As the old village elder retreats into her home, the adventurers look at each other, trying to gauge who would enter first after receiving her icy glare.
Jabari speaks up and cries, “I think that gamekeeper must have poisoned me. My stomach is at war with itself. I will retire for the day.”
The wolfkin the trudged off toward the inn, clutching his stomach in obvious pain.
Jabbles quipped once the wolfkin was out of earshot, “Goblin may be small, but stomachs made of iron.”
The remaining trio laughed before hiking up to the home. Before they could even knock, a strong voice rang out from inside, saying, “Just come in and speak. Let your business be quick.”
Kristov marched in first, closely followed by Faus, who kept his pointed hat low on his head — before Jabbles quietly snuck in behind them.
“You look normal enough,” Mrs. Pollmer said to Kristov. “But it seems you brought some strange creatures in with you to our quiet village.”
Faus snorted at the impertinence of the old crone.
“Strange is as strange does,” he retorted.
The village matron shot him a glare that could turn a man to stone.
“Well,” she said. “No doubt Yawim has yapped your ears off, which is quite a feat looking that one.” Her eyes were still intent on Faus.
Kristov cut in, seeking to smooth over her anger with his practiced trader’s tongue.
“Yes, we heard from that blowhard,” Kristov said. “But we know how hard it is to keep a town safe. We’d like to hear your side of things.”
Mrs. Pollmer proceeds to explain the delicate balance she tries to keep in The Hollows. With the Blood Mist lifted, she knows that travelers are expected, but she fears raiders or monsters from the outside will find the town. It seems she and her followers are quite OK with a subsistence living and don’t desire contact with the outside world.
“I have a job for you if you’re interested,” she said to Kristov. “But I’ll need assurances you’ll keep your mouths shut regardless of your decision.”
Kristov gives her a sapphire to vouchsafe until the travelers leave town, secure in knowing that he and his companions could likely buy the hamlet twice over with their current hoard.
Mrs. Pollmer exhorts the group to sink or burn Yawim’s boat before three nights pass. However, she warns them to not get caught or hurt any villages in the process. In return, she promises them weapons, equipment, and even a horse.
“Whatever you think your services are worth if I can provide it,” she said. “Now begone!”
The trio quickly leaves the crone to her fire and ruminations and head back to the docks to get Sertold’s counsel. They find the trader playing knucklebones with his new goblin crewman. For his part, Meroggha seems quite happy to be employed and have a place of his own.
“In addition to scrubbing the barge, he even scrapped off barnacles!” Sertold exclaimed. “I didn’t even know such things could grow on a riverboat.”
Kristov carefully interrogates the trader about what he has learned about the state of the town. Quickly seeing that things are indeed coming to a head between Yawim and Pollmer. Sertold cautions the group not to get involved, and that no good would come of it. He again offers to take them downriver to The Tin and other ports to keep them from running afoul of the townsfolk.
With the skies turning dark, the trio heads back to the inn. Jabbles makes friends with a stablehand who teaches him some animal handling tricks before referring him to Ness, the blacksmith, for more training.
Whiling their time away at the bar, Kristov makes a point to speak with Midwife Nirvea, learning about her craft and gaining part of town legend about a hidden crypt. The group also watches a town fool be alternatingly pitied and bullied by townsfolk before the bartender drives out the mute. Finally, with most of the townsfolk gone, all that is left is Rust Brother Sturkas.
Kristov greets the grizzled cleric and ingratiates himself to the man. Sturkas clarifies that he is neutral in the struggle between Pollmer and Yawim, and that he believes all men eventually succumb to the monster inside themselves. Jabbles asks Sturkas about his god and proceeds to get a sermon for almost an hour before the Rust Brother finally takes his leave.
The following morning is met with calamity. As the group exits into the town square, Faus feels something tug at his legs. Looking down, the group sees grey hands reaching up from the ground, trying to drag them into the underworld.
The three struggle with all their might, but eventually are pulled into the earth. Waking up in terror moments later, they found out that the apparitions merely terrified them into passing out, much to the townsfolk’s bewilderment.
Dusting themselves off, they make their way to Ness, the blacksmith. The sound of clanging reverberates off much the square, and the adventurers are met with a middle-aged, brawny man with a large beard.
Ness offers his time to teach Kristov about smithing, and also teaches Jabbles more about animal handling. Kristov offers up his four broadswords in payment, and Ness excitedly gets townsfolk to pool their money to get the weapons. Kristov earns 30 silver coins of various shapes, sizes, and ages but is still pleased with the deal.
Leaving the smithy, the trio were about to head north to investigate the cemetery when they noticed a fog bank rolling in from the river. Coming from the fog was the mournful melody of a lute. Eventually, an apparition could be seen coming out of the mist.
A ghostly minstrel with a dark hood and a noose around her neck floated through the air, heading toward the city gates.
Jabbles quickly moved back to get away from the ghost, and Faus cowered behind him, afraid of any undead he couldn’t control. As the apparition drew closer, Faus whispered that the spirit was Alma, a minstrel who was executed in ages past. Kristov considered the knowledge and then gave Alma a knowing and courteous bow of his head.
Alma paused her march for a moment and smiled at Kristov. Then she continued her solemn journey, albeit her tune was slightly more upbeat.
With that new ghostly encounter etched in their minds, the trio turned their gaze to the hillside, and an outcropping of stones said to be a haunted temple…
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