Chapter 35: The Mists of Fortune & Fate
General Summary
On the night of the 9th of Ruehnar, the party heard a large group of people outside of their tent in Belsyr. Peeking out, Lenihlra saw much of the Belsyrians heading towards the center of the town. She also saw their guide, Hilde, heading in a procession of five towards the center of the city. They decided not to follow and went to sleep.
On the morning of the 10th, they exited their tent to see Hilde already waiting for them. She had a porridge ready for them and had them eat as much as they could. Then, they set out. They noted that no one stopped to watch them leave like the party yesterday. On the way to the swamp Hilde explains more about the swamp and the routes. She tells them that there are easier and harder trails. However, not everyone can take the easier trail as it would draw too much attention. So when they create the traveling parties the decision has to be made regarding who is tough enough to travel on the harder paths. Hilde is experienced and has been a guide since she was thirteen years old. As one of the more experienced guides she took the group of four and they will be taking one of the tougher paths.
When they reach the swamp they notice several things. First, it is much more humid and hot in the swamp, with a difference of about 20 degrees. The swamp, which is always growing (as Hilde describes it, "It is a living, breathing organism. It grows much the same as anyone grows.") seems to be old growth even in the newest areas. That night, they rest in a hollowed tree. Lenihlra dreams.
In her dream, she ran into Wesley once more. He seemed troubled and stressed. As Lenihlra continued to refuse to give him information he became more and more troubled. He began rubbing the back of his neck, clawing at it until he began to bleed. He muttered to himself, ignoring Lenihlra completely, telling someone to "get out, get out, get out" while shaking. Then, he stopped. He pulled away his hand, looking at the blood, before looking up. Lenihlra noticed his eyes flicker back and forth between light blue and dark brown. Then, the color stopped at brown. He looked around, confused for a moment, before noticing Lenihlra and told her to run, to leave, to get out. She woke.
She told the rest of the party about the night visit and informed them that he might be visiting them in Arnsholdi. They continued on their journey, traveling normally for a while. However, they eventually were attacked by a large creature called a Froghemoth. After a long and fraught battle, they defeated it. Hilde stuck her head under the brackish waters, and seemed to get better. They traveled on and eventually reached a destroyed town called Dunklesmeer. Hilde tells them that it was a part of an important trade route Pre-Unity. It was destroyed in the fighting to take Arnsholdi 500 years ago and was subsequently taken over by the swamp.
They continued traveling for a few days which was uneventful. However, near midday one day (the 15th), they suddenly realized that the forest had gone silent. Looking behind them, they noticed a large wall of white mist. Hilde told them to stay resolute and to not freak out at what they were about to see. As the mist overtook them, they each experienced visions of their past, their present, and their future. After the mist passed, they were all a little shaken and took a few minutes to recoup. While discussing what they had seen, they came to realize that they all saw the same future.
That night, upon resting at what appeared to be a war-torn outpost, they each took turns discussing what had transpired with Hilde, who also seemed concerned, during their watches. Aqiatuxl asked her about the future vision, which showed all the signs of Nhimbaloth and the swamp. She had been staring into the fire, but upon hearing Nhimbaloth's name, turned and looked in Aqiatuxl's eyes, saying that what he had said was "interesting." She then told him that she was going to go consult with somebody and disappeared into the swamp for over two hours. Upon her return she was soaking wet and seemed somewhat clarified. She answered his questions, telling him that what they had all seen was the Heart of the swamp. It was the center. However, it was not a place that was easily found. One either was taken there or guided there by Nhimbaloth herself. Or, they had to go on a great personal journey before reaching the Heart. She also told him that it was unusual for multiple people to have the same vision, especially of the future. It meant one of two things likely: first, that they all saw that future because there was no future beyond that point for them; second, they saw that future because beyond that point in the timeline their futures became too nebulous to predict. She also told Aqiatuxl that her daughter was out there in the swamp somewhere (her vision of the present) and that her future had changed. She had always seen the swamp swallowing the world (the end-of-times myth that her people believe) but it had changed to seeing the swamp disappear.
Jacquora asked during her watch if the visions that were seen in the mist were always true. Hilde told them that they were. It is unknown how the mist shows people what it does, but it never lies. Leon had a similar question in asking if the present was happening at that moment. Hilde told them that it was happening at that moment. For example, she saw her daughter with her mentor leading a group through the swamp which she knows to be true.
They continued on their journey the next day (the 16th).
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