The Chronicle, Session 13

Dramatis Personae

• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da ("Say'"), Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng
• Fiadhan, Keltic Druid local to the Bryn Celli region

Noon Wolves Attack!

Sky, the 13th of Sagittarius, 582. 4:00 PM. Clear to partly cloudy, 19 degrees F.

The noon wolves arrived without warning.

The party had been exploring the ruined market district when five of the strange, hairless beasts entered from the west, their milky-white eyes turning from side to side as they searched the ruins. The wolves were unaware of the adventurers, however, and this gave the party a brief opportunity to act before the creatures realized they were there.

Tori sprinted toward Tyrm, shouting, “Wolves incoming, from the west!”

Tyrm moved into position and loosed two arrows at the approaching pack, but both shots flew wide. Fiadhan also took up a position, preparing herself to cast a spell when the wolves came within range. Say’, irritated at yet another interruption to her exploration, stepped outside the ruined smithy for a better view. She drew her axe and charged toward the beasts.

Kildun saw her pass and drew his sling, keeping it ready while he continued assisting Khronus with his work. The chronomancer merely mumbled an acknowledgment and continued taking his measurements. The mercenaries meanwhile formed a shield wall, preparing to give the others cover if necessary.

The wolves won the initiative when the battle properly began. Moving together as a pack, they advanced upon Say’, the nearest target, but stopped just short of reaching her. They were poised to surround her and attack, if she remained where she was.

Fiadhan decided against casting and instead loosed an arrow. It overshot its target and struck the ground beyond one of the wolves. The mercenaries advanced, then re-formed their shield wall.

Tori stepped forward and cast Entangle. Vines and vegetation burst into life around the wolves, ensnaring four of the five. The fifth resisted the spell and remained mobile, though it could move only at half speed within the affected area.

Kildun launched a sling bullet at the remaining free wolf, but missed.

Say’ saw the spell take effect and glanced toward Tori, giving her a brief nod. She repositioned herself near the mercenaries and called out to the mobile wolf, attempting to draw its attention.

Tyrm moved closer and loosed two more arrows, but both missed.

The remaining mobile wolf broke away from the entangling vegetation and reached Say’. It attacked with claws and teeth, and its bite struck with terrible force. Say’ absorbed the blow, resisting the strange time-bound effect that accompanied it. Whatever the wolf attempted to do to her, she resisted.

Fiadhan answered with two arrows, and both found their mark. The hairless wolf recoiled in shock, but remained on its feet. Tori loosed another arrow and struck it as well. The creature was now badly wounded, whimpering in pain.

Kildun launched another bullet and missed. Tyrm closed the distance, switching to his sword as he prepared to enter the melee.

The mercenaries surrounded the wounded wolf and attacked from several directions with their spears. Their combined assault left little doubt about the outcome. Say’ struck as well, her sword finding its mark.

The wolf collapsed.

The remaining four were still caught within the Entangle spell and presented easy targets. Arrows and sling bullets quickly finished them.

When the fighting was over, the party recovered what ammunition they could and dragged the dead wolves away from the immediate area. Khronus continued his measurements, apparently unconcerned by the interruption, and the party resumed its exploration while he worked.

Fiadhan examined the strange creatures more closely. Their eyes were milky white, and she realized that they were blind. Somehow, however, they had been able to sense the party despite their blindness.

Say’ removed one of the canine fangs from the wolf she had fought and carried it to Khronus. She showed him the fang and described the strange effect that had accompanied the wolf's bite.

Only then did the chronomancer offer a warning. The hairless wolves were known to him. Their claws and bites carried a dangerous time-freezing effect. The party was not particularly pleased that he had waited until after the battle to mention this.

Khronus seemed oblivious to the complaints.

Say’ attempted to conceal the severity of her wound, but Tori had been watching her closely. She recognized that the berserker was in considerable pain and quietly offered her healing. Say’ tried to brush her off, but Tori insisted.

The two stepped aside into a private space, where Tori used her shamanic healing abilities to partially mend the bite.

Fiadhan had noticed them leave and approached, but quickly recognized Say’s discomfort at accepting aid. Instead of pressing the matter, she simply told her, “You’re the toughest one here. You have to be in tip-top shape.”

Say’ smiled ever so slightly. “I am kind of a badass.”

Her wound still pained her, but the exchange seemed to satisfy her. When Tori finished, Say’ gave her the only acknowledgment she was inclined to offer. “Thanks.” Then she walked away.

While the others recovered, Tyrm and the mercenaries began piling rubble into defensive barriers. Kildun continued assisting Khronus and asked whether he might take one of the wolves for later study. Khronus said that he could, though he doubted Kildun would find anything particularly interesting. Kildun decided to leave the corpse where it was.

The ghostly images that had appeared throughout the market district continued to flicker in and out of existence, seemingly unaffected by the battle. Say’ examined the wolves more closely but found nothing unusual beyond their lack of fur and their milky-white eyes. Beneath the missing hair, they possessed the same mass and bulk as ordinary wolves.

Tori and Fiadhan spoke briefly about their respective knowledge of healing.

At last, after another half hour, Khronus finished his measurements and began packing his equipment. He instructed Kildun to tell the others to prepare to move.

The timing was unfortunate, as Tyrm had only just finished constructing the defensive barriers. He merely shrugged. The tactic had been sound, even if Khronus had rendered it somewhat unnecessary by choosing that particular moment to depart.

The Observatory

Khronus led the party in a wide semicircle around the ruined town, keeping near the remains of the crumbled wall. After completing roughly a third of the circuit, they came upon a structure that was considerably more intact than most of the surrounding buildings.

Something protruded through its partially collapsed roof. Khronus stopped. “Is that... no, it can’t be... can it?” He approached the building quickly and looked through an open doorway. Then he gasped. The chronomancer entered without waiting for the others.

Inside stood a massive telescope, mounted upon an elaborate machine of pipes, gears, levers, gauges, and other mechanisms. Khronus moved from one component to another, checking gauges and manipulating controls as he attempted to restore the device to working order.

The party was left largely to its own devices.

By this point, the strange effects of the frozen time surrounding the town had become increasingly difficult to ignore. The sun remained fixed at its zenith despite the passage of hours. Shadows had not moved. Occasionally, a bird would freeze in mid-flight for several seconds or even minutes before suddenly continuing along its original path as though nothing had happened.

The same phenomenon occurred with creatures on the ground, though it was less obvious.

For the party, even the concept of time itself was beginning to lose meaning.

Fiadhan examined the metal sphere they had found, that reflected a night sky filled with unfamiliar stars and constellations. She could learn nothing from it and eventually showed it to Khronus. The chronomancer examined it for several minutes, but could make nothing of it either. He shrugged and returned it to her, remarking only that the right collector would probably pay a substantial price for such a mysterious device.

Tyrm and the mercenaries went to work almost immediately, constructing rubble barricades across the three principal entrances on the north side of the building. Three openings on the southern walls were actually windows, and Tyrm left those for later.

Khronus continued working on the telescope.

“Need to raise the altitude... two-mark-three degrees...”

“Zoom in... raise magnification... adjust focus...”

Then, with growing excitement: “Ahh! The pendulum is accelerating! But how? What force could be causing this?”

Kildun remained nearby, assisting the chronomancer whenever necessary and watching the strange machine carefully. He noticed that the telescope was not actually aimed at the heavens. Although it tilted upward, its line of sight was directed toward the clock tower, approximately halfway up its height.

Say’ had never seen anything remotely like the device. She wandered around the observatory, lightly touching its various components and examining the desks and mechanisms. She occasionally placed a hand upon a lever or switch, but did not actually move anything.

From her perspective, the telescope seemed almost alive.

The pipes hissed with hot gases. Small bursts of steam escaped near various gauges. As Khronus worked, the entire mechanism seemed to awaken. The machine breathed.

Tori, meanwhile, had been searching for more of the ghostly figures that had appeared in the market. She found none. Since leaving that area, the party had not seen another of the strange apparitions. Perhaps the phenomenon was localized.

Then Tori heard something else: a faint humming came from somewhere near the telescope. She followed the sound and discovered a small, flattened black object resting upon the machine. It resembled a smooth glass pebble, though even smoother than a river stone, as if molten glass had formed into a droplet before slowly flattening and hardening.

The sound was remarkably regular. Whaw-whaw-whaw-whaw....

Tori showed it to Khronus. The chronomancer rolled his eyes, came over, and picked it up. The humming stopped. He shrugged and handed the object to her before returning to his work. Tori placed it back upon the telescope. It hummed again.

She moved it to another part of the mechanism. Again, it hummed. She tried placing it upon one of the desks, then upon tools and books resting there. Nothing.

Tori began testing the object against various things she and the others carried. She suspected that it might be some kind of detector, perhaps of metal or magic.

The theory quickly became difficult to support. A silver disk bearing an unknown map and coastline produced no response. Neither did a non-magical dagger, Kildun’s skeletal cat, Fiadhan’s spellbook, Tori’s obsidian Kthulhu figurine, or the protective bracelets given them by Khronus. But when she touched the object to the metal sphere reflecting the unknown stars, it hummed. She tried the folding metal multi-tool, and it hummed again.

The results were becoming increasingly difficult to explain. The corroded coins Fiadhan had discovered produced no response. Fiadhan began following Tori around, helping with the experiments.

Elsewhere, Tyrm and the mercenaries continued their work on the barricades. Say’ moved to the northwest corner and watched through the still-open doorway while they began barricading it.

Fiadhan examined the drawings and diagrams scattered across the desks. She kept a mental inventory of objects that might be worth taking later, once the party was satisfied that the observatory was safe.

The drawings were extensive, filled with diagrams and written notes. The language and alphabet were completely unfamiliar to her. The material looked much like the research notes of a wizard or sage.

Kildun noticed Fiadhan's interest and came over to examine the writings. Something about the letters seemed familiar: they resembled Lemurian pictograms, or something like it. But Kildun could not read them, nor translate them. He could only recognize the resemblance.

