A pile of dried blood stains a large area just south of the river, only a few paces away. Near the stain lies the partially buried bones of a Bear. Between the bones stand two pikes. Each pike, tipped by a greusome severed Elven head, their last moments of terror and pain trapped in their rotting eyes.
A note rests nailed unceremoneously to the head of one of the fallen Elves. It reads in Elvish script, written fluently and apparently by an Elven hand, but lacking all the characteristic beauty:
"A favor granted, a favor returned. These are the remains of the two poachers who have decimated the bears. They truely felt the pain your honey-lovers felt during their last moments." As you read one of the Elf ears falls off. Apparently it was crudely reattached with a sharp stick. Horrified but unable to look away you read the rest, "a family of Bears lives to the south with cubs. Seek and protect them as you have tried.
Rest well Kut.." The rest of the note is slashed. It appears an arrow missed its mark and instead pierced the note. Looking through the tear, you can just make out the arrow embedded deeply in the dirt. Reversing its flight, you travel back a number of paces, just before a bridge. There is a strange, lingering darkness, thick as a fog, but it does little to hampen your sight. Perhaps whatever magic called it is long since gone. Unmistakeably however, you notice the body of another fallen elf. It appears that he was killed face down in the water, and later dragged away, perhaps to prevent any contamination. His body is covered in many slashing wounds, and a distinct black bludge as big as a fist along his arm. It would appear that he was stung by a very large poisonous creature while a blade, or set of blades, aptly cut him from the front.
Neverthe less, he has been dead for more than a day.
