Their journey is stopped by a lone traveler who meets them on the river path. The man, Charles Mercier, is a strange, but talkative hermit who makes his way around these parts trading and trapping. After some banter and some barter the party acquires a few magical trinkets and provisions. Of note, they acquire another of the Lakota pipes. This one with unknown markings.

After they part ways with the strange Mr. Mercier, they continue on their journey until they are ambushed by an Oglala war party. After a very harrowing battle, the party emerges victorious but find they have little to gain from the spoils of combat as most of the important seeming Oglala’s bodies were washed downstream. The party decides to make camp for the night nearby.