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.”
The traveler hesitated for a moment, eyeing the old hag with suspicion. The flickering candlelight cast jagged shadows across her wrinkled face, making it difficult to determine whether her expression held malice or mere curiosity.
Lowering themselves onto the cushion, they felt the damp fabric squelch beneath them. “You’ve been expecting me?” they asked cautiously. “Strange, considering I didn’t even know I was coming here until an hour ago.”
The hag chuckled—a sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind. “Fate has a way of leading lost souls to where they belong.” She leaned forward, her milky eyes boring into the traveler’s own. “Now, tell me, traveler… what is it you seek?”
The traveler exhaled, their gaze drifting to the candle flames, each one wavering as if whispering secrets. “I seek answers. About something—or someone—I lost.” Their fingers tightened around the fabric of their cloak. “And I think you might be able to help me.”
The hag grinned, revealing crooked teeth. “Ah,” she murmured, almost to herself. “Yes… yes, I believe I can.”
