Prologue: To Boldly Go Where People Have Not Been in a Good Long While!

"For the last time, how should I know? I came here with them." He indicates the dead. "This is the east wood. Ask that traitor Allinandra if you want to know more and stop badgering me with inane questions. I'm not a chief and I'm not a druid. I'm not even a chief's son."

"Fine. I've heard enough." Hunter looks him in the eye if he can.

"You won't meet or collaborate with Nesme or tell her anything about what happened, will you?"

"I'm dead if I stay. My plan is to leave and never come back to the forest." Hunter and Kat both believe him.

Hunter puts the arrow in his quiver. "Take a moment to think about your story before you go. If your people mention you told them anything, the deal's off."

"If I have my way I won't see them ever again." He gets up. "Can I have my equipment back?"

"Uh no," says Kathryn before forcing Peren to kneel down again. "You'll leave after we tell Liam and the others what you told us. They may have some more questions for you."

Hunter rubs the bridge of his nose. "Fine, we'll wait for Liam. You can have two swords. You know which ones to take."

"Why are you keeping me here? I kept my word. Let me go."

The other half of the party arrives.

Seeing Ludmilla alive puts Kathryn at ease, and she even manages to relax a little. Peren however is starting to annoy her. "We told you: you're the intruder here. We'll wait until Liam, one of the druids in charge of this place, has spoken to you before we let you go."

She then turns towards the old ranger, and smiles at her. "I'm really glad to see you're okay..."

Carlos arrives supporting Ludmilla - "How lucky for you, Mr Woodsinger." - in a tone that isn't quite clear how snide it is - "If she'd been dead, you'd be seeing Isabella from the back of your skull."

Hunter looks back and is immediately quiet. She's alive... He doesn't move or speak.

"I be glad the lot of you are as well." Ludmilla looks at the prisoner. "Why is this one still alive?"

"An excellent question," says Liam, anger clear in his voice as he moves closer to the captive.

Peren looks at Hunter, "You promised! You promised to let me go if I cooperated! I've done so!"

"And he is my guest and you are trespassing on my Circle's lands. A fact that you well knew Woodsinger! Would a bear let you threaten her cubs? A falcon her chicks? No! That bear would rip you to shreds. That falcon would tear out your eyes. Give me one good reason why you should live assassin?"

Peren starts struggling trying to get away. Liam shakes his head, "Yeah, that's what I thought. You came to these lands to murder me, my people, and these good folks. I sentence you to death. Katheryn, let him go and stand clear."

Carlos looks back and forth between Hunter and Liam and Peren... then settles on Liam - "Oy, if you wanna execute him, this is your house. But he's on his knees. All the rest of his compadres are dead, or soon will be. ¿You really wanna dirty your hands with this?"

"And the rest of you? What would you say?" asks Liam to the party.

Kathryn scratches her head. "I really don't want Hunter to go back on his word, but I agree that Peren deserves to be punished." She thinks for a moment. "I heard there are fates worse than death. We could let him go, and make sure his people know that he survived. How 'bout that?"

"...you scare me sometimes."

Kathryn doesn't seem to have heard Carlos' comment, and continues to firmly hold Peren down.

Hunter snaps out of his amazement to see Ludmilla still standing, and puts a hand on Liam's shoulder to keep him back. "We have an agreement and we have no reason not to honor it. He's going into exile, and he won't be coming back. That's good enough for me."

"I never made any such agreement with him and I'm not bound by your promises in this matter." Liam removes Hunter's hand and glares at him.

Zoe breaks in quickly, "Hold on, hold on. Hunter's just saying he already gave his word and would appreciate you not making him a liar. He's not trying to say you have no right to do this."

Liam growls in frustration. "And what would you have me do?"

"Make him swear to the World Serpent and to Stormhawk not to return and to make no further mischief upon us or your people. Then let him go. If he keeps his word, he'll have nothing to fear. If not, he'll surely be destroyed by those Great Spirits."

Jojo ads, "Carlos is right, enough people are dead and this one isn't worth compromising yourself over. If you won't imprison him send him into exile and be done with it."

Liam considers the party's words and visibly comes to a decision. He addressed the prisoner, "I commute your sentence to exile on the condition that you take an oath swearing to reform your ways and to peacefully go into exile from the Harken Woods. You'll swear by the World Serpent, Stormhawk, Corellon, Sehanine, and by your ancestors to do these things and know that they will hold you to it. Do you agree?"

Peren stops struggling in relief. "Yes, I'll give my oath."

Liam nods and motions for Katheryn to let him go. He then takes Peren's oath and returns his equipment before letting him loose with instructions to travel the King's Road south and not to stop until he reaches Sarthel or Nera. When the party has seen off Peren, Liam sighs. "I hope I made the correct choice."

Carlos shrugs - "Hope's all ye got, when you can't go and keep an eye on him forever. Short of that, you always gotta live with somethin."

Kathryn watches this scene with obvious concern, and she lets out a sigh of relief when Liam finally agrees to let the man go. After giving a slight nod to both Zoe and Jojo for their suggestions, she approaches the druid and gently puts a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I think you made the right choice Liam."

She then smiles for him.

"He wasn't lying to us." Hunter looks like he is about to say more, but thinks better of it.

He mumbles aside to Zoe, "World Serpent? Storm Hawk? What are those?"

"You speak wisdom, Carlos. I'll have to trust to that." Liam puts his hand on Kat's in solidarity with her sentiment.

Zoe answers, "The World Serpent and Stormhawk are the strongest protector spirits of the Old Faith. The World Serpent, sometimes called the Ouroboros, is the great serpent that holds the mortal world itself within it's powerful coils, protecting it from all outsiders. It's power is infinite, and druids and barbarians will call upon its strength in times of great need. It's said that most earthquakes are the World Serpent moving across the land. This is likely so, since I have seen some of its scales. Stormhawk is the Elder Spirit of thunder and lightning. In its powerful fury it can destroy monsters, gods, primordials, and anyone else who would threaten the mortal world. Druids and barbarians call upon Stormhawk's power when they channel those elements to destroy enemies of the natural world."

From above a great screeching is heard as a hawk dives past the party, before coming to a graceful landing 10 feet away. It then changes into the form of Allinandra, who has returned. She looks weary as she nods in greeting to everyone. "Good, I see you found Ludmilla."

Kathryn lets go of Liam's hand once Allinandra makes her return and almost crosses her arms, but she restrains herself. "Yeah, looks like you really didn't mean to hurt us. Eni is relieved to see you're okay by the way."