The days were growing shorter; the nights were getting longer. Shadows were creeping in all around, deepening in the groves and hollows of the Vale.

Glade loved it.

It wasn't Trickmurk, with its carnivals and games and prizes to be won (or pilfered) if you were clever enough. It was better, because it wasn't all about the taking. It was about the finding—finding strange, wonderful, sometimes frightening but always magical things. He'd always loved to see the chests pile up, the hatchlings laughing and squealing as they played in the nocturnal dust, the funny toys and clothes that the nocturnes had squirreled away among the rocks and brambles.

It wasn't going to be the same here in the Vale, of course. But that didn't mean it wasn't going to be wonderful.

Snow was falling gently through the glowing flowers above him, glittering as the white flakes fell. Taking his sack between his teeth, he slipped off into the shadows, looking for the best places to hide the gifts.

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Familiars Baldwin Strange Chests Bewildered Broom x8 Catty Cannon x6 Encouraging Quill x5 Killer Keyboard x5 Magic Carpet x6 Manticore's Might x9 Poltergeist Piano x3 Raucous Runner x5 Silverstring Harp x11 Steadfast Sweeper x5 Tinder Toy x4 Veilspun Verse x5 Wicker Dragon x4 Writer's Aid 6

New Apparel Baldwin Murderous Footpads x3 Murderous Gambeson x3 Murderous Gloves x3 Murderous Hood x3 Murderous Vial x3 Murderous Tools x3 Murderous Presence x3 Strange Chests Woeful Footpads x9 Woeful Gambeson x3 Woeful Gloves x8 Woeful Hood x6 Woeful Vial x4 Woeful Tools x6 Woeful Presence x8 Treasure MP Malign Footpads Malign Gambeson Malign Gloves Malign Hood Malign Vial Malign Tools Malign Presence x2 Unlucky Footpads Unlucky Gambeson Unlucky Gloves Unlucky Hood Unlucky Vial Unlucky Tools Unlucky Presence x2 Gem MP Sinister Footpads Sinister Gambeson Sinister Gloves Sinister Hood Sinister Vial Sinister Tools Sinister Presence x3

Vistas Swipp Baldwin Broken Mirror Strange Chests Spidered Seat x5 Treasure MP Tinkered Clock Gem MP

Scenes Swipp Baldwin Strange Chests Strange Chests x8 Treasure MP Quaint Parlor Gem MP Dusty Attic