Chapter Two - The Town of Vallaki

Taniwha notices that the man has a wild, desperate look in his eyes. You know that look all too well, the look of someone who has killed for survival and will kill again. Amalthea does not register any divine or hellish. The man is mortal, but that makes his feral look seem all the more terrifying.

Irineu sends the tendril of shadow over to the fetish. When the shadow falls over the twigs, they leap up and jerk to life! The bundle of twigs raises what would be a head on a tiny body, then rears up and bites the shadow! It growls at the spell as the other twig blights awake. "Who is out there?" the old, wizened figure calls. "I warn you, I have old gods by my side."

"A mad druid!" the hunters repeat in hissing whispers. "Old one!" Tyminski calls. "Be off before you start trouble! You won't like what we do to you!" The men go for their weapons, but no one is ready to make the first move. Tyminski looks to you to judge your reaction.

Taniwha stabs his spear into the ground, stepping forward between the group and the old Druid. His hands are open and showing his open palms in a gesture meaning no harm. "Excuse those with me Elder." Taniwha says with a steady voice bring his hand to his chest and tilting his head ever so slightly. "We mean no harm nor disrespect, they are just weary of strangers nowadays. I can see you are one whom knows how to survive these bleak lands, and you seem to be search for something. Perhaps we can be of mutual service? Perhaps we can help you find what you are looking for, and perhaps you can provide some advice about these lands? What do you say Elder?"

Amalthea whispers to the group that at least this strange man is not part of the undead and brings up her shield to move forward with those who speak. It would be better if they could resolve this peacefully, but tensions were high so she wanted to be prepared for anything.

The old man thinks for a moment, his wild eyes falling away from you. All the men have their hands twitching at their bows and axes, and the twig creatures twitch and snap under the old man's feet. "No..." he calls to Irineu, "necromancer I am not!" He spits at his feet, the little twig things hopping out of the way.

Under his mask Taniwha scans the old Man, nervously not wanting pressure the grave robber.

Amalthea has yet to open her mouth, but she does try to look less intimidating to help avoid scaring the man.

"Ahh, I have no quarrel with you, the old man says, wrapping his tattered cloak tighter to him. "I am only a druid, and I am only... looking for something." He starts moving away, disappointment evident on his face; the twig creatures move with him. "Best be careful, and watch where you tread. My kinsmen may not be so ready to hear you out." With that, he turns and walks away into the mist.

"Good work," Tyminski grunts, a rare grin on his face. "I will let the priest be at his work. My men will form a perimeter, but don't take too long," he says, emphasizing this last bit to Martin.

After the druid and the twig things are gone, you see an assortment of corpses in various states of decay. Some are moldering skeletons while others are cold bodies.