Aethelburg's Ravenwood Curse

The flickering gaslight cast elongated shadows across the cobblestone street, barely piercing the perpetual gloom of Aethelburg. Rain, not unlike tears shed by the city itself, slicked the worn stones and mingled with the grime that clung to everything. You draw your threadbare cloak tighter, the damp seeping into your bones despite the meager protection. Aethelburg wasn't a city known for its comforts. It was known for its secrets, its whispers of forgotten gods, and its desperate hunger. You arrived on the last coach, penniless and with a past you'd rather leave buried deep within the shadowed corners of your mind. Rumors whispered on the road spoke of opportunity in Aethelburg - whispers of unearthed artifacts, of fortunes waiting to be claimed in the crumbling ruins beneath the city, of dangerous secrets that could shatter empires. You were drawn here, like a moth to a flickering flame, despite the grim tales and ominous warnings. But Aethelburg doesn't give anything freely. You've already learned that much. Every meal is a bargain struck with desperation, every night spent dodging the city guard a lesson in survival. You are one of thousands seeking fortune, but only a handful will find it. Most will end up swallowed by the city, another nameless ghost haunting the labyrinthine alleys and forgotten catacombs. Tonight, however, something is different. The air crackles with an unnatural energy. A strange glyph has appeared overnight etched into the stonework of the marketplace fountain – a symbol you've seen before, a symbol that chills you to the core. It's a mark of the Ravenwood, a long-dormant cult rumored to worship entities beyond human comprehension. Their return can only mean one thing: chaos. As you watch, a figure emerges from the shadows, his face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. He approaches you cautiously, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "You look lost, traveler," he rasps, his voice like dry leaves skittering across pavement. "Or perhaps… you're looking for something? Aethelburg has a way of leading those who are seeking to the answers they desire. But be warned, the answers often come with a price." He pauses, studying you intently. "Are you willing to pay it?" Your story begins now. Tell me, what do you do?