as one.

“No! Remember the enchantment. Within moments this area will flood and then we’ll all drown. So keep going until I say we can stop.”

As they keep moving, Kriliah sighs, “Now these items are in my care, there’s no turning back. This is it.”

Eight widgets have been lifted from the city, each safely deposited in Kriliah’s coat. Each one more mysterious than the next. do you think they’ll help to find the key?

Decide what happens in Story Four

So, where to you think the story should go next? This is the part where you get involved in the road trip. Remember, Kriliah has eight widgets and is on a quest to find a key (although we have no idea what the key is for just yet).

Have a look at the two options below:

Vote in the poll to let me know which map of the two maps you’d like to see in the next story
Look at the two maps below. What at the first words that come to mind?
Leave a few words in the comments
I may choose one of your words for the story (and give you credit for it)

Voting open to all subscribers.

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Option One - Vortexes of Volute

What mishaps and adventures would to company encounter in the vugs of these vortexes as they try to activate one of the widgets? What at the first words that come to mind? Leave a few words in the comments

Option Two - to Groenvelde to find a gemmiferous graphologist

Could the company locate a gemmiferous graphologist, to help them decipher an annotation of one of the widgets? What at the first words that come to mind? Leave a few words in the comments

Vote ➡️

Update your map

Have you downloaded and printed the free map for this armchair road trip yet? If you have, grab it and update it with the position of Hexton City.

Well, that’s it questers!

Head to the comments, please! I’m curious to know

What your thoughts are about Kriliah and this quest?
How do you feel about the characters and inhabitants of Hexton?
What do you think of Kriliah and Jalisse’s team work?
Was the collection of these widgets too easy?
Would you like to see them encounter harder challenges, or are you cool with how it’s panning out?
Any comments on the map itself?

Set a date for next Tuesday for your next trip on Dwerp for episode three. I can’t wait to see which map you’ll choose!

The stories behind the story

Want to explore more into the details of this story? I have a world building index available to paid subscribers. If you’d like to delve deeper into the stories behind the story, why not upgrade your subscription? I have a 10% off offer valid until the end of October.