Cinder

The Village of Cinder

“Where silence works the fields.”

Once a humble farming community known for its barley harvests and pottery, the Village of Cinder now stands as one of the most unsettling sites in the western territories. From a distance, it appears almost normal—smoke rising from chimneys, tools moving in steady rhythm, fields being tilled and fences mended. Yet a traveler who approaches soon notices the strangeness: no chatter, no animals, no laughter. Only the sound of footsteps and work without purpose.

The people of Cinder move through their days with precise, mechanical rhythm. They do not speak, eat, or rest that outsiders can see. Should one attempt to question them, they give no reply; if physically restrained, they freeze in place—staring blankly until freed, resuming their labor as though no interruption occurred.

Disturbing Signs

• No Animal Life: Not a single chicken, cow, or cat remains within the village limits. Dogs that wander near are said to turn tail and flee without provocation. Even the crows avoid the rooftops.
• Endless Toil: The villagers maintain fields that yield little fruit, hammer nails into already mended fences, and carry water back and forth without drinking it. The motions themselves seem to matter more than any result.
• The Black Node: Careful examination (for those brave enough) reveals a black fungal growth at the base of each villager’s skull—roughly thumb-sized, slick, and pulsing faintly when touched. Attempts at removal have resulted in violent spasms or instant death.

 

Behavior and Influence

The villagers act with collective precision, reacting to disturbances as one organism rather than a crowd. When threatened, they scatter in perfect formation, retreating into nearby barns or root cellars. Some witnesses claim to hear a faint chittering beneath the ground—a sound like insects tunneling through soft earth.

Their coordination suggests a shared consciousness, directed by some unseen intelligence. Scholars from the Collegium Arcana speculate that the fungus is not merely parasitic but hive-forming, merging multiple hosts into a single mind.

Local Rumors

• The Silent Bells: Some travelers swear they’ve heard the church bell ring at midnight, though the rope hangs loose and no wind stirs.
• The Black Harvest: Barley from Cinder’s fields grows in patches miles downriver—shriveled, gray, and humming faintly when broken open.
• The Buried Heart: Old prospectors claim there’s a sinkhole behind the mill, covered over with planks. They say something moves down there, breathing just out of sight.

Interaction and Danger

While the villagers do not attack unprovoked, their silence and unity make them deeply unsettling. Should an intruder attempt to damage property, steal goods, or harm one of them, the entire village will stop—simultaneously turning to face the offender. What happens next depends on who tells the story, but few who’ve seen that stare ever linger long enough to finish it.

Current Status

Cinder remains under quarantine by declaration of the frontier marshals. Travelers are advised to avoid the region entirely and report any wandering “farmhands” exhibiting similar symptoms. The cause of the affliction—fungal, magical, or extraplanar—remains unknown.