The Book of Temples Chapter 53
In the wilderness
south of the wide lake
hunters were seeking their game.
Instead they found woe.
One of their own kin
was dead beneath thorny brush.
They rescued his corpse
from its jagged trap.
Perhaps he died while ensnared?
The truth was more grim.
For they found the source
of his violent murder.
Buried in his chest
was a slender blade.
Its grip was textured leather.
The pommel was strange
for it was broken,
a feat not easily done.
Much time and effort
would have to be spent
to break the pommel from tang.
It was suspected,
Skyshale slew Stonestalk,
he had a dagger like this.
It was widely known
Skyshale was a smith
and carried a strange dagger.
The pommel was shaped
like a small closed fist.
No other carried its like.
He was located
and the pommel fist
was in a pouch on his belt.
The People then asked
Wise Vengeance to say
what they should do with Skyshale.
He called for a trial
where they must prove guilt
and Skyshale could speak defense.
People presented
the murder weapon
and the pommel that they found.
Skyshale did not claim
to be innocent.
He knew his guilt was proven.
Instead he then spoke
of Stonestalk’s vile deeds.
There was a fight on the green.
Skyshale was knocked down,
humiliated,
while Stonestalk gloated above.
He then admitted
to following him
when Stonestalk left to go hunt.
In the lonely wild,
he murdered Stonestalk.
to end his relentless hate.
Wise Vengeance declared,
though Stonestalk was vile,
murder was not justified.
Skyshale was then slain
by many arrows,
a speedy execution.