Fellowship

Mardant Strongoak greeted me as "my brother," and I nearly wept into the sigil. He said he would be my mentor and guide, and that I should return as often as I like. He spoke of the call of the Emerald Dream, which will someday take hold of me, and of long years of hibernation among the purest forms of things. I nodded gravely. I did not ask whether there would be snacks in the Dream. I will ask next time.

Terunne Bearshaper also called a greeting and asked whether I cared to learn to gather leather from slain beasts, or needed new tools.

I kept no companions today. I spoke with Conservator Ilthalaine, Melithar Staghelm, Tarindrella, Terunne Bearshaper, Mardant Strongoak, and Dirania Silvershine, and each of them gave me something to carry. Terunne asked whether I cared to learn how to gather leather from slain beasts, or needed new tools. I answered with a nod of great gravity, which I think was a lot of nod for the question.

I spoke with no companions today, only the glen's keepers, whom I have set down above. Terunne Bearshaper asked if I cared to learn how to gather leather from slain beasts, or needed new tools. I said yes to the first with great dignity.

I spoke with no travelers today, but the elders of Shadowglen were generous with their words. Mardant Strongoak called me "my brother" and said he would be my mentor and guide, and I tried very hard to look like someone who gets called that often. Terunne Bearshaper asked if I cared to learn to gather leather from slain beasts, and I said yes in a voice somewhat higher than intended.

I spoke with no companions today, only the people of the glen. I greeted everyone warmly. Most replied. One Sentinel looked at me for a long moment when I bowed to a tree. I think she was moved.

I walked alone today, though never quite unaccompanied: the trees, Elune, and all those watchful NPC-less spirits of the glen. The people I spoke with were Conservator Ilthalaine, Melithar, Tarindrella, Mardant, Terunne Bearshaper, and Dirania. Terunne asked if I cared to learn how to gather leather from slain beasts. I said yes with such feeling that I think it was too much for a Tuesday-ish afternoon.

I spoke with no companions today, but I was not alone. Conservator Ilthalaine, Melithar, Tarindrella, Terunne Bearshaper, Mardant and Dirania each had a word for me, and each treated me as though I mattered to the glen. It is a new sensation. I am keeping it somewhere safe, near the snacks.

I walked alone today, though never really alone, for there were trees. Most of my conversation was with the elders of Shadowglen, who each told me something important while I nodded as though I had already guessed it.

I spoke with no companions today, only the people of the glen. Terunne Bearshaper asked whether I cared to learn to gather leather from slain beasts. I said yes with great dignity, then dropped my coin purse.

I spoke only with the people of the glen today, and I was rather pleased with how well I did it. Terunne Bearshaper asked whether I cared to learn to gather leather from slain beasts, or needed new tools. I have been turning over ever since what a druid's answer to that ought to sound like. I suspect it involves fewer snacks than I first thought.

So many new faces in one evening. Tarindrella the dryad greeted me with a line I mean to remember on harder days:

Only in Nature do we find purity.

Terunne Bearshaper offered to teach me the gathering of leather from slain beasts, which I accepted with more enthusiasm than the task probably deserved. And as the light was fading, a woman named Dirania Silvershine caught me with real worry in her voice — her friend Iverron had not come by at his usual hour, and she asked me, if I went north toward the cave, to keep an eye out for him. I told her I would. I meant it.