Zedariah shakes his head. ”There are always bandit vagabonds about, but I don’t know of any lairs nearby. “
He frowns. ” The zombie does not walk the land. I took care of that!”
Zedariah takes a long worried look south. “I hope that removing her unholy symbol lifted the witches curse from my village.”
He moves to accompany Herger into the cave. ”Lakestand is about thirty six miles due south of here. On a hill, overlooking the Tuskwater. A large lake.” He explains.
Autumn stood there blinking, speechless for words and unable to say much. Until Herger and Zedariah moved away from the group. Snapping back to moment she moved to grab Zedariah by the shoulders. "Zedariah... I don't wish to alarm you... however," she paused and licking her lips before continuing. "It's 4716 A.R., the 17th day of Desnus. The last thing you remember... I'm so sorry but that was 265 years ago."
Autumn kept her hands on his shoulders, a reminder that someone was there. The feeling of another's presence she hoped would ground him enough... but the sorrow of losing your whole village in a moment, when everything else was thought to be fine... well that was a pain Autumn could understand.
"I'm, so very sorry.." Autumn whispered, doing her best to keep her own voice from breaking.
Zedariah seems stunned. ”I noticed it’s not winter.” He says. ”But 265 years?” He shakes his head. ”That’s beyond imagining. I think I’ll just live in the moment for now.”
He turns toward the cave. ”I have a feeling that you should take the symbol of Gyronna away from here. It wouldn’t be difficult to smash it, but the timing must be right…”
He looks confused. ”I don’t know why I think so, or when might be the right time, but that’s what my gut tells me.”
Autumn was beyond shocked to see how well he was taking this. Then again, the knowledge that all you loved had been gone long long ago is likely much different to one more recent and openly seen.
"The symbol, you said we should smash it at the right time but is there a way to know such?" Autumn questioned. "Herger? Do you know when the timing might be right. You're the most knowledgeable on faiths."
Larin listens in awe as Zedariah recounts his tale. He struggles to understand how the man had lived here alone for over 250 years. "We could look into your village," he says, feeling that he can offer little comfort beyond making sure that Zedariah hasn't sacrificed everything for naught.
Zedariah smiles. ”I was hoping you’d say that.” He heads on into the cave. ”Let me get that amulet. And maybe some of my clothes survived all time.”
Zedariah shakes his head. ”I still can’t believe that it could have been that long.”
Zedariah heads to the nearest on the right. He slides a stone lid off a stone chest carved out of the stone of the alcove. ”Ah” He says. ”My vestments. Kind of ragged, but I think they’ll do.”
Larin follows along behind Zedariah, looking around at the cave. "How long has this place been here?" he asks, wondering at the simple beauty of the shrine. "Or, I suppose, how long had it been here before you arrived?"
”I don’t know.” Zedariah says. ”It has always been here. The man-made stone work was here before we Taldans came. It has always been sacred to Erastil.”
"So odd, this place was hidden by brambles. And they were not insignificant. I always thought a place of Erastil would be welcoming to animals and the worn hunter... Unless..." Autumn took a moment to pause. "Where the brambles there when you looked over the temple?"
Zedariah lays out the vestments after giving them a shake for dust. ”Yes, this place has lots of brambles. There’s even a river named after that fact.” He make a show of fiddling with the cloak wrapped around his waist, before removing it, and beginning to don the vestments.
”In the summer, many of the brambles provide berries. The brambles also shelter many small animals and birds. As to this place. Yes it’s hidden, but the followers of Erastil share that secret among themselves. A hidden place is a safe place.”
Autumn turned away to give him some privacy as they continued to speak.
"I see, so it is meant to be hidd- Oh!" Autumn gasped when she realized something. "I was just thinking how much Jhod would like to meet you, and something struck me about what his said a while back. You might have been the bear he spoke of!"
Zedariah continues his train of thought. ”The brambles are natural, but the malaise that hangs here is not. The pool outside once was pure and clean.” Going to another of the alcoves he opens another stone chest. From inside he draws out an amulet on a fine gold chain. The amulet is the form of a staring eye.
”This is a simple unholy symbol. It has no power on it’s own. But, I think it is the focus that allows the curse to hold sway here. You must remove it.”
He locks gaze with Autumn. ”Take it, keep it. You will know when you must smash it. Until then, keep it well.”
