You look at the ranger and nod. "We accept. Welcome to the group, @Elan Divine He returns the nod, a hint of satisfaction in his weathered face. "Good. You'll need eyes that know these lands." You turn to the others in the room. "You should come back to Readingham with us. It's not safe here. Whatever's happening, the city has walls, guards, protection." The gray-bearded man shakes his head. "We appreciate the offer, but no. Many of our people are out fishing right now, won't be back for days. And this..." He gestures around. "This is our home. We didn't stay this long just to abandon it at the first sign of trouble." like some did... The woman by the fire speaks up, her voice firm despite the fear in her eyes. "We've survived three weeks. We can survive longer if we're careful. Besides, if we all leave, Thornhaven dies for good." - A Lead The younger of the two men leans forward, lowering his voice. "But... there is something you could check. Might be connected to all this." He glances at the others, who nod for him to continue. "About two weeks ago, one of our scouts saw something. A small camp, hidden in the woods between here and Readingham. Off the main road, deliberately concealed." "Northwest of here, maybe half a day's travel. In the thick forest near Widow's Creek. He only spotted it by accident, saw smoke through the trees." The gray-bearded man adds, "We didn't investigate. Didn't have the people or weapons to risk it. Could be bandits, could be deserters, could be..." He trails off. "Could be whatever's been taking our supplies." He looks at you directly. "If you're willing to check it out, it might give you the answers we all need. Are bandits stealing our goods? Or is it something worse?" 🎯 What Do You Do? - Investigate the hidden camp immediately. Head northwest, find this camp, and get answers. - Return to Readingham first. Report to Elara about Thornhaven. - Ask more questions about the camp. - Other → as discussed

While the others search the mill, you position yourself at the entrance, eyes scanning the empty streets. Weapons ready. Senses alert. Minutes pass. Then, movement. A figure emerges from between buildings, moving cautiously toward the mill. Young, male, carrying an empty sack. You turn your head slightly. "Someone's coming." Your comrades move to your side, hands on weapons but not drawn. The young man sees you and freezes. For a heartbeat, no one moves. Then he turns to run. "Wait!" you call out. "Don't run away! We're here to help!" He stops in his tracks, half-turned, uncertain. Slowly, he turns back around and walks over, eyes darting between each of you, taking in your weapons, your marks, your travel-worn appearance. "Who... who are you?" His voice is shaky but not panicked. "We're here to help," you repeat. "What happened here?" He exhales, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "There are others. I came to get food from the mill. Thought I saw movement earlier and ran." He glances back toward town. "Come. I'll take you to them." - The Southern House He leads you through empty streets to a house at the southern edge of town. A handful of people huddle in the main room. Two older men, a woman with a child, another younger woman clutching a knife, an older woman tending a small fire in the hearth. And sitting near the window, bow across his lap, is a ranger in worn leather, watchful eyes studying you as you enter. They all tense when you appear, but the young man raises his hands. "It's alright. They say they're here to help." - Their Story The older of the two men, gray-bearded and weary, speaks first. "Help? From where? Readingham?" You nod. He laughs bitterly. "About damn time. We haven't gotten any payment in over a month. Caravans stopped coming. Messages stopped. So we stopped sending supplies north." He gestures around the room. "Most people left. Packed up, headed to other towns, figured the capital had cut us off. But some of us stayed. This is our home."

One of you picks up a stone, weighing it in your hand. "Let's see if anyone's home." You draw back and throw. The stone arcs through the morning air and cracks against the mill's wooden wall, loud in the silence. You wait. Nothing. No response. No movement. No sound. You exchange glances, then make your decision. Time to investigate. - Approaching the Mill You move down the hill carefully, weapons ready, eyes scanning the empty streets of Thornhaven as you approach. The mill stands at the eastern edge of town, a sturdy two-story structure built of wood and stone. The wheel is motionless, its paddles dry and still. As you draw closer, one of you kneels, studying the ground. Fresh tracks. Footprints in the soft earth around the mill's entrance. Multiple sets, human-sized, leading away. Recent, from this morning perhaps. The door to the mill hangs slightly ajar. - Inside the Mill You push the door open slowly, hinges creaking. The interior is dim, dusty light filtering through the windows. Sacks of grain are stacked along the walls, some torn open, their contents spilled across the floor. The massive grinding stones sit silent in the center of the room. But something is immediately clear: Someone was here recently. The air still holds warmth, like body heat lingering in a closed space. You can almost feel it, the presence of whoever occupied this place during the night. And on the floor, scratches and footprints in the dust. Beneath it, an arrow points toward the town center. 🎯 What Do You Do? - Search the mill thoroughly. - Follow the tracks immediately. Whoever was here went that way. Find them. - Call out. Maybe whoever was here is still nearby, hiding, watching. - Other → as discussed

You settle in for the night. No fire. No conversation. Just silent observation from the hilltop, taking turns watching while the others rest. The sun sinks below the horizon, painting Thornhaven in shades of orange and red before darkness swallows it whole. - The Night Watch First Watch: Not a single light appears in any building. The ocean beyond the harbor is calm, waves lapping gently at the docks. The sound carries up the hill, the only noise breaking the silence. Then suddenly you see it, something moving inside the mill. You can't make it out, it stops to quickly... All you know somewhere, or something was moving inside. You keep watching... but it's gone, no sound. no movement. Just at dawn, something changes. Faint sounds drift up from the town. Not voices. Not footsteps. Scraping. Dragging. It comes from somewhere near the center of town, around the square. Rhythmic. Slow. Like something heavy being pulled across stone. It lasts perhaps ten minutes, then stops. Silence returns. The mill's windows are dark. No movement visible. The town streets remain empty. 🎯 What Do You Do? - Investigate the mill now. - Investigate the town center. With the Mill in your back. - Try to draw out whoever's in the mill. - Other → as discussed

One of you steps forward, hand extended, heart pounding. You grasp Elara's hand, trying to keep your palm from sweating. "We will take up the challenge, wise one! We will be your champions." The words hang in the air for a moment, and you immediately regret them. Did I really just say that? Oh god, idiot. You quickly turn back to your companions. "Come on all, if there's the possibility of survivors out there, then we must go at once. Let's grab our supplies and leave. We can always ask more questions from the beautiful... I mean knowledgeable Elara upon our return." She meets each of your eyes. "I understand your frustration. Truly. But right now, the best path forward is to prove what you can do. Not to me, to yourselves. Discover who you are through your actions." She gestures to the supplies. "Take what you need. And yes, when you return, I'll tell you everything I've learned about the Chosen, the cycles, all of it. You've earned that much by standing your ground here." She almost smiles. "Now go. Daylight's wasting, and Thornhaven needs answers." - The Road South You leave through the southern gate, the guards waving you through with barely a glance. The road stretches ahead, well-maintained and wide. Traffic thins as the afternoon wears on. Other travelers nod as they pass, merchants heading back to the city, a farmer with a cart of vegetables. The land is gentler here than the marsh. Rolling fields, scattered farms, patches of woodland. The air smells of grass and distant smoke from cooking fires. By evening, you've covered good distance. You make camp off the road, in a copse of trees that offers shelter and concealment. You take turns on watch, eyes scanning the darkness beyond your small fire. The night passes quietly. 🌄 Day VIII: Approach to Thornhaven Morning brings clear skies and cool air. You break camp and continue south. The road narrows slightly, farms becoming more sparse. The land feels emptier here, though you can't quite say why.