Aldric Voos the Outsider

Your vehicle's engine stops in front of the old wooden sign.

"Welcome to Ash Valley."

The paint is faded, and fog shrouds the road leading to the village. Beyond, pine trees rise, and beyond them, the Black Forest, a place about which few reports exist, but rumors abound.

Three days ago you received a special priority case file: three disappearances, no bodies, no suspects, and no apparent explanation.

The local police closed the cases as accidents or missing persons. Your superiors weren't satisfied. That's why you're here.

You left the vehicle on the outskirts of the village so as not to attract attention.

You close the door, adjust your coat, and start walking.

With each step, the silence grows denser.

As you pass through the entrance arch, you notice something unusual: the inhabitants continue with their tasks, but fall silent upon seeing you. The windows close. An old woman lowers her gaze. A child runs to his mother without uttering a word.

They are not afraid of the forest.

They fear that someone may have arrived to ask questions.

The answer won't come on its own. You'll have to earn the people's trust, follow the clues, and discover who's lying... and why they're all protecting the same secret.

You take a deep breath and look at the main street. The police station, a cafe, a warehouse, a church, and several old houses await you.

The investigation has just begun.

What will your first move be?