Waiting

Desdem

Alexis and Tarmen spend the next few days in the company of the boy shaman, talking with villagers, helping fix a house here, an animal fence there, generally trying to make themselves useful and showing the denizens of Desdem that not all Helians are monsters.

Rumours a a great battle in the Plains West of Fang reach the city, and it's the talk of everyone. Of course details are vague, but it unfortunately adds to the mistrust of the villagers to their presence.

They make enquiries about the missing girl but you don't find much help. She could have indeed walked into the storm on her on and now be on the mysterious pilgrimage or she could have been taken. A three day sandstorm would have been the best cover.

Speaking to her parents you find out from them as Berus translates that there were no signs of anyone breaking into their home. They simply went to sleep one night while the storm raged and the next morning she was gone.

The boy shaman also introduces you to a strange farmer at the edge of Desdem. The man is clearly not an Odonine, Odsier or Atsigani. You have not seen anyone like him before.

He is short, very short, with a long blonde bushy beard that stretches past his chest. He is bald with piercing blue eyes. He wears a strange leather skullcap with a fish etched on it.

He is farming peppers and cactus out at the edge of the village. He has curious wares for sale. Cactus juice, pulped cactus chutney, pickled pepper jam which he makes you try which is deliciously refreshing to your surprise.

He accepts Tarmen's offer to help, and puts his muscles to use restoring a small chicken coop and some some damage to his fence.

When you see him work under the shade of an olive tree, on strange gadgets he reminds you of some sort of mad alchemist, mixing products and flavours in a large vat he keeps boiling at all times.