Aside from the notes, Fiadhan found a man's ring made of a pale silver-gray metal. It was undecorated by gems, but geometric engravings ran around its circumference. The metal was polished and showed no signs of tarnish or corrosion.

Khronus, meanwhile, had begun to expect Kildun's presence. His assistance was no longer something the chronomancer merely tolerated; Khronus now seemed to assume that Kildun would be nearby when needed. An interesting development....

Tori continued testing the humming object. Eventually, she determined one thing with certainty: it responded whenever it touched the telescope or one of the mechanisms supporting it. The metal star-map sphere responded. The folding multi-tool responded.

And then Kildun discovered another curious object. He had noticed a small switch on the telescope beginning to come loose. When he pointed it out, Khronus examined it briefly.

“It looks harmless enough. Go ahead and push it.”

Kildun did. The switch emitted a faint chime, then it broke free and fell to the floor.

Kildun picked up the object. It was a small box, perhaps two inches long, an inch wide, and half an inch thick. A spring-loaded switch remained attached to one of its flat faces.

He pushed it again. Ding-dong. The sound clearly came from the device itself.

Kildun pushed it several more times as he casually carried it around the observatory. Eventually Khronus told him to stop. He put the device into a pocket, for later.

But with Tori doing her own experiments, Kildun brought it over to her. She tested it with the pebble: it hummed.

Tori thought there must be a pattern to all this. Whatever the object was detecting, it seemed to respond to the telescope, the star map, the folding multi-tool, and Kildun's little chime device.

The ring Fiadhan had found did not produce a response. Nor did the coins. The objects seemed to have something in common, but the party could not yet determine what.

Khronus interrupted their experiments with another piece of information. “By the way, those hairless wolves you fought earlier? They are naturally blind, but can see movement through time. So if you stand very still, they may not see you even if they are very close.”

The party absorbed this information in silence.

Tyrm and the mercenaries finally completed the northern barricades and moved to the southwest corner to begin blocking the windows.

Fiadhan asked Khronus about the crates scattered around the observatory. He said that it should be safe enough to handle their contents, though he cautioned her to take care with the objects, particularly the drawings on the desks. She began with the desks.

Most of what she found was ordinary: dried-out ink pots, quill pens, and other mundane implements. But there were also finely made drawing instruments, compasses, rulers with precise measurements, directional compasses, azimuth instruments, and other tools of exceptional quality.

She eventually gathered a collection of small tools, drawing instruments, and measuring devices of sufficient quality to be worth roughly 200 gold pieces to architects, engineers, scholars, or similar buyers.

Then Tyrm and the mercenaries heard something: the soft padding of wolf feet on cobblestones. Tyrm turned, and saw one of the hairless wolves to the southwest.

Almost simultaneously, Say’ spotted another through the narrow gaps in the barricade to the northwest.

Then Kildun looked through the still-unblocked southeast window: another wolf stood outside.

The party was surrounded....

The Chronicle, Session 12

Dramatis Personae

• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da ("Say'"), Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng
• Fiadhan, Keltic Druid local to the Bryn Celli region

Entering the Land of Endless Noon

Sky, the Thirteenth of Sagittarius, in the Year 582. 11:00 AM. Clear to partly cloudy, 37 degrees F.

Having completed their preparations, the company resumed its journey toward the strange spire that dominated the ruined city. Fiadhan, who had previously been separated from the company, came running up to rejoin them as they approached the outer reaches of the Tower's influence.

They were now perhaps a mile from the spire.

At first, nothing seemed amiss. The red sun appeared as it always did, and the countryside showed no obvious sign of the strange forces they had been warned about. Nevertheless, the company debated whether to leave their mule and porter outside the affected area or bring them along.

In the end, they voted to continue with the beast.

Should any obvious alteration appear in the mule, they agreed, they would immediately withdraw it beyond the Tower's influence.

The company proceeded along an ancient and overgrown road. Their path soon led into a box canyon, where the way abruptly ended. Having no choice but to turn back, they lost nearly half a day's travel before finding another route toward the Tower.

There were occasional sounds of animals in the surrounding wilderness, though little else disturbed the silence. Yet something more subtle had changed: during the four hours required to reach the Tower, the sun had not moved.

By all ordinary reckoning it should have been late afternoon. Instead, the sun remained high in the sky, seemingly fixed in the same position it had occupied when they first entered the affected region.

Nor was this the only strangeness. More than once, one of them caught movement at the edge of his or her vision—a shape, a person, or perhaps merely some disturbance among the ruins. Yet whenever they turned to look directly upon it, there was nothing there.

At last they reached the road leading directly toward the spire. The Tower now rose before them, and around its immense structure could be seen enormous rings, resembling the toothed gears of some gigantic mechanism.

Khronus directed them eastward as they entered the outer ruins of the town. He explained that there would be occasions when he would stop to take measurements or examine some phenomenon. During such times, the company would be expected to protect him, though they were free to explore the surrounding ruins in search of anything of value.

The Silent Market

Soon they came to what appeared to have once been a market. There, the company witnessed something stranger still. Ghostly figures appeared and vanished throughout the ruined streets. They wore ancient clothing of a style not unlike that worn by the revenants the company had encountered the previous day.

The apparitions did not seem entirely insubstantial. From time to time one would turn and appear to notice the strangers moving among them. Their expressions suggested surprise or confusion, but within moments they faded away again.

Khronus explained that the phenomenon was a form of chronological asymmetry, and announced that he wished to take measurements. He commanded the company to do their job of defending him, and feel free to explore the area for their own loot, but leave him undisturbed while he worked.

Kildun needed no further encouragement. Fascinated by Khronus's methods, he remained close at hand, observing every movement and hoping to learn something from the chronomancer's work.

The others dispersed. Saya'da wandered toward what appeared to have been a blacksmith's shop. Tori followed some of the apparitions for a short distance, watching them closely. Tyrm began searching for books. Fiadhan sought more natural treasures—herbs, an apothecary, or perhaps an old fruit or vegetable stall. The mule, porter, and hired fighters remained near Khronus.

Much of the ruined marketplace had decayed almost entirely into dust. Coins could be found here and there, but many were so ancient and corroded that their denominations were no longer recognizable. Some had fused together into clumps.

It appeared that whatever disaster had overtaken the city had happened suddenly enough that merchants had simply abandoned their goods.

Khronus continued to mutter over his notes, occasionally making cryptic observations about what he hoped to accomplish.

Saya'da was among the first to notice that the apparitions seemed to be repeating themselves. Their actions, it appeared, followed roughly the same sequence over and over. Perhaps an hour of the city's past was playing out repeatedly before them.

A Sphere of Stars

Tyrm, meanwhile, discovered something unusual lying upon the ground. It was a small metal sphere, smooth and reflective. Yet instead of reflecting the marketplace or the red sun overhead, it displayed a field of stars. The stars were those of the night sky—there was, of course, no night sky to reflect. Tyrm carried the sphere indoors and outdoors, but wherever he went the same stars remained upon its surface.

He showed the object to Khronus, who expressed only mild interest. It was not, he said, his particular area of expertise.

Kildun and Fiadhan examined it as well. The constellations were familiar, though the stars themselves did not twinkle.

Fiadhan resolved to study the strange object over the next several days, particularly to determine whether the stars moved as she changed position.

She also searched among the ruins for unusual stones and crystals and collected several old coins. The copper and silver pieces were worth perhaps three gold pieces in total, should they ever find a merchant willing to buy them.

Tyrm returned to the place where he had found the sphere. Its surface proved unnaturally smooth—far smoother than any ordinary metal ought to be. It was also heavy enough that he could not easily determine whether it was solid or hollow. He searched the rubble around for clues to its origin, but found none.

Ghostly figures continued to appear and disappear all around, even nearby, yet none interacted with him or the sphere.

Tori had begun noticing another detail. The apparitions were accompanied by faint sounds. They were barely audible, but they were there. She continued watching the figures, looking for anyone who appeared out of place—perhaps someone responsible for whatever had happened to the city. The only suspicious activity she observed was an ordinary pickpocket.

Saya'da meanwhile approached the blacksmith. The ghostly smith appeared at his forge, working as though nothing unusual had happened. Saya'da came close enough to watch him directly and simply waited to see whether he would acknowledge her presence.

He did not. When the apparition faded into existence again, he turned and walked directly through her. A strange buzzing sensation passed through Saya'da's body as he did so. The blacksmith gave no indication that he had noticed her at all. Saya'da shouted at him. Still he paid her no heed.

She reached out and attempted to touch him, seeking some reaction from the ghostly craftsman. None came.

Elsewhere, Kildun continued his close observation of Khronus. The chronomancer's notebook resembled a spellbook in some respects, though its pages were filled primarily with measurements, observations, and notes concerning his work. At one point Khronus handed Kildun a strange device and instructed him simply to hold it up and stand still.

Kildun did so willingly.

Tyrm investigated the well. It smelled dry. There was no rope remaining for the bucket, though an old pail lay nearby. Tyrm attached his own rope and lowered it into the darkness until the line went slack. There was no splash. He pulled the bucket back up: it was completely dry. He then removed the bucket and lowered a lamp instead. The light revealed nothing but stones and the skeleton of some small animal at the bottom.

Fiadhan moved to another shop containing various sundries. Among the ruins she found a semi-corroded copper necklace set with a small piece of quartz. It was inexpensive jewelry, but still salvageable. Nearby stood a fountain, at whose center was a statue of a robed woman. Fiadhan searched the basin and recovered another collection of corroded coins, this time worth perhaps eight gold pieces.

Sun Jellies

Then the strange calm of the marketplace was broken. As Fiadhan pulled the coins from the fountain, two creatures appeared in the sky above her. They resembled enormous floating jellyfish, drifting through the air with tentacles trailing beneath them. The creatures began moving slowly toward Fiadhan.

She immediately ran. "Jellyfish!" she shouted.

The company prepared for battle. Tyrm fired first, but his shot went wide.

Fiadhan retreated behind the infantry and fired at the approaching creatures, likewise missing.

