Summer Estate

Two days up river from home city. Venue for Sofia's wedding in three months. Has manor house, church, mill, tannery, bakery, forge, stables, dock, watch tower. Around 100 inhabitants, 20 or so at manor house, rest in nearby village. Villagers hunt, farm (beets, wheat, sheep, cattle, pigs).

Manor has formal gardens.

Massimo - Steward
Brother Constanto - Priest of Seven Good Gods (Father/Ruler), murdered by Wolf spirit
Sister Nina - Priest of Seven Good Gods (Mother/Love), wife of Br. Constanto
Efrem - Charcoal burner's apprentice, servant of Br. Constanto, lover of Sr. Nina
Zeno - The charcoal burner
Renato - Guide
Young William - Ten year old servant at manor. Agile, barely literate, eager to please

The Wolf Stone

Approx. 2 1/2 miles SE of the manor house, in a clearing amidst old forest. Twisting tracks through forested hills lead to this clearing. The Wolf Stone sits in the midst of the clearing, and is a roughly 8' by 4' by 2' chunk of granite, of type not normally found in the immediate vicinity. The stone leans northwards at around 30 degrees, and the northern face is blackened and cracked. A 2' by 1' by 1' chunk is missing from the northern tip, broken by the fire which discoloured the rest of the stone. Blood stains marr the stone's surface, and the clearing shows the passage of many people.

The stone was damaged in a deliberate attack by Br. Constanto, who interred the missing shard under the altar of his church. The protection of the church was insufficient to protect Constanto from the Wolf spirit's revenge, leading to his death the night of the next Wolf ceremony.

Locals practice an appeasement ceremony at the Wolf Stone, on the first quarter moon (waxing) following each Solar Quarter Day. The significant part of the ritual is the sacrifice of a yearling pig or lamb, which is bled over the Stone. The blood is absorbed into the Stone, and thus consumed by the Wolf spirit. The spirit then leaves the village in peace for the following quarter. Unfortunately, since the Stone was damaged, part of the blood has been diverted to the missing shard. The blood pools around the shard. Following the ritual, the meat of the sacrifice is divided amongst the celebrants.

The Wolf spirit can manifest as a vicious, furred humanoid, with mighty, scythe-like talons in place of hands. The beast is murderous and vicious, but can be repulsed by such noxious substances as saltpetre, vinegar, salt, or urine.