The Restless Spirit of The Shadowed Oaken Inn

After finally warming up to Ell after she killed the Wolf Spider trying to kill him, or at the very least accepting that maybe "this elf" was a "bad one" Thoran invited the party down to the bar to share a drink and explain what he meant when he said it in combat  

This inn has secrets, dark ones, and I fear these creatures are drawn to them." - Thoran Grimwood

  He told the party of his journey to Mareford, how once he was a blacksmith, how he lost his wife during the migration to the portal due to elven raiders and how he ended up here at the Shadowed Oak Inn. He explains he came through the same portal as you did, and there was no hamlet here at that time, nor even a tower that was being built, mentioning that Hilda was with the soldiers building the tower.   "There was only this Inn, and it wasn't in the best of state, run by an arrogant but beautiful elf named Lyria. She asked me to stay and help her fix up the inn once she knew I was once a blacksmith. It started with normal requests, nails, braces... items required to maintain a place like this" waving his hands around.   "However, it then turned into shackles, bars for doors, heavy locks... she said they were for the soldiers at the tower, and I was naive enough to believe her. But... but something was off. I used to hear muffled pained noises, which I thought were the wind, and people would come to the inn seemingly like they were here to settle down and then disappear. One night, I woke and saw a light... was no normal light coming from Lyria's room... I know magic when I see it. The door was open and there was a trapdoor I had never seen, I grabbed my hammer and went down..."   He shuddered "I have seen a lot, but I had never seen that evil, evil and death manifested. I confronted Lyria in that "lair" of here, more of an evil lab or torture chamber or killing ground than lair. We fought... she died... and with her last breath, she cast something and bound herself I swear to this very inn. I can still feel her"   "I guarded that trapdoor, vowing to never go down, even got a travelling wizard to magically seal it. But recently more evil things have been lurking around Mareford and now with the attacks in my own inn, I think it's time that door got opened and this ghost got banished once and for all..."  

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As strange occurrences began to plague the inn, Thoran's desperation grew to remove what he sees as his failure that could threaten the hamlet of Mareford that he has helped grow and nurse. He seeks to rid the inn of Lyria’s haunting but is reluctant to reveal the full truth about her death. Adventurers arriving at the inn are quickly drawn into the mystery. To uncover the truth and lift the curse, they must gain Thoran’s trust and delve into the dark history of The Shadowed Oak Inn.   Guiding the adventurers is Hilda Thornberry, the village herbalist who has lived in Mareford since before it was even a hamlet, though she appears to be a middle-aged woman. Hilda, who once attempted to stop Lyria's dark ritual, now seeks redemption and offers her extensive knowledge of herbalism and arcane lore to aid the adventurers. Her unique insights into Lyria’s experiments and the magical defences within the inn are crucial for the adventurers to succeed.   Through their journey, it is hinted that the adventurers will uncover ancient secrets, confront mystical guardians, and navigate deadly traps. They must gather rare herbs, arcane items, and personal effects of Lyria to perform a ritual that will allow them to communicate with her spirit. This ritual, once completed, will reveal what Lyria needs to find peace and will lift the curse that has plagued The Shadowed Oak Inn for so long.   The adventurers’ quest is one of unravelling a tale of power, betrayal, and redemption. By delving into the dark past of the inn and confronting its mystical defences, they can bring peace to Lyria’s tormented spirit and offer Thoran a chance at redemption. Guided by the knowledgeable and secretive Hilda, the heroes will navigate the complex web of magic and malice that binds the inn, ultimately lifting the curse and restoring tranquillity to Mareford.