Black Mountain

In a time of swords and magic, Meren and his son Timothy move to a remote valley to start a new life. Meren's wife died in a tragic fire, but with no memory of what happened he fears he failed to save her. When Timothy explores the nearby forest, he finds a strange medallion with a red stone and magical words left to keep evil away. Meren is fearful of the evil his son may have awakened. Meren discovers something else in the forest, a small plant called black root. That night, Meren is haunted by his burning wife in a terrifying dream. He goes to the forest and collects the black root and uses it to make a potent drink to ease his pain. He drinks himself into a stupor and wakes the next morning to find his son missing. He searches everywhere and finds evidence that his son was taken in the night. Meren prepares to set off to find his son when a strange woman named Iselle breaks into his house and tries to steal the medallion. He catches her and bargains for her help in finding his son. She warns him of the local legends of Black Mountain where a shape shifting demon steals the souls of men. Iselle thinks the stories aren't true but warns Meren just the same. Not long into their journey, Iselle fools Meren and attacks him. She tries to take the medallion in the scuffle they fall down a steep gorge and get separated. Meren losses all his supplies and has nothing but his sword and a wine skin of black root which he continually drinks. He finds a strange boy hiding in the forest. He learns the boy's name is Rone, and he claims that the mountain is his. He warns Meren, the mountain brings out the worst in everyone. Rone claims to know where Mere's son is but then runs away. Meren finds Iselle, her leg has twisted in the fall. They need each other to survive so Meren tends to her wound. That night he dreams of his wife again, dying in the fire. Iselle has nightmares as well. Meren finds Rone again and manages to capture the boy. Rone claims that Meren is all alone in the forest and no one is with him. When they return to the campfire Iselle is gone. Rone is terrified of Meren and claims the black root is twisting his mind. When Meren presses the boy about where his son is. Rone says he saw Meren kill him on the farm after drinking black root. Meren refuses to believe him, and forces the boy to lead him to the demon's lair. They reach a huge waterfall, but as they make their way up the wet rocks Meren drops his wine skin of black root, he turns back to save