Night settles over Maternius as Maryam and Carmin reach their quarters. Orren arrives moments later, rain-darkened and carrying the red-dyed twine from the eastern trail.
Orren
The cart’s trail turned toward the shrine, just as I reported. I followed the marks until the rain erased them, then brought this back.
Carmin sets his copied registry strip across the table beside the twine. The three farm entries look ordinary at first, until one pale line catches the candlelight.
Carmin
Please look here. This name was erased and written again. The hand was careful, but the older mark still shows beneath it.
Carmin angles the parchment toward the light. Beneath the altered entry, a hooked remnant matches the red twine’s dye and the shrine’s hidden symbol.
Orren
That mark belongs to the family from the eastern farm. They never reached the settlement. Not one of them came through our gate.
The room falls quiet except for rain against the shutters. The registry, the twine, and the altered name lie together on the table, pointing back toward the shrine.
✓ Quest Accepted
Determine what happened to the missing eastern farm family
Maryam's turn“"Good work, you two. This is all above our pay-grades, though. I'll inform you if the captain tells me otherwise. Dismissed, for today," I report.”
FAILURE (Fair Oratory, rolled -1)
Maryam
Good work, you two. This is above our pay grades. I’ll inform you if the captain gives further instructions. Dismissed for today.
Orren straightens, but neither man leaves. The order settles awkwardly over the registry and twine, neither of which has yet reached the captain’s hands.
Orren
Yes, Maryam. I can stand down, but I cannot call this finished. The family is still missing, and this mark points beyond our authority.
Carmin
Please, I agree with Orren. We should not investigate further tonight, but I can preserve the altered entry and give the captain a clear report.
The dismissal fails to release them cleanly, yet Carmin’s offer gives the mystery a safe handoff instead of another night expedition. He folds the copied registry beneath his cloak.
Orren
Then I will leave the twine with him and rest. If the captain asks tomorrow, he will have the mark, the trail, and the altered name together.
✓ Quest Accepted
Give Coldcock the evidence
Maryam's turn“I clear my throat and shake my head. "Right, no, you're right. It would be better if Carmin delivered the report, apologies," I said with humility. "For some reason, my mind is wandering, I just wasn't thinking straight..." I trailed off.”
FAILURE (Fair Oratory, rolled -3)
Maryam's turn“I clear my throat and shake my head. "Right, no, you're right. It would be better if Carmin delivered the report, apologies," I said with humility. "For some reason, my mind is wandering, I just wasn't thinking straight..." I trailed off.”
SUCCESS (Fair Oratory, rolled -1)
Maryam
Right, no, you're right. It would be better if Carmin delivered the report, apologies. For some reason, my mind is wandering. I just wasn't thinking straight...
Maryam clears her throat and shakes her head. The apology softens the room, but it also leaves her earlier dismissal looking less like command and more like uncertainty.
Carmin
Please do not worry, Maryam. I will deliver the registry, the twine, and the full report to Captain Coldcock.
Orren
Understood. I will stand down as ordered, but I will tell the captain that you asked Carmin to take responsibility for the report.
Orren’s tone remains respectful, yet the wording makes the cost plain: Maryam’s standing now carries a visible question about her judgment tonight. Carmin gathers the documents carefully.
Carmin
I will make the account precise and leave nothing out. Please get some rest, Maryam. Tomorrow, the captain can decide what follows.
Maryam's turn“I give the boys a soft smile. "Thank you." I said, sitting down and wiping my hair from my eyes.”
Maryam
Thank you.
Maryam gives Carmin and Orren a soft smile, then sits beside the table and wipes the damp strands of hair from her eyes. The room grows quieter around them.
Carmin
Of course. I will make sure the captain receives everything clearly.
Carmin secures the copied registry and red-dyed twine beneath his cloak, handling both with careful attention. His expression remains gentle, though his shoulders carry the weight of the report.
Orren
Rest well, Maryam. I will leave him to it and stand down for the night.
Orren gives her a respectful nod and follows Carmin toward the quarters’ door. Rain murmurs against the shutters as the two guards depart, leaving Maryam a moment of quiet.
Maryam's turn“I'll go to sleep and end this chapter.”
Maryam rises from the table and settles her quarters for the night. The rain continues beyond the shutters, steady and muted now.
She checks the latch, banks the candle, and leaves the room in orderly darkness. Carmin and Orren are already gone, carrying the report toward the captain.
Maryam
The bed is dry, and the shutters are secure.
Maryam lies down without reopening the registry or touching the questions left behind by the eastern trail. Tonight, the village stands defended, and the immediate work is finished.
Weariness softens the room’s edges. Her scraped knuckles rest against the blanket, no longer strained by timber, tools, or broken stone.
Sleep takes her beneath the quiet rhythm of rain. The chapter closes with the settlement secure, while the missing family and altered record await another day.