The Forbidden Stone

The world-building felt so vivid and immersive. I'm curious whether the author based it on real-world locations or let imagination run wild.

The story took some time to pick up again after a certain point. I'm wondering if that was intentional to build suspense or just how the story evolved.

Their loyalty was really touching, but I also wondered if their bonds sometimes made them take bigger risks. What did others think about their teamwork?