You have pursued the Vorghol Lorn and his captive, Verraine, the daughter of your friend and mentor Taggart, all night. First came the discovery that your former friend, the hunter Gwent, had fallen into the darkness. Then you hunted Lorn across central Tol Nedra, to the village of Aubane, and beyond into the deep woods. You battled a pack of wild Tol Nedran wargs, probably sent by a Vorghol master to throw you off the trail.
Now, you can close the distance. Lorn follows the Kingsroad back to the capital of Dolgur. The sun is coming up soon, and since you are out of the Shroud, Lorn must find someplace to spend the night.
He is skirting around the far side of the forest known as the Ghostwood. If you cut across, you should be able to intercept him before he reaches the castle of Lord Valkris, a Vorghol Lord over a century old. The woods are dark and deep, but the way is clear.
The Ghostwood is the scene of an old battle. Rumor has it that King Leonic, leader of the Second Crusade against Tol Nedra three decades ago, was finally stopped in these woods, and Leonic was never seen again. The wood holds its secrets. But now it appears as a dark pine forest, with the needles of many autumns littering the forest floor, silencing your horses' tread. Thragga leads the way, anxious to be through this woodland.
You know that Far Hisveth is a moderate-sized walled town, and Lord Valkris' castle overlooks it. A large wooden bridge spans the whitewater of the Blados and gives access to the town and the castle.
Kane says, "Thragga, stop whistling that silly tune, you sound like a dwarf."
Thragga bares his fangs at Kane. "That wasn't me! Did you hear something?"
Kane smiles, "I must have imagined it."
Thragga pauses a moment under a tall pine tree, to get his bearings. "You're merry for being in a haunted forest, Kane. Are all Tol Nedrans like you?"
As his two companions bicker, Khom-Bei notices a greenish light coming from the north, in your path. It's obscured behind a thick stand of trees, so only the edges of the light are visible.'.
Kane says, "I have been away from home and my work a long time. If not for Verraine I might even enjoy this little excursion."
Thragga grips his axe. "We have vengeance to exact..." he warns.
Khom-Bei stops his horse silently and calls softly to his companions: "Quiet, please."
Thragga hisses, "He started it!"
After mentioning Verraine, Kane's mood turns grim once again.
Khom-Bei points up the path ahead toward a greenish light coming from behind a stand of trees. The greenish light flickers and wavers, casting green shadows over the surround. It's pale and eerie.
Khom-Bei says, "What does your vast knowledge of these woods tell you about this light, Thragga?"
The Urag swallows and grips his axe. "I've never been this way before. Go check it out, Kane."
Kane unsheathes his sword and nudges his horse forward.
Thragga proceeds along behind Kane. A foul smell assaults your senses as you approach the light.
The greenish light flickers over Kane and Thragga. The source appears to be behind some large fallen logs up ahead.
Kane says, "What do you think, shaman?"
Khom-Bei says, "I think that I have no memory of anything like this."
Thragga spits. "I am not afraid!" Axe held high, he leaps forward into the light. There's an enormous splat as he vanishes behind the fallen logs, then silence.
Kane looks at Khom-Bei and says "That can't be good."
Khom-Bei says, "You are probably right about that, Kane."
Kane heads after Thragga. Khom-Bei leaps from the back of his pony and follows Kane.
The light is being emitted from a stinKing, low-lying, fetid marsh that blocks the path ahead. Green light reflects off the brackish water, a product of the marsh gases. The huge Urag is face down in a puddle of mud. He pushes himself up on his elbows, wipes mud from his eyes, and glowers at you.
Kane says, "If you were thirsty you should have said so, I have a spare water skin on my horse."
Thragga spits out scummy water as he rises. Tiny leeches cling to the backs of his thighs. "Kane...you tax me." he grumbles.
Khom-Bei chuckles softly as he remounts his pony. "This foe is vanquished, we may continue now."
Kane offers his friend a hand. Thragga accepts the hand up, and then plucks the leeches from his green skin. He pops one in his mouth and smacks his lips in delight.
Kane says, "You had to do that? You know I hate leeches."
Khom-Bei says, "And raw? You could at least save them for the cookfire."
Thragga ignores your jibes and pushes on through the greenish, knee-deep water. However, when you try to ride through it, your mounts are reluctant to go near the stuff. They bristle and toss their reins.
Kane says, "I guess we will have to go around this."
Thragga, from the far bank, hisses, "Cannot you whip the beasts through?"
Khom-Bei reins in his pony and dismounts once more. Placing an extended index finger against the animals snout, he speaks softly: "Is there no way we can agree upon this?"
Kane says, "One does not whip a good mount."
Khom-Bei continues speaKing to his mount. "You know how urgent is our need , and yet you show your disapproval of the path we must take. What am I to do with you?"
Kane looks for a way around the bog.
Thragga snorts. "A whip is good motivation!"
Khom-Bei raises his voice; "Yes, Thragga, I shall have to purchase one with which to motivate you out of bed in the morning." He speaKing more soothing words, and his pony gives a last snort, but finally consents to set foot in the glowing marsh.
Kane's Angharan bay refuses to have anything to do with that water. He whinnies, frantically, as Kane reins him in.
Thragga urges: "The whip! Or I will cut him up for breakfast!"
Khom-Bei strolls close to Kane."Let me try first, Kane." He stands squarely in front of Kane's horse and looks the animal directly in the eyes.
Thragga snaps, "Gah!" He sits down on the far bank to watch.
The high-strung cavalry gelding narrows his big brown eyes at Khom-Bei. He grunts and snort-snorts.
Khom-Bei places his open hand palm-up under the gelding's nose and lets the animal get his scent before moving closer to it. The gelding gets the scent, stamping his front hooves fitfully.
The steppe pony pushes and splashes his way across the bog, and Thragga receives the animal, gripping its bridle and waiting for the rest of you.
Khom-Bei speaks to the horse softly, amost inaudibly. "I know that this is not what you would choose, but there is a great need.
The gelding calms, somewhat, as the Northerling speaks. As he speaks, Khom-bei takes the reins from Kane and rubs the geldings nose with his free hand."You are a brave and powerful steed, there are few such as you in this world and you have been chosen by the Great Father to help this man.
Another snort-snort and a toss of the head. Some kind of equine conversation.
Khom-Bei says, "There is much which is not known about our path, but I will give my word that we will protect you from whatever harm may befall us."
With his final words, Khom-bei covers the horse's eyes with a small cloth from his belt pouch and leads it forward through the stagnant water.
The charger gives a shake of his narrow head, and then, agreeing to be led by Khom-Bei, splashes off into the water, bearing Kane across. On the far bank, the bay scrambles free, to get well away from the water, and canters down the path as if nothing had happened.
Thragga passes Khom-Bei the reins of his own pony. "I still think you should have used the whip."
Handing the reins to Kane again, Khom-bei nods to the great bay and smiles slightly."He is a good horse, Kane. The things I could teach him..."
Kane gives Khom-Bei a sweeping bow from the saddle and commends him on his skill with horses.
Khom-Bei returns the bow with a laugh and looks pointedly at Thragga; "It is too bad that my skill does not extend to others, eh?"
Kane says, "Some beasts just can't be tamed."
Khom-Bei climbs aboard his pony and scratches it playfully between the ears. "Let us be on our way."
Thragga frowns at your jests. "They are good for eating, is all." He takes the point again, racing down the path. "Now we must make up for lost time..."