PLANTING 19 – The party has the jewelry they acquired from the ruined village on the pass appraised and restocks on provisions and horses.

PLANTING 20 – the village holds a feast in honor of the visitors from the West. During the festival the party spies two cloaked figures entering the village and heading straight to Krake‘s inn. Surmising them to be Ymari rangers, the party follows them into the inn to speak with them.

The Ymari traders are named Malak and Abryn and are astonished to hear the tale of the party. They are greatly dismayed to hear that the Necromancer is stirring once again and agree to take the party with them on their return to the Long House of Ymari, a fortress to the north, and grant an audience with the Regent. Malak and Abryn confirm the legend that the crone’s mount is believed to be the long-lost king of the Ymari people, long sundered from their kin in the south and forced to live in the Grasslands of Belistra instead of in their ancestral woods of Zyramythe to the south due to the gnolls which have dominion over that region now.

Malak and Abryn tell the party of a prophesy that was uttered by one of their mages when the ancient Queen took her own life and the crones appeared in Belistra:

I
In the twilight of a thousand years, when the moon embraces the sun, two hearts shall merge, and from their union, a new dawn shall arise. The chosen ones, born of fire and water, shall walk the path of destiny, their souls entwined by ancient magic.

II
Through trials of earth and air, they will conquer darkness, restoring balance to the Realms. When the two become one, a power unseen since the dawn of time will awaken.

III
Only together can they unlock the key to the world’s salvation.

Malak and Abryn tell the party that if the Necromancer has the Sword of Judgement, his power will be increased.

Malak and Abryn tell the party they will be leaving at midnight and making all haste to the Long House of Ymari. They urge the party to ride with them so they can bring these tidings to the regent.

PLANTING 21 – After riding through the night, the party is shown to a guest house in the wondrous fortified wooden city of the Ymari. After they rest, they are taken to an audience with Chazane, the solemn Regent of the Ymari and descendant of the ancient line of Ymari kings, as well as her advisors.

Though Chazane wishes to see if they can locate the crones, she believes that time is too short to be waylaid by such a mission and also thinks that the crones are somehow being drawn to the party and will show up in their own due time.

After a long parley with Chazane, the party convinces here the need for the peoples of Belistra to unite in a final battle with the Necromancer. However, before that can happen, they must get to Norinir’s people to the south who are under siege from the hill giants.

PLANTING 22 – Chazane orders the Ymari to march forth with Chazane herself at their head. 100 Ymari warriors are gathered and ride south with the party, stopping briefly at Summers Rest to gather and additional 50 willing warriors. Adario Huckleberry leads the warriors of Summers Rest.

The host heads southwards towards the land of the hill dwarves, Norinir’s ancestral home. Their plan: break through the siege of hill giants and blow the horn of Norinir’s people to rally the dwarves and crush the hill giant army.