Iris the Amazon: Level 3
- Joseph Wilson
- Jun 25
- 10 min read
Welcome, travelers. You’ve arrived at Fort Mandan in the heart of a frozen winter, 1804. This is a fragile moment in time, and you’ve been summoned for a reason. Sacagawea—only a few days ago, she gave birth to her son, Jean Baptiste. Despite the pain, despite the danger, she’s meant to leave this fort soon… to guide Lewis and Clark across the uncharted West. Without her, the expedition falters. The course of American history wavers. But something’s wrong. Someone—or something—is whispering to her. Telling her to stay. Planting seeds of doubt, fear. I’ve sensed it. A ripple in time. A hand reaching back to alter what must be. We must find the source. A jealous spirit? A time rogue? Or something even older? You were brought here to help ensure history stays its course. Earn her trust. Protect the child, if need be. And uncover who—or what—is trying to keep Sacagawea from stepping into her destiny. The future depends on it. Now. Let’s begin by talking to this sentry outside the fort to learn more
Iris the Amazon
What should I ask the sentry first?
Make sure to ask the sentry if he's noticed any strange behavior recently.
Sentry
Who is Sacagawea?
Sacagawea? She's the Shoshone woman living here with her husband, that French trader Charbonneau. Quiet, but sharp. Just had a baby, too—poor thing barely had time to rest. The captains say she'll come with us when we head upriver in the spring. They reckon she’ll help with the tribes out west, maybe even with food and trading. She knows the land, speaks some languages. More than that, her just being there might show we're not a war party. I’ll tell you this much—out here, in this cold, with the river frozen and every man hungry for spring—she’s already tougher than half of us.
Why is Sacagawea so knowledgeable in the local landscape and tribes?
Well, she was born Shoshone—out west, past the Rockies. Taken by a Hidatsa war party when she was just a girl, I heard. So she’s lived with different tribes, learned their tongues, their ways. She knows plants, rivers, signs in the land most of us’d ride right past. And she don’t just know the land—she knows people. What they value, how to talk to them without starting trouble. That’s worth more than a dozen rifles some days. Between where she’s been and who she’s learned from, I reckon there ain’t many between here and the mountains who understand this country like she does.
Why is Sacagawea considering staying behind?
Well… she just had her baby, didn’t she? Little Jean Baptiste. Hard birth, in the dead of winter. Can’t blame her for thinking twice about hauling a newborn across frozen rivers and through mountains no one’s ever crossed. Some say her husband’s trying to convince her to stay. Says it’s too dangerous. Others whisper she’s had dreams—bad ones—that something waits out there. Or maybe she’s just tired. She don’t say much, but you can see it in her eyes—she knows the journey’s going to be hell. And she’s not just thinking for herself anymore. She’s got that child now.
Have you seen anyone suspicious in camp?
Suspicious? Hm. This place draws all sorts—traders, trappers, Mandan, Hidatsa, even the odd Cree come down now and then. Can’t always tell who’s just passing through and who’s got business best kept quiet. Couple nights back, I thought I saw someone near the stockade wall—too tall to be one of us, wore a cloak I didn’t recognize. Gone before I could get a lantern on him. Figured it was just the wind or a shadow… but still. And Sacagawea’s been jumpy. Not scared, exactly—more like she knows something’s off. She won’t say it outright, but I’ve caught her glancing over her shoulder more than once. So… yeah. Something ain’t sitting right, but no one wants to be the first to stir the pot.
Where can we find Sacagawea?
.You’ll find her in the smaller lodge near the southeast wall—the one Charbonneau calls home, though she’s the one keeping it in order. She don’t stray far these days, not with the baby so new. Sometimes she’s out by the river, gathering dried roots or talking with the Mandan women. She moves quiet, like she’s part of the land itself—you gotta look twice to even see her. But if you go looking, mind your manners. She’s been through more than most of us can guess, and she don’t waste time on fools.
