After recovering for a couple of weeks in the village, the group plotted their next move. While pondering thus, they were visited by a Fate Witch name Patrice who showed up with an Eisen mercenary bodyguard. After determining that Reynaldo was the one she was looking for she released her bodyguard from duty and spoke with Renaldo in some length informing him that her fate and his were tied together. She had sneaked out of Vodacce to find him and traveled the length and breadth of Eisen's dangerous wild lands with only her mercenary and a fate strand to guide her.

The old crone who had 'cursed' the village previously was seen by some village children in a forest clearing near the village. Patrice set off immediately to find her, somehow 'knowing' that she must talk to the crone. As it was getting dark and the forest was thick and dangerous at night, the rest of the group (aside from Laurent) accompanied her despite misgivings and much grumbling. They set off so quickly that most of their gear was left behind.

A few hours of travel in the forest found them in a thick, dark, evil-seeming wood as the sun went down. They began to make a cold camp but found that they could light no fires. The trees seemed to lean in menacingly all about them. It was then that they discovered that Vallierre and Jenner were missing! Listening carefully, Enrique heard faint cries and set off with Pierto and William to locate the source of the cries in hope that it was their missing comrades. They stumbled through he dark toward the source, as they were still unable to light torches. The cries grew louder and an occasional "Help! Help! William, Enrique! Anyone!" could be heard. Making their way toward the source of the cries, they could hear the rushing of water and feel mists on their faces. They could see a dim form on the other side of a ravine, which turned out to be Jenner. He quickly informed them that he had no idea how deep the gorge was or how they got separated from the rest of the group and that Vallierre had fallen into the ravine and was even now clinging to the slippery rocks a few feet below.

As Jenner tried to pull him up, Valliere slipped and fell. His cry faded into the distance and they could hear nothing else of him over the roar of the river below. As Jenner tried to climb down to save him, William and Enrique argued about what to do next. Pierto began to climb down as well. In quick succession, first Jenner and then Pierto fell into the ravine. As Enrique argued with him, William made his decision and leapt from the cliff, bouncing only once on the way down...

Enrique stared at the emptiness around him for a moment shaking his head in disbelief, and started back towards the rest of the group to get help. Vallierre, Jenner, Pierto, and William were all severely battered, bruised and near drowning as they were buffeted and slammed into unseen rocks in their pell-mell journey down this quick mountain river. They all eventually lost their struggle with the water and succumbed to unconsciousness, one by one.

Meanwhile Reynaldo was finally able to get a small fire going from which they lit a lantern and some torches. Enrique returned and quickly explained what had happened. They spent the rest of the night moving downstream upon the ledge of the ravine hoping to find signs of their friends. As the sun came up they found that the ravine had gotten much shallower as they moved downhill and they looked in earnest for signs of their friends. They found a place where many booted feet had apparently taken something from the river. They also found Jenner's longbow snagged in a tree root nearby, its string missing.

The tracks led toward a path that went back into the forest. The path occasionally had the telltale signs of old cobblestones. Following this path they came to a large clearing in the forest and the cobblestones became more prevalent. It eventually formed a wide cobbled way that wound itself around 3 small, oddly uniform hills to an old evil-looking ramshackle house near the edge of the woods on the other side of the clearing. Coming around the edge of the hills, they found ancient columns somewhat like a gateway leading to a small hollow between the hills. The hills looked remarkable like burial mounds and a mist lay between them. Three black-robed figures stood dark and silent between the house and the hills directly on the path.

Fearlessly (for the most part) approaching the figures, the group was surprised as the three figures stepped from the path and let them pass. The robed figures made no comment and indeed appeared to be nothing but robes! Their hooded faces had form, but the inside backs of the hoods could be seen distinctly where their faces and heads should have been. Asking them no questions, the group, led by Patrice and Reynaldo, bravely made their way to the house. The door opened as they approached and a rough voice told them to enter. An old woman stood stirring a foul-smelling pot centered over an open pit of flame. She turned to them as they entered and they could see that she was hideous beyond description.