It’s not long after Brother Frynd’s death barge recedes from view that the celebration begins.
Heartwater has been in the grips of terror so long, that any excuse to raise a mug of mead and light a bonfire is enough.
Throughout the day and well into the night, Sturmberg, Kristov, Lucia Talene, and Halinde Stillmoon are toasted for their heroism by thankful villagers. The party proves a welcome break from the exacting horror of the past few days.
The next morning, Stillmoon asks that the townsfolk provision her friends for their next journey, but also announces that she is staying in the village.
“There’s healing to be done,” the druid says. “We need to move on and bring new life to the village.”
While Sturmberg and Kristov see to the provisions, Talene and Stillmoon retreat to the druid’s home.
“It’s time I tell you more of my order,” Stillmoon says. “You may be a Ravensister, but you likely haven’t heard of the Shard Maidens.”
Stillmoon passes what secrets she can to Talene, in hopes that the Ravensister can check in on the order, and make sure the island home of the sisterhood is safe.
Meanwhile, an ordeal of a different sort is playing out for the peddler and the warrior. Sturmberg loves the fancy hat the party found in Brother Frynd’s hoard but feels something is amiss with it.
Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of buyers for fine goods in an impoverished village. It’s at the inn that Sturmberg finally finds his mark. The innkeeper — despite his age and rough complexion — has decided that he must finally get a wife since most of the menfolk of the village have been killed.
With amused glances, Kristov and Sturmberg are able to sell the feathered cap at quite a steal. The innkeeper hands over not only 10 silver but enough dried food to last the party several weeks.
Talene takes time to speak to the old Wyrm priest before leaving. Acting on a hunch from their first meeting, she probes whether the old man truly knows magic, or is merely an acolyte with no real ability.
Luckily, it turns out the old priest wasn’t just spinning yarns. In what little time they have, he passes on knowledge of divination and other skills that had helped keep the village safe until recently. Charged with this new knowledge, Talene hopes to be able to protect her friends even better.
Deciding that heading back east could lead them into the full Rust Church army, the trio opt to head north, further into the Dankwood. Sturmberg and Kristov are enticed by the legend of magical war hammer, and of a story they heard during the celebration the night before.
“A long time ago, in the age of the Blood Mist, there was a wise peddler. They sought an enemy because of a bet and traveled to a ruin, located here in a dark forest toward the Northeast. As the legend goes, it is said that they were murdered and that at the location there is gold, lots of it, but also greedy robbers.”
During their first night in the deep woods, Kristov keeps watch and encounters a strange halfling stumbling her way through the forest.
The halfling thinks she is being stealthy as she tries to sneak up on the camp, but the old peddler easily hears her murmuring to herself. Kristov picks up his lute and plays it in rhythm with the woman’s strange rhyming before finally asking her to reveal herself.
The halfling introduces herself as “Mimo” and is astonished that Kristov is real, and not just a voice in her head. Once coming into view of the campfire, Kristov is amused at Mimo’s completely disheveled appearance.
However, the pair are able to bond over a shared love of bread making, and the old peddler offers her the use of their fire to make some fresh loaves.
Sturmberg and Talene are surprised to find a new halfling in the camp the next morning but are easily won over by the fresh, warm bread.
“What the hell is that Kristov! You told me you left the workers back at the keep!” Sturmberg shouts. He turns to Mimi, “How long has he had you in that sack?!!”
Laughing, Kristov makes introductions and quietly remarks to himself that the long journey is about to get even more enjoyable.
JesseFolk.com 