You turn back from the shore, the sound of waves and that distant metallic clanging fading behind you.
The walk through the fields feels different now. The mist is lifting, revealing more of the landscape. And the ground tells a story.
Crossing back through the wet grass, you see them clearly now in the morning light.
Drag marks. Multiple parallel lines scored into the earth, leading from the town toward the ocean. Some are shallow, others deeper, cutting through the soil.
Whatever the figures were carrying, it was heavy.
And it left trails.
You follow one set of marks back toward the buildings. It leads to a small house on the western edge of town, its door now closed. The drag marks start right at the threshold, as if something was pulled directly from inside.
Other tracks lead from different buildings. A barn. A larger house near the square. All converging on the same westward path toward the sea.
Thornhaven is quiet again.
Smoke rises from some chimneys.
Thin and controlled. The doors are closed. Windows shuttered.
But you know they're inside. Are they watching?
Dog stands in the empty square, looking around slowly.
"They're home now," he says.
"Whatever they did at the water... it's finished. For today."
He turns to face the nearest building, a two-story home with dark shutters.
"We need answers."
🎯 What's next?
- Knock on the nearest door - Try peaceful contact.
- Call out in the square - Announce yourselves to everyone at once.
- Force entry into one building - Take direct action to get answers.
- Return to the mill and wait for nightfall - Observe another cycle before acting.
- Other → Your call.