You’ve just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As you look around, your gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. You 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?))
"Just me luck, stumblin' upon strange women out in th' middle o' good ol' nowhere." Torwyn frowned, eyeing the hag as he slowly approached. His right arm lowered as he rested a hand on the handle of his axe. He stood there for a moment and looked around the tent, observing every corner before he somewhat relaxed and sat down. "Well, I'm nae one tae give me trust easily, but seein' as me caravan's probably no' comin' back fer me, an' ye've yet tae attempt anythin', I'll indulge ye in exchange fer yer 'ospitality."
The old hag simply nodded for him to continue.
"Well, I was born in a forest a fair distance from here, tae a small family o' wanderin' merchants. Mostly sold thin's we found back home, trinkets, herbs, meat an' berries." Torwyn paused and looked to confirm the hag was actually paying attention before he continued, "'Twas a good and honest livin', an' me and me siblin's learned tae fend fer ourselves, survivin' in the wilds and in the cities. No somethin' common amon' my kind." He paused, glancing at the hag to make sure she was still listening.
"'Twas a mostly uneventful childhood, wi' some bandits on the road now and then, lots o' huntin' and foragin', an' far too much walkin' and peddlin'. Never made many friends, though. Me and me family, we were a small community of our own. So I hadna' exactly many opportunities tae forge bonds wi' anyone else. Spent most of me life just doin' all o' this on repeat, 'till last month when we received an order from some big city nobleman or another- for a rare type o' wood we had plenty o' in stock. Wi' the sum we were offered, 'twas a no-brainer."
Torwyn shifted on his seat and his face darkened, "But last week, when we set out fer the delivery, we were quickly ambushed on the road at one o' our usual campsites. They must've been professionals, maybe some rivals o' ours, 'cause ye see, I may no seem like much, but I'm damn well good wi' a bow and I didn't stand a chance against them. The caravan was separated durin' the fightin' and I dunno' if anyone else survived. When I went back the caravan was no' there no more and the bodies neither, so I been wanderin' around since, tryin' to find the others, and here I am now.." He looked back to the old hag, waiting with an expectant look.
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