I’ve lost count the number of days from the lake incident. At the time we paid little attention to the aftermath. The light did no damage save for the deafening sound it emitted from the portal’s destruction. Admittedly though, I can definitely feel a difference over the course of these passing days. It is hard to describe the sensation, the closest thing I can think of would be a burning in my stomach that surges throughout my extremities. It surprisingly feels good, especially so when the spread tingles through my fingers.

Tingling aside, Stelhen and Chakka gave us word they were heading back to Angelwharf. Tatheria tagged along with the brothers for strength in numbers. The rest of us went the other way to grab more land for the settlement. Occasional boggards were of minor obstacle save for the wildlife attempting to eat us alive. Other than that, the day was abnormally pleasant until we got surrounded by birds. Oversized chickens that peck and slash and I’m still unsure what they were called. Blood-something or whatever…

It is probably just me, I’m starting to notice the word blood as the first name on each creature we encounter. I understand the collapse means a fresh start on a bestiary, but that is not excusable for overusing the word ‘blood’ on each meat-eater you stumble upon! So far the only thing original happens to be the cursed Monkey Trees and their carcass-smelling sap!

Either or, we all pulverized the large poultry and our focus was on the massive derelict of a shack. Upon entering, the stagnant stink from the inside invaded our sinuses with a smell far worse that the fragging pustules from the croc-frog aberration from before. In our attempts to acclimate to the offending waft, we noticed a bounded, famished Dwarf sitting in mold and mildew. I rubbed the tears from my eyes to confirm the whether she be illusion or not.

Upon releasing a questioning captive. It turns out she be a bit more aloof than anyone else I’ve met so far. It is not a bad thing but I cannot see through her. The only person that came close to that sort of bizarre sense of socializing is Motley of all people. The thing with her though, while she’s amazing at stabbing; she’s practically retarded when it comes to actually talking. The worst she’ll do is stare down at something or someone will not blink for hours. Won’t say anything too, which has caused some violence even before the wagon ride.

Still, we’ve only met Piper and heard her out. She’s seems determined to find some honest work. Can’t say anything bad about that. So if anything, I say Trig may want a quick talk with her about employment. After all, two Dwarves in the forge may mean a complete arsenal for the settlement’s militia. But that is a big MAY should that ever happen. Because you know… War. It may not happen now but I definitely do feel that something is coming. So just to be safe, once we get back to Angelwharf I might stay a bit and build more solidarity between the factions.