Alderreach

Alderreach is a small, isolated settlement built on stilts along the edge of an expansive wetland. The village's weathered wooden structures stand precariously above the swampy ground. The air is thick with the smell of decay and stagnant water, while the constant hum of insects creates an uneasy atmosphere. Once a trading hub, the town has declined recently, with fewer traders passing through and many villagers moving away.
The remaining villagers keep to themselves, wary of outsiders and often quick to close their doors at nightfall. The once-vibrant marketplace now stands mostly empty, with only a few brave souls still maintaining their stalls. The cause of the village’s downturn seems unclear, with locals offering vague, dismissive answers about “bad luck” or “changing tides.”
Deeper: Alderreach has a history of producing hardy and inexpensive cordage due to the availability of access to a plentiful source of reeds. However, as the number of reed cultivators and harvesters has dwindled, the cordwains have begun harvesting reeds. In recent months, barges with reed gatherers have gone missing, and others have returned, claiming to have been followed by some creature in the water. The settlement elders have sent adventurers to investigate the disappearances but either they return with nothing to report or not at all. Those that vanished without a trace have all fallen prey to the Mire Basilisk, which has created a den at Mirefen Isle.
A trader named Faryl, who regularly supplied Alderreach with basic provisions from the nearby town of Stillhollow, is looking for any news about an expected shipment of supplied. A cart loaded with supplies vital to the village, never arrived, and he, and the villagers, are growing concerned that without these provisions, the few remaining shops will be forced to close.
The adventurers will find evidence of the cart [1D4] miles from Alderreach, its good scattered and pillaged by opportunistic bandits. A band of What's Due Youngbloods led by a grizzled hangman is found investigating the scrap and surrounding area for tracks. Initially wary of the presence of the adventuring party, if they can identify the direction of the tracks [Search (Hard)] in the watery slurry, the What'd Due band will accompany them to the bandit camp to subdue the outlaws.
See page [XX] for the Shelford Gang Hideout DEN