The First Hunt

Imber is a village at the bottom of a valley of the downs. The village is large but poor. The fields around it are small, and judging by the hides stretched to dry, much of the income of the village is from hunting. Rather than a stream, it has a spring pond. The mill is ox-driven.

They reach the village in the evening. They find Old Garr immediately, and he offers to let them sleep in his little house or in the barn, as they wish. He offers them a meal of barley porridge with onions, and with water to drink. He has no better.

A bear is tracked down and killed. There is no sign of human remains in its stomach.

Later, a local recluse tells the squires he and is son was attacked by a bear. His son was killed and he himself was injured. It's possible these events are the origin of the rumour about a man-eating bear.

The villagers are happy the bear is killed.

Det som hände igår var att vi fick reda på att de enda som faktiskt hade blivit anfallna av björnen var en man som bodde en bit utanför byn och hans son. Sonen hade tyvärr blivit dödad av björnen (inte uppäten dock, han låg begravd i närheten av deras hus). Vi kom fram till att den här historien antagligen hade vuxit när den återberättades, från att ha dödat ett barn, till att ha ätit flera barn.

Shortly after leaving Imber the squires come upon some bandits harrassing a local farmer. The squires kill some of them and capture some.

På vägen hem till Sir Elad, så träffade vi på en bonde på väg till marknaden som höll på att bli rånad av banditer, så vi spöade banditerna och räddade bonden. De banditer som överlevde tog vi med till Sir Elad för att ställas inför rätta.