Grit
A desert hermit with leathery skin and wind-worn features, encountered in a canyon south of the mountains. He appeared after the party defeated a cactid ambush, applauding their victory and clapping Mulchbane on the back to restore what the creatures had stolen.
Grit led the party to his camp: an ornate fabric tent anchored impossibly high on the mountain, far too comfortable for someone living alone in the desert. He offered drinks brewed from the cactids themselves, each draught changing the drinker in subtle but lasting ways - fire resistance, sharpened senses, booming voices, altered sight, memories compelled into the open.
The Hag's Bargain: When Jorath probed his thoughts, he found not secrets but an oasis-like innocence - childlike, simple, warm. But that peace shattered when Auntie Dirtha Bonebender arrived to collect her cauldron.
The seven-foot tall hag, hunched and carried on swirling dust, muttered "tick tock" and vanished. Afterward, Grit struggled to explain - questions about the hag, the potions, and his work slipped from his grasp as if something prevented him from answering.
Helena's magic cracked the facade, revealing fragments: a bargain, raw magic, and the sense that Grit's time was running out. The connection was violently severed, and Helena briefly forgot her companions entirely - seeing only the hag pointing at her from the desert below.
Gifts Exchanged: Jorath gifted Grit his wand of fireballs as a sign of friendship. In return, Grit invited each party member to take an item from his collection:
- Mind Sharpener for Madam Helena
- Wand of Secrets for Jorath
- Cartographer's Map Case for Quick
- Gloves of Swimming and Climbing for Mulchbane
- Oil of Slipperiness for Kouzlo
Each character also left with a sip of Grit's cactid tea, granting unpredictable one-time effects.
Landmarks Revealed: Grit pointed out an oasis to the west, a leaning wizard's tower over a great lake, and vibrant pink swamps to the south where "good" lizardfolk dwell.
Connection to the Wizard's Tower: Quick, Mel, and Helena later found Grit standing at the shore of the tower's lake, muttering words about releasing elements and drawing a map into the sand — though he couldn't explain why he was drawn there. The tower door, which has no handle or lock, only fully opened when Grit touched it. His connection to the tower remains unexplained.