The village of Shastaan in Valnuary of 714 AF was an eerie place as the Discurean Outrider Dave found out to his puzzlement.

All of the villagers were gathered and staring mindlessly as they seemed to listen for a sound that none of the quickly gathering visitors could hear. For an entire day they simply stood blank-faced and unreactive, until inexplicably they all departed, walking just a few paces away as if herded by something unseen. Near enough another day passed in silence before the group moved eastwards once more, toward the sea.

As the residents of Shastaan trod their interminable path, so too did the crowd of confused onlookers grow, trying all sorts of tactics to break the creepy reverie that had so enthralled an entire community. It wasn't until Silver Sentry Barrien explored the possibilities of something in the well that a strange stone was noticed.

The rock, tucked out of plain sight, bore strange whirls of pattern, and when struck emitted a low pitched note that resonated to a person's very core. Examination revealed a series of these placed stones, seemingly crafting a path that observation showed the Shastaan residents were walking. In an inspired act, Tahquil Maris of Cyrene smashed one of the rocks under her heel, the villagers in her location blinked, perhaps for the first time in days.

Soon the carefully laid plan and stones were reduced to useless shards. The villagers, now woken from their strange experience, were able to recall naught about their compulsion driven by the resonating rocks.

Almost a month after the thwarted attempt in Shastaan, all of Achaea bore witness to a young fisherman's self-inflicted death.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Summary: Thanks to the quick actions of Dave, Barrien, Tahquil, and friends, an attempt made on the lives of all of Shastaan was thwarted. The self-inflicted demise of the one who is believed to have orchestrated the near-catastrophe was witnessed almost a month later.

Penned by My hand on the 14th of Lupar, in the year 714 AF.