"Who would have cursed a place like this?" Larin asks, confused by how anyone would want to despoil such a pleasant and unassuming temple out in the wilderness. "Whoever it was, we'll do what we can to see the curse is lifted," he says, confidence in his voice.
"Me?" Autumn asked as she did hold out her hands to receive the unholy symbol. "But I am no priestess..." She said but it seemed there wasn't much choice in the matter. The priest had chosen her to carry this. Autumn closed her hands around the symbol like eyelashes closing over one's eye. "I will ensure it is kept well away from those who would use it, and wait in vidgil for the moment to remove it's power." She promised before she took a moment to wrap it up in cloth left over from making their banner and keeping it on her person.
"If you'd not mind the help and company, I'm sure I can speak for all here that we are more than happy helping you clean this place before heading out tomorrow." Autumn offered before looking to the group to see how they responded.
Zedariah notes that the shadows have grown long as the sun settles into the west. ”Yes, camp here for tonight. This shrine is not what it should be, but it’s safe enough to camp here, I think.” He walks back outside and sits on the steps leading up to the cave entrance.
”So much time passed… I think I’ll leave this place tomorrow, myself. I think I need to learn how things are in these times.”
Sadness filled Autumn's heart as she listened to him. Slowly the huntress moved to the priest's side and took a seat next to him. "I know how painful it is to lose everything." Autumn said, letting out a small sigh. "To the north east there is a trading post. We work out of that, and the people there are good. Jhod, the man I mentioned before, is there. He too is a priest of Erastil and a good man. Oleg, who owns the place is a bit gruff but has such a large heart. Svetlana, his wife, is an amazing cook and so kind. And then Kesten," Autumn laughed a bit, slightly nervous as she add. "I really messed up with him... He's very strict but he cares. I can tell. Then there is Curley, he was a bandit you know... but that wasn't where he truly belonged. He's a farmer, and one day I hope to see the kind of farm he'll have. Oh and Sasha! There is a kid who doesn't know who he is... I suspect he must have ran from something to end up out here as a bandit so young. Still... Well trying to figure out the best way to get through to him."
Taking a moment to look to the sky, Autumn smiled slightly and looked to Zedariah. She locked eyes with him as they had back in the temple. "The community you had, is gone. I cannot bring them back. But all they are- all they where, lives in you Zedariah. With every step you take they'll be there. Though no longer in the flesh... And nothing would likely make them happier than to share their memories with others." Autumn, closed her eyes, the last lights of the summer sun dancing on her face as tears gleamed down her cheeks. "The will always be bittersweet, but hold to precious memories of times long past. Just keep in mind there is still a path for you to tread."
Upon opening her eyes once more, the agathion looked back to her friends. "And there are people who need you." Placing a supportive hand upon Zedariah's shoulder she returned her gaze to him. "You are welcome Zedariah, you are among friends. We would be happy to help you learn of this new world however you wish to do so."
”There was a military outpost north east of here in my day.” Muses Zedariah. ”Even if my village remains after so much time, the people I know will be long gone. I think I’ll go visit this trading post.”
Larin nods at Autumn with a smile. "We can make this shrine what it was. We should make it what it was. We can make this place safe again for travellers and wanderers, and Erastil would want us to make sure it's a haven out here in the wilderness."
Larin listens to Autumn's heartfelt speech, describing the nascent community at Oleg's in such a way that he can't help but think of the family he'd left behind further north. "You'll be welcome at Oleg's, and I hope you can find some way to enjoy this new time," he adds, smiling warmly at Zedariah.
"I have a spare set of clothes in my pack, though they may be a bit large. As the others have said, the trading post is as good a place to start as any. There are some terribly active bandits about as well, part of the reason we are here."
He began speaking to the older priest. He grew silent as the man presented Autumn with the unholy symbol but gave her a nod when she mentioned her lack of preisthood.
"But Autumn, you've a good heart and a stout soul. Carrying such an item may interfere with my own spellcasting for Erastil's grace and you will certainly destroy it when the time is right. Have faith in yourself."
He turned his attention back to Zedariah.
There are a couple of families there too, looking to start up farms and communities the sooner the better. I wish we had time to introduce you to everyone of course, but this bandit issue isn't going away. You mentioned an old military outpost? I bet that is where the bandits have their hideout."