You’ve come far in the cold. Come inside—there is warmth by the fire. My name is Sacagawea. I am of the Shoshone, though I live here now, among the Hidatsa and Mandan. My son was born not long ago, so I stay close to the lodge. If you seek the captains, they are likely with the men or writing in their journals. If you seek trouble… this is not the place for it. Sit. Share what you’ve seen. In this winter, stories travel farther than feet.
Iris the Amazon
That's Shoshone guide Sacagawea. Ask her some questions to try and figure out how and why someone is trying to erase her from history.
Why is this Shoshone guide so important to history?
Why is Sacagawea important? Because history doesn’t move forward by the will of kings or the stroke of swords alone—it turns on the quiet strength of people like her. She’s more than a guide to Lewis and Clark. She’s the bridge between nations, between languages, between fear and understanding. With a child on her back, she’ll lead men through mountains they’ve never seen, across rivers they thought impassable. Without her, the expedition might fail—or succeed with blood where peace should’ve been. And if that happens… the map of the future changes. Yours. Mine. Everyone’s. She is the thread holding part of the great tapestry together. Cut it—and everything unravels.
Sacagawea
Why are you thinking of staying behind?
Because I have just given birth, and my son is small and new to this world. The wind outside these walls cuts through bone, and the journey ahead is long, cold, and full of danger. My husband says it would be wiser to remain here, to wait for warmer seasons and safer paths. Even the women of the Mandan say the mountains will not be kind to a child carried on his mother’s back. But I think of my people—the Shoshone—and how the captains will need horses when the rivers end and the rocks begin. If I do not go, who will speak for them? Who will help bring peace instead of misunderstanding? I do not fear hardship. I fear leaving my part undone. But still… I must think of the child.
Have you seen anyone suspicious recently?
Not with my eyes… but with my spirit, yes. A few nights ago, the expedition's dog growled though no one walked by. The wind changed, sudden and strange, and the baby woke crying though there was no sound to wake him. I stepped outside and felt watched—but the snow showed no tracks. There is a presence here. Not Mandan. Not Hidatsa. Not one of the white men. It does not belong to this place or time. It moves like a shadow that leaves no shape. And when it passes, even the fire feels cold. So yes. I have seen something. But I do not yet know what it wants.
Is there anything we can do to convince you to join the expedition?
What I ask is simple, yet not easy. Help me know my son will be safe on this journey—his life, my life, all who travel with us. The road ahead is long, the dangers many. If I can trust that the men will protect my child as fiercely as I do, that the tribes we meet will see us as friends and not enemies, then I will carry him forward. Promise me respect. Promise me peace where there is fear. And promise me that the story we make together will be one of hope, not sorrow.
Iris: Sacagawea asks for a promise—a vision of hope at journey’s end. But that is a heavy burden, even for those who walk through time. The path she travels is woven with choices, dangers, and unknowns. No one can guarantee what waits beyond the next river bend or mountain pass. History is not fixed like stone; it shifts like sand beneath our feet. Even our presence here changes the currents. What she truly seeks is faith—faith that despite the shadows, light can still emerge. But faith is not proof. It is courage to face the unknown anyway.
What happens to Sacagawea after the end of the Corps of Discovery?
What happens to Sacagawea after the expedition? That is a question wrapped in shadows and whispers. History’s threads fray here—some say she died young, her light extinguished too soon. Others speak of a woman who returned to her people, living long, her story carried quietly in the winds. Truth is, her legacy isn’t just in the years she walked this earth, but in the ripples she sent through time. Every step she took with Lewis and Clark shaped futures—some seen, some hidden. Her courage echoes beyond what any record can hold. As a traveler through time, I’ve seen how history bends and twists, but Sacagawea’s spirit—undaunted, fierce—remains a beacon. No matter what fate befell her, her impact is eternal. Let's get back to Sacagawea and see what we can say to get her to join the expedition.
Iris: It's now up to you to tell Sacagawea what she needs to hear to join the expedition. Choose from below the best option for what to say.
Try focusing on the positives. Lewis & Clark will need your help along the journey. Two hundred years from now, people remember you as one of the most important people in history
Sacagawea: I appreciate you telling me that, but it's best for me to stay here and focus on my family.
