Prelude: Beating of the Forest Heart
In the deep forest of the wood surrounding Camelot, past the lake where the Sidhe reign, past the dens where bugbears lurk, there is a grove. It is ringed by free-standing stones, each a man's size in height plus one. They stand, vigilant guardians to what lay in the very center of a clearing - the Mound. The Mound rises from the forest floor like the gentle swell of a pregnant belly. It often gave travelers who passed through the peculiar feeling that something had simply curled up, tail to nose, for a midday rest and forgotten about the world around it.
It wasn't so far from the truth.
The grove was Old and it smelled of all things old, like decaying flowers, wet earth, and magick. Something ancient lay there in the heart of the forest, it slumbered as ancient things are wont to do, and occasionally it shifted, like a hibernating bear turning in its long sleep.
The grove too, was eerily quiet, so still that one could easily hear the lullaby of the wind as it whispered through the leaves and grass. Then suddenly, there was movement.
The stone sentinels began vibrating and a low moan swept through the clearing. It filled the air with a gentle hum that pulsated down into the earth, shaking the ground in a slow, gentle manner.
And in response, from the depths of the Mound there was a stirring, and the land itself seemed to shrug.
(To be continued.)
