📜 Sidequest — The Missing Guide

Find Kael's sibling and learn whether they betrayed Boarwood, were coerced, or chose a harder kind of loyalty.

Background

Kael's older sibling—Merric Merrow—was a guide of exceptional skill. He knew the Boarwood better than anyone, could read its moods like a book, and had never lost a traveler. Then he accepted gold from a Tandak military surveyor to guide a secret expedition into the Deep Boarwood.

Merric never came back.

The official story is that he was killed by boars. But Kael found tracks near the expedition's last known camp—tracks that showed a struggle, a capture, and a deliberate erasure of footprints. Someone took Merric alive.

Clues to Discover

Act 1 — The Forest That Judges

• Thornford Crossing: An old hunter remembers seeing Merric arguing with a masked stranger at the tollhouse—the Masked Priest of Norgorber.
• The Logging Camp: A tattered scrap of cloth with the Tandak military crest is caught on a thornbush near the camp.
• Ormand Vex: The scholar mentions that the Gray Gardeners have been kidnapping "witnesses to the covenant." Could Merric be one of them?
• The Gray Gardeners' Base: A prisoner (Elena Voss) has heard rumors of a captured guide held deeper in the forest—a man who knows the old paths.

Act 2 — The Fog Peaks Remember

• Mistroad Ascent: A cairn on the Mistroad bears a name carved in Tandak script—Merric Merrow, Guide. Someone honored him here.
• Cloud-Scribed Observatory: A logbook mentions a "captured guide" who was brought to the observatory to read the weather signs. The log is dated three years ago.
• Fog Memory: The fog reveals a vision of Merric being interrogated by Gray Gardeners—he is refusing to speak, even under torture.

Act 3 — Bloodlines and Battlefields

• Starwatch Fort: Marshal Ysold Tandak knows about Merric. She admits that the survey mission was a cover for a Gray Gardener operation.
• The Greyfields: A ghost on the battlefield recognizes Kael's face. It is Merric's spirit—he died here, still refusing to betray the covenant.
• Merric's Choice: Merric chose a harder kind of loyalty. He protected the covenant's secrets even when it cost him his life. He was not a traitor—he was a witness.

Resolution

In Act 3 or Act 4, Kael can learn the full truth:

• Merric was captured by the Gray Gardeners who wanted him to reveal the location of the hidden treaty faces.
• He refused to speak despite torture and magical coercion. His will was too strong.
• He was taken to the Greyfields and executed by the Boundary Thorn, his soul trapped in the battlefield's oath-memories.
• His spirit can be freed by performing a ritual of Witness and Repair—acknowledging his sacrifice and restoring the treaty face he died to protect.

🌟 Advanced Play Tips

• Be the Wall: Your job is not to deal the most damage—it's to prevent damage from reaching your allies. Position yourself between enemies and your squishy spellcasters.
• Control the Battlefield: Use Shove and Trip (Athletics) to keep enemies from reaching your backline. Your spear's reach (10 ft) gives you an advantage.
• Read the Forest: Trust your Survival and Nature skills. The forest speaks to those who listen. You are one of the few who can hear it.
• Lead by Example: You are not a commander—you are a guardian. When you stand firm, others take courage. Your resolve inspires the party.
• Protect the Covenant: The covenant is more than a treaty—it's a promise to the future. You are the one who will ensure that promise is kept.