Last night, I had the most peculiar dream. We were camping along the river road of Fallbrew. I had set my bedroll up against this old willow tree along the river’s edge. In my dream I saw a beautiful woman with skin the color of burnished bronze and wearing a dress of flowing green silk. She was sitting on a grassy hill and she was crying. I approached her slowly and I felt my heart ache for the woman. What was wrong with her? Why was she crying? That’s when I noticed she was missing her left arm. An ugly stump protruded from her shoulder where her arm should have been. She didn’t seem to notice me. The tears streamed from her face and forming a pool on the ground before her. I stood at her side for a bit. Sadness radiated from the lady and I felt tears of my own forming in my eyes. She looked up suddenly at me and I saw that her eyes were red and her expression turned from despair to anger. She leapt up and I realized she was a foot taller than me. She began to stride towards me and her expression was murderous. I backed away and stumbled. “Where is it?” she screamed at me. “Where is it?” I remember saying I didn’t know but the woman didn’t seem to hear me. 

She was furious but all I could think was how beautiful she looked. I tried to stand but the grass had wrapped around my hands and legs. Like tiny fingers they grabbed me and held me down. I felt my panic rising. The strange woman continued to shout. I felt myself being pulled down. Down into the earth. First my legs. Then my body. Then my arms sunk into the ground until only my head remained. I couldn’t move at all. The woman learned down and gestured towards the missing arm. Her words became softer. Melodious. Hypnotizing. “Find it,” she said. “Punish the one who took it.” She gently ran her one hand across my cheek and I felt all of my terror fade away. Her hand was so soft and so warm. “Bring it to me,” she whispered, “and you will be rewarded.” She bent her head down as if to kiss me. And that’s when I woke. Such a strange dream. I sat staring at the sky for some time reflecting on it when I noticed something odd. One of the larger branches of the willow had been chopped off as if by a hatchet. I also felt an overwhelming urge to go west. I needed to go west. My companions would understand. I’m sure. So I left without saying goodbye.

Dream journal of the adventurer Halmar Ket.