11th of Winter, 517
The evening sunlight spilled over Alvaros's face as he emerged from the Gaping Maw, forcing him to squint. He found himself staring down a cobblestone road, lined with snow-coated buildings. He blinked, tugging on the reins of his horse in order to stop her just past the gate. "Huh." He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting. Something more... insane? It was the city of illusions, after all. He supposed he'd just have to wait.
The Isur swung his right leg over Fiellos's side and dropped to the ground with a 'thud,' right hand still gripping her reins. He set his jaw; the cold was starting to seep into his bones. He needed to find someplace to hole up for the night, and someplace to tie up Fiellos. With a clear goal now in mind, Alv continued down the street, whistling to himself.
Luckily for him, it seemed that the Unstable Stables had spawned not far from the entrance of the city. He'd heard stories of the buildings in Alvadas shuffling on the occasion, which made him uneasy (he didn't want to lose track of Fiellos), but he opted to board his steed up despite everything.
Alone now, Alvaros continued on by foot, his pack slung over one shoulder. He glanced up at each shop sign as he passed, eager for someplace to rest and replenish. With a yelp, he stumbled forward, the street beneath his boots suddenly much softer than it had been before. He looked down, and his eyes bugged - a small section of the ground he stood upon had, for whatever reason, turned into snakes. A writhing pile of them, hissing and lashing about.
Alvaros bit back a scream. There were few things in this world he hated more than snakes. He did not hesitate to lunge from where he stood, dash across the street, and practically throw himself through the closest door.
Panting, the young traveler pinched the bridge of his nose, heart rattling in his chest. He lifted his chin to see that he'd wound up in some sort of tavern, and many of its patrons were staring at him in bewilderment. "The street! Didn't you all see it? It turned into snakes!" The words poured out of his mouth in the Isurian tongue before he caught himself. Switching back to the common language, he managed to stutter out, "I... the... the snakes!"
So much for a good first impression.