Tyrm moved behind the mercenaries as well and fired twice. One shot struck.

The creatures continued forward. The nearer of the two extended its tentacles toward the closest mercenary.

Saya'da charged. Her attack struck the creature and split it cleanly in two. She attempted a second attack, but her weapon flew from her grasp, landing several feet away.

Tori struck at the remaining creature and missed. Kildun likewise failed to land a blow.

Then one of the creatures simply faded from sight.

For a moment it appeared that the battle had somehow resumed its strange rhythm, but the truth was simpler: Tyrm's earlier shot had killed the second creature as well.

The company recovered what ammunition could be salvaged.

Khronus barely looked up from his work. "Ah. Sun jellies."

Kildun asked what danger they posed.

"They age you," replied Khronus.

Then, having apparently exhausted his patience with the interruption, he returned to his work and instructed them to leave him alone.

A Map of Unknown Lands

The company resumed its exploration.

Saya'da returned to the blacksmith's shop.

Tori continued observing the apparitions, searching for some unusual figure or event that might explain the city's present condition.

Kildun went back to Khronus and continued assisting him, holding instruments and observing the chronomancer's methods.

Tyrm wandered to the fountain and made a wish. His wish produced no immediate result, though he did find something else of interest: a silver disc approximately six inches across, bearing a remarkably detailed relief map of an unknown land. None of them recognized the country depicted upon it.

The reverse side of the disc was polished like a mirror. Tyrm immediately found a practical use for it and began reflecting sunlight into dark corners of the ruins, hoping perhaps to illuminate something otherwise hidden.

Saya'da once more encountered the blacksmith. The apparition appeared nearby, and she reached out to touch him. Again she felt the strange tingling sensation as he passed through her. Again he showed no awareness of her existence. Then he vanished.

Tori had begun to recognize the pattern more clearly. The actions of the ghostly inhabitants were repeating themselves. Whatever events they were witnessing were not random manifestations, but fragments of the past trapped in some manner of temporal cycle.

Yet Tori had still seen nothing resembling the strange activity she sought.

Fiadhan continued her search but found no further trinkets of particular significance.

Tyrm continued experimenting with his silver mirror, attempting to catch one of the apparitions in its reflected light as it appeared.

Fiadhan entered another shop and found something rather more remarkable than the jewelry and coins she had previously recovered. Among the debris lay a small, elegant folding device of strange steel, containing tiny blades, picks, measuring points, clamps, and unknown implements. Its construction was extraordinarily fine. More remarkable still, the steel showed no corrosion whatsoever.

Elsewhere, Tori began searching another ruined shop to the northwest.

Khronus finally took back the device he had previously given to Kildun. Kildun remained at his side nevertheless, continuing to observe the chronomancer's work and offering his assistance whenever needed.

Saya'da searched more thoroughly through the blacksmith's workshop. Most of what remained was ordinary enough: rusted tools, scraps of metal, and objects the smith might once have forged or repaired.

Noon Wolves

Yet the company had little time to consider their finds. As they continued their separate investigations, something moved among the ruins to the west.

A pack of hairless wolves emerged from the direction of the western streets. They came quietly into the market near to Tori, who at that moment stood alone.

Tori, the mercenaries with Khronus, and possibly Tyrm all noticed movement at the edge of their vision...

The Chronicle, Session 11

Dramatis Personae

• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da (Say'), Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng

Wilderness Camp

The company made camp in the wilderness after their first day's march toward the Land of Endless Noon. The previous night had seen the full moon, but the dangers of the countryside were not thought to have ended with its passing. Wolves could be heard howling in the darkness, and none could say with certainty whether all of them were beasts of the ordinary kind.

The camp was secured with alarm snares and bells, and the companions divided the night into watches. Tori stood the first watch with Bran, Tyrm the second with Tannrhulia, Saya'da the third alone, and Kildun the fourth with Vall. As the hours passed, a light precipitation of sleet began to fall, eventually turning to snow.

Eira Wolf-Daughter

It was during Saya'da's watch, around the third hour of the morning, that two figures emerged from the mist.

The first was a woman dressed in weathered furs, carrying herself as a huntress accustomed to the wilderness. Beside her stood a white-furred wolf whose eyes shone golden in the darkness. Saya'da recognized that the strangers posed no immediate threat and chose not to awaken the others. Instead, she quietly approached the woman and spoke with her alone.

The huntress called herself Eira Wolf-Daughter, and the wolf was her companion, Ruff. Eira did not live in Bryn Celli and was not in the service of Blood-Reeve Maelcon. She lived instead in the wilderness, generally avoiding the company of other people.

Eira knew of the Master werewolf beneath Hollow Cairn and had been trying to find a way to deal with him while avoiding falling into his grasp herself. She had once worked with Rhodric in that effort, though she had not seen the ranger for more than two months.

On this particular night, Eira and Ruff were tracking three ordinary werewolves that traveled together as a pack. She warned Saya'da that the creatures were dangerous and should not be confronted without adequate preparation. Indeed, this was why she had stopped at the company's camp: to offer a warning rather than seek a confrontation.

Saya'da asked whether anything could be done to prevent such creatures from attacking. Eira said she could smell the wolfsbane carried by the company, and advised that as long as they kept it with them and possessed silver weapons, they should be able to defend themselves.

The two women found that they shared a preference for the wilderness over the company of other people. Eira also knew Rhodric well, and her manner changed when Saya'da told her what had become of him. She appeared angered, or perhaps saddened, by the news of his capture and his present condition.

Eira then asked about the strange shepherd from Bryn Celli.

She had found Marlí two days earlier, asleep in the underbrush with a lamb curled against him. Even in sleep he had remained wrapped around the animal, protecting it. When she woke him, he had no speech and could only bleat like the lamb at this side. Eira had assumed he belonged to Bryn Celli and guided him and the animal toward the settlement. When she encountered another shepherdess, she left Marlí in her care and returned to the wilderness without making herself known.

Before leaving, Eira offered one final warning. There was something wrong with Blood-Reeve Maelcon, she told Saya'da, and he should not be trusted. She gave no further explanation, but the subject clearly made her uncomfortable.

Eira and Ruff remained only about half an hour before continuing their own hunt.

Saya'da finished her watch after some time, listening as the wolves howled in the darkness. Eventually the sounds faded, and the remainder of the night passed without incident for her and later, Kildun.

The Journey Continues

The morning arrived bitterly cold. The snow had stopped during Saya'da's watch, leaving the previous night's precipitation frozen upon the ground at a temperature of roughly eighteen degrees.

When the company awoke, Saya'da told the others of her encounter with Eira. She gave them the principal details, including the warning about the pack of werewolves and Eira's knowledge of Rhodric. Tyrm examined the snow around the campsite and found tracks belonging to small animals, including rabbits and foxes, but nothing large enough to indicate that the party had been approached during the night.

Saya'da later spoke privately with Tori and gave her a fuller account of the meeting, including Eira's warning concerning Maelcon and the possibility that the huntress might become an ally.

The company then continued into the next hex.

Before long they caught sight of their destination far to the north. The Tower rose three or four miles away, appearing from that distance like an immense spike of polished steel driven into the landscape.

Fiadhan, Bran, and Galenos [whose players were unavailable this session] went among the nearby trees to gather wild berries and mushrooms. Their efforts proved successful, but they soon became divided over whether their discoveries were edible or poisonous. Rather than settle the question by taking an unnecessary risk, they began devising tests by which they might determine their safety. The others eventually continued onward, leaving the three to finish their experiments and catch up later.

Tori asked Khronus where he intended to establish their camp once they approached the Tower. The scholar preferred to stop near the outer edge of its apparent influence rather than remain at a greater distance. Tyrm and Kildun agreed, reasoning that the danger of werewolves in the surrounding countryside made it unwise to leave anyone or anything behind unnecessarily.

The company therefore continued toward the ruins, expecting the journey to take roughly half a day.

Temporal Revenants

Near the end of their first hour, while moving through rolling grassland broken by trees and occasional standing stones, they saw four humanoid figures coming around a hillock approximately sixty yards ahead. Neither side had caught the other by surprise.

The strangers immediately began moving toward the company.

Tyrm ordered the mercenaries into a shield wall, and the companions prepared for the encounter.

The creatures approached in a shambling run. Tyrm loosed arrows at once, striking one of them. Kildun moved to higher ground and fired his sling, though the shot went wide. Saya'da advanced to meet the creatures, while Tori held her spell until they came within effective range.

The figures continued forward.

Tyrm fired twice more at the same target, striking it both times. Kildun's next sling bullet also missed. By the end of the second exchange the creatures had closed to within roughly forty feet, and the wounded figure collapsed.

Tori released her spell.

Vines and vegetation sprang up around the approaching creatures, catching all three remaining figures within the area of her Entangle. Two failed to escape its grasp and became immobile.

The third managed to move only partway out of the spell's reach.

By then the nature of the creatures had become clearer. Up close they appeared to be some form of zombie.

Saya'da charged the mobile creature, wielding both her battle axe and broadsword. Her axe struck heavily, though the sword passed wide. The mercenaries maintained their shield wall while Kildun and Tori continued firing upon the creatures caught in the entangling growth.

Tyrm exchanged his bow for Rhodric's longsword and a shield, moving toward Saya'da's opponent. When he reached the melee he swung wildly and nearly lost his balance.

The next exchange went more favorably. Saya'da struck the zombie twice, once with each weapon, while Tyrm landed another blow with Rhodric's sword. The creature remained standing but was visibly damaged.

Tori's sling bullet struck one of the immobile creatures with considerable force. Kildun likewise found his mark after moving to a better position.

The mercenaries then advanced. Tannrhulia thrust with her spear and missed badly enough to leave herself exposed, allowing the zombie to strike her in return. Bran's spear failed to find its mark, while Vall remained just outside the melee to preserve the formation.

The wounded zombie attempted to press through the mercenaries but failed to break their line.

At the end of the exchange, it collapsed.

With the remaining two creatures still held fast by the Entangle, the immediate battle was over.

