"A mission to investigate a 'potential' threat? If it's nothing, it's free money" Tristan suggested the others. He took on the lessons from his grandfather, another former knight, and among them the importance of making dependable friends and connections as soon as he could. That's why he didn't hesitate to accept anyone who wished to join him to stick around his nameless group and see how they could help each other.

"And we can search for loot in the area too" Elke argued. She was a female ranger that wished to recover her land from the barbarians that expelled her and her people, but she knew she needed allies and experience for it, and for that reason she travelled and supported Tristan's idea to form an adventure party. She found Tristan inexperienced but fair and the more they travelled the more confident she felt he would help her with her cause when the right time arrived.

The others wordlessly agreed, not finding any strong reason to disagree. It was a party of 6 people, none of them very experienced but all of them game for some quests that could land them some knowledge, experience or simply some money. Robin and Shearah were two magician apprentices that Tristan picked up from the last town, and seeing how he distributed the earnings fairly decided to stick with the group for the time being, while Bharmin and Arazana were two locals that were curious to investigate but didn't want to do it alone until Tristan started asking around, a dwarf warrior and an elf ranger respectively.

"Hah, you were right, there is not much around here then" Tristan said after confirming what Bharmin told him, there wasn't any loot of great value in the forest.

"The house might have some" Bharmin shrugged 

"So you said the house just appeared out of nowhere?" Shearah asked, a bit fascinated by the idea of being able to just create a building with magic like that. From what she knew it couldn't be possible, could it?

"Those were the rumours, that's why they want someone to check" Arazana stated matter of factly

"It's weird though" Robin said

"True, if something like this appeared near me I would want to check immediately" Tristan said looking at the distance where the big manor could be seen

"From what I gathered the experienced adventurers either didn't care or thought it was best to leave those things alone. But I feel it can be important" Arazana replied 

"So probably a good opportunity for us then?" Tristan asked and smiled when Elke just nodded. She wasn't entirely convinced, but with no reports of hostility what was the worst it could happen?

====

The group explored quietly, agreeing to ransack the place that seemed full of, if not treasures, at least very useful equipment only after checking the place was empty. They stood outside for a bit checking for signs of activity unsucessfully, and even knocked on the door for good measure but nothing worked, so in order to complete the quest, Elke picked the lock of the door with surprising ease and Robin casted a basic spell to make their steps quieter. The group with Tristan ahead checked all the things they could get from the big manor, books, utensils, cauldrons and some basic potion materials could be seen in one of the rooms until a black smoke enveloped them out of nowhere.

"What was that? Are you ok? Anyone? ... Shearah? Robin?" Tristan tried to be quiet but not being able to see anything he had to shout to try and reach his companions, specially those who knew some magic

"Here!" he heard Elke's voice and ran towards it until they clashed harder than he would have liked to. But at least she managed to reunite the party

"Oof! sorry"

"What happened?"

"We don't know" Robin said, visibly scared

"W-what's that?" Arazana said with an unusual terrified tone and pointing to a place where only smog could be seen

"We don't see any-" Tristan stopped when he detected something else, it felt like.. big tremors getting near them

"What in the name of-" Bharmin interrupted himself when the smog was clear enough to reveal an outline, a giant outline approaching them

"What should we do?"

"L-let's hide!" Tristan said and the group immediately dispersed, all of them feeling in varying degrees something was very wrong here but still unable to fathom what exactly was it.

What happens next?