One of you steps forward, hands open in a peaceful gesture. "We're not from Redingham's merchants," you explain. "We were sent to investigate why the trade stopped. But here's the thing - Redingham says they haven't received any goods from Thornhaven in weeks." The woman's expression shifts. Confusion replaces annoyance. "What?" She straightens, her arms uncrossing. "That's... that doesn't make sense. We sent wagons. Full loads. Our merchants saw them off personally." She looks between you, her brow furrowed. "Are you saying the goods never arrived?" Her voice carries a new edge now. Not anger at you, but realization. "Then where did they go?" She steps fully into the doorway now, no longer blocking entry but opening up. "Our people sent everything. Grain, salted fish, vegetables, wool. Three wagons, every week for a month. The last one left..." She thinks. "Three weeks ago. Right before we stopped." Her face darkens. "Someone's been stealing from both of us." 🎯 What's next? 1. Ask about the route the wagons took - Try to identify where they're being intercepted. 2. Ask who organized the wagons - Find out who knew the schedules. 3. Ask if anything else strange has happened lately - See if there are other clues. 4. Suggest speaking to the town's merchants or leaders - Get more official information. 5. Other → Your call.

"We heard Thornhaven stopped trading with Redingham," one of you says. "Can you tell us what happened?" The woman's expression shifts. Not anger, exactly. More like... resignation mixed with frustration. "We sent goods," she says flatly. "Grain, fish, vegetables. For weeks. Never saw a single coin in return." She crosses her arms tighter. "Our merchants kept saying the payment was coming, that there might be delays, that the roads were uncertain. But nothing arrived. Her jaw tightens. "We have families to feed." She glances back into her house, then back at you. "So we stopped. Simple as that. Now we're looking for other cities to trade with. Places that actually pay for what they buy." Her tone isn't hostile toward you specifically, but there's clear bitterness there. "If Redingham wants to do business again, they can send the money they owe us first. Until then..." She shrugs. "We'll manage on our own." 🎯 What's next? 1. Explain that Redingham's merchants haven't received goods, and you have been sent to investigate. 2. Ask if she knows why the payments stopped 3. Apologize for the trouble and leave 4. Other → Your call.

"Where did your husband go?" Dog asks gently. The woman leans against the door frame, crossing her arms. "To the shore. He helps the other fishermen load their boats in the morning." She pauses, a hint of fondness creeping into her tired voice. "He's a deckhand by trade, but he doesn't sail out with them anymore." She gestures vaguely westward. "He works a lobster farm now. Little further down in the cliffs. It's not as dangerous as being out on the open water, and..." She smiles slightly. "I get to see him every day instead of every three weeks." Her expression suggests this is a recent change. One she's grateful for. "The boats go out. He stays. Tends the traps. Comes home for supper." She shrugs. "It's a good life. Quieter than it used to be." 🎯 What's next? 1. Ask about the trading with Redingham - Why did it stop? 2. Ask about the lobster farm - Can you visit it? 3. Thank her and move on - You have what you need for now. 4. Other → Your call.

You approach the nearest house, a modest two-story building with dark shutters and a well-maintained garden. Dog steps forward and knocks. Three times. Firm but not aggressive. Silence. Then, from inside, the sound of movement. Footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. The door opens a crack. A woman's face appears in the gap. Middle-aged, tired eyes, dark hair pulled back in a loose braid. She looks at each of you in turn, her expression more annoyed than afraid. "Who are you?" she asks, her voice rough with sleep. "And why are you waking me up this early?" She doesn't sound frightened. She sounds... inconvenienced. Behind her, the interior of the house is dim but normal. You can make out furniture, a table, shelves. No signs of struggle or corruption. She shifts her weight, one hand on the door frame, clearly waiting for an answer. "Well?" she says. "Speak up. It's barely past dawn." 🎯 What do you say? 1. Introduce yourselves honestly - Tell her you're here investigating why Thornhaven stopped trading. 2. Ask about the ocean - Directly question what you saw this morning. 3. Apologize and ask if everything is alright - Start gentle, gauge her reaction. 4. Show her your marks - See if she recognizes them. 5. Other → Your call.

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. - The Tracks 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. - The Town 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.