Old Teague was never passionate about farming, he did his duty and made sure that his family had what it needed to eat. No one heard him speak ill of a profession chosen for him. They’ve always paid rent and taxes, so their land must be fertile. The provisioner said they purchased some simple weapons and supplies to make the raids easier to survive. Gayland himself lost parents and brothers to raiders, but his own children became his life.

His eldest son, Gene took to farming before 10 cycles. More like his grandfather, than Gayland. The young Teague has worked the farmland half as long as Gayland himself. Louise, eldest daughter, never much enjoyed farming, but was like her mother fond of spears and shield. The youngest of three, still a child, seems to care more for books. Although they’re too poor to educate him. The lovely Marjorie, Gaylands wife, bound them all together. At turns strong willed, but prone to fits of nerves, she keeps the farm orderly and working proper.

It has been said Gayland was never particularly fond of farm work, but you’d never tell by the way he worked the land. Provided for this growing family, he did. The past cycle completed his thirtieth planting. The first 10 score plantings were enough, but never brought in any coin. It took Gene’s passion to make the land bloom, as it were. They kept at it, planting in the spring, harvesting in the fall, and killing the occasional raider. These days Gene and Louise are grown and adults, they’ve took over most of the duties of the farm. Gayland was left to his self after that.

Eventually dark news and darker dangers crept out of the Eldyrwood. Adventurers might protect the towns near the forest to the best of their ability, one or two nightmarish monsters slip by now and again. I myself has seen a zombie; one that had killed unwary farmers! We’ve had tides of plague, fire and refugees from Arkenstone once a generation or two. That’s to be expected. But rumors of the dead walking the land causes panic of an unnatural sort. Rumors spread and with them and along come snake charmers, and potion peddlers trying in vain to offer hopes. We find and burn the witches and the necromancers as we can, but you never know where they be hiding.

We’ve all thought it odd though that Gayland would want to set out at such an advanced age, being nearly 40 cycles. Strange that he would want to leave his family like that. Especially in the years when they should be taking care of him. But there’s talk in the tavern, by more than a few, that say they might like to join him. But then those same folks cower behind locked doors at night, and you don’t hear them talking about joining old Teague until well after dawn.

Gayland must have heard the rumors. Guildsmen, the devout and learned mages claim they know the answers. They say there are clues out there in the Forgotten Forest, and Gayland must of gone to seek them, for he packed up and traveled out, through crowded cities, past small towns and on to the edge of the dark forest.