Kildun moved around the edge of the spell and approached one of the trapped creatures, using a Shocking Grasp to strike it directly. The others continued firing until both remaining creatures were destroyed.

Once the spell ended, the company searched the ground and recovered roughly half of the ammunition expended during the fight.

Khronus examined the corpses and identified them as Temporal Revenants, undead creatures produced by the distortions of time surrounding the Tower. He believed these particular creatures must have wandered a considerable distance from the Tower's influence to have been encountered where they were.

"Keep your wits about you, for danger now lurks very near."

Tyrm examined the bodies more closely and noticed that their clothing belonged to an ancient style, recognizable only from very old paintings or statues.

The Tower in the Distance

The company resumed its journey.

By approximately eleven in the morning, they had come within about a mile of the Tower and its surrounding ruins. Khronus stopped the expedition and announced that he could now detect faint disturbances in what he called the chronological continuum.

He removed a number of strangely fashioned copper bracelets from his pack and distributed one to each member of the company.

"These bracelets are for your protection. They should mitigate against most of the time warping effects of this region, though I cannot guarantee their potency against its stronger effects. Indeed, as this is my first experience here myself, I could only try to imagine its risks and prepare against them. But there will almost certainly be things that I did not anticipate. Therefore, even wearing these protective bracelets, you must take care with whatever you touch or interact with. When in doubt, ask me."

After a brief pause, Khronus added one further warning.

"Oh, I should also mention that the power of these bracelets is tied to my life-force. Should I come to harm, their power will weaken, or worse. So it is in your best interest to keep me alive and well, no?"

He laughed at his own dark observation.

The company now stood at the outer edge of the region where time itself appeared to behave differently, with the enormous Tower rising beyond the ruins ahead of them...

The Chronicle, Session 10

Dramatis Personae

• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da (Say'), Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng
• Fiadhan, Keltic Druid local to the Bryn Celli region
• Galenos, Kimmerian Cataphract from the Fields of Vol

Meeting Over Breakfast

Moon, the 11th of Sagittarius, 582. 8:00 AM. 3 hours of stormy precipitation, 33 degrees F.

The morning after their recent errands dawned cold and wet, with several hours of slushy, heavy rain falling over Bryn Celli. As the company gathered once more around the breakfast table at the Sheep's Rest, they found the inn gradually returning to normal after Saya'da's unfortunate brawl. Though the common room still bore fresh repairs and several dishes had only recently been replaced, Torla had managed to keep her business running.

Kildun and Tyrm expected to remain at the inn only a little longer, their rented houses still awaiting furniture before becoming comfortable enough to occupy.

Over breakfast the companions compared the unexpected adventures that had occupied them during their brief respite.

Tori described the favor she had performed for her new acquaintance, Talan ap Rhydderch. What had first appeared to be nothing more than a tangled rope had proven far stranger, for a living vine had woven itself into the fibers and continually retied every knot that was undone. Rather than destroy the rope outright, Tori had eventually discovered that sunlight actually weakened the plant. With the help of several dock workers she dismantled the storage shed, exposing the buried root beneath the dirt floor. Once cut free and laid in the open sun, the strange vine appeared to shrivel and perish. She admitted there was still more to the story, though she preferred not to discuss it in so public a place.

Kildun then recounted his own less dignified adventure, confessing that too much drink had led him to loudly promise the assembled patrons that he would personally clear Hollow Cairn of its curse.

Galenos and Fiadhan were properly introduced for the first time, the Kimmerian having only recently recovered from illness that had kept him from the company's earlier adventures.

Fiadhan spoke of her recent acquaintance with Iestyn the Stonewright, whose fascination with the ancient Hyperborean road had renewed her own curiosity about the weathered paving stones north of Bryn Celli. She also described Dafydd Barrow-Born's unsettling stories concerning the Barrow of the Nine Princes, where the soil seemed somehow wrong, and the skull he once uncovered in the Bog of Skulls that whispered in a language he had never learned.

The discussion soon turned again to Rhodric. Tori suggested warning the dungeon guards that the full moon would almost certainly bring another transformation that night. Before the matter could be debated further, Tyrm quietly excused himself and departed to deliver the warning personally.

After he had gone, Torla briefly joined those remaining at the breakfast table. While reminding Saya'da of both the damaged common room and the favor still owed, she mentioned a new guest staying at the inn: the man's name was Khronus.

According to Torla, he sought experienced guides and bodyguards willing to accompany him to the place locals called the Land of Endless Noon. He had even promised Torla a generous finder's fee if she introduced him to suitable companions, enough to cover the cost of repairing the inn.

Fiadhan remarked that only recently another shepherd had wandered too near that same place and returned to Bryn Celli bleating like one of his own sheep. Torla merely shrugged.

"People say the gods send things in threes. Perhaps this is one of those times."

The company agreed to meet the scholar when he returned around midday. The party then headed over to Kildun's house for a more private discussion.

At Kildun's House

Reunited with Tyrm at Kildun's house, they shared Torla's proposal with him. Fiadhan explained what little she knew of the Land of Endless Noon, where the sun was said never to move across the sky, though she herself had never traveled there. She also noted that the ancient Hyperborean road passed in that direction, making Iestyn's observations all the more intriguing.

Their conversation then returned to the matter Tori had left unfinished. She produced the small figurine she had recovered from beneath the vine's roots. Fashioned from what appeared to be obsidian, it depicted the Elder God Kthulhu.

Kildun examined it with immediate interest. Tyrm observed that if the stone truly was obsidian, its precise carving would itself be remarkable, for such brittle material was exceedingly difficult to shape without shattering. Only Tyrm and Kildun immediately recognized the figure's identity, though neither professed great knowledge of the cult associated with it.

Saya'da questioned Tori carefully, asking whether the vine had behaved differently while near the figurine or whether she herself had noticed any unusual changes since handling it. Tori answered that the vine had already died before she recovered the idol, and she had observed nothing strange about herself.

Attention gradually returned to Khronus' proposed expedition.

Remembering the disturbed shepherd still lodging upstairs at the inn, Saya'da suggested they avoid mentioning him to Khronus until they had spoken with the man themselves. Tyrm considered seeking advice from Huntsman Taran Macc Neall, but the ranger remained out in the wilderness and was not expected to return for several more days.

By noon the company had returned to the Sheep's Rest.

Meeting Khronus

Khronus was already there, quietly eating his midday meal when Torla introduced the two parties.

Saya'da leaned across the table with deliberate confidence.

"You've probably heard about me, and what I can do," she said, gesturing toward the damaged common room. "I heard you might need someone with my skills. But I need to know more before I drag these guys along, cuz they're kind of a liability."

Galenos regarded her without expression, while Tyrm ordered his own lunch.

Khronus smiled.

"Yes, I think you will do. Mistress Torla never mentioned that you had built this place... unless of course you were talking about the damage."

Say' answered with a grunt. "I'm not so good at putting things up, but I can really tear them down."

The scholar explained that he had come to investigate the ancient tower at the center of the Land of Endless Noon. Though the locals called it a "clock tower", he believed it to be something entirely different. Ancient accounts suggested that the sun itself remained fixed above those ruins, unchanged for centuries, perhaps longer, and he intended to discover why.

He sought only guides and guards, promising that any treasures recovered would belong largely to the company, while reserving only a few objects necessary for his own studies. Should no treasure be found, he offered two hundred gold pieces to each companion from his own purse.

When Tyrm asked whether he carried the scholarly works upon which his theories rested, Khronus replied that only his notebooks had accompanied him. The original books contained little practical information, and besides, he added with some confidence, the mathematics involved would lie beyond their understanding.

Speaking quietly in Hyperborean, Tyrm remarked to Kildun, "Boy, this guy's full of himself, isn't he?"

Kildun silently agreed.

Khronus merely smiled and raised an eyebrow, making it plain that he had understood every word.

Galenos laughed openly despite not knowing the language itself.

Saya'da remained unconvinced.

She questioned Khronus about his origins and his reasons for traveling so far north.

He readily explained that he had journeyed from Fazzuum, capital of Scythium, and described himself as Ixian. For decades he had devoted his life to the study of time itself, particularly the strange mathematical principles governing chronometry. Hyperborea contained many wonders, he admitted, but nowhere else did the sun stand motionless above the earth.

When asked about his schedule, Khronus hoped to depart immediately if possible, or the following morning at the latest.

The company preferred to remain in Bryn Celli through that night's full moon. Rhodric's condition remained uncertain, and none wished to be traveling the countryside while at least one werewolf still prowled the region. Khronus readily accepted the delay.

Saya'da finally gave her answer.

"I think we can manage this for you. But I truly hope you find what you are looking for, because something is just too strange about all this."

"If this seems strange to you," Khronus replied as she walked away, "just wait until you see where we're going."

Fiadhan admitted she looked forward to the expedition. The ancient druids, she explained, had long studied the movements of the heavens and raised stone monuments to mark the passing of seasons. She wondered whether Khronus' own research had touched upon such knowledge.

The scholar answered that while he respected those older traditions, his own studies reached into far more esoteric matters.

With arrangements settled, Khronus departed to prepare for the journey. Saya'da quietly intercepted him before he left, suggesting he seek lodging elsewhere because of the damaged state of the inn, concealing her hope that he would never encounter the afflicted shepherd upstairs.

The company then turned to its own preparations.

Tyrm purchased a pack mule together with extra equipment for the expedition, despite some questioning whether such expense was necessary. He also hired both a torchbearer and a teamster to manage the animal, while arrangements were made for the company's three mercenary infantrymen to accompany them as well.

Questions and Investigations

Before leaving Bryn Celli, they sought whatever local knowledge they could gather concerning the Land of Endless Noon.

Torla admitted she had seen the place herself, though only from afar. At its center stood a ruined settlement dominated by an immense tower containing what looked like an enormous crystal pendulum, though she knew of no actual clock mechanism. She estimated the abandoned village might once have housed a few hundred people, yet confessed that she had never ventured close enough to enter its walls.

Only one living person, she believed, might have approached more closely than anyone else.

