Viv, a young orc mercenary, is in a battle with Varine the Pale’s army. She is slaying wights, skeletal undead creatures, and is far out ahead of the rest of her crew, Rackham’s Ravens. She is gloating about how many wights she is taking down when a wight stabs her leg, which collapses underneath her. As the wight raises its shield to kill her, Rackham, the head of Rackham’s Ravens, saves her, then reprimands her for being cocky.

After the battle, Rackham takes Viv to a nearby town to recover. The Ravens continue pursuing Varine, although Rackam promises to pick Viv up when they pass back through the area.

Viv is recuperating at The Perch, an inn in the small coastal town of Murk. Her room is small and low-ceilinged, with a bed much too small for an orc. After two days of fever, Viv wakes up hungry. Someone has wrapped her leg, and a crutch is propped in the corner. She uses it to make her way downstairs to the tavern.

The tavern owner, Brand, is behind the bar and greets her with a joke about her condition. This surprises Viv—as a large, strong orc in her prime, she is used to being feared.