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Fifteen - It must be hard to have to eat your audience to survive.
Getting to the village actually marked the beginning of Chapter 3. There just wasn’t a lot of fanfare. So allow me to officially welcome you to “Like a Crow on a Wire”! Let’s get talkin’.
There's actually a fifth option by scrolling.
Very funny... (hesitates) You weren't *really* thinking of hunting me, were you?
Delighted to meet you. You seem so young! Please excuse me, that might seem offensive... I'm a little lost, you see.
Essi Kaikkonen the Volva: My poor child! You do seem to be in a sorry state indeed. What has happened?
Unfortunately I'm no longer a young girl. My father just died. I'm travelling to try to carry out his last wishes.
Essi Kaikkonen the Volva: I see... Always the same old song. Each generation carries the weight of the previous one on its shoulders. Why must we always live in the past.
I don't know... I don't see things that way. He didn't ask me anything himself, you know. It's above all my decision.
Essi Kaikkonen the Volva: Of course. And, if it's not too indiscreet, what do his wishes - sorry, your wishes - have to do with your shivering arrival at my house?
Well, it's still not clear. But I have to reach the capital soon.
Essi Kaikkonen the Volva: I see. In that case, your worries do not end here. I recommend that you stay here for a few days, enough time to regain your strength, because the path of the river is particularly hard. And then, I don't know, maybe try to enjoy life a little before risking it so?
Why not? It's probably good to take some time to think about all of this. Thank you for your support.
Well, she's something. What's this guy with her up to?
What a shame! Apparently you have such a lovely voice.
Elif Kaikkonen: You know, I don't have much time to practice anymore... Essi is exquisite, but being the husband of a volva is quite demanding.
I'll take your word for it! Well, I must go. Goodbye.
The other house that was on this screen would only be accessible if we were a Volva, so we go back down to the market to take one of the other branching paths off of it.
Delighted to meet you. To whom do I owe the pleasure?
Poor kitten. It must be hard to have to eat your audience to survive.
I wanted to be nice, but the third option is too 
not to take.
Oh, stop complaining for a moment! Be positive! You are alive, you have two arms, two legs and you aren't three hundred kilometers away from the village of your birth, carrying the body of your dead father who never loved you!
Sinto Kapinallinen: Yes, it's true, I suppose there must be worse things. You have a lot of imagination. Incidentally, maybe you could give writing a try.
Perhaps it would help me. Talking with another person has never been my strong suit either. In any case, thank you.
There's no way in the building on the left, but the right one can be entered.
Uh, I'm not Essi. I was just looking...
Teemu Keisari: I understood. You think I don't recognise the voices of everyone in this village? I saw them all at birth! And I've seen more than one die. Now go! I'm very busy.
Indeed, I'm looking... for food. May I work a little in return for food? I have exhausted my rations.
Teemu Keisari: Work? Ha! As tired as you are, you won't be able to do a thing young lady! Start by having a rest, then we'll talk.
Pft, some of our best work is done tired! 
Are you a hunter? I was wondering whether you might have some advice to give me.
Wylie Gunn: Advice? That's a new one. Well, I'd tell you that, above all, you must be patient. It's important, patience. Wait for the right moment... And when you think it has arrived, calmly do your work. It's as easy as picking a fruit. But sometimes you have to be in the right place at the right time. Well, that's just my opinion. But if I'm still here today, it's in no small part because of it. (He smiles)
You're quite the philosopher, for a hunter!
Wylie Gunn: (He laughs) Perhaps. We don't all age the same way. Come back to see me whenever you want, traveller.
Thank you! Goodbye.
I suppose "A little human warmth" is the wrong answer, right?
Otso Keisari: Perhaps you think it's fun to be a tourist, to make fun of poor folk that you meet who have no other concern than their nightly meal - when they can find it. I would appreciate it if you closed the door behind you when you leave.
Something is definitely lodged in this guy's butt. Let's get out of here.
Well this is much nicer.
I understand. But maybe you could tell me who to talk to, in that case? I'm a little lost.
Leena Pakkasta: You should talk to Essi... to the volva, I mean. She has time to give advice. Apparently that's her job. Or, if necessary, go and see at the hunter's lodge. I can't help you any more.
Well, somewhat nicer.
That's fine... They survived fifteen days of storms, they'll hold until the end of the voyage.
Jori Pakkasta: Times are hard, as they say. Good luck anyway.
Not really. Would you like me to go fetch her?
Elmo Keisari: Fetch her?... Where she is now, I doubt that you really want to fetch her. (cracked laugh) However, you do resemble her a little bit... as far as I remember, anyway.
And that's the extent of the village. Despite what Haþuwīgą said, it's actually smaller than the starting village, as far as game content. It does look a little less shitty though.
We aren't launched immediately into a fight this time. We have to walk outside first.
Music - Dark Wood village master
As opposed to all the previous shadows, which were not strange.
But hey, a new gimmick is nice! Especially since they are still compelled to move toward us, despite doing less damage for doing so.
There are still other enemies too, of course. We definitely need Frida for this one.
And since it's a new chapter, new dialogue for our loyal imaginary friend!
That corresponds delightfully to my frame of mind when I call you.
She survived a whole round with very little damage, thanks to the range penalties, and our noble shielding!
