Tiding 07: Friends, Un/Accounted For

## Content Warnings

Death, dead body, gore and injury detail, discussions of grief and loss, mention of ostracisation and othering

*"You can see the Sharrow's touch in every part of this land: in the spiralling growth of the koak trees and the edgewise migrations of the totherwings. Life follows the Sharrow. Every settlement here has its own ways of celebrating our Remnant's arrival, because we know that with it comes Spring. That in its tread wildflowers grow like footprints, birds settle to nest and the land begins to warm, ready for the sowing of the year’s first crops. Spring spreads through the land in a great circle; The Sharrow’s passing wakes it."*

 *Show more/less*

 *I have spent half a life trying to trace the Sharrow; give detail to these movements. This is what I know.The Sharrow appears somewhere to the east, before journeying counter-clockwise around its territory. It likely appears somewhere just to the south of Carn Vers, where, for most of the year, you can see almost like a line- winter one side, spring the other.
 It takes the Remnant almost six months to complete its circle. By the time it has returned to near Carn Vers, it is the height of summer there; and with its return comes autumn, then winter. It doesn't complete a second cycle though: it just goes, disappears. A creature once so obvious is suddenly elusive.
 There are theories as to where it goes: perhaps it dives beneath the earth and water at the bottom of its furrow to hibernate there or circle again underground. Maybe it goes elsewhere; grants another land its spring. Or maybe, like the sun in the evening, it simply ceases to be... and maybe once there was another just like it: a different Remnant that was there when the Sharrow was not. Its own moon; a twin that shepherded calmer winters.*"

―Cast

## Summary

Under Carn Veskl, the scouting party try to convince Kalyn and Madi to move on - before the shadows that haunt the mountain's tunnels claims them. After the meeting the caravan's luck turns. They see signs that they're heading in the right direction. Meanwhile, Venz and Shu are sidetracked from their attempt to find the Sharrow. Belka and Bris tell hard truths, Challa sees a miracle and Venz uncovers a crime.

## Synopsis

Venz is with Shu at the river Askl, looking for the Sharrow. They are making good progress, although Venz is info-dumping to Shu about nature. Venz is keen to get to the Sharrow rather than stopping off at Mishijk, and breaks away from the river. After a couple of hours, they come across a small wooden house, with music from a stringed instrument emanating from within. Shu wonders whether to talk to them, but Venz suggests observing the people for a while first. He remembers that the shack was built a couple of decades ago by a man called Cast that had been exiled from Mishijk, although he can't remember why. Last time Venz stayed with Cast, there had been a pet dog called Leif.

The people here now are not Cast, and appear to be a couple. Venz recognises that these people don't belong and that something isn't right. Venz is keen to press on, but Shu is concerned that if they don't investigate, someone could die. Venz and Shu eavesdrop. The woman, Javil, is hurrying her partner Ofem along; they appear to be looting the house. Javil wonders whether to leave behind 'his body', and Ofem agrees that they should- they have no choice. Javil sighs, making a sign of respect upon leaving the house, and starts walking down the path with Ofem, both shouldering heavy packs.

Venz enters, and is greeted with chaos, and the stench of death. The cabinets, shelves and dressers have been tipped over, and all of Cast's meticulously-documented flora and fauna are strewn about the place. On the bed is Cast's body, half-covered by bedding; it looks like it has been there for at least a couple of weeks. In his back are two gashes that have soaked the green bedclothes with dark crusted blood. The wounds look like they were inflicted with an axe. Venz notices that Leif, Cast's dog, isn't here. Many things are missing (presumably looted), including a book that Cast had been working on- an illustrated guide to the flora and fauna of Carn Veskl. The book doesn't seem to be the kind of thing that Javil and Ofem would have taken.

Shu enters, sees the body, and asks if Venz knew him. Venz can't think who might have done this. Cast, as an outcast, doesn't have any family to take care of his burial rites, so Venz intends to return him to nature- his main love. He and Shu take Cast's body to the treeline, and leave him on the ground for nature to take. Venz says some words in his head to Sharrow, to use Cast's body how it will. Shu, having different traditions in Ninut, turns Cast's eyes to the sky and says some words under his breath.

Challa wakes up in the back of a cart. There is excitement in the air, and people seem to be greeting and hugging some figures. They appear to be Savel, Ven, Ailen, and Venren. Challa knows this is her doing, although she isn't sure why. She also knows that something within her is different now; a feeling of rhythm, or song. A tall mountain looms over the group at its edge, and a large bird- a kite- hovers high above; this is a sign of safety for Challa. A path snakes up the mountain towards the mouth of a cave, and a rope bridge crosses a chasm partway along. Behind is Strael, the storm, slowly closing in.

Ayof, in the rear of her cart, is looking at Challa with consternation, as he is aware that Challa is somehow responsible for the uncanny return of the Yalto family. He confronts her, demanding to know what she did, and she tells him that she asked Strael, and that Strael brought them back. Ayof warns her that making a deal with a Remnant is something not done, and asks what she could possibly offer it. He isn't sure that the returned are the same people as before, and hopes for everyone's sake that they are, he then leans over and starts crying.

