Your contract capers can wait, at least for now… While your friends are no doubt used to you making silly decisions by now, informing them about your new contractual obligation isn’t exactly something you discuss before your morning coffee.

Hey, yea, you nod as you call upon all the enthusiasm you can muster after just waking up, what did you dream about, Volka?

“Whuh, me?” She replies, eyes wide and clearly befuddled, “D’oh, it’s… it wasn’t that interesting, but… but if you really wanna hear…”

Course we do, you answer, trying hard not to look as TT sends a prying stare your way, tell us!

“O-okay!” Smiles the Skog! “So get this: I was workin’ a hired muscle gig, right? At this big tavern in Umberal! Only…” Her expression darkens as if remembering an actual memory. “Only I was haunted…”

“... by spirits?” Asks Morook, the ranger slowing his stride to listen more attentively!

“Nah,” Volka sighs, “Like… for doing something bad. In my dream I… I killed a guy…”

Your trek becomes a little quieter as you tromp through the frosty field at your feet.

“I-It was self-defense, but I just couldn’t let it go!” Volka recounts as if explaining her dream crimes to the jury! “But I got this new gig in the boonies… another tavern, yea, but this one… whoof! What a piece of work!”

“That bad, huh?” Mutters TT, clearly not fully-engaged.

“Oh it was BAD!” She replies! “Crummy staff, illicit deals… and these goons would show up every night to make trouble! Oh, and I slept in this barn too…”

A barn?

“Mhm! There was a lake nearby, which was nice, but little did I know that across the lake in a big ole’ mansion… was the big crime fat cat himself! And he had the whole town eatin’ outta’ his grubby claw!”

“And you…” Mutters Morook, “... remember all this?”

“You bet I do! And wait til’ I tell ya’ about when the carriage shop catches on fire…”

>CONTD.