Strange disappearances plague the mist-soaked village of Dredgewood, prompting the party to investigate. The mayor explains that more than a dozen villagers have vanished over three months, including the most recent, Orin Fetch. Suspicion and fear grip the town.
The party interviews key figures:
Mirra, a young mystic who hints at old energies and forgotten sorrow.
Sheriff Bram Lute, exhausted and out of leads.
Old Harlan Jessop, the last surviving member of a group of childhood bullies.
Through investigation, the adventurers uncover the story of Marcus Thorne, a quiet, neurodivergent boy who went missing over 40 years ago. He was bullied relentlessly by 13 local children. Only Harlan remains alive.
Evidence leads the party to Orin’s abandoned home, where they discover Mirra’s stolen journal and signs that Orin attempted crude protection wards before being taken. Mirra later explains these wards would have been useless — the force haunting the village is not evil, but a tormented spirit born of betrayal.
As the party confronts Harlan, a dark presence descends upon Dredgewood. Shadowy apparitions attack — among them, the twisted spirit of Orin Fetch.
Piecing together clues, the party locates the abandoned Thorn family home. Inside, a simple portrait of two boys — Michael and his older brother — reveals a strained relationship. More investigation uncovers that it was the older brother, overwhelmed by resentment and guilt, for not being able to protect his little brother and find him when he went missing.
Following the trail to the glade, the adventurers uncover Michael’s remains inside the hollow tree, still clutching his sketchbook. His spirit manifests — a tragic figure filled with sorrow, not malice.
In the end, the party must confront not only the vengeful echoes haunting Dredgewood, but the deeper tragedy of a child forgotten, a brother consumed by guilt, and a town complicit in silence.
The mystery resolved, the restless dead quiet, and the truth laid bare, the tale of Whispers in the Hollow closes with Dredgewood forever changed.
