Village of Valdedge

You're all of the Village of Valdedge, near the ancient Monastery of Deel. Lately (the past seven weeks) there's been no news from the monks who dwell in the isolated monastery, they haven't even been by for provisions as they usually would every fortnight.

Meanwhile: several farmers from outlying steads have mentioned in the village that strangers are skulking round the forest edges.

As you're the most venturesome of the village-folk, the village elders ask you first to sort the skulking strangers, then after that head over to the monastery and see what's what.

How do you plan to address the skulkers?

As the resident holy man, the elders likely approach Cassian before any of the others.

Khaede is prepping herbal remedies in her hut on the village edge, when one of the elders toes her threshold. She’s almost relieved when they ask her to intervene— the worry has been clawing at her for a whole moon now. "Thalia, pack a travel bag, would you? I’ll be back in a little bit." She brings her spellbook while her protege steps to fetch the bedrolls.

Dannan is in the pasture when he is called upon, tending a healing abscess on one of his cattle and humming a tuneless melody. At the call to action, he simply grunts, stands and dusts himself off. "I’ll do it." Those who don’t know him might mistake his fear and apprehension for quiet stoicism.

Both Khaede with Thalia, and Dannan, meet the others in the sunny village square, fully packed on the assumption that whatever they discuss, it will mean a journey to the outlands and to Deel. Khaede arrives late— she spent some time searching the woods for a dead animal from which she can extract divination bones. Dannan greets Kaela warmly, albeit a bit sheepishly.

"They might know something about the monastery," Khaede suggests of the skulking strangers. She favors going out to the steadings with peaceful intent, at least until the situation proves otherwise. "Even if they’re tight-lipped, I could charm one for us to question." Dannan stays silent, pondering the situation and looking to Cassian and Kaela for counsel.

After the elders came to Brother Cassian, he briefly acknowledged their request for aid, then returned to his lodging to offer a silent prayer. Once he had found the peace he sought, he gathered the others and readied himself for the journey.

At Khaede’s suggestion, he nodded. "Yes. We have no reason to believe they are anything other than strangers, and we should welcome them as such. They may, as you say, know something."

Kaela rolled her eyes. "Of course. Nice, friendly people always skulk around the edges of forests. Sure, let’s go and get our throats cut."

She laughed afterward, in case anyone took her too seriously.

The skulkers last were sighted near Dimmon's farm, so you head that way.

Dimmon and his housemate are hospitable fellows. They give you a good meal and fill you in on the skulkers: rough types who flee when hailed, but may have been stealing from the vegetable patch. A goat went missing, too. Dimmon's housemate snuffles when he mentions this: "Jonny was a good little billy."

What do you do here?

Khaede smiles with sympathy. "We’ll do everything in our power to get him back." Dannan finishes his meal quickly and stands out in the garden for a while, looking over the vegetable patch and down by the treeline.

Khaede peppers Dimmon with questions, trying to get a feel for exactly how much he knows. "How far are we from the monastery? Are there any other structures in the woodland where the skulkers might be hiding? Did they seem human, and sane, just rough? Or were they more unsettling? Did you see them with any weapons? Have they broken anything or harmed any people that you know of?"

Thalia sticks by Kaela, or gets bored and goes to explore the garden with Dannan.

Kaela says, "I suppose goat is good eating." Brother Cassian stares at her. Kaela replies, "Of course, what was I thinking why would the skulkers steal someone's goat. You are right it must have wandered off." Brother Cassian continues to stare at her. Taking the hint Kaela wanders off with Thalia. Brother Cassian stays with Khaede waiting for Dimmon's response.

"The monastery" Dimmon looks confused "It is over that way, maybe a day through the woods. They used to stop by for provisions sometimes, but mostly I think they have their own fields and orchards? I've never been there. Now you mention, it's been a long time since I seen a monk." He pauses and thinks. "There may be some old ruins in the woods, very old. I wouldn't try to shelter in them, they might be cursed." Another pause. "The folks at the verge of the wood are raggedy-looking and furtive. There is something about them that's eerie, maybe the way they move? Also they carry spears, rough ones cut from branches. Aside from the goat they've done no harm. I'm pretty sure they stole old Jonny. Probably ate him." The housemate wipes his eye and looks sad.