Young Marlí, the shepherd. With Torla's permission, Saya'da, Fiadhan, and Galenos climbed to the shepherd's room. His mother, Muirín, recognized Fiadhan and welcomed them inside.

Marlí appeared exhausted and disheveled, as though he had spent the previous night outdoors. When he looked toward the visitors, he simply bleated.

Though they had expected as much, hearing the sound with their own ears proved unsettling all the same.

Muirín had little information, saying only that her son had disappeared while out in the north pasture with his flock. He had not returned until the following morning, wandering home with his flock and himself physically unharmed. How he had managed such a feat in his present condition, she could not imagine.

She believed him calmer now than when he first returned, though still unable to speak. Remembering another shepherdess who had been nearby, Muirín suggested they speak with Osnait.

Before leaving, Saya'da promised they would do everything within their power to restore Marlí's mind. He answered only with another quiet bleat.

Following Torla's directions, the company found Osnait west of Bryn Celli near the druidic grove. Her account added to what little they knew. Marlí had driven off a wolf threatening the flock before discovering there was one lamb missing. He'd left his flock with Osnait and gone in search of the lamb, but hadn't returned by evening. She herself had found him the following morning, wandering peacefully with the recovered animal. Neither shepherd nor lamb had suffered any visible injury.

Satisfied they had learned all they could, the companions returned to Bryn Celli.

Galenos inquired about purchasing a proper warhorse but discovered none were available within the village.

Saya'da returned to Brenna Ink-Hand to complete the wolf tattoo spreading across her back. Brenna warned her sternly to keep the fresh work clean and dry lest infection spoil it.

Out On the Road

The following morning dawned bitterly cold. A hard frost covered the ground, freezing the previous day's mud beneath a thin skin of dark ice.

Khronus met them outside the village together with the hired servants. The mule was loaded, the mercenaries assembled, and the company finally set out northward.

Their first day's march passed quietly.

In mid-afternoon they noticed a crumbling ruin flanked by standing stones. Seven wolves emerged from among the broken walls and began circling the travelers from a considerable distance. Tyrm immediately ordered the mercenaries into a shield wall with spears presented.

After watching the armed company for several minutes, the wolves chose easier prey and disappeared across the hills without testing the formation.

An hour later the travelers encountered three huntsmen from Bryn Celli returning from the wilderness. Their spokesman, Sionn Mac Artagan, greeted them warmly and spoke freely of the country ahead. Wolves and bears remained the greatest hazards, though nearer the ruins stories told of strange hairless wolves, shorn like sheep rather than diseased by mange. He also mentioned old tales of ghosts haunting the abandoned settlement, though none of the huntsmen had witnessed such things themselves.

When Fiadhan explained that they were escorting Khronus to the ancient ruins, Sionn wished them well.

As the two groups prepared to part, Kildun remembered to warn the huntsmen of the Master werewolf beneath Hollow Cairn. They accepted the warning with thanks before continuing homeward.

The company marched on until evening before making camp near the edge of the next stretch of wilderness.

As darkness settled across the hills, Kildun set his skeletal cat upon the ground and gave it a single command.

"Guard."

Whether the strange familiar watched the camp by instinct, enchantment, or some other means, none could yet say.

There the company settled in for its first night upon the road, while somewhere beyond the northern horizon the sunless mysteries of the Land of Endless Noon awaited them....

The Chronicle, Session 9

Dramatis Personae

• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da, Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng
• Fiadhan, Keltic druid local to the Bryn Celli region

Sun, the 8th of Sagittarius, CAE 582. 4:00 PM. Skies clear to partly cloudy, 35 degrees F.

The company of Tori, Kildun Graax, Tyrm, Saya'da, and Fiadhan had entered Hollow Cairn prepared for a desperate struggle, but the encounter unfolded far differently than expected. Rhodric, caught between man and beast, fought visibly against the curse that gripped him. Even as his features shifted and a wolf's snarl escaped him, he pleaded with the company not to attack, warning that violence might cause him to lose what little control remained.

Kildun, who had already begun preparing a spell to Command the afflicted ranger, reluctantly abandoned the attempt after seeing Rhodric's struggle. Tyrm ordered the mercenary hirelings to remain behind the front line while Saya'da stepped forward alone, placing herself between Rhodric and her companions. She urged him to keep fighting the transformation, warning that he must allow himself to be bound or she would be forced to stop him herself.

While Fiadhan produced a rope, she told Rhodric that the company had found his letter to Eluned and the ring he had intended for her. They had spoken with the young woman, and she had not abandoned hope. Tori, standing nearer the rain-pool within the cavern, called out that if matters turned against them she might be able to help restrain him there.

The danger gradually eased. Hearing that Eluned still believed him alive, Rhodric's resolve strengthened, though the transformation continued to wrack his body with obvious pain. He spoke of death as a mercy if no cure existed, only to be told that the druids knew of remedies, however uncertain. Tori explained that druidic traditions offered hope, while Fiadhan described the dangerous belladonna treatment that might cure lycanthropy but carried its own mortal risk.

Saya'da's patience eventually wore thin. "Listen! She loves you, you love her. Let's make this happen. Fight this thing, or I'm gonna have to kill you!"

At last Rhodric accepted their offer. If there truly remained any chance of salvation, he would submit willingly. He urged them to move quickly before the beast within grew stronger.

The mercenaries helped hold him while Saya'da securely bound him with Fiadhan's rope. Rhodric offered no resistance, warning only that his strength increased whenever the transformation overtook him.

While the bindings were being secured, Kildun questioned him about the origin of the curse. Rhodric spoke of only "the Master," a creature dwelling beneath Hollow Cairn in tunnels below the cave. He warned them not to descend there unless thoroughly prepared, saying the Master hunted the surrounding lands and had left him alive, alone, waiting for the curse to complete its work. He knew little of any other servants, recalling only wolves coming and going while fever and delirium clouded the passing weeks.

The company then discussed the greater danger beneath the hill. Saya'da suggested sealing the cave if it proved to be the only entrance, while Tori proposed collapsing it altogether. Tyrm doubted there was but a single way below, though he agreed blocking the known entrances might still hinder whatever lurked beneath.

As Rhodric continued to suffer through violent spasms and feverish trembling, Kildun attempted to question him further about lycanthropy itself. The ranger was by then in too much pain to answer.

Before departing, the company searched the cave one final time and found Rhodric's discarded ring mail and longsword. He explained that the agony of his transformation had forced him to remove both armor and clothing. He insisted they keep the equipment until such time as he might someday recover. Tyrm accepted both items for safekeeping, recognizing that their enchantments would require proper identification before their full nature could be understood.

Saya'da lingered beside the bound ranger for a final warning, nudging him with the haft of her axe. "I'm watching you. I have a problem with this whole 'true love' thing, but if you mess with them..." She gestured toward her companions. "You're dealing with me."

The mercenaries then carried the hog-tied Rhodric from Hollow Cairn. The company paused only long enough for Saya'da to recover the rope she had earlier secured to a standing stone above one of the cave shafts.

The march back to Bryn Celli passed without interruption, though Rhodric's condition worsened. His body shifted continually between human and wolf-like forms, the ropes fortunately holding despite each violent convulsion. Saya'da remained close beside him throughout the journey, prepared to react at the first sign that his restraints might fail, while the others eventually covered his head with a burlap sack to spare him and themselves further distress.

As they approached the village, Kildun went ahead to apprise the gate guards of their arrival. After hearing the circumstances, the guards agreed to house Rhodric in the empty dungeon while keeping him isolated from the townsfolk. A detachment accompanied Kildun back to the party, escorting the strange procession through Bryn Celli with enough discretion that curious eyes saw as little as possible. Even the captain remarked that children should not witness the ranger's terrible transformations.

Within the dungeon the company prepared a clean cell for Rhodric. The guards finally cut away the ruined ropes, concluding that the restraints themselves had become another source of suffering as the transformations twisted his body.

While leaving the dungeon, Tyrm quietly suggested to Kildun, in Hyperborean, that they should keep silent about the Master beneath Hollow Cairn until the company had agreed upon its own course of action. Kildun nodded in silent agreement.

The discussion continued as they walked to Kildun's recently rented house near the tannery, where the unpleasant smell of curing hides drifted constantly through the poorer quarter of town. Tyrm believed the Blood-Reeve might be persuaded to reward them further for dealing with the greater threat beneath the hill, perhaps even granting permanent silver weapons. He further suggested they might leave this small town for greener pastures. Kildun, having only recently secured his modest home and already planning a small tannery for producing parchment, showed little interest in leaving Bryn Celli. Tori argued that the village offered opportunity enough for adventurers willing to build a reputation there, while also cautioning that confronting the Master immediately would likely exceed the company's present abilities. Saya'da, though eager for battle, agreed that a better plan and perhaps druidic assistance would be needed. Fiadhan remained chiefly concerned with Rhodric's cure and whether Eluned should be informed of his return.

During the conversation the company finally noticed Kildun's skeletal cat quietly sitting nearby, still performing the motions of grooming despite possessing neither flesh, hair, nor tongue.

A knock at the door interrupted further debate.

Chief Druidess Aera entered after Kildun admitted her. She had already heard reports that Rhodric had been brought back alive and was relieved to learn the rumors were true. She then apologized for making funeral arrangements during the company's absence, explaining that Cire's body could not be left unattended longer. The druids had completed the necessary preparations and wished to conduct the burial that very evening if the companions agreed.

The company accepted without hesitation.

On their way through the village they stopped briefly at Blood-Reeve Maelcon's hall, where the seneschal arranged an audience for the following morning. They intended to report not only Rhodric's capture but also the greater danger beneath Hollow Cairn.

The burial took place beyond the village ramparts in the common barrow field, where low cairns marked the resting places of generations of Bryn Celli's people. Standing stones rose among the nearby hills, marking older and more distinguished tombs. Fiadhan explained that while prominent families sometimes reused ancient mounds, common folk were laid to rest among the many stone cairns of the field.

