Lux makes her way to Hollowstone

It’s not much, as payments go. But then, the job isn’t much either. Lux accepts a bit of coin and some supplies for the road, and promises to come back with word of what she finds. Maybe Hollowstone itself will afford some more opportunities for work before she moves on towards the capital.

A few more villagers than really necessary turn out to see their adventurer set off on her journey. Lux feels their gaze following her – many, she suspects, particularly tracing the side-to-side sway of her behind in her tight outfit – until the path bends with the river and the village vanishes from sight amid the bushes and trees. The road follows the river’s course, up towards the looming foothills, site of Hollowstone and its famous quarries.

The sky is clear, there’s a pleasant breeze, and Lux has to remind herself not to let her guard down as she follows her peaceful route, hearing birdsong from the trees all around. Bandits, or other lurking attackers, would seem the most likely explanation for what’s been happening. Yet she sees nothing, not even signs of past **** – the road is simply empty. All of which should be reassuring, but it still raises questions that sit uneasily at the back of Lux’s mind.

After an uneventful walk, she comes within sight of her destination, nestled among the rolling hills. Hollowstone – the proudly stone-built houses mark this, indeed, as home to quarrymen and masons. Villagers appear to be going about their business as expected: some obviously coming back from the rock face with their hammers and picks slung over their shoulders, others carrying buckets of water, baskets of food.

Overall, at a glance, the village looks clean, pleasant, inviting. The only odd thing that strikes Lux, as she draws closer, is the silent focus with which each villager she can see attends to their respective tasks. None of the people coming and going this way and that stop to speak or even wave to each other. There are no children playing. Just a scene of steady, methodical work.

Complication: [4] An NPC acts suddenly | Altered Scene: [6] Altered | Alteration: [5] Add a Pacing Move | Pacing Move: [3] An NPC Takes Action

As Lux comes closer to the houses, some of the villagers finally begin – slowly – to take notice of her. She expects some searching looks, suspicious glares, maybe some frenzied whispering – but the reaction is muted for the most part.

After a moment, a handful of villagers approach her. A tanned half-elven man with untidy black hair and a powerful build takes the lead, while the humans with him – two slightly older men, dressed like the first in dusty brown overalls, and a slim, pale, sandy-haired young woman wearing a simple woollen dress – hang slightly back.

“You shouldn’t be here,” the younger man says. Despite his words, his tone is oddly flat, neutral, rather than hostile. His brow furrows, but – Lux thinks – more in confusion than anger.

“Gill, wait.” The woman steps up beside him. “This must be a pilgrim, here to join us.” She stretches out her hand in a welcoming gesture, smiling warmly at Lux, her blue eyes wide and empty of any apparent malice. Closer to, Lux can make a small tattoo of an unfamiliar symbol at the nape of her neck. “Isn’t that right?”

Lux stares at her for a moment. There’s something in the woman’s expression, her unfocused gaze, almost dreamlike – and now that she sees it, the other villagers are much the same way. It’s an air she recognises from seeing others who’ve been ****, or charmed. There’s definitely trouble of some kind here. This might be her best chance to simply back off and walk away, but if she wants to learn more, she could try to play along for a while…