Synopsis

The chapter opens with a knight, Devde, and his companion, who is pretending to be a slave named Patrick, arriving at a nearly empty inn in the isolated village of Hastin. The innkeeper reveals that a 'Black Disaster' has devastated the region, leading to food shortages and a breakdown in society. Patrick, after securing a room, leaves on a nighttime investigation, revealing the chaos within the village due to the Black Disaster and the recent death of the local lord.