The Whispering Glade

The journey upriver has been long and serene, with the mist casting an ethereal glow over the waters. As you step off the boat onto the weathered pier, you're greeted by the scent of damp earth mingled with the tang of salt carried from the nearby coast. The sailors bid you farewell, their weathered faces betraying a mix of relief and apprehension as they depart back towards Ilmwatch.

Before you lies the Great Dale, its towering trees and dense foliage seeming to swallow the distant horizon. To the east, the ominous silhouette of Uthmere looms, its once proud spires now casting long shadows across the land. The town appears worn, as if burdened by the weight of its own history.

As you look towards the settlement, you can't help but notice the subtle signs of decay that cling to the buildings and streets. Moss clings to the cobblestones, and ivy creeps up the sides of crumbling walls. The air feels heavy with foreboding, as if the land itself is holding its breath, waiting for something to come.

Rumors swirl through the air like leaves caught in a gust of wind. Tales of disappearances in the Forest of Lethyr, whispers of strange lights flickering in the Rawlinswood at night. The darkness that once gripped these lands seems to be stirring once more, like a slumbering beast roused from its rest.

You've come here seeking answers, drawn by a sense of duty or perhaps driven by a personal quest for redemption. Whatever your motivations, the fate of the Great Dale hangs in the balance, and only you and your companions have the power to uncover the truth and face the darkness that threatens to consume it once more.

You cast a sideways glance toward the sole other passenger that shared this boat ride with you. Despite the journey's duration, a veil of silence has hung between you, a tacit understanding of the weightiness of the journey ahead. Yet now, as you both stand in the fading light, half-watcing the boat glide away from the pier, your companion meets your gaze, their expression a mosaic of curiosity and guardedness. For a moment, the air between you crackles with uncertainty, like a storm gathering on the horizon.