19

A dozen men with polished cudgels appear like wraiths out of the forest. They are small and pale, but you don't doubt their ferocity.

"Who are you?" one warrior snaps in a rough River Language dialect. Unlike the others, this man is enormous, towering over you. "And what are you doing in the Forest of the Stone Gods?"

The village below lacks the tidiness of the River People's, with crude lean-tos and a disorganized layout dominated by an enormous humanoid idol of stone. These people could not have constructed that idol, but they appear to have improved it recently with the addition of an enormous toothed cog and an intricate network of ropes.

The idol seems able to open and close its huge mouth. To accept sacrifices?

"These people are savages," Alexius says. "We'll need a show of strength so they don't toss us into the idol."

"That idol is too cleverly made for them to be savages," Therko says. Vecla nods at that assessment. "And we need allies against the coming evil. Let's make friends with these people, Crowchar."

"For a man who can wade through fire to crush someone's skull," Alexius says, "you sure are a—"

Control clears her throat. The huge warrior wants an answer. Now.