Nearly fifty townsfolk gathered there. Cire's body, freshly wrapped within a clean burial cloth, was lowered into a shallow grave by Dafydd Barrow-Born and several others. One by one the assembled villagers stepped forward, each placing a single stone upon the grave until a modest cairn slowly rose above it.

As they worked, Aera spoke.

"Stone remembers.
Root remembers.
Water remembers.
Though flesh returns to earth, no worthy deed is ever lost.

Our friend, Cire, passed before he was able to complete the deed, but these new friends of ours set out in a most worthy attempt to find out what had happened to our beloved Eilleann. And now, even today, they have also given us help and discovered what happened to the ranger Rhodric. I'll not say more on that at this time—we are here to remember Cire—but let it be said that he began a most worthy deed, and we are here to pay respect to that."

When the villagers' line grew short, Tori, Tyrm, Kildun, and Saya'da each joined in, placing stones of their own upon the cairn. Fiadhan remained beside the druids, quietly assisting with the closing rites.

Tyrm and Tori each offered prayers according to their own faiths. Kildun laid down his stone and quietly promised that Cire would never be forgotten. Saya'da approached last. After setting her stone, she drew her axe across her own palm, marked both the tattoo she had taken in Cire's memory and the cairn itself with her blood, then spoke only three words:

"Blood for blood."

When the rite concluded, Aera thanked those assembled before dismissing them. Many townsfolk remained behind for a time to introduce themselves and express gratitude for the company's efforts on behalf of both Eilleann and Rhodric. Darkness gradually settled across the barrow field as lanterns and torches drifted back toward Bryn Celli.

Before departing, Aera told the company she wished to speak further with them, though the matter could wait until morning.

The companions returned to the Sheep's Rest to raise a final cup (Tyrm, of course, drank milk) in Cire's memory before seeking their beds.

The following morning Torla apologized for missing the funeral, explaining that duties at the inn had kept her away. She thanked the company for all they had done for Bryn Celli and insisted that breakfast be served at no charge. Over the meal they discussed how best to approach Blood-Reeve Maelcon, considering whether they should seek additional aid against the Master, request permanent silver weapons, or send word to Gal City in search of one learned in lycanthropy.

Maelcon received them in his hall with his usual blunt manner. Having already questioned Rhodric himself, he admitted that finding the ranger alive in the dungeon had surprised him greatly, for he had expected only a merciful death. Tyrm explained both the belladonna treatment and the possibility that greater knowledge might be found in Gal City. Maelcon granted the company unrestricted access to Rhodric's cell and ordered each member rewarded with a purse of coin.

When Tyrm revealed the existence of the Master beneath Hollow Cairn, Maelcon replied that Huntsman Taran had already informed him. Men equipped with wolfsbane and silvered weapons had already been dispatched to block the cave entrances.

At Fiadhan's request, Maelcon also agreed that Eluned should be permitted to visit Rhodric, warning only that the ranger no longer remained bound because the restraints themselves had become unbearable.

Before dismissing them, the Blood-Reeve invited the company to remain in Bryn Celli for the coming Festival of Plutonia two weeks hence. Hearing that Kildun had rented a house within the village seemed to please him.

From there the companions visited Aera within Ashen Oak Grove. She spoke candidly of her uneasy relationship with the Blood-Reeve, noting that he had refused her request to see Rhodric the previous evening. The company immediately offered to accompany either Aera or another druid during future visits, easing any concerns between the two authorities.

Aera agreed she could administer the belladonna cure when the necessary herbs had been gathered, though she reminded them of its grave risks. She also intended to send word to Gal City requesting the aid of a more accomplished druid, even knowing that such assistance would require months to arrive. In the meantime she would prepare medicines to ease Rhodric's suffering.

Saya'da quietly observed that keeping Rhodric calm would likely prove just as important, since anger seemed only to strengthen the curse.

Discussion then turned again to Hollow Cairn. Aera already knew of Maelcon's efforts to seal the cave entrances, though she expressed some doubt that the work alone would solve the problem. At Saya'da's suggestion she nevertheless agreed to have wolfsbane planted around the known entrances wherever possible.

Fiadhan remained anxious that everyone connected to Rhodric should be informed. Aera assured her that Eluned had already received word, while confirming that Rhodric had no family in the region. Satisfied that nothing had been overlooked, Fiadhan allowed the matter to rest.

With several days available while Aera gathered the necessary herbs, the companions turned their attention toward establishing themselves within Bryn Celli.

Fiadhan sought acquaintances who might help her establish an apothecary. She strengthened her friendship with Dafydd Barrow-Born, whose curious tales of disturbed burial grounds and whispering skulls hinted at older mysteries beneath the surrounding countryside. Through him she met Iestyn the Stonewright, a mason fascinated by the ancient Hyperborean road whose buried paving stones, he claimed, sometimes rang beneath certain moons. Iestyn agreed to let her establish a small apothecary table within his own workshop.

Kildun spent his own coin furnishing his house while searching for someone capable of obtaining unusual goods. His efforts introduced him to Seren ap Cadfan, the lamp-lighter and watchman, whose nightly rounds gave him knowledge of those who moved through Bryn Celli after dark. Unfortunately, drink loosened Kildun's tongue, and before the evening was over he had loudly pledged before several witnesses that he would personally clear Hollow Cairn of its dangers.

Saya'da commissioned another tattoo, this one depicting a wolf, while listening for rumors. She heard the tale of a shepherd who had wandered near the mysterious "land of endless noon" (the first time any in the party had heard this name) and returned to town believing himself one of his own sheep. Before the evening ended she also became involved in a drunken brawl that left Torla's common room badly damaged. Unable to pay the cost of repairs, she instead found herself owing the innkeeper a favor.

Tyrm chose quieter pursuits, furnishing his own modest rented house and establishing a small shrine dedicated to Helios.

Tori, having learned that Lunaqqua was honored by the druids of Bryn Celli, visited Ashen Oak Grove and there met Talan ap Rhydderch, the dock foreman. Grateful for the company's recent service, he offered whatever assistance lay within his power and readily agreed to help carry messages as far as Gal City through the loose network of merchant-captains and couriers who passed through Bryn Celli. In return, Tori accepted a favor owed, one that required her immediate attention.

Thus passed a relatively quiet day as the company strengthened its ties to Bryn Celli, made new acquaintances among its people, and began laying the foundations of lives that seemed increasingly likely to remain rooted in the village. Yet Rhodric still lay imprisoned beneath the Blood-Reeve's hall, the Master remained somewhere below Hollow Cairn, and Aera's preparations for the dangerous cure had only just begun...

The Chronicle, Session 8

Dramatis Personae

• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da, Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng
• Fiadhan, Keltic druid local to the Bryn Celli region

9:00 AM, Sun, the 8th day of Sagittarius, 582 CÆ. Cold and clear, 12 degrees.

The Tree and the Cairn

The morning dawned bitterly cold. During the night, freezing rain had coated the forests around Bryn Celli in a thin shell of ice, every branch and blade of grass glittering beneath a pale winter sun. Though the sky had largely cleared, the temperature had fallen still further.

Before departing, the party took one final look through the belongings recovered from Rhodric's hunting cabin. Hidden beneath the mattress they found a small silver engagement ring and a folded letter addressed to Eluned. The note was simple and heartfelt, asking for her hand in marriage. It painted a picture of a humble man whose thoughts often turned toward the woman he loved, making his disappearance all the more tragic.

With Taran once again serving as guide, the company set out for the place where Rhodric's broken bow had first been discovered.

The journey took nearly two hours, bringing them to a small clearing dominated by a lone ash tree. Deep claw marks scarred its trunk, reaching to about the height of a grown man. Taran explained that Rhodric's shattered bow had been found here, along with wolf tracks and the tracks of a man's boots, almost certainly the ranger's own.

The claw marks drew everyone's attention: they counted only four claws, not five. Whatever had left those wounds was no bear.

Saya'da examined the gouges with growing enthusiasm, clearly eager to test herself against whatever creature had made them. Kildun quietly readied a sling bullet.

Fiadhan admitted that until now she had assumed Rhodric himself had been the werewolf. Seeing the evidence before them caused her to question that belief. Tyrm suggested another possibility—that Rhodric had survived an attack by a werewolf and now suffered the curse himself. Combined with the missing time described in his journal, it seemed entirely possible.

If so, there might now be two werewolves haunting the forest.

Searching more carefully, Saya'da discovered tiny scraps of dried leather caught within the claw marks. Taran agreed they might well have been torn from Rhodric's hunting leathers, though nothing could be proven.

Fiadhan climbed into the ash itself, searching its lower branches. There she found old, dried blood, suggesting Rhodric had climbed the tree in desperation while his attacker clawed upward after him. Tyrm examined the damage and concluded that the beast had not attempted to climb, but had merely reached up toward someone already in the branches.

When Tori asked about the timing of the attack, Taran explained that the blood had already dried by the time the site was discovered, though the tracks were only a few days old. He could not place the attack upon any particular full moon, only remarking that Phobos waxed full every seven nights.

Another question caused Taran to pause in thought: Had anyone visited Rhodric's hunting cabin shortly after this attack? After a moment he remembered doing exactly that. The cabin had still been intact, meaning whatever had later wrecked the place must have happened more recently.

The party widened their search around the clearing. Hidden beneath fallen branches lay a crushed leather quiver. Most of its arrows had been broken, but three silver-tipped shafts remained intact.

None recognized the quiver itself, but the arrows were anything but ordinary. Each bore an unfamiliar rune, while strands of wolfsbane had been woven into the fletching. Tori believed the rune to represent death, suggesting they had been fashioned specifically for hunting and slaying lycanthropes, though only proper magical identification could confirm her suspicions.

Tyrm, Fiadhan, and Tori each kept one of the arrows.

Before leaving, Taran suddenly remembered one final detail. When the clearing had first been discovered, large wolf tracks had continued eastward—toward Hollow Cairn.

The ancient burial mound stood upon a wooded hill several hours away. Long before the company reached it, the standing stones crowning its summit could be seen rising above the surrounding trees.

