A month after their successful counter-ritual, Fort Marrow had settled into a new rhythm. The harvest continued to exceed expectations, providing not just immediate sustenance but surplus for storage against future needs.
The defensive walls stood fully repaired, no longer the crumbling symbols of neglect that had greeted Kael upon his arrival. The community had integrated into a cohesive whole, former divisions between original settlers and refugees fading as shared purpose united them.
Yet beneath this apparent stability, new challenges were emerging, some visible, others still hidden beneath the surface of daily operations. The intelligence provided by Thorne had proven accurate; northern military units had begun arriving at Veyne's Crossing, small contingents establishing a presence under the pretense of securing trade routes.
House Veyne's influence continued to expand through seemingly legitimate commercial operations, each new outpost carefully positioned to serve both economic and ritual purposes.
Most concerning were the reports from scouts monitoring the Desolate Wastes. The shadow entities first observed a month earlier had increased in both number and activity, their movements suggesting a systematic survey of the boundary between wasteland and viable territory.
Though they had not yet attempted to cross that boundary, their presence represented unprecedented direct involvement by the entity beyond the Veil.
On a crisp autumn morning, Kael stood with Garek and Tomas at the eastern observation point, studying the distant haze that marked the Wastes' edge.
Through a spyglass, they could just make out movement within that haze dark figures moving with the unnatural fluidity that characterized the shadow entities.
"They're more active today," Tomas observed, his scout's eye for detail missing nothing. "Concentrated in that section where the boundary curves northward. Almost like they're testing it, probing for weaknesses."
"Or preparing for something more substantial than previous attempts," Garek suggested grimly. "The timing aligns with what Thorne reported about House Veyne's accelerated timeline."
Kael lowered the spyglass, considering these observations against the broader pattern they had been tracking.
The failed ritual at the new moon had disrupted whatever immediate plan the Servants had been implementing, but their response had been adaptation rather than abandonment, shifting resources, adjusting approach, and maintaining focus on their ultimate objective.
"We need more information about those entities," he decided. "Not just observation from a distance, but understanding of their nature, capabilities, potential vulnerabilities. Without that knowledge, we're preparing for threats we can't properly assess."
"You're not suggesting closer engagement," Garek said, his tone making it a statement rather than a question. "The scouts already maintain maximum safe distance, and even that exposure leaves them drained and disoriented."
This was true. Those who spent extended periods observing the shadow entities reported unusual after-effects fatigue beyond normal exertion, disturbing dreams, a lingering sense of being watched even after returning to the fort.
The Wardens had confirmed these symptoms as consistent with proximity to boundary distortions, where the Veil between worlds thinned enough for the entity's influence to affect those nearby.
"Not conventional scouting, no," Kael clarified.
"But there may be other approaches. Harkin mentioned techniques in the Stonehollow tablets for remote viewing of Waste activity methods, the ancient wardens used to monitor the boundary without physical presence."
"Mystical surveillance," Tomas translated, his practical mind immediately grasping the concept. "Seeing without being seen, gathering intelligence without risking personnel."
"Exactly. I'll discuss it with Harkin and the Wardens to see if we can implement something quickly. In the meantime, maintain current observation protocols but rotate personnel more frequently. No scout spends more than two hours at a time watching the boundary."
This adjustment would reduce exposure while maintaining necessary vigilance. It wasn't a complete solution to their information needs, but it would protect their people while they developed more effective approaches.
As they returned to the fort, Kael noticed increased activity around the eastern gate. A small caravan had arrived, the wagons bearing unfamiliar markings that didn't match the usual northern traders or local travelers. The guards had allowed them entry but maintained alert positions, suggesting caution rather than immediate concern.
"Ashborn," Garek identified, recognizing the distinctive patterns decorating the wagons. "Desert nomads from beyond the Wastes' southern edge. Rare to see them this far north, especially as winter approaches."
The Ashborn were indeed an unusual presence in the March. Their people had adapted to life in the harsh territories south of the Desolate Wastes, developing unique survival techniques and a culture shaped by constant movement.
They rarely interacted with settled communities, preferring the freedom of nomadic existence to the constraints of permanent residence.
"Have they visited Fort Marrow before?" Kael asked, his interest piqued by this unexpected development.
"Not in my memory," Garek replied. "They occasionally traded at remote outposts during my early years here, but that contact diminished as the Wastes expanded. Most assumed they had either perished or migrated to more hospitable regions."
Their arrival now, when Fort Marrow faced evolving threats from multiple directions, seemed unlikely to be coincidental. Whether opportunity or calculated timing, it represented a new factor in an already complex situation.
Kael approached the caravan, where a small delegation of Ashborn had dismounted and stood waiting with the patient stillness of those accustomed to harsh environments. Their leader, a woman of indeterminate age, her weathered face marked with ritual scarification that enhanced rather than diminished her dignity, stepped forward as Kael neared.
"Sir Kael," she greeted him, her accent distinctive but her command of the common tongue flawless. "I am Senna, Voice of the Ashborn Clan. We come seeking audience and offering exchange."
The formal phrasing suggested this was no casual trading visit but a deliberate diplomatic approach. Kael responded with equal formality, recognizing the importance of proper protocol when dealing with unfamiliar cultures.
"Fort Marrow welcomes the Ashborn Clan. I am Kael, appointed lord of the Southern March. What exchange do you propose?"
