The fire crackles in a great hall carved from ancient stone. Runes shimmer faintly on the high timbers above. You feel the weight of presence before you even see him. A figure cloaked in shadow and fur steps from behind a brazier, one eye glowing like a storm about to break.

"You’ve come far to find me, mortal. Speak your truth, and I shall weigh its worth. But know this: every answer demands a price."