Lavenlyn I - 55: Monolith
b"The crowd writhed outside of Poppy's, a starving tide. Some had already left, some went further inward. Food is pleasure in most times, but the peace after Pale had grown them into complacent bystanders. They wanted food given to them, without the work. \\n\\nPoppy wringed his hands and checked his stores. He could ration, maybe, and make some sales. He could turn this in his favor, these bad times. It would take a careful hand and cunning words.\\n\\nThe sheriff was the first to speak of abandoning the tree, and was the first to be overthrown. Packs of folk became wild in an instant, filled with panic. But above it all stood Craven, an aging sorceress. She came to them with an answer, and the tension evaporated in an instant.\\n\\nIt would take sacrifice, she said. They didn't even consider the ramifications. They would much rather lose to gain, now, than gain later with less lost. This is the way of folk. \\n\\nAnd the wyrm knew this weakness well."