**Race:** Human **Age:** 54 **Occupation:** Innkeeper of the Gallows Rest, Village Bellringer **Alignment:** Lawful Good **Location:** Oakrest Village, The Gallows Rest Inn --- ## Appearance Mira is a sturdy woman of middle years with the weathered hands and steady demeanor of someone who's survived hard times. Her face shows the lines of both laughter and grief—crow's feet around warm brown eyes, but also deeper creases from years of worry. Her hair, more silver than brown now, is kept in a practical bun during work hours, though strands perpetually escape to frame her face. She dresses in simple but well-maintained clothing: wool skirts in dark colors, linen blouses, and a leather apron stained with decades of cooking. Around her neck hangs a polished bronze bell on a leather thong—smaller than the tower bell she rings, but clearly important to her. Her hands are marked with small burn scars from cooking fires, and she walks with a slight limp from an old injury. Despite the hardships evident in her appearance, Mira maintains a warm, welcoming presence. When she smiles, it reaches her eyes, and her laugh is genuine when it comes—though it comes less often than it once did. --- ## Personality **Keeper of Stories:** Mira knows more about the Deadwood's dark history than anyone in Oakrest except perhaps [[Sister Malwen]]. She's heard every traveler's tale, every survivor's account, every whispered rumor. She remembers them all. **Ritual's Guardian:** The nightly bell-ringing is sacred to Mira. She's never missed a single night in twenty-seven years, even when deathly ill. She believes with absolute conviction that the bells protect Oakrest. **Maternal Warmth:** To travelers and locals alike, Mira offers the comfort of a concerned mother. She remembers favorites foods, asks after family, and notices when someone is troubled. **Quiet Strength:** Mira has survived losses that would have broken others. She grieves but doesn't let it paralyze her. She serves others because it gives her purpose and helps her cope. **Superstitious but Practical:** While deeply committed to protective rituals, Mira also believes in locked doors, sharp knives, and keeping emergency supplies. Faith and preparedness go hand in hand for her. **Repository of Grief:** Every disappearance into the Glade weighs on Mira. She remembers their names, their faces, their last words. This accumulated grief sometimes shows through in unguarded moments. --- ## Background ### Early Life Mira was born in Oakrest to a family of fishermen who worked Blackmere Lake. She grew up hearing stories of the Deadwood from her grandmother, who claimed to remember when the forest was "only mostly cursed" rather than utterly blighted. ### Marriage and Loss At nineteen, Mira married Aldric, a merchant's son who worked the Armsworth Road trade. They took over the Gallows Rest Inn when the previous owner died, planning to build a life together. For eight happy years, they ran the inn jointly, becoming fixtures of Oakrest's community. Then, twenty-seven years ago, Aldric disappeared. He'd been returning from Duskwatch with supplies when his wagon was found abandoned on the Armsworth Road, goods intact but Aldric gone. Search parties found no trace. Some claimed they heard his voice calling from the Glade's edge, but when they approached, only silence remained. ### The First Bell The night after Aldric's wagon was found, Mira couldn't sleep. At midnight, gripped by desperate need to do _something_, she climbed the old bell tower and rang the bell—loud, defiant, refusing to let the darkness take her husband without protest. She's rung it every night since. Locals began to believe the ritual helped. In the months before Mira started ringing the bell, twelve people had vanished. In the year after, only two disappeared. Whether causation or coincidence, Oakrest embraced the tradition. ### Raising Elara Alone Mira was three months pregnant when Aldric vanished. She raised their daughter, Elara, alone while running the inn. Elara grew into a bright, capable young woman who helped run the Gallows Rest. Eight years ago, Elara married and moved to Duskwatch, seeking a life away from the Glade's shadow. Mira understood but felt the loss keenly. They exchange letters monthly, but the distance aches. ### The Gallows Rest's Reputation Under Mira's care, the inn has become more than lodging—it's Oakrest's unofficial information hub. Travelers share tales over her cooking, locals gather to hear news, and