The protagonist took a moment to get his bearings, looking around at the village and its inhabitants. He noticed that the villagers seemed friendly and welcoming, but there was also a sense of unease in the air. He wondered if it was related to Thorne's disappearance.
He decided to start by asking around, seeing if anyone had any information about Thorne or his disappearance. He approached one of the guards, a tall, imposing man with a stern expression.
"Excuse me," the protagonist said. "I'm looking for information about a man named Thorne. He's a villager here, and he's gone missing. Do you know anything about it?"
The guard's expression softened slightly, and he nodded. "Ah, you must be the one from the guild. We've been expecting you. Yes, Thorne did go missing a few days ago. He was out in the forest, gathering herbs, and he never came back."
The protagonist's ears perked up. "Gathering herbs? Do you know what kind of herbs he was looking for?"
The guard shrugged. "I don't know, but I can take you to see Elara, Thorne's sister. She might know more about it."
The protagonist nodded, and the guard led him to a small cottage on the outskirts of the village. Elara answered the door, a look of worry etched on her face.
"Can I help you?" she asked, eyeing the protagonist warily.
The protagonist explained his quest, and Elara's expression changed from worry to hope. "Oh, thank the gods you're here," she said. "I've been frantic with worry. Please, come in, and I'll tell you everything I know."
The protagonist followed Elara into the cottage, eager to hear more about Thorne's disappearance and what might have caused it.