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We leave the dungeon and once again see the woods. The breach remains, but we see the roots around the exit are still. We can hear birdsong and see fresh animal tracks in the snow; the forest seems to be a just normal forest. We can feel no pulse under our feet and the sounds we hear are not threatening
As we leave the forest and can see the mountains in the distance we see a dark rider upon the ridge. It watches us then slowly turn away over the ridge. The outline looks similar to the figure we saw in the rigging of the ship a while back, but cannot make out any detail.
We return to Moonrest where Bran counts us back in and is happy to see us. He looks back to the woods and tells us there have been no further root breaches, so it looks like something worked. He takes us to the Long House to see Elder Saelin to give her our report.
Yselle also appears asking for an update. Aethlwynn prods Sebastien and tells him to show Yselle the heart he harvested. Yselle examines it before Salus hands over the sketches she made. Yselle says Merrick's name keeps appearing whenever questions are asked and needs to investigate further. Aethlwynn asks if she can help, but again, Yselle says she works best alone. Elder Saelin warmly tells us that as the roots are no longer an issue we've done enough for now and that we need a good feed and sleep. Garron was also in the Long House looking at what we brought back. He's more interested in the stone work and will pop into Yselle's to see the sketches.
Aethlywynn mentions the rider we saw. Elder Saelin pauses and starts speculating out loud that it could be the Compact, or someone pretending to be them. But she sends us to the Tide and Stars where Mara will have a hot meal for us. Aethlwynn says she'll put in a good word for Sebastien, who again denies being a hero.
The bar is visibly louder, the food is served and the conversation seems normal. Mara welcomes us in and we relax and Mara gives Sebastien a pair of spoons and asks him to play. Aethlwynn tells Mara Sebastien is being very modest about how brave he was. The tavern sings along with Sebastien and the villagers have a great time. As it gets late folk start to go home as do we.
The next day passes with no emergency, no roots and no blue pulse. Hunters leave Moonrest and return safely. Moonrest seems to have returned to normal.
Sebastien is going to see the Tide Warden and the Shrine Keeper as he's privately concerned about blacking out in combat and having the strange feeling that another person wants to take control of him. Neither feel it's their area of expertise and refer him to Lysa who may be able to help due to her role with the dead. Sebastien and Aethwold continue to plan the Hurdy Gurdy and realise they need more timber. Guru want to work on his Long Hammer but needs more iron ingots. Guru and Aethswold go mining as Aethsowold also needs iron for his arrow heads. Aethswold crafts a staff for Salus and travels out of Moonrest to get more frost hardened wood. He gets some more resin sap and root fibre as well. He then heads to the pine forest to get pine bark. Sebastein gives Guru some tanned leather. Aethlwynn tries to craft a healing potion, but can't quite get it right.
One night in the Tavern Aethswold gets a message to speak to Lysa at the graveyard. She stands beside a grave we don't recognise brushing the snow from the stone. She says to aeth he knows the death matters, generlly death has rules and boundaries. She says one name survived the hollowed necromancer. She asks Aeths what death means to him She is pleased wwith his answer
the is a place inland - the frozen fenn older than peille remember, peol[le ehwl believed the could use the dead and ljne account mentions there were graves for the living. she needs us to visut the fen and asks what has been buried and.
Aeths asks if we need to b eaware of and anything we cakn help as hfar as ashe know it has been lond abandoned for over 100 yers. what was once ther has been defeated, but what was once ther has been abandonedx. she believes ates needs to be there for his own growth
it's about 20 miles away - about 2 days
as we leave the rave yard seb sees lysa starig at us. He things Lysa has deigns on aeths
We head into the middle of moonrest and get ready for the trrip. we ask if the village need anything from round there
we trade for tents and bed rolls - Guru gives 4 bog iron ingots inxchange