He finished gruffly. It's where he would build an outpost. Especially if the bones of the outposts building were solid.
”This shrine should return to its proper state once that amulet is removed.” Zedariah tells Larin.
He shrugs. ” The bandits of my time weren’t so well organized as to have a hideout. I wouldn’t want to speculate where such a place would be now.”
Zedariah thinks about Herger’s offer of the spare outfit. He shakes his head. ”Thanks, but no. As you say, your clothes are a bit large for me. If you can loan me a good knife, though, that would be good.”
Autumn gave a small nodd when Herger reassured her.
-----
"I'm sure we could spare a dagger." Autumn said. "I'm going to start making camp." She added before she got up and made her want from the group.
”Good. Thank you. With a good knife; I can make a bow, arrows, and a spear. And I can carve a holy symbol that will do. So I won’t show up at the trading post as a naked waif.” Says Zedariah.
"I'll help," Larin says, keen to start getting the temple tidied and reorganised for Zedariah. "It sounds like you've got a lot of useful skills," he says, trying to engage Zedariah in conversation while they work. "How did you learn to do so much with just a knife?"
” The knife is your basic tool of survival.” Zedariah explains to Larin. ”With enough skill you can make all the things you need to live. As a priest of Erastil, survival training was part of my early training.”
Zedariah hunts around the hollow until he finds a sapling of the right size. ”Not every cleric of Erastil knows how to fashion a bow, but many do. The bow is sacred to Erastil. It was he who gave the bow to humanity.” He begins the slow process of cutting the sapling down with a dagger.
”I’ll start with a spear first; it’s much easier, and quicker to make than a bow.”
He would have offered to help but he felt that for some reason the preist before him was looking to dig himself out. He could understand that. Had he been cursed in such a way he would probably be of a similar mindset. He began to set up a small cooking fire while loosely looking about the place. If they cleared out the bandits he would come back here for a day or so and ponder the teachings of Erastil. Maybe bring his boy here. It would be good for him. Clean the place up a bit.
"I can actually make you a bow, as well as arrows." Autumn offered. "Before I became a hunter, I was learning from my mother to be a fletcher. And, as I have no need to sleep, I can do the bow now and have to night to keep watch with no problems." She explained, "A spear is also a useful tool, and I'd advise both in these lands."
Finished cutting the sapling, Zedariah straightens up. ”That would be nice.” He gives Autumn a smile. ”If you really have time for that. I would have thought that you had some purpose to be about.”
Zedariah begins to strip the leaves off the sapling. ”I’ll burn the end to harden the wood, he explains to Larin. ”It’s green wood so it will be quite springy. Which is not a bad thing.”
"Oh I'll do that now, so that my evening will be free." Autumn explained as she moved to look for the right wood. "I trust my allies to make camp, and we have rations for times like this... not to mention I don't wish to hunt around here at the moment... not with the symbol on me so close to this place."
"Though to be honest, I'm worry about the condition of the bow I'd make. Really I'd like a week to work on it at the minimum.... On second thought I'd rather not have a rushed product break in your hands... OH!" Taking one of the hand axes from her belt Autumn moved to Zedariah. "Here, take this for the time being. It should help, and should you need to stop it will help you cut wood for a fire. I got a matching pair from a bandit we faced so I'm fine with parting from one, and when we return to the trading post I'll make good on my promise and craft you a bow." She grinned.
Zedariah accepts the handaxe gratefully. ”Well, thank you. This will definitely make my life easier.”
Evening falls as Zedariah continues to work on his makeshift spear; though he takes a break to help gather some firewood, and build a bed of boughs, and leaves for himself.
Autumn took a moment to find some wood, about the width of her thigh and give or take half a foot long. She took a seat at the fire with Frostbite at her side as she began to work upon the bit of wood she had found.
When the time came she cast her spell to keep herself awake, then kept working softly humming to herself till everyone went to bed.
The front however had been stripped of the bark and within the freed area a inlaid carving of two parents hold three children in their arms. The figures didn't have any depicting features, their heads had no expressions, only closed eyes with soft smiles. They where framed by the bark and words. 'To those who are now gone, you where loved' and at the very bottom carved 'A memorial for communities lost'.
