The Rivers Change

When the Komodo Family of JawsTown arrived in Brackish, it took the world by surprise. Sunfire Valley had long enjoyed being mostly ignored by the large settlements of Dread Top and JawsTown, and this event sparked a buzz of conversation that was a welcome change from the dark and fearful topics of the sinking of Greyshale and the shadowy agents that were supposed to have caused it. As the residents bunkered down and prepared for The Thaw, rumor and conjecture abounded. Stories of huge Murk Divers pillaging and usurping one of the ruling families of Brackish and stopping their stranglehold on the markets are quickly followed by questions of “Will they stop at Brackish?” “Will they return to JawsTown?” “What is their goal?”. Whatever the answer, it was clear that Sunfire Valley had been changed forever.

Mama Amphobos, Mother, sat and reflected as she relaxed in the shade of an oasis. The Godhunters, as they called themselves, had proven tenacious and cunning. By avoiding her carefully crafted choke point of information and going straight to JawsTown, they had thwarted her utterly. What they had told Komodo King to so completely stir up his anger she did not know, but it had been enough, and Komodo had taken it personally. The allegiances of Gar and Piscadera had evaporated the moment Komodo had arrived in True Brackish and made their intentions known by blade and bullet. She exhaled a stream of pipe smoke as her mind replayed the screams and chaos of her barely successful escape. She dug a hand into her pocket and drew out a handful of tallies, all that remained of her once healthy hoard. She remembered the Laws of Jaws, which had been taught to her as a child, long before Father had contacted her. She replaced the tallies and stood, returning to the small pool of water where she had made a hide-shelter. If nothing else The Thaw afforded time for contemplation, and there were many things worth considering.