Senna gestured toward their wagons, where other clan members were carefully unloading various containers. "Knowledge for shelter. Seeds for sanctuary. We bring drought-resistant varieties unknown to your farmers, adapted through generations to thrive where others wither. In return, we seek temporary residence within your walls as the cold season approaches."
The offer was immediately intriguing. Fort Marrow's agricultural success had been significant, but expanding their crop diversity with varieties specifically adapted to the March's challenging conditions could accelerate their progress substantially.
Yet the request for "sanctuary" suggested more than simple shelter from winter weather it implied seeking protection from some threat or pursuing some purpose beyond mere survival.
"Your offer merits discussion," Kael acknowledged. "But I must understand more clearly what sanctuary entails. How many seek shelter? For what duration? And from what specific circumstances do you require protection?"
Senna's expression remained composed, though a flicker of approval suggested she appreciated direct questioning rather than diplomatic evasion. "Twenty-three souls, including children. Until the spring warmth makes travel southward viable again. As for circumstances..."
She hesitated briefly. "The shadows have driven us from our traditional wintering grounds. They hunt now where once they merely lingered."
This reference to "shadows" immediately connected to their observations of increased activity by the entities within the Wastes. If the Ashborn had direct experience with these manifestations, they might provide valuable intelligence beyond what Fort Marrow's scouts had been able to gather from a distance.
"We should continue this conversation more privately," Kael suggested, aware of the growing number of onlookers. "Your people are welcome to rest here while we discuss terms. Water, food, and space to arrange your wagons will be provided immediately."
Senna inclined her head in acceptance of this arrangement. As Kael directed the fort's staff to assist the Ashborn with immediate needs, he sent messengers to gather key advisors for consultation. This unexpected development required careful consideration from multiple perspectives: agricultural, security, mystical, and political.
Within the hour, the council had assembled in the command room: Elara, Garek, Harkin, Sera, and Joreth representing Fort Marrow's leadership, with Valen present for Warden's perspective.
Kael summarized the Ashborn's arrival and proposal, emphasizing both the potential benefits of their seed stock and the intelligence they might provide regarding the shadow entities.
"Their timing is convenient," Garek noted, voicing the skepticism that remained an essential component of his advisory role. "Arriving just as we're seeking better information about these shadow manifestations, offering exactly what we need most."
"Convenient or consequential?" Harkin countered. "If the shadows have indeed driven them from traditional territories, their arrival here represents the same forces affecting us the entity's expanding influence pushing against all who resist its consumption."
"What do we know about the Ashborn historically?" Kael asked, seeking context for their current appearance.
Harkin stroked his wild beard thoughtfully. "They claim descent from survivors of the Sundering itself, those who fled south rather than north when the Wastes first formed. Their oral traditions include accounts of the cataclysm that match certain details in the Stonehollow tablets, suggesting legitimate historical knowledge passed through generations."
"And their relationship with the March?" Elara prompted.
"Minimal but not nonexistent," Garek replied. "Occasional trading contact in the past, though no formal agreements or conflicts of record. They've maintained independence from both Crown authority and bandit predation through mobility and intimate knowledge of territories others consider uninhabitable."
This historical context suggested neither immediate threat nor obvious deception in their approach. The Ashborn had survived for generations by adapting to harsh conditions and avoiding entanglement with settled politics, characteristics that aligned with practical survival rather than duplicitous manipulation.
"Their seed stock could significantly enhance our agricultural diversity," Sera added from her perspective as farming coordinator. "If they truly possess varieties adapted to the March's conditions, that knowledge represents generations of development we couldn't replicate quickly through our own efforts."
"And housing twenty-three people through winter is well within our capacity," Joreth confirmed, having overseen the integration of far larger refugee groups during his tenure. "Especially if they contribute labor or other skills during their residence."
The practical considerations seemed favorable, but Kael remained focused on the deeper implications. "Valen, from the Warden perspective, what significance might the Ashborn have regarding our ongoing conflict with the entity beyond the Veil?"
The Warden representative considered the question carefully before responding.
"Our records mention the Ashborn as 'boundary walkers', those who navigate the edges between viable land and wasteland, developing techniques for survival in proximity to the Veil's influence. Some accounts suggest they possess unique resistance to certain forms of corruption that affect others more readily."
"Resistance that might explain their ability to observe the shadow entities more closely than our scouts can manage," Kael suggested, connecting implications.
"Possibly," Valen acknowledged. "If so, their knowledge could indeed prove valuable to our understanding of these manifestations and potential countermeasures."
After further discussion weighing potential benefits against security considerations, the council reached consensus supporting conditional acceptance of the Ashborn's proposal.
They would be granted temporary residence through winter, with specific areas of the fort designated for their use. In exchange, they would share their seed stock and agricultural knowledge, contribute labor to community projects, and provide detailed information about the shadow entities they had encountered.
When Senna was invited to the command room to discuss these terms, her response was one of dignified acceptance rather than either gratitude or negotiation.
"These conditions honor both our needs and yours," she stated simply. "The Ashborn will abide by Fort Marrow's governance while sharing what knowledge we possess. May this exchange benefit both our peoples through the cold season and beyond."
The formal agreement was established, and the Ashborn began settling into the designated area, a section of the fort's eastern quarter with sufficient space for their wagons and temporary structures.
They organized themselves with the efficiency of those accustomed to frequent relocation, creating a distinct community within the larger settlement while respecting established boundaries.