Ah, that’s why no-one’s lifted the curse, yet; that’s a very high price to pay, personally, to be able to counter the curse on the town. Faced with that choice, I can see most people saying “What’s one stranger’s life, every five years, compared to all my friends and family, and everyone they would kill?” Nicely nasty hook, Vanja! Remind me never to anger you enough that you’d want to curse me. ;-p

Being outcast may have been a mercy in disguise for Gulvieg.