Larin listens and watches as Zedariah and Autumn discuss their skills and begin to shape tools from nothing more than wood. "I wish I had skills like this, I'm no good with my hands," he says wistfully.
”If you can find someone to teach you, and do the hard work required, you should be able to learn just about anything you set out to do.” Zedariah encourages Larin.
The new day dawns, pleasant enough, though the spring air seems dull around Erastil’s sacred grove.
Zedariah rises at dawn. ”I will be on my way now. Please take that cursed amulet away from this place. And don’t bring it back. It has a destiny that is elsewhere than here, and far from me too.”
Larin listens and watches as Zedariah and Autumn discuss their skills and begin to shape tools from nothing more than wood. "I wish I had skills like this, I'm no good with my hands," he says wistfully.
"I'd gladly teach you." Autumn offered. "You can watch while I work on Zedariah's bow when we get back.
Autumn looked over to him, standing over by the pool and carving she has made. "It will remain with me till the time comes to destroy it. Once we finish with what we must do, and if the time hasn't come, I'll make myself scarce around you. To keep it far from you." She promised.
Zedariah smiles. ”Perhaps our paths will cross again one day. A better day.” He seems to be in a bit of a hurry; gathering up his borrowed tools, and makeshift spear he begins trudging east into the woods.
"Zedariah," Autumn called just before he entered the woods. "Erastil guide your path, and lead you to a new community." the agathion said before she bowed her head to him. "Please be careful."
When he had vanished into the woods she looked to the others. "Dawn has come, we head south. Make ready."
Larin finishes packing the last of his gear, gives Frostbite a rub behind her ears, then turns to Autumn. "Where to next?" he asks.
”Zedariah said that the village of Lakestand is due south of here. Do you plan to seek it out, Autumn?” Asks Augustina. ”So much time has passed since Zedariah saw it last. I wonder what is there now.”
Autumn nodded in agreement to Augustina. "Yes, I believe that is where out path will lead."
"Due south my fellow riders, we shall see what this land holds for us." With that Autumn mounted Solstice, Frostbite looked to Larin, and when all was ready the south wind beckoned them on.
Larin climbs onto Frostbite's back, scratching her behind the ears as he does. He settles himself, adjusting his gear to make it as comfortable as possible, before giving Frostbite the signal to follow Autumn. "Does anyone know anything about Lakestand?" he asks, looking around at the tranquil woodland as they move southwards.
Your southward trek leads you into a forest maze of brambles. It is familiar country though. It is the area where the feral boar had lived, and you rescued the injured hunter, Vekkel Benzen.
"Lakestand?" Autumn asked as they kept moving, "I cannot say I do." She answered, keeping an eye out.
Titian catches up to the front of the column. ”This is the first I’ve heard of it. Most peculiar, though. Where Zedariah said was a fort, seems to be where Oleg’s is…” The knight waves his map.
”This thing wasn’t worth the price, but I’ve been correcting it as we go.”
”Lakestand doesn’t ring a bell for me, either. Maybe we could ask around at Oleg’s? If no one there knows, I’m not sure where else to inquire….”
Titian shakes his head in negation. ”None of the fine folk at Oleg’s strike me as being all that scholarly.” Muses the knight. ”Maybe Jhod. Anyway, I don’t believe we’ve mapped the area due south of here.”
He looks to Autumn. ”We might as well map it now while we’re here, don’t you think, Autumn?”
"We might as well keep going, while we're here. No sense heading north to ask about somewhere to the south," Larin says in agreement with Titian. He settles into the saddle, becoming increasingly comfortable atop Frostbite.
"Mapping will help us in the long run." Autumn answered with a nod. "Though I must say Titian I did not know you had such craft."
"I'm not sure how close we are to what we saw before... Should we head south a bit more before heading southeast? Or maybe we should head southeast here till we exit onto the plains, if only to get a heading."
The knight shrugs his armored shoulders. ”I’m not a cartographer , I’ve just been making notes on this map I bought.” He frowns. ”I shall have words with the merchant I got it from. It’s not very accurate, but makes up for that by being vague.”
* * * *
You make slow going through the brambles, but by noon you make it to unfamiliar country. The area ahead seems as thorny as the countryside you’ve just passed through, perhaps even more heavily grown with the thorny vines.
”How do the rest of you feel? Need a break now want to get to the mapping right now? I’m fine either way…”