Your character has just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As they look around, their gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. They duck and step into a tattered tent, illuminated by a series of candles suspended in the air. At the back of the tent, an old hag raises her head, “What brings you to this dingy town? She begins, then pauses to study your face—”Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit,” she gestures at a cushion, “Tell me your story.”
((How do you respond?))
As Thorin steps into the damp, murky town, he adjusts his satchel and tries not to breathe in too deeply. The smell of rot and wet moss hangs thick in the air. His boots squelch in the mud as he pushes aside the flap of a tattered tent, lit by floating candles that seem to hover on their own.
He blinks, letting his eyes get used to the light. At the back of the tent, an old hag sits, wrinkled and staring sharply through the gloom.
"What brings you to this dingy town?" she asks. Her eyes narrow. "Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit. Tell me your story."
Thorin hesitates, then sits on the offered cushion. He folds his hands and glances at the flickering candlelight, then looks back at her.
"My story?" he says quietly, taking a steady breath. "There's not much glory in it. I’m from a small village far north, just farms, frost, and folks who keep to themselves. I left when my father died, hoping to find something more than the life waiting for me back home."
He shifts, glancing at the tent’s entrance, picturing the long road behind him. "I’ve been traveling for months, taking whatever work I can find. I heard strange things happen in these swamps, lights in the mist, voices that don’t belong to anyone living. Curiosity brought me here." His voice drops a little. "And honestly, I feel like something’s been leading me here, even before you said you were expecting me."
He looks at her, trying to judge her expression. "That’s my story so far. What happens next… I guess that depends on why you’ve been waiting for me."
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