Taran explained that no one knew who had raised Hollow Cairn. The place had already been ancient when Bryn Celli itself was founded more than a thousand years ago.

Fiadhan remarked only that many old tales surrounded the cairn, stories better told beside a warm hearth than while standing in a frozen forest.

As they approached, four wolves circled lazily around the hill. One caught their scent upon the wind, gave a short bark, and the entire pack disappeared into the eastern woods.

Saya'da answered them with an animal call of her own. Tyrm quietly nocked an arrow, Kildun prepared his sling.

Taran seemed unconcerned, observing that ordinary wolves usually preferred avoiding men whenever possible.

Near the cave entrance the party found numerous wolf tracks, some entering the cave, others leaving it. Mixed among them were scattered barefoot human footprints and the occasional print from an unusually large wolf. The tracks overlapped so completely that no single trail could be followed.

Tyrm climbed the hill to examine the standing stones. Time had badly weathered the carvings upon them, but traces of ancient artwork and worn glyphs remained visible. The stones themselves appeared to be nothing more than local rock, raised by forgotten hands.

Meanwhile, Kildun tied fresh wolfsbane to his lantern. Tori reminded the others that Phobos would be full again in only three nights. Though the full moon strengthened the curse, everyone knew that a true werewolf could transform at will.

Before the others had reached any decision, Saya'da and Kildun had already entered the cave.

The entrance opened into a broad chamber where the still air felt noticeably warmer than the frozen world outside. The smell of wolf musk lingered heavily throughout the cavern.

Kildun hesitated, wondering whether they ought to wait.

Saya'da's curiosity carried her onward.

Only after following her several paces did Kildun turn and call back toward the entrance. His voice echoed loudly through the stone passages, causing Saya'da to laugh.

The remainder of the party soon joined them.

Taran did not, choosing instead to remain outside, unwilling to disturb whatever lay beneath Hollow Cairn.

The company formed a cautious marching order. Their mercenary shield-men advanced first with long spears tipped in wolfsbane. Immediately behind came Saya'da and Kildun with his lantern, followed by Fiadhan and Tori, while Tyrm guarded the rear.

Before venturing deeper, they discussed Rhodric. If they found him alive, even as a werewolf, they would attempt to capture him rather than kill him. Only if no other choice remained, would they strike to slay.

The passage sloped slowly downward until it opened into another chamber where sunlight filtered through a crack overhead. Water dripped steadily into a shallow pool below.

Burial alcoves lined the walls. Many had already been disturbed, and bones lay scattered across the floor.

Fiadhan searched the ancient dead but found nothing of value. Whatever precious metals might once have accompanied them had long ago been stolen, while the few surviving fragments of bronze and iron had almost entirely corroded away.

The skeletons themselves proved far more remarkable. They resembled no modern race: heavy brows, long arms, broad chests, and bowed legs suggested an ancient people unlike any now living. Possibly beast-men, or Vhuurmis, though the party members did not have first-hand knowledge of either.

Fiadhan quietly remarked that she knew old tales concerning such folk, but chose not to elaborate. Instead she gathered lichens growing beside the pool, explaining that they possessed useful medicinal qualities.

Kildun released his undead cat to wander among the alcoves.

The next chamber was similar, though its stonework appeared noticeably finer.

While Kildun searched a collapsed burial niche without success, Saya'da noticed another crack leading upward to the surface. Using Tyrm and Kildun for support, she climbed through the narrow opening until she emerged atop the hill. There she secured a rope to one of the standing stones before descending again, leaving the escape route available should it later become necessary.

Another passage led only to a foul-smelling pit descending into darkness. Saya'da tossed a stone into its depths: no sound answered, yet every instinct warned her to keep her distance.

The party wisely withdrew. The remaining tunnel descended into the largest chamber yet discovered.

A low growling echoed from somewhere beyond the lantern's reach. Not entirely animal, nor entirely human.

Another shaft of sunlight illuminated a shallow pool while ancient burial alcoves lined the walls. Tori noticed the faded remains of sacred wards carved into the stone. Whatever warnings they once conveyed had been lost to time. Kildun searched for signs of forgotten lore but found little. Age and decay had claimed nearly everything.

As the strange growling came again, the party quietly discussed what little they actually knew of Rhodric. Only then did they realize an awkward oversight: none of them knew what the ranger looked like.

Kildun suggested using his Command spell immediately should they encounter him, and Fiadhan agreed.

Moments later a man's voice echoed through the darkness. "What? Who's that? Who is there? Stay away!" The speaker had seen their lantern.

To avoid appearing threatening, only Fiadhan, Saya'da, and Kildun advanced while the others remained several paces behind. Kildun quietly asked whether he should cast his spell at once.

Before anyone could answer, the unseen man cried out again. "No one is putting me to sleep! Who are you? Why are you here? Get away! You're in danger—terrible danger!"

The three continued forward until the lantern finally revealed its owner. The figure before them was neither fully man nor fully wolf. His body seemed trapped somewhere between the two, shifting uneasily from one form toward the other. He shrank from the lantern's light, snarling one moment and speaking the next, as though humanity and beast fought constantly for control.

Kildun began the words of his Command spell. The werewolf saw him begin the casting...

The Chronicle, Session 7

Dramatis Personae

• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da, Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng
• Galenos, Kimmerian cataphract from the Fields of Vol
• Fiadhan, Keltic druid local to the Bryn Celli region

12:00 PM, Saturn, the 7th day of Sagittarius, CÆ 582. Cold and clear, 16 degrees.

Learning More About Rhodric

The sky stood clear beneath a hard and pitiless blue, while a bitter wind blew down from the north and cut through cloak and mail alike. The cold measured sixteen degrees by reckoning, and seemed determined to settle into the bones of every living thing beneath the red sun.

Following the breaking of their fast, the company set out with the intent of finding the lord's huntsman, Taran Macc Niall, hoping he might shed light upon the disappearance of the ranger Rhodric.

The folk of the town directed them toward the market, saying the huntsman had been seen there earlier that same morning.

While searching among the stalls and winter-clad crowds, they were approached by a young woman who introduced herself as Fiadhan. She said she had been sent by Aera the druidess and had come seeking the company.

Tori gave brief introductions all around and explained their present task concerning the missing ranger. Fiadhan revealed that she already knew something of the matter and understood that they intended to seek Taran Macc Niall.

Thus did Fiadhan join the company. Not long afterward, she quietly leaned toward Tori and asked, "What's with the fellow with the milk mustache?"

Meanwhile Tyrm stood some distance away, staring toward the distant red sun and appreciating what little warmth it offered.

Fortune favored them, for Fiadhan already knew Taran and easily found him among the folk of the market. She introduced him to the others.

The huntsman greeted her warmly and asked after her mistress Aera. After hearing a brief account of the company's aid to the town and of their new task, Taran readily admitted he knew of the business concerning Rhodric and proposed they discuss matters over drink.

Thus they returned to the Sheep's Rest.

Taran loudly demanded drinks from Torla and claimed a broad table for all assembled. Torla met his theatrics with her usual dry wit and plainly refused to be impressed.

Saya'da watched Taran with quiet amusement, observing that beneath his rough manner there seemed to dwell a softer nature. Unlike the huntsman, her own feelings were seldom hidden and instead displayed themselves freely upon her face.

Tyrm guided much of the conversation. He asked concerning Rhodric and the shared hunting cabins used by the huntsmen. Taran offered to guide them to the cabin Rhodric favored, saying it lay only a few hours' walk from town.

Questions followed concerning the ranger's habits.

Taran knew little of peculiarity in the man. Rhodric had long kept to himself, as rangers often do, though rumor held he had developed affection for a young shepherdess of the region. He had served the area for over a decade, hunting monsters and greater threats while leaving ordinary beasts to the huntsmen.

When Tyrm cautiously raised the possibility of lycanthropy, Taran admitted he knew nothing specific concerning Rhodric, though he said werewolves had indeed been encountered in these lands before.

Tyrm then spoke of the tiger attack upon their own company and of Cire's death, glancing toward Saya'da as he did so.

Taran regarded them both carefully. "Old Redclaw," he said at last. He claimed he had not seen the beast in years.

Much was discussed thereafter: alarm snares of rope and bells, werewolves, silver, wolfsbane, and the possibility of capturing Rhodric alive rather than slaying him.

Taran believed he might devise some manner of larger snare if needed, though such a thing would be experimental.

Tyrm made clear their desire to preserve Rhodric's life if possible, both from mercy and from practical concern regarding the town's favor.

When Torla arrived with their drinks, she had remembered Tyrm's preference for milk rather than ale. He emptied the mug in several hearty swallows and wiped the milk from his mustache with satisfaction.

While conversation continued, Tori considered what little she knew concerning lycanthropy. Fiadhan contributed as well, and together they recalled that powerful druids might cure such afflictions through divine workings.

Yet Fiadhan remarked uneasily that Aera herself might not choose to intervene. The druidess might instead consider such a transformation the will of the Balance. No one seemed comforted by the thought.

Eventually Taran offered to guide them first to Rhodric's cabin and later to the splintered ash tree where the ranger's bow had been discovered.

Agreement was reached. Thereafter the company purchased rope, bells, stakes, and various items suitable for alarm snares.

Though concerns were raised over lodging space, they ultimately chose to bring their three mercenary infantrymen with them. Better crowded shelter than insufficient spears when facing uncertain horrors.

Thus they departed. As they traveled, Taran entertained them with tales from years spent in the wilderness. Ancient standing stones crowned distant hills, while sparse trees gradually thickened into darker forests ahead. At one point a solitary black bear crossed their path. It sniffed the air, regarded them cautiously, and chose wiser judgment over confrontation.

When Tyrm asked of local legends, Taran spoke of leprechauns, faeries, and stranger things still. He gestured toward distant hilltop stones and warned that many were ancient burial places where folk seldom wandered. Such places, he claimed, belonged to both the fae and the restless dead. Rhodric had often dealt with such matters.

As sunset approached they finally reached the cabin. A freezing fog had rolled over the moors, carrying tiny crystals of ice that sparkled in the fading red light.

