Long ago, a Deuren named Mariss was making the journey from Karniff to Longvale. This was in the infancy of the Fellowship of the Seven Rivers and the roads could be dangerous, especially when traveling alone. Mariss traveled the road from Karniff to Longvale, traversing boundless rolling fields of grass and weeds and wildflowers. During the day, it was pleasant to say the least, but at night, when the Dead were afoot, Mariss felt exposed.
Mariss was not adept at magic and was not able to cast a diamond of protection as she set camp for the night, so she kept her fire low to avoid being a beacon in the dark. But late in the night, with Gloom high in the sky above, Mariss started from a fitful sleep to hear the clinking and grinding of dry bones stalking through the tall grass. Mariss quickly threw a handful of dirt on her glowing embers but it was too late, the Dead had caught the stench of Life and were hungry for it.
Mariss ran. The road was long and open. She could hear the crack of dry sinew and the snap of jaws behind her. And in the middle-distance she spotted a welcome sight: the outstretched arms of trees.
She outran the dead and flung herself into a patch of brambles, intending to climb the nearest oak and wait for the sun to rise. But the copse opened up and she stood in a clearing. At its center was the familiar red bark of a Hartwood tree. And in it’s center, a crack. Something glowed with an intense warmth inside it and Mariss knew she was meant to reach for it. But the sounds of the Dead were closing in.
Mariss grabbed the glow, feeling a small stone in her hand. Turning around she saw the wide grins, the empty sockets, the strings of meat hanging off bone. She held the amber stone out ahead of her and a warm energy burst from her hand. The Dead reeled back, some blown apart by the blast. The others saw that their target was no longer helpless and made a hasty retreat. And then it was quiet.
Looking down at the object she held, Mariss saw a piece of amber, rough and raw with a crack down the center. She knew that the place she was in was safe. She slept at the base of the Hartwood tree and continued her journey the next morning, arriving safely at Longvale a few days later.