Announcing your presence won! You opted not to be like a wraith, and scare those poor men out of their souls, which you would then devour, thus unlocking the soul-sucking ability and turning this quest into a soul-sucking quest. Yes. That is definitely what would have happened. Anyway, the update:
4.3 Meeting Gella and Ulla
Seeing that you had been noticed, you announced your presence and declared that you are but a traveller, who means no harm and comes in saintly peace; upon hearing that, the men were apprehensive, but they bade you to come closer, and then they offered you a seat by the fire. For as it is said that those who turn away strangers on the road turn away the Saints, they clearly feared you, but virtue of hospitality prevailed in their hearts and they decided to greet you gracefully. And they introduced yourselves; one was called Ulla, and the other Gella, and they were cousins. They explained to you that they went hunting deep into the swamp, deeper than it was usually their custom, but that the bounty they had reaped was very abundant, for which they thanked the Saints. And they also shared with you some of the roast they were preparing for themselves, for which you were thankful; it had been some time since you ate so well.
Soon, they grew more at ease with your presence, and spoke more about themselves; first they jointly cursed those who turn away other men in the woods, for such people are cowardly at heart and value their own safety over kindness, and for that they will surely suffer great punishment when set against the judgement of the Saints. Then they also asked if you travelled alone, or with company, and upon hearing that you were alone, they were very surprised, for it was very uncommon to meet lonesome strangers such as you. However, next they ceased asking questions that related to you, and spoke more about themselves.
They came from the same home and clan, and their abodes were a day's march away; and they were hunting to provide for a great feast which was to be held by the father of Ulla, who was the family's head. And the cause for the feast was as such: his wife had delivered a son, and was in good health, and so was the child. Thus, there was much merriment in the clan, and celebrations were deemed in order, particularly since the feast day of Saint Marva was approaching, and it seemed proper to thank her for the good fortunes. Therefore, with others being busy at work preparing the feast, Gella and Ulla endeavoured to provide much fowl for it, and at that task, they found themselves very successful (while saying that, they indicated their sack, which was indeed rather large).
They also spoke of the father of Ulla, who was a very brave warrior, and had been on many wars and raids, and returned victorious from most of them. And he was also kind and pious, and had given much gold and silver to various shrines, and, when urged by a priest, freed many of his slaves. He also did not allow brigands to stay near his lands, and when they had made their hideout in them once, he led his kinsmen against them, and by his own hand slew many of them, and hanged more, and that their unburied bones are still to be found on a certain crossroads, as a warning to all who would prey on just men.
Next spoke Gella, about the swamp. And as the hour was late and the sun was down, he spoke of various strange and mysterious matters; that is of why it is only seldom that hunters venture that deep into the swamp. For, as he explained, there was great many unburied people there, from the time when war and the plague had together laid desolation upon the land, and being thus barred from entering the abode of the Saints (or, perhaps, as interjected Ulla, they were of wicked nature and therefore were sent out by the Malefactors to ravage the just people), they roamed the swamp at night, leading men to their doom and imposing on them terrifying visions. And there would not be a year without a man or a woman or a child being lost to them; however Gella and Ulla had learned how to ward away such evil; although in what precise fashion they did so, they would not explain.
Another matter of which they spoke, although in hushed voices, and perhaps not without fear, was that the swamp was inhabited by great many other creatures and spirits; and appeasing them was never an easy task, but it was vital that if one is met, it should be treated with utmost courtesy, no matter how terrifying is its mien, because if wronged, it could certainly curse a man, if not kill him outright. On the other hand, they also cautioned against the witches, who, although very cunning and skilled in many arts, were in general hostile to men and women, unless they were virgins; because there was a ban imposed on them by Saint Marva that they could not touch a virginal body – neither with their claw nor with their enchantment. Therefore, they often cloaked themselves in forms of very beautiful, dark women, who would seduce young boys, and then devour them. At that, Ulla mentioned that they can be also warded off with a certain kind of wild berries, which are known as Marva's berries, and the witches find them very poisonous to them. At that, he related following story: there was once a young boy who went away from his home to gather such berries, at he ate many of them. And as he was returning home, he saw a woman of great beauty, and she enticed his lust, and took him to her hut, where she intended to lay with him. However, as she embraced him, she immediately shed her beautiful form and appeared to him as a horrifying hag, and he ran away from her grasp, and alerted others to her whereabouts, so that she could be slain and trouble the just men no more. Gella added that it was no wild tale, but a story that was related to them by a wandering monk of great piety, and therefore it was as good as true.
Then, they asked about you and your purpose, which you explained to them. And they were greatly amazed by it, and could scarcely believe in the promises you had made; and they were also so impressed by your piety and dedication, that they offered that you should come with them on the next day, to the home of the father of Ulla, where there would certainly be a spot for you at the festive table; and they insisted that you do, because to host such a holy pilgrim, it appeared to them a very great honour, and also a blessing on the entire house.
You…
[ ] Agreed to come with them.
[ ] Apologized, and claimed that you could not.