Strange Shadow: How exciting! It's a traveller... A traveller!
The context here seems to suggest that different shadows are saying each line, so I'll separate them out.
Strange Shadow: Look, just look at her! A traveller!
Strange Shadow: You don't see those very often anymore, it's true.
Strange Shadow: Yes indeed.
Strange Shadow: She has come for you-know-what! No doubt about it.
Strange Shadow: For the ceremony.
Strange Shadow: Definitely! She has come for the ceremony!
Strange Shadow: The ceremony, the ceremony! Yes, yes! The ceremony! There ceremony is soon.
Well that's not ominous. We'll just, uh, back away slowly.
And sing a happy song to make lots of little friends!
Their cover lets us walk to the exit no problem! And Frida survived! 100% success indeed.
Frida Death Count: 21
We still have the resting goal, because our big dumb walking journey was very exhausting, but that doesn't mean we can't take a break to get some food.
Sorry friend.
That hunting lodge we found last time seems like a good place to start.
Keep doing you, buddy!
Sorry to bother you... But... Would you have any work for me? I have exhausted my rations.
Teemu Keisari: Work? Ha! Do you at least know how to do anything? I'm not going to send you off to hunt if you don't know how to hold a bow the right way around...
Just give us a gun, nothing will go wrong.
Well, I've been trained to use a loom... I can probably help your weavers for a day or two.
Teemu Keisari: One or two days? Ha! You won't be of much help for two days! Anyway... Go to see Jori, he might have something for you to do. Our weavers are very busy.
I'm an unrelenting worker. I'm going to see what I can do. Thank you.
A new quest, unique to our profession!
There he is.
Precisely, I also need to work. I'm a weaver and I need food. Teemu sent me to help you.
Jori Pakkasta: Really? Listen, my wife and I aren't really used to working with strangers. I'm happy to try. I'm sure we can at least share our skills.
That works for me. I'll try to help you as best I can.
The screen fades to black, but doesn't say how much time passes. Let's call it a week of chilling, drinking, and laughing, having a good time. That seems like something Haþuwīgą would want to do after her ordeal.
Jori Pakkasta: That was... interesting. In any case, it was different and there's nothing wrong with that.
Leena Pakkasta: Yes, I have enjoyed myself. You work fast!
Jori Pakkasta: It's true. We did much more work than usual. The looms are a little different than where you come from, but that didn't seem to cause you any problem.
Leena Pakkasta: Come back when you want, Haþuwīgą!
EZ
Perfect. I'm going to get back on the road. Hope to see you again.
Bam, food acquired. Now we just have to sleep more and hopefully not get pulled into whatever this "ceremony" is.
No battle this time either.
In fact, the shadows now have names, and we can talk to them. New friends...?
Oh dear.
kthxbye
Look at this absolute unit of a shadow.
Elmo Keisari: The ceremony does not lead to forgetting, no, no... But the ceremony is frightening... I won't go this year, yet again... I won't go because I'm afraid, yes, yes... The ceremony is like ice breaking, you know? I've already lost too much, I've lost too much in ice that breaks... But you, you are not afraid, no, you are not afraid of the ceremony. I can tell, I can tell, it's too late, too late for you to be afraid of this kind of ceremony. May the wind be at your back, traveller.
So instead of battles, this rest we have to find three of these megachonkers and worm their secrets out of them.
Even the poor reindeer have turned into shadows!
The smaller shadow we're blocking the view of here just says this. His companion the not-Santa though...
Klaus Nikolai Gzny: I'm preparing the wood for the ceremony. You need a lot of wood, lots of wood for each ceremony. It's nice work. Sometimes I'd like to be the wood that is being worked, the wood being worked for the ceremony. In the end, the ceremony is above all a question of wood. Without wood, there is no ceremony. You have to feed the ceremony. Yes. We perform the ceremony where we get the wood. Sometimes it takes years to find the wood for a ceremony. Oh, but the air is dry and hot this year. I think we will have a beautiful ceremony. See you soon, traveller. At the ceremony.
Whoops, we sequence broke! 
this run.
Oh Sinto, you card.
Ah, so this is where the old guy where we were sleeping went.
Makes you think.
I'm sure you can guess who the last big shadow is.
Essi Kaikkonen the Volva: You want to know more about the ceremony... My darling, no one knows much about the ceremony... You see, I'm the keeper of the ceremony and still... Aahhh... The ceremony begins in the flames, yes, yes... The ceremony burns you, the ceremony consumes you the entire time... You must burn during the ceremony, aahhh... Yes. That is the way of the ceremony. The ceremony immolates, the ceremony cauterises, yes, yes... In the wound of our separations, cultivated and recultivated, on the blistered wound of our lack, the ceremony cuaterises, the ceremony cauterises until a scab, a thick, twisted skin appears. The ceremony.... Aahhh... The ceremony starts in flames and ends in solitude. That is the way of the ceremony. I am the keeper of the ceremony, small, yet... Aaahhh... Yet I know very little about the ceremony.
Good thing we can still progress despite our sequence break.
Then everything fades away, and we wake up back in the Old's house.
But there's nothing left to do in the village, so we need to try to sleep one more time.
When we finally get to sleep, we're back at the Volva's house. Looks like we'll be checking out this Pyre next time. So that's something fun to look forward to!