Dog steps forward, his voice calm but clear. "We were sent by the mage in Redingham to investigate why trade stopped. But we've learned something important - Redingham never received your wagons. And you never received payment." Garrett's expression shifts. His jaw tightens. "Someone's been stealing from both sides," Dog continues. "The wagons left here. They never arrived there. We need to know everything you can tell us about the shipments." Garrett is silent for a long moment. Then he stands, moving to a shelf and pulling down a thick ledger. He sets it on the desk with a heavy thud. "Three wagons per week. For a month." He opens the ledger, pages filled with careful entries. "Grain, salted fish, wool, vegetables. Everything documented. Everything paid for by Redingham's merchants... or so they told us." His finger traces down the columns. "I hired guards myself. Men I've worked with for years. Reliable. Armed. Two guards per wagon, sometimes three." He looks up. "With the last shipment, six guards total. None of them came back." He closes the ledger. "I sent a rider north four days ago to find out what happened. He hasn't returned either." Garrett's voice is steady, but you can hear the anger beneath it. "The main road's been safe for decades. This isn't random bandits. This is organized." He looks at each of you. "Someone knew the schedules. Knew the routes. Knew exactly when to strike." He pauses. "And they're good enough that not a single person escaped to warn us." 🎯 What's next? 1. Ask about the schedules - Who knew when the wagons would leave? 2. Ask about his rider - The one who went to investigate four days ago. 3. Other → Your call.

"We'll go to the castle now," you tell Elara. "The sooner help reaches Thornhaven, the better." She nods approvingly. "Good. Return here once you've delivered the letter." - Toward the Castle You leave the Scholar's Quarter and make your way through the city streets. The castle dominates the skyline, rising like a mountain of stone from the heart of Readingham. Its walls are thick as houses, its four great bastions crowned with the yellow and green banners. As you approach, the crowds thin. This is the administrative heart of the city, where soldiers patrol and officials conduct the business of governance. The main gate to the castle grounds stands open, flanked by guards in polished armor bearing the city's colors. They're more attentive than the city gate guards, eyes tracking your approach. One steps forward, spear held across his chest. "State your business." You hold up the sealed letter, showing Elara's mark on the wax. "Message for the Guard Captain. From Elara the Mage. Urgent." The guard's expression shifts slightly at Elara's name. He gestures to his companion, who nods and steps aside. "Follow me." - The Courtyard Inside the castle walls, the courtyard bustles with activity. Soldiers drill in formation. Blacksmiths work at outdoor forges. Messengers hurry between buildings. The clang of steel and the shouts of sergeants fill the air. Your escort leads you across the courtyard toward a stone building with narrow windows and a heavy oak door. "Wait here." He disappears inside. Minutes pass. You stand in the shadow of the castle's inner wall, watching the organized chaos around you. Then the door opens. A man emerges, tall and broad-shouldered, perhaps fifty years old, with close-cropped gray hair and a scar running from his temple to his jaw. He wears well-maintained chainmail under a tabard bearing Readingham's colors. The Guard Captain. His eyes sweep over your group, taking in your weapons, your travel-stained clothes, the marks on your forearms.

The woman's face carries that dawning realization, confusion settling in like frost. She steps fully into the doorway now, no longer guarding her home but looking past you, as if the answer might be walking up the road. "Which road did your wagons take?" Dog asks, his tone even and steady. She points north. "The main road. Always the main road. It's the safest route - wide, well-traveled." She pauses, thinking. Her expression darkens. "Our merchants always hired guards. Two or three armed men per wagon. They weren't taking chances with bandits." She looks at you directly. "But if the wagons never arrived, and we never heard from the guards either..." She doesn't finish the thought. She doesn't need to. "The route's been used for years. Decades. It's never been a problem before." Her voice carries a new edge of fear beneath the anger. "Whatever's stopping them started recently. And it's thorough enough that not a single person made it back to warn us." She wraps her arms around herself. "You should talk to Garrett. He's our head merchant. He organized the shipments, hired the guards. His warehouse is in the town square - the large building with the blue shutters." 🎯 What's next? 1. Thank her and go find Garrett immediately - Get the official details. 2. Ask about the guards who were hired - Get names, descriptions, anything useful. 3. Head out to find the wagons 4. Other → Your call.

You thank the woman and make your way toward the town square. The streets are quiet but no longer empty. A few residents move about now, tending gardens, carrying water, going about morning routines. They watch you pass with cautious curiosity but don't approach. The warehouse is easy to spot. Large, two stories, blue shutters freshly painted. Double doors at the front, currently closed. A smaller side entrance stands slightly ajar. You approach and knock on the frame of the open door. "Come in," a voice calls from inside. - Inside the Warehouse The interior is well-organized. Shelves line the walls, mostly empty now. A few barrels and crates sit stacked in corners. The space feels like it should be full but isn't. At a desk near the back sits a man in his fifties, gray-streaked beard, weathered hands sorting through ledgers. He looks up as you enter, his expression wary but not unwelcoming. "Help you?" he asks, setting down his quill. Before you can answer, his eyes catch on your travel-worn appearance, the weapons at your sides. "You're not from here." Not a question. He leans back in his chair. "Let me guess. Redingham sent you?" His tone is neutral. Waiting. 🎯 How do you approach this? 1. Be direct - Tell him exactly why you're here and what you've learned. 2. Show him your marks - See if he recognizes them or knows anything about the Chosen. 3. Ask about the guards he hired - Start with specifics. 4. Other → Your call.

The ranger gives a small nod of approval at your decision. "Smart. Five we can see, unknown how many total. Better to come back prepared." You slowly, carefully, back away from the camp, retracing your steps through the forest. Every sound feels amplified, every snapped twig like a thunderclap. But the bandits remain oblivious, their laughter and conversation fading as you put distance between yourselves and the hidden camp. Once you're clear of the immediate area, you pick up the pace. - The Road North You leave the camp behind, traveling back the road towards Readingham. The journey takes the rest of the day and into the next morning. You camp once along the way, the ranger taking first watch with practiced ease. - Readingham The city walls appear on the horizon, banners snapping in the wind. The guards at the gate wave you through with barely a glance, though one eyes the ranger with mild curiosity. You make your way through the familiar streets, past the market now in full morning swing, toward the - Scholar's Quarter. The tower with the blue door stands tall and silent. You knock. The door swings open immediately. "Enter." - Elara's Tower The mage is at her desk, surrounded by maps and open books. She looks up as you file in, her sharp eyes taking in your travel-worn appearance, the new member of your group, and the urgency in your postures. "Back already." She sets down her quill. "Report." You tell her everything: - Thornhaven is mostly abandoned but a handful of people remain - No corruption, no undead, no shadow creatures - The supplies were stolen by bandits camped in the forest near Widow's Creek - At least five bandits, possibly more, with Thornhaven's goods clearly marked - The survivors stayed behind, waiting for their fishing crews to return Elara listens without interrupting, her expression unreadable. When you finish, she leans back in her chair, steepling her fingers. "Bandits." She sounds almost... disappointed.