The first change we noticed was around Spring festival. A travelling bard arrived with stories of people turning into gods. His tales focused on beings like the Angel Noriel, the Seldion the Sage, Kassen the Spirit, and Besmira the Titan. These tales were fantastical but villagers leery of a charlatan encouraged the bard to move on after a few days.
But a few days later the sound of dwarven caravans came as usual for market day. But instead of rolling into town the wagons rolled right by. People came out and saw carts and wagons overflowing with dwarves and their belongings.
The foreman from the logging camp called out “Whats wrong? Where are y'all going?” Only to receive a brusque, “Away, and you would too if you know what’s good for ya” from a nearby dwarf.
When the foreman grabbed the dwarf to pressed for more information the dwarf lashed out knocking the foreman who was a big man on his ass. The dwarf then stood over Payton's recumbent form literally frothing at the lips with barely repressed fury while other dwarves glowered ominously from nearby carts. The villagers were all stunned at the intensity of the dwarf's rage until he turned his back and collected himself. Before stomping off he spoke with words so flat they could be coffin nails. “The land is dead to us. Only madmen remain in its festering corpse. We leave it to you now.”
Then the dwarves rolled out of the village. Some villagers cried out in fear. Without dwarven trade metal and stone would need to come overland from far away. The town elders sent Ned Davis, the best forester, to check out the dwarven citadel to see what was left behind. He never returned.
Then several townsfolk fell sick with a rasping cough. Many blamed the dwarves. Said they must have fled a plague. Others blamed a band of Romaniwho had arrived in town right as the sickness began to take hold. Especially when one of the Romani fell sick as well. Either way the doctor and apothecary were swamped with patients. Meanwhile nasty looks were given to the town's resident dwarf and the Romani.
To distract the villagers the elders sent three more foresters into Darkmoon forest to gather herbs to help treat blacklung. (The disease was named so after the gunk coughed up by its victims.)
It was around then that another storyteller, a wizened old gnome, arrived to distract the town with yet more tales of gods and betrayal. His stories lit the imagination using iconic names for the new pantheon. He referred to the gods using names such as Muse, Warden, Wanderer, Chaplain, Lightbringer, and Beast. His tales were filled with struggles and tragedy. When Besmira was freed from the ocean depths she challenged Seldion for leadership. Seldion called on the Lords of Fire and Earth to aid him but even with their aid the fighting went on for days. Finally Besmira rent the Lord of earth asunder, drove the lord of fire insane, and threw down the leader of the new gods setting Beast upon his trail.
The stories were terrifying, but they also caught the imagination that other tales had primed and every day the healthy villagers would crowd the inn room to hear more tales until many began to believe.
Some citizens were bothered by the differences in the stories told by the earlier bard. But this herald had explanations for everything. "The gods were the same in both tales. Humans change when the mantles of godhood are thrust upon them. The Titan Besmira was the one to explain this to the new gods after fighting to prove they didn't know how to be gods. She then declared herself to represent all that moved in darkness while other would represent the light.
Besmira's ways were drawn from a more primitive time but they were also a foundation which anchored the gods into their roles more firmly then they had been before. This changed them but also gave them power they lacked before. There were lively discussions each night in the inn. Many an eye was blackened in quarrels as people argued whether gods might save the town and if so which one.
After 4 days the second group of foresters also had not returned. The disease is still spreading. The town apothecary is mobbed at all hours. People are scared. Another town meeting is called. This is where we will start.