Challa tries to comfort him, but he tells her that everyone hates him because they blame him for taking her and Korrin out into the storm, and for the deaths of the Yalto family. When Challa protests that it was her that took them into the storm, he rebuts that the others think he forced them to go, and that members of The Parish are easy scapegoats- both in Ninut and now. Challa states that they are wrong, but Ayof counters that they are many. He turns away and starts to tend to Vilte.

In the caves of Carn Veskl, Kalyn wakes Belka after a couple of hours; the sound of the bells wakes Bris, who jumps up groggily and reaches first for her sword, before realising she no longer has it and draws the knife. Kalyn wakes Kallan, then indicates that if they come to the main hall they can talk and share food. Bris points out that her group is already provisioned, but Belka readily accepts Kalyn's offer.

Kalyn leads them through several rooms: the first is a sports hall of some kind, with balls against the side and holes carved into the walls. Around the playing area is seating for spectators. The next room is a gathering room for the community, furnished with tables and chairs of various sizes, enough for around a hundred people. Each table is painted in different colours. Similarly, each chair is very personalised. Now, though, there are only three people: Madi is serving food, Cast is sitting with his back against the wall holding his gun, and Leif snores at Cast's feet.

They are invited to sit; Belka takes a bowl of food but stays standing, running their hands over the painted chairs. Bris and Kallan sit with their backs to the wall. Bris asks Madi and Kalyn what the situation is here, and they indicate that the painted chairs all used to have people to sit in them, but that now they're all dead. Bris replies that they had come to the caves looking for refuge, but that if it isn't safe here, they should leave instead. Bris suggests that Madi, Kalyn, and Cast come with them, since the caves are so dangerous. Madi and Cast seem to be on board, but Kalyn is adamant that they do not leave, as this is their home. It seems that although Madi wants to leave, she isn't going to leave Kalyn- and that if they both stay, Cast will stay too.

Belka is listening to the conversation, focusing on Kalyn in particular. It seems that she just isn't ready to leave, and that she needs to face up to the truth of how bad the situation is. Belka sees that Kalyn is sitting on her personal chair, carved from an old wood that implies it may be a family heirloom. She has attached a large number of tags with writings on them to her chair, in the same way that she has to her clothing. Belka looks around and sees some similar chairs at Kalyn's table and a nearby table that implies they were part of a set and may have belonged to family. Belka sits slowly, deliberately (and noisily) on the nearest chair to Kalyn. Kalyn is clearly affected by this: her eyes widen and the grey colour under her skin deepens, with a dark green coming through- it seems like annoyance.

Belka asks frankly why she's staying, and suggests that they find a new place fit for three or four people rather than a hundred. Kalyn is still clinging to the hope that her community might return, saying that the last person has been gone for two weeks. Belka tries to convince her that it's unlikely the community will come back, since people in general like to come home. Kalyn says that she promised she would wait here for them, and Belka replies that she *has* waited, and that waiting, like many things, ends. Yet Kalyn herself has not yet ended, and can continue forwards. Kalyn is still unconvinced, worrying that if only one person comes back and they have gone, they won't have anyone for company. Belka replies that that, like many things, would be unfortunate- but that Kalyn needn't be one of those things. The conversation becomes heated, and Kalyn walks off.

Madi angrily follows, but Bris calls out that she and Cast should think carefully about Kalyn's willingness to sacrifice them for friends that won't come back. Cast says that he's just here to protect them, and that nothing else matters. As he re-iterates that he *will* protect them, a scream rings out from down the corridor.

## Quotes

**Ayof**: "Dead. They were *dead*, and now they're alive. I saw them die!"
**Challa**: "No, they were lost- and now we've- I've found them!"
**Ayof**: "What did you do?"
**Challa**: "I asked."
**Ayof**: "Girl, *what did you do?*"
**Challa**: "I asked!"
**Ayof**: "Who did you ask?"
**Challa**: "Strael."
**Ayof**: "What are you talking about, girl... *what did you do?*"
**Challa**: "I asked Strael, the storm, and the storm brought them back."

―*Ayof confronts Challa about her role in the uncanny return of the Yalto family from the deadly storm, Strael*
## Game Mechanics

* Venz rolls 8 in Powerful with Pay Attention to the World Around You to observe the happenings in the cottage.
* Venz rolls 11 in Scared with Tempt Fate to sneak around the cottage
* Venz rolls 7 in Sad with Pay Attention to the World Around You to find out what happened to Cast. *(What, if anything, is out of place?)*
* Belka rolls 9 in Sad with Read Person to understand Kalyn's motivations. *(How could I get you to leave?)*
* Belka rolls 3 in Mad with Express Yourself to convince Kalyn to leave the caves. (Fail- mark XP)

## Plot Notes

**Warning! There may be spoilers ahead!**

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