And speaking of telling tales, the skald launches into another story. Even though your seat is far away from the graybeard storyteller, you still hear his honey voice perfectly. It's your eyesight that suffers at distance, not your hearing, though his talent for speaking surely plays a role.
The tale begins as many tales do, with a man killing another man. However, the first man, instead of facing his punishment head-on as is expected of all men of standing, fled and ran from his righteous pursuers. He was declared an Outlaw and was now on the run.
The Outlaw retreated and ran like a coward, always staying just one or two steps ahead of the vengeful pursuers. He used trickery and hid from them wherever he found them, always refusing to stand and fight like a man.
Until one day he found a secret carved into the bones of the earth. A recipe for evil creations of malformed and warped form and demeanor. Using these secrets, the Outlaw crafted monsters from the flesh of animals to aid him in his endeavor.
The tale ends with the Outlaw harassing the heroes, only to be impaled on the horns of one of his own creations.
For some reason, you feel the skald's eyes on you as the final words are spoken. By the time the hall clears out, you fail to find the storyteller among those leaving or those who stay behind.
