Chapter 2 - Phandalin

Karma stands behind Belanor as if he was giving a political news interview, nodding his head and smiling at the appropriate moments. At the mention of the notes upon the Wizard’s desk Karma dutifully produces them from his bag.

Karma wandered off bare chested into the woods to collect mushrooms and commune with nature. He arrived back later that evening covered in leaves and bark and pupils the size of pins, upon arrive in his inn room he collapsed to the floor and slept soundly.

Kerisha needs time to unwind from a hectic day. There is no place that calms her down like the forest. Listening to the breeze through the trees and the water trickling down the stream, she notices a bear further down stream. She watches as the bear calmly drinks from the water, amazed at how such a powerful beast can be so tranquil. It is then she realises that this is the same bear she has seen before, still surviving. The bear lifts its head and looks her square in the eyes. For a moment Kerisha's heart stops beating, preparing for the bear to run at her. Time passes without a move from wither of them. Its then she feels a strange connection with the beast. They are both just creatures, out in the wild, trying to survive. The bear finally turns to move back into the forest, brushing against a tree as it goes.

Kerisha waits until the bear is out of sight, before moving to the tree. The bear left some of its fur attached to the rough bark. Feeling such a connection to the animal, Kerisha collects the fur, and heads back to town for the night. As she walks, she keeps thinking about the bear, and feels more resolve and stronger, knowing that if that bear can survive, then so can she.