The journey ahead is definitely going to be filled with dangers, but there will also be exciting moments filled with joy and happiness- you'll meet amazing people along the way and remember the adventure for the rest of your life.
Sacagawea: I appreciate you telling me that, but it's best for me to stay here and focus on my family.
Look, Sacagawea. If you don't go on this journey, all of history will suffer. You don't realize it now, but your participation on this journey will go on to inspire countless future explorers- including many indigenous women who become explorers in your name. Without your participation, they'll never achieve the great things they're meant to either.
Sacagawea: I appreciate you telling me that, but it's best for me to stay here and focus on my family.
If you did go on this journey and brought your son with you, then what steps would you need to take to keep him safe?
Sacagawea: To keep my son safe on this journey, I must carry him close to me—against my back where he feels my heartbeat and the rhythm of my steps. I will watch the land carefully, reading signs that others might miss: where the water runs clear, where the berries are ripe, where the danger hides in shadows. I will teach him the ways of the earth as he grows, so he will learn to move with the wind and listen to the language of animals and people. I must ask the men to guard him, not just with weapons, but with respect and kindness—so he is shielded from fear as well as harm. And I will carry prayers in my heart, calling on the spirits of our ancestors to watch over us both.
That's wonderful! When were some times when your prayers were answered?
Sacagawea: When I was still a girl living with my Shoshone people, there came a time when our village faced a great drought. The rivers ran low, and the crops began to wither under the harsh sun. The elders grew worried, and so did I. Our people depended on the earth’s gifts, and the spirits who guarded them. One night, I went alone to the river’s edge and offered a prayer to the Great Spirit—the one who watches over the water and the sky. I spoke quietly, asking for rain to fill our lands, for the animals to return, for life to flourish once more. I left small gifts of corn and feathers, tokens of respect. The next morning, I awoke to the distant sound of thunder, and by midday, the skies opened with heavy rain. The river swelled, and the earth drank deeply. The crops revived, the animals came back to our hunting grounds, and our people celebrated. That day I learned that the spirits hear us when we speak with sincerity and respect. And that even in times of despair, there is hope—if we listen and trust in the world’s balance.
I sometimes worry about my own travels. If you're willing, I would be honored to receive a prayer in your people's faith to protect me in my journey.
Sacagawea: It would be my honor. Great Spirit, who moves in the wind and rests in the quiet of the mountains, Guide this traveler on their path, steady their steps on uncertain ground. May their heart be strong like the ancient trees, roots deep in the earth, And their mind clear like the flowing rivers that never cease to find their way. When shadows fall and fear whispers, remind them of the sun’s return, Of the stars that watch over the night and the breath of life in every dawn. Wrap them in the warmth of our ancestors’ love, protect them with your gentle hands, And give them courage to face the unknown, with honor and with peace. So it is spoken, so it shall be.
While you were speaking with Sacagawea, I found some clues that are telling me everything I need to know to know who's behind all these changes to history. Grab your coat and follow me!
Iris: I've been tracking strange shifts in the timeline—ripples caused by someone with power over secrets and silence. And I've found breadcrumbs—small, bitter clues left behind, like roasted bitter vetch sweetened with honey. An ancient Roman remedy for heartburn. It’s no coincidence. Bitter vetch was sacred to Angerona—the goddess the Romans prayed to for relief from heart troubles and hidden pains. She was the keeper of silence, protector against suffering of the heart—both physical and emotional. Angerona isn’t just a forgotten goddess. She’s been reaching through time itself, twisting history by manipulating the very pains and secrets she governs. Each breadcrumb of that bitter vetch is a sign of her hand, a mark of her influence. If we want to stop her from unraveling what must be, we have to understand her power—and the old rituals she commands. The heart’s suffering is both her weapon and her doorway.
As far as Sacagawea goes, it's important for us not to overstep our limits. Any step- however small- towards her overcoming her anxiety and joining the expedition is important. However small a ripple of hope may be, that ripple can become a current. I'd say it's time to move on and follow these clues to find where Angerona is heading next.
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