[onewhitetree]

Aspida awoke from a black sleep, with a feeling of great heaviness uncharacteristic of the slight old hag. She dragged open her eyes to see the worried face of the Dwarf that had been staying in her house, and smelled the stinging scent of fire. Her body was not getting any lighter, and her sight no clearer. A blackness started to creep over the outer edges of her vision, and she knew her time had finally come.
"Boy, I am dying, and this is no time to mince words, so you just listen up. You watch after that girl, Haleth, for she may need your help in the days to come more than she guesses. Perhaps she will welcome a friend in the loneliness of her existence, and don't you be turned away by her callousness. I tell you this, follow Thenamir and no other, for he is an honest leader.
"Also, in my herb garden, beneath the parsley, you will find all I have, which isn't much, but may help you on your journey."
She coughed and drew a ragged breath as her eyes started to drift. Aspida fought off the blackness, for she had to get one last thing out.
"According to the innkeeper's wife, a band of men who passed through the town just before you arrived has been sent by old Sharkey to find some ancient ruins. I don't know what's there, but I get the feeling your little fellowship does. It may be that the West Men, if there are any left, will know where to guide you...."
With that, Aspida's body gave one last, frail, shiver as her ancient, embittered spirit passed on to other places.