The Adventure

The duo are able to cross the stream without incident, and then find a path headed southward. Luckily, they see no more ominous mounds of dirt, though Gevin still seems shocked by what they encountered.

As they travel, Etta turns over the unanswered questions in her mind. Who buried these bodies? Where were they now? Why not burn the corpses, as Gevin planned? Maybe that was a cultural taboo? And was this strange plague serious, or just a localized phenomenon?

The day drags on, and they see no signs of people...but also no signs of beasts or monstrosities. Etta begins to relax. After the recent chaos and pain, a brisk, danger-free stroll in the forest perks her up.

They eventually reach a spot where the path widens significantly. Ruts, debris, and fire rings indicate this is a pitstop for travelers. And indeed, two travelers are here: an older, thin man, and a robust younger one. Both have thick black hair, angular facial features, and olive skin. Etta figures they have to be related.

The older man is unarmed, but the younger one has a short-sword and a shield. They stand before a medium-sized cart pulled by two mules. Various items, such as furniture, barrels, and filled-to-bursting canvas bags sit in the cart. The mules graze while the men chew on bread and some sort of fruit and nut mix.

They notice Gevin and Etta, and wave them over...but they don't smile, and their eyes probe the two Ironsworn carefully.

Older Man: "Greetings, travelers. I'm Malik, and this is my son Okoth. What brings you to these parts? Looks like you've been through a bit of adventure...."

Etta: "We have indeed. My name is Etta, and my companion is Gevin. We're both Ironsworn. We're on a journey of...discovery, I suppose you could call it."

Father and son look at each other, as if they don't quite know what to make of this.

Okoth: "That's an...intriguing Iron Vow. I thought knowing thyself was a requisite to becoming an Ironsworn, not something you worked on later. But I'm sure you both know your business."

Etta, sharply: "We do. We've been through perils that...." She stops and composes herself. Bragging about their adventures and arguing with these two strangers would accomplish little. "Anyway. We're heading to Steelharbor, or the nearby area. We believe we need to find a group called 'the monks.' They supposedly live in a mountain temple."

At this, both men let out oaths, and Okoth's hand goes quickly to his sword.

Okoth: "And what would you be wantin' with these...monks?"

Etta: "We don't know exactly...and I'll ask you to remove your hand from your sword. We have no quarrel with you, nor are we intent on spreading evil...but we will defend ourselves, if necessary."

Okoth grunts, but Malik puts his hand on his son's shoulder, and whispers in his ear. Okoth still glares at Etta, but he does relax his arm.

Malik: "Those monks you speak of call themselves the Lightbringers...and they're not thought of too highly in Steelharbor at the moment. That's where we're from. Family been there five generations...but no longer." He gestures to the wagon. "We're movin' on. Ya see, plague's hit Steelharbor. They call it the Azure Whisper. Covers your body in pustules, traps your mind in some sorta dream, wastes you away. Pustules then pop, release a mist, others inhale it, plague spreads."

Okoth: "Nobody knows the Whisper's origins for certain, nor do they know of a cure. It's devastated Steelharbor...devastated our family. Besides a few distant cousins, we're all that's left of the Hamad line."

Etta: "I'm sorry. What you describe is beyond horrific...but we've seen the effects of this plague before. Today, in fact. There are bodies buried in shallow graves north of here, by a stream. Do you know anything about this?"

Okoth is clearly surprised, but Malik nods.

Malik: "Most people burn the bodies of the infected, but there are lotsa different cultures in Steelharbor. Some of 'em don't believe in such things. I'm guessin' they dragged the bodies all the way out here, to satisfy their beliefs. And maybe the stream has a special significance to 'em? A lot o' work, and dangerous as all hells, but culture is tough to break, eh?"

Etta: "Indeed it is. But what of these Lightbringers? What have they done to draw the ire of the Steelharbor people?"

Okoth: "The monks were on good terms with the villagers for decades, if not centuries. Yes, they were eccentric, and a bit arrogant, and preferred to keep to themselves, but they did have astonishing healing abilities...or so the stories went. I haven't been to their temple personally. However, once the Azure Whisper arrived, the Lightbringers proclaimed that their temple was closed to outsiders, and anyone straying near it would be killed."

Malik: "The leadership of Steelharbor was naturally confused and alarmed, but all talks with the monks have failed. Their proclamation stands. Of course, now you get all sorta o' rumors: the Whisper was actually created by the monks to purify Steelharbor, stuff like that."

Okoth: "Something's changed. Have the monks been overtaken by evil leadership, or some foul force? We don't know. But if you seek them, be wary...and also be wary when discussing your goals. Others would have attacked you outright if they suspected you were allied with the Lightbringers."

While she considers all this, Etta turns to Gevin. Surely he had questions. It seems their quest had gotten more complicated...but that was normal by now, wasn't it?