EPILOGUE

There are many accounts told of Dayen Stoutstaff and his miraculous change from a spiteful; angry old man; to one who loved children and never missed an opportunity to make them smile. The local children soon came to call him "Papa Stray", and they watched continually for the times he would come into Cragstone for supplies-passing out candies and carrying them on his shoulders while prancing around town acting the fool.

Some say he had gone mad; some said that in his adventures, he had fallen to some type of sickness. Even some thought that perhaps Asheron himself had paid Stray a visit and did something miraculous to soften up his heart. But Stray would never give credence to any of them and would only shake his head and smile if asked. He eventually converted his cottage and his land into a farm and never again went exploring for the Arcanum. Stray felt that the Arcanum had known all along about the existence of the Shadow Stone and deigned to retrieve it. For what purpose, he could not fathom. It was
better off destroyed.

Another addition to Strays' life also prevented him from returning to his previous life of wandering. A young crippled boy, who had no family, soon became a regular visitor to Strays abode. A fast friendship developed between the two and before the turning of the new-year, Stray adopted the boy named Kane as his son.

It was said at that time, if you walked by Strays' cottage in the evening when the work in the fields was complete, that you could actually hear the old man singing to the boy-a lullaby that few knew and could remember. But if you took the time to listen for a moment, it would warm your heart better than the heartiest of wines. Regardless of the pains going on in your life, the melody would take you back to a time where the embrace of your mothers arms would take away even the worst of fears and the pangs of loneliness. For that moment, this world of woes would disappear, and all that
would remain would be safety-and love.