Caelia had been waiting in the shadows for some time in the gathering darkness. Rumours had been swirling around the nearest inn about Hoghof. Local traders and travellers were telling tales of an eerie silence and strange lights after dark. It was a cursed place one had said.
Covered by her plain brown cloak and hood, Caelia had listened to this gossip and decided to investigate for herself. These tales often came to nothing, but an entire town falling silent was certainly worth investigating. The dead rarely rest easy, and if the town truly had become as quiet as a grave, then it might attract necromancers, or worse. This was something that a witch hunter simply could not allow.
Caelia had arrived just after sunset and had patiently been scouting the exterior wall and gate, looking for any clues, but nothing had yet presented itself. The place was quiet though, the rumours had been true. It was far too quiet. That was until the sound of voices began to echo from back down the road through the darkness. These were no ordinary voices though, they sounded as though they belonged to a band of mercenaries, judging by the talk of dungeons and loot which she could hear.
Drawing her cloak tightly around her, Caelia waited for the voices to get closer, loading a bolt in her crossbow just in case....