Chapter Thirty-One: Dining in Time[edit | edit source]

Glimdrem, poisoned by an Elemental snake's bite, struggles with recurring pain as he and his companions—Inslok the Edan, Solineus, Rinold, and Trelelunin warriors—traverse a frozen wasteland toward the Steaming Lakes, specifically the Bog of Tombs. Despite the poison's torment, Glimdrem temporarily alleviates his suffering by drawing on Inslok’s Spirit, allowing him to continue without revealing his weakness. The group, guided by Inslok and sustained by Edan-prepared provisions, navigates the harsh terrain, eventually spotting the steam of the Bog of Tombs, a shallow lake dotted with monstrous trees and ancient tombs. As they descend into the warmer, steam-filled basin, they encounter the Wakened Dead, shadowy skeletal figures led by the enigmatic Touched, a being who shifts between skeletal and human forms. The Touched, revealing a strange control over time and reality, freezes Inslok and the Trelelunin in place, inviting only Solineus, Rinold, and the ailing Glimdrem into a revitalized tomb. Inside, a woman named Aneelu works to save Glimdrem, while the Touched hosts Solineus and Rinold for a feast, hinting at deeper mysteries about the tomb, the lost city beneath the lakes, and his own nature, leaving the group to ponder the blurred boundaries of time, memory, and mortality in this otherworldly place.

ToP Chapter 30 — A Walk in the Dark
ToP Chapter 32 — Star Walk
Trail of Pyres - Main Chapter Listing