Verum Epiphania – A Free Christmas Eve Adventure – Episode II

Stefan continues his journey toward the barons’ castle, leaving the village behind and traveling through deserted fields and a dark pine forest. In the forest, he encounters a snowy owl perched on a felled tree and imagines himself as Father Christmas, delighting in the winter scenery.

Soon, he hears the tinkling of a bell and discovers a shaggy dog leading him to a clearing. There, a giant auroch has trapped its horns in a circle of ancient standing stones. Showing courage and compassion, Stefan frees the magnificent creature. The auroch’s herdsman appears—a jovial, Father Christmas-like figure—grateful for Stefan’s help. In thanks, the herdsman gifts Stefan a hunting horn made from the auroch’s horn.

As Stefan continues uphill, the snowy landscape grows deeper. He converts his wagon into a sled and glides over the snow, arriving at the ruins of a medieval monastery. Suddenly, he witnesses a knight on a warhorse fending off three bandits. Stefan helps by throwing a snowball, allowing the knight to defeat the attackers.

The knight, preparing for a jousting tournament at the castle’s Christ’s Mass celebration, reveals a tear in his cloak. Stefan mends it with the sewing kit he carries. In gratitude, the knight decorates Stefan’s stocking cap with colorful feathers from his horse’s panache. Inspired and energized by these encounters, Stefan presses on toward the castle, more excited than ever to deliver his gifts.