The interior of the hut was dim but not dark, light filtering through gaps in the thatch and through a smoke hole in the roof that also served to vent the central fire pit. A few miscellaneous items were scattered here and there: weapons mounted on the walls, containers of remedies and supplies, pelts and furs arranged for sleeping.
But at the central area, dominating the space, was a stone table that held something far more valuable than any weapon or remedy.
A map.
It was drawn on stretched and treated beast hide, the leather scraped thin enough to be almost translucent in places but durable enough to survive years of handling. The lines had been etched with charcoal mixed with rendered fat, creating marks that were dark and permanent against the pale surface of the hide.
