Where To Go From Here

 

Crossover: Beweft and Weave

Eragon and Cassandra chased after a seelie spirit connected to some sort of fae foxhunt. On the road in this bleak tundra, they met a group of three (four) and decided to travel together for safety. Cassidy, Grillt, and were travelling to the same area, for another reason, and decided to let Cassandra guide them. After an unseelie attack, the conjoined groups found the seelie spirit. Not having the information the Fatecarvers sought, instead offering the group a map and a different name: the Lonesome Vessel, a sailing ship on the sea to the south.
 

Reunion

 
Brom, Fathom, and Rohrouk complained about the cold as they reentered the Wither Woods, making their way to the witch's cottage. Their dismay grew as they came to the cottage, surrounded by a crown of farmers and shepherds carrying lanterns and torches against the cold. Some had boats in the nearby creek. After a few moments the cottage door opened, the witch scanning the crowd quickly. "You, come in!" she called, waving to the three quickly to approached. Getting to the cottage, the witch looked uneasy. She shut the door as the Fatecarvers entered, to stay outside.
 
Their eyes fell on Cassandra and Eragon seated inside. Hugs were had all around.
 
With his undying sight Brom watched, the walls of the cottage fading away to reveal Schmeader addressing the crowd. He couldn't hear, but the witch was the only one speaking. Schmeader returned to the front of the cabin -- as the people sank into the water. Boats and people fell, as if the river had no bed. The lights glowed under the creek's surface before they winked out one by one. Quickly, Brom returned to the group as Schmeader reentered.
 
"Those... are my neighbors," she offered, as if that explained the situation. Brom offered the runestones -- "Very well done" -- for the witch to look over before pouring them on the table. The ensuing ritual saw the witch grinding the runestones to dust with a large jagged stone. A new deck of cards was mixed in with the dust, and some magic later the enchantments complete. To test the waters, Cassandra gathered herself as she shuffled the deck for the first time before laying out the cards. She asked about ancient blood, needed to destroy her progenitor -- but other than a blue glow there was nothing. Frustrated, she and Schmeader took some time to review the cards, explaining new symbols and motifs.
 
Before we left, Schmeader asked that Cassandra tell Rohanna and John that she is alright.
 
As we made our way out of the woods, Cassandra explained that the seelie creature had not given her what she and Eragon were looking for, but instead a map and the name of a ship -- the Lonesome Vessel.
 

Out of the Cold

 
We headed northwest again, to Tirioten. A crow, perhaps an omen, cawed as w neared the city. It was thankfully quiet, the guards letting us in at hearing our names and connection to the Hunters. The group returned to the mead-hall they had stayed in, with Brom succumbing quickly to slumber on an open cot.
 

Vrockolf, the God War

When asked about the vision Rohrouk's group had seen under the earth, Ivanka explained that they found a "rune cave", and that they had seen the mythical war at the creation of the world.
 
There was some storytelling, with the Hunters recounting the myth of the sun and moon.
 

Eragon's conniving

Eragon squirreled away to meet with Trickster, who had used Fathom as a distraction to get the elf away from the group. "Do you remember what you have to do?" Eragon nodded, Karista and distraction and five minutes outside the longhouse. Eragon's distraction was asking Karista's advice on Ivanka -- reinforced when he learned Karisa and NAME were a couple. "You talk too much. And you are too nervious. I am very annoyed by you. That may bother her."

 

Shenanigans

Bored, Fathom woke up Brom after a short nap -- looking to cause trouble. On a dare, Brom dared Fathom to see who could break Ivan's only rule and stay on the frozen, cursed lake the longest. Fathom piggybacked Brom up over one of the walls. Outside, the boy slipped and slid through the darkness as Fathom looked on. Out on the ice, Brom could spot a humanoid, furred like one of the infected. But it had a jacket, and it seemed to be resting. Then the ice cracked.
 
Brom plunged into the water with a splash. As he panicked, he looked around to see nothing but water and unmoving infected. Fathom helped pull him up with Deltavros' spear, and Brom shivered violently. But the two made eye contact, and nodded as they continued into the center of the lake. Spiderwebs in the ice followed them underfoot, and to no one's surprise the ice broke as soon as they stopped moving. "Call it a draw!" they both agreed, Brom grabbing Fathom as he focused his magics on the freezing water, somehow managing to get the pair on an ice floe and propel it to shore with a wave of water. Onshore, Fathom carried wet Brom back over the wall and into the hall, depositing him by the Hunters' fire. There were no words spoken as the boy warmed up, moving to bed when nice and dry. Fathom, of course, helped.
 

Midnight Hour

Eragon found Ivanka, who asked him inside her house for a drink.
 

And on towards the sea

Cassandra was the first to rise, and on taking a walk found Eragon with a skip in his step heading towards her and the hall.
 
As we headed out the hall, a voice called out to the "lizardman" -- Fidaika. They spoke in private.

 
And as we exited the gates, Ivan shouted to Fathom and Brom: "You had best never come back!"
 
It was a handful of very short days, thank the gods, back to Hempson where we first docked. Where the Sharktooth was waiting for us. The closer we got to the dock, we spotted splashing near the boat -- a body, floating dead man in the water. Brom pulled Cassandra back, just as a second body broke the surface of the water. More corpses floated to the surface, though slowly. A whisper came from the boat, as if behind it and not on it -- and unnaturally loud: "Shark's got teeth."
 
Three more figures appeared, foggy and indistinct. Like ghosts, with faces obscured. Each carried a long, cruel knife that smoked even as they seemed etheral. Onboard, moans began, doors creaking as the ship was overtaken by the undead.
 
And one figure stepped forward, his dark beard and short tusks emerging from the ghostly cowl. Black hair, green skin, and eyes only for Cassandra.