Red in the Woods

Rohrouk was still on his eight-day journey to retrieve the Sharktooth.
 
At home, Cassandra gathered everyone to consult the cards. Her connection to them was still new, and received no answer from the fates.
 
We spent the day before Rohrouk's return relaxing at the house. Cassandra and Eragon practiced spells in the courtyard, notably *glyph of warding* and *secret chest*.
 
 

But they came back!

 
Rohrouk returned with his ad hoc crew (and the ship!). We confirmed that plans hadn't changed, which was good to hear.
 
On procuring a ship not called the Sharktooth, we headed to the diplomats' quarters to ask NAME if she knew of a ship to Tier Shannigray that we could hitch a ride on. With a bit of wordplay on Rohrouk's part she offered us ride on her ship, and with grace the following day.
(Brom made a mental note to visit her more often; she complained a bit about being lonely.)
 
She did mention that our friend the Terogosi diplomat is currently in Kamariki. Cassandra, figuring there was little else to do, scried on the man. As far as she could see, Heran was quietly snoring during a break in a ceremony -- a wedding -- at a pleasant pavilion or auditorium overlooking the sea.
 
 

The return to Tier Shannigray

NAME's ship was gorgeous, a once-wrecked ship that is had been repaired with living-wood. Only a handful of elves crewed it -- the oars are enchanted to row themselves.
 
Cassandra messaged Commander Ciar, who awaited our arrived in good time.
 
The trip was wonderfully uneventful, save for a fitful night of sleep for Fathom
 

Fathom's dream

Fathom saw the world blur, only to reveal a little human girl calling to Fathom (about someone invisible): "I see him!"
 
He told Cassandra about it, in confidence. She did make an offhand comment about how he needs to use the dead to contact others.


 
 
We reached Tier Shannigray safely, taking time to circle the island to find a safe harbor. Then we made our way to Ciar, who welcomed us warmly.
 

The curse of undying

When mentioned, Ciar brought us to the wounded in a tent to the side. We entered, to find two elves with grave wounds and burns but still impossibly alive.
 
What's more, as we talked with Ciar he had information to pass on. He knew of (not how) ways to cross between life and death, and the elvish rite of passage we had heard about in the temple of the Raven Queen. After time the elves sealed the rites away. Ciar trusted us with that place, where this knowledge had been sealed long ago: the cave Brom had seen in his dream, in the center of Tier Shannigray. He gave us his blessing.


 
With Cassandra's guiding hand we headed off. As we started the trek, it looked to all (Eragon included) that nothing had changed, that there was no war, and that the forest was timeless.
 
It wasn't until we were deep into the Karakedai "side" of Tier Shannigray that we encountered anyone else: the cracking of a fire, farther over behind a bluff. We decided to approach with caution. The Hollow Spirit was with Brom, back in its homeland, and he seemed to uncharacteristically melt into the woodland. Six Karakedai, with a leader and the fire we had heard. Only Cassandra could understand them: they were searching for something, and they had a prisoner.
 
Reconvening Rohrouk warned everyone what we probably thought as well: that we had helped broker a ceasefire between the Karakedai and Tier Shannigray, and attacking would put that in jeopardy.
 
Tired of waiting, Brom spurred Eragon to follow him to attack the Karakedai.


 
One Karakedai was engulfed in fire. The Hollow Spirit was keep to keep the burning one in place, and Eragon foiled the crazed fireball. Fathom swung through the trees, leaping into the fray to deliver several strikes to one of the Karakedai, swiftly incapacitating him.
 
Cassandra tugged at the weave, and Brom supporting cast a blight upon the Karakedai in charge. Spells were thrown back and forth, with counterspell failing and a fireball hitting the wizards. In retaliation, the Hollow Spirit took the life of a Karakedai. "It feels good, Brom."
 
"Fathom!" The tabaxi leapt into the Hollow Spirit's space, snapping Brom out of his anger. But the lionhearted simply grabbed the snapping branches and swung through the area, looping around unharmed to drop the two Karakedai leaders. Seeing Brom and the Hollow Spirit at the front, Eragon and Cassandra ran to his side, to rely on his aggression as a defense. Still muddled from Eragon's mind-slash the two engaged on Brom... only for Rohrouk to appear behind them and liberate the final Karakedai of their lives.


 
Yet as per what we knew of the realm of the dead, none of the Karakedai seemed to be truly dying -- hung between life and death. As Rohrouk argued about other people coming to find us, Brom and Eragon searched for the Karakedai prisoner.
 
Inside a fissure, gnarled with branches and a pool of water, a shorter woman looked to Brom, giggling. Clad in a red gown covered, and her shark-maw tattoo on the shoulder, Kofsa could only laugh at the group's arrival.