Tyrm delighted in them and reached playfully for the glittering mist, though each crystal vanished into water the moment his fingers touched it.

The cabin itself stood strangely untouched, save that its front door had been left hanging open. Tyrm inspected the nearby well and found its waters clean, though a sheet of ice had formed atop the bucket's contents.

Inside they discovered disorder. The cabin had been utterly wrecked, furniture lay overturned and broken. Blood stained the floorboards, and claw damage marred the interior. Whatever had occurred there had not been peaceful.

Saya'da determined the blood to be old and natural. Fiadhan found gnawed animal bones in one corner, likely belonging to a deer.

Tyrm searched for Rhodric's journal and soon uncovered it. Its earlier pages contained routine observations and hunting notes, but later entries spoke of Hollow Cairn, missing sheep, strange tracks, deep claw marks, fevers, lost time, and blood upon his hands.

Then, finally:

Bind me if you can. Kill me if you must. But do not let me reach the farms when the moon is full.

A grim silence followed. They realized then that the next full moon would rise in only four days. Discussion turned toward Hollow Cairn, the Macc Torcán farm, and how best to proceed.

At last it was agreed that they would remain through the night and investigate further come morning. Alarm snares were set, wolfsbane was hung along the walls, barricades were raised.

A fire was kindled and a hearty stew prepared from gathered herbs and remaining stores. Outside, freezing rain descended and coated the world in glass. The trees groaned and cracked beneath growing layers of ice.

Watches were arranged.

During the third watch Fiadhan and Kildun heard crashing in the undergrowth, though it proved only wild boars moving through frozen brush. Their conversation turned instead toward Kildun's violet eyes, which Fiadhan had half-feared might mark some strange curse of faerie origin.

Morning came cold and bright. The world glittered beneath a thin shell of ice.

No sign of wolves, werewolves, or Rhodric was found; only the hoofprints of wild boar crossing the frost.

As preparations for departure neared completion, Taran heard voices beyond the trees. Two huntsmen emerged from the forest and explained that they had taken shelter together against the night's weather. Along the way they had discovered wolf tracks near the splintered ash tree.

The company invited them along, but duty called them elsewhere. Taran instead asked them to check upon the Macc Torcán farm, and they agreed.

And so preparations were completed. With packs gathered and gear secured, the company turned toward the splintered ash and beyond it Hollow Cairn, where shadows and unanswered questions awaited....

Fiadhan

Fiadhan
Class: Druid
Heritage: Kelt
Origin: Gal City (outskirts)

The Chronicle, Session 5

Dramatis Personae

• Cire Leachim, half-blood Pictish legerdemainist from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tori, mixed-heritage Shamaness from Gal City
• Kildun Graax, Hyperborean Necromancer from the City-State of Khromarium
• Tyrm, Oonish (androgynous clone) Warlock from the City-State of Khromarium
• Saya'da, Yakut Berserker from the Plains of Leng

Putting Eilleann to Rest

Midnight held the Trysting Glade in its icy grasp as the struggle for Eilleann's spirit continued.

The wraith had vanished beneath Cire's silver-tipped arrow, but none among the gathered adventurers believed the battle was over. Torches flickered in the darkness while Tori maintained her concentration, kneeling within the ritual circle. Her voice carried steadily through the cold night air, even as unseen dangers stalked the surrounding woods.

The wraith returned swiftly.

As Eilleann's furious shade manifested once more, the party reacted with disciplined resolve. Tyrm and the hired infantry maintained their defensive positions, ready to intercept any attack upon the shamaness. Cire loosed another silver arrow that struck true, while Vella's crossbow bolt followed close behind. Saya'da charged fearlessly into the apparition's path, though her axe failed to connect.

Kildun's sling bullet did not miss. The stone struck with remarkable force, causing the ghostly form to shudder and fade from sight once again.

Through it all, Tori continued her incantation.

"Spirits of root and stone, of wind that moves unseen,
Waters that remember all things, bear witness!"

Seconds later, Eilleann screamed from the darkness and hurled herself directly toward the ritual circle. The defenders had left an opening, and for an instant it seemed the wraith might reach her target. Yet fate intervened. The attack passed harmlessly by Tori, who remained unbroken in her concentration.

Arrows and bolts answered the ghost's assault. Vella's shot struck home. Saya'da's axe bit deep into the apparition. Tyrm followed with a powerful swing of his own battleaxe, and once more the wraith vanished from sight.

Still Tori continued. Raising Eilleann's ring together with a handful of earth from the glade, she called out:

"This ring is yours, Eilleann.
Let it bind what was broken and unbind what held you here.
I stand as one trained in the old ways, a walker between breath and silence.
He who spilled Eilleann's blood, hear this:
Whether in flesh or spirit, you are not beyond the reach of judgment!"

Silence for a moment, then Eilleann returned yet again. For a third time the wraith surged toward Tori, shrieking in rage and grief. Once more she slipped past the defenders. Once more she reached for the shamaness, and once more she failed.

The adventurers pressed their advantage. Cire, firing almost point-blank, struck the ghost twice in rapid succession. Saya'da landed another telling blow. Around them, the mercenaries struggled to contribute, lacking silvered weapons with which to harm the wraith.

Tori's voice rose above the clash.

"Eilleann, by my oath, and by the spirits that dwell in all things,
Your killer will answer for what he has done.
If by our hands, then by our hands,
If by the turning of Fate, then by Fate.
If by the gods who weigh the soul, then by their will,
But he will not escape."

The promise hung heavily in the night air. Then came the final confrontation. As Eilleann materialized once more, Saya'da stood ready. The berserker's axe descended in a devastating arc, striking with tremendous force.

The wraith screamed, then vanished. Silence followed -- no one moved, no one breathed.

Tori slowly rose, lifting her hand from the earth and extending it toward the sky.

"Eilleann, you are no longer bound here.
The roots release you, the waters carry you, the wind reveals the path before you.
Go where your spirit is called, go where pain cannot follow,
Go in peace, beneath sky and branch, beyond this place of sorrow.
The circle is opened, the path is yours to follow."

The ritual ended. The effort had exhausted her, and Tori collapsed. As her companions rushed forward, a final figure appeared within the torchlight: not a wraith, but a young woman. She was beautiful, peaceful, and free of the suffering that had twisted her ghostly form.

Eilleann smiled. "Thank you." Then she sank gently into the earth, and was gone. At last, her spirit had found rest.

Remarkably, none among the living had suffered so much as a wound. With the danger passed, the adventurers decided to remain in the glade until morning. They setup camp among the ancient trees. During the preparations, Kildun revealed a curious secret: hidden within his pack was a skeletal cat, which he simply referred to as "Cat." The discovery prompted equal measures of amusement and concern.

Watches were arranged, and eventually the company settled down beside the fading torches. But the peace did not last. Near the end of the first watch, a tiger emerged silently from the surrounding darkness. The beast struck before anyone could react: its victim was the legerdemainist, Cire.

Claws and fangs tore into its sleeping man target with horrifying speed. Before a single companion could intervene, the tiger had ripped out his throat. Cire died where he lay, slain in the blink of an eye.

The camp erupted into chaos: weapons were seized, warriors scrambled to their feet.

Vella's crossbow bolt struck the beast first. Kildun immediately sought safety in the branches of a nearby tree. Tannrhulia, Saya'da, Vall, and Raixonn rushed forward to engage the predator. Saya'da's axe found its mark, while Tyrm's Burning Hands unleashed a wave of magical fire that scorched the creature's hide.

Tori was about to call upon the plants themselves to Entangle the beast, but too many allies stood in harm's way.

Surrounded and wounded, the tiger's courage finally failed. The great cat began backing away, seeking escape rather than victory. A final crossbow bolt from Vella struck as it retreated. Kildun's sling stone missed. The others chose not to pursue.

The tiger vanished into the forest. But no one celebrated. The price of victory had already been paid.

The party broke camp immediately and began the long walk back to Bryn Celli, carrying Cire's body with them through the darkness. Along the way, Kildun observed that he might possess the means to return the fallen magician as an undead servant. Tori firmly rejected the suggestion, and the matter was dropped.

They left Eilleann resting peacefully within the glade, trusting that her parents would recover her remains and provide a proper burial. It was the small hours of the morning when the weary company returned to Bryn Celli.

Torla opened the doors of the Sheep's Rest Inn and became the first to learn of Cire's death. She shared whiskey with the adventurers, in his memory. Tyrm requested milk instead. After some searching, fresh milk was procured from a nearby cow. Tyrm drank it in a single swallow while the others raised their glasses of whiskey, and together they honored their fallen companion.

Cire's body was wrapped carefully in blankets and stored in the stable until proper funeral arrangements could be made.

Snow fell throughout the following morning. After a late breakfast, the adventurers sorted through their companion's belongings. His studded armor and beloved falcata were set aside as heirlooms to be returned to his family in Khromarium. A messenger was hired to carry both the items and a letter written by Tyrm.

The remainder of Cire's possessions were divided according to need. Some entered the party's shared stores, while Tyrm and Kildun claimed a few useful items. His spellbook attracted particular attention, especially the spell Colour Spray, which prompted discussion regarding who might learn its secrets.

Those affairs settled, the party visited Eilleann's parents. The grieving couple learned that their daughter's spirit had finally been laid to rest, and gladly paid the agreed reward. When Tyrm mentioned the tiger attack near the Trysting Glade, they promised to spread word throughout Bryn Celli so that other young couples would exercise caution.

Before long, another summons arrived: the adventurers were called to the hall of Blood-Reeve Maelcon. There, the ruler of Bryn Celli presented a new task. A ranger named Rhodric had gone missing, and Maelcon sought capable individuals to discover his fate. For their efforts, each member of the company would receive one hundred gold pieces.

The adventurers listened carefully as every rumor and scrap of information concerning Rhodric was laid before them.

In turn, they recounted the tale of Eilleann's haunting and the long night spent delivering her spirit from sorrow. One mystery had been solved, another now awaited them in the woods north of Bryn Celli.