The Woodcutter's Quest

Your name is John. You're a simple woodcutter from the small village of Cessnock. The weather is usually bright and sunny, and your fellow villagers are usually happy with their lot. Until recently, that is, when rumours started circulating that an evil wizard had taken over the derelict castle across the valley to the east.

The village elder tried to calm any fears that their simple existence was in peril and, so far, the village has been ignored by the wizard.

Today, you were out chopping wood in the forest when you heard distant screams. At first, you thought nothing of it, then you saw plumes of smoke rising from the village. You feared the worst. You need to head back to the village to see what's happened.