Zoom 2023-08-15 21:00

We camp with the Maratasen overnight, and Joshua performs several 'Legend Lores' (on the Spear, the unnatural Desert, the Season of Death, and starts on one for the Scorpion statue/deity ehich completes a few days later.)  Garaf identifies the magic items we have found. We have a good chat with the Maratasen, and go our separate ways in the morning - though Quercuis goes with the Maratasen who will take her to Tobar to continue her pilgrimage. (Exit Quercuis, stage West)
We are given several days supply of food - and we continue to hunt when we can, and cast Create Food & Water, even though these are becoming even worse (though we feel we are 'lucky' in what we do get). The next day we break out of the Clawthorne Woods and into the wind swept savannah.  We continue heading west for a day or two, then decide that rather than looking for the clans, we should let them find us. So that night we make a smokey fire, rather than a concealed one. In the morning, there is an Orc clansman on a wolf waiting near us, who we invite into the camp and share food with.
We have a good chat with this clansman (from the Ironfang clan) - who firstly asks us if we support Saratak or Soratan. We plump for Saratak (with differing degrees of enthusiasm.) After answering what questions he can, he invites us to meet with the clan Shaman - though we does warn us that the clan will not be able to feed us.
The Shaman speaks to us (along with the Warleader who is concerned that our presence may pose a threat) and questions us about our intentions - to which we answer honestly, but vaguely as we don't really know what they are! We learn:
* The clans are splitting between supporting Soratan (Wildwood tending towards Wild) or Saratak (Wyldwood or Wildwood). Soratan has issued the standard "you're either with me or against me" ultimatum - demanding that supporting Clans join him East of the river, whereas Saratak's supporting Clans are going West of the river.
* Known Western Clans (ie Saratak) are Irontooth, Snake Clan, Wolverine (not confirmed) and the Aerial Clan (so either Fairwind and/or Gannet).
* Known Eastern Clans (ie Soratan). Thunder Clan, Sharktooth, Razor Clan.
* The Shaman's holy symbol has less thorns than the standard Wildwood symbol - so they are half way between Wyldwood and Wildwood.
* The Shaman is interested to hear why Joshua and some other party members are so sceptical of 'old' Wyldwood, and asks us how we can claim that "Wyldwood did nothing about the impending Elven invasion" when we don't know what they actually did do, and asks us if revealing Onwen and his folly earlier would have done any good at all - or just more harm. 
* The atavistic Maratasen that we met in Clawthorn Woods are the 'Keepers of the Old Ways.' They are sending a delegation down to the council in Tobar.
* There is a big council in Tobar going on at the moment to determine the future of the W(y/i)ldwood church.
The Shaman retires for the night saying he needs to think on this, and will speak with us more tomorrow.