Mira quietly records it all in her remarkable memory. --- ## Role in Oakrest ### The Bellringer Ritual Every night at midnight, Mira climbs the old bell tower at the edge of Oakrest and rings the bell exactly forty-nine times (seven sets of seven—sacred numbers to ward evil). She does this regardless of weather, illness, or personal crisis. **The Ritual's Meaning:** - Local belief: The bells drive back shadowy things that creep from the Glade - Mira's belief: The sound reminds the Glade that Oakrest still stands, still resists - Practical effect: The consistent ringing creates a routine marker villagers use to feel safe - Psychological impact: The community trusts in the tradition, which provides genuine comfort Children in Oakrest are taught that if they ever hear the bell ring at any time _other_ than midnight, they must run home immediately—it's the danger signal. ### Innkeeper The Gallows Rest is Oakrest's only inn, making Mira central to the village's economy and social life. **Services:** - Rooms for travelers (3 rooms, simple but clean) - Common room serving meals and drinks - Stable for horses and wagons - Unofficial message board for notices and requests - Neutral ground for discussions and negotiations Mira charges fair prices, extends credit to locals in hard times, and has been known to house the destitute for free while claiming they're "working it off." ### Keeper of Histories Travelers and locals alike share their stories with Mira. Over thirty years, she's accumulated an encyclopedic knowledge of: - Disappearances into the Deadwood (names, circumstances, last known locations) - Strange sightings and supernatural events - Family histories and local scandals - Trade routes and road conditions - Political tensions between Oakrest and Duskwatch She doesn't write these things down (can't read or write well), but her memory is exceptional. Want to know who vanished in spring twenty years ago? Ask Mira. ### Unofficial Counselor Villagers bring their troubles to Mira over drinks and food. She listens without judgment, offers practical advice, and keeps confidences. She's mediated family disputes, helped arrange marriages, and talked people back from despair. --- ## The Gallows Rest Inn The inn is a two-story timber building on Oakrest's main street, identifiable by its weathered sign showing a hanging noose (dark humor from a previous owner—the building was never actually used for executions). **Ground Floor:** - Common room with hearth, tables, and bar - Kitchen (Mira's domain, off-limits to guests) - Small private room for sensitive conversations - Storage cellar **Second Floor:** - Three guest rooms (simple beds, washbasins, minimal furniture) - Mira's private quarters (includes small shrine to Aldric's memory) **The Bell Tower:** Access is through a narrow staircase from Mira's room, leading to the old tower where the bell hangs. The tower predates the inn, originally a watch post. **Atmosphere:** The common room is warm and welcoming, with collected oddities on shelves—gifts from travelers, found objects, trinkets. A faded map of the region hangs on one wall, marked with notes about road conditions. The smell of cooking food (Mira makes excellent stew) and pipe smoke fills the air. --- ## Relationships **Mayor [[Mayer Harlon Deyne|Harlon Deyne]]:** Mutual respect. Mira appreciates his dedication to protecting Oakrest, even if she thinks he's sometimes too harsh. She's one of the few who can get him to relax over drinks. He secretly funded repairs to the bell tower three years ago. **Sister [[Sister Malwen|Malwen]]:** Close friendship and confidante. They share tea weekly at the shrine, and Mira is one of the few who knows the full extent of [[Sister Malwen|Malwen]]'s visions. Mira's practical faith complements [[Sister Malwen|Malwen]]'s mystical approach. [[Sister Malwen|Malwen]] provided emotional support when Elara moved away. **[[Garrick Thresh]]:** Friendly acquaintance. Garrick drinks at the Gallows Rest most evenings. They trade gossip and complaints about Duskwatch. Mira sometimes has to cut him off when he gets too loud about politics, but it's done with warmth. **Aldric (deceased):** Mira still wears her wedding ring and keeps a small shrine in her room with Aldric's belongings. She speaks to him sometimes while preparing for the bell ritual, updating him on village news. She's never seriously considered remarrying—"I'm still married," she says simply. **Elara (daughter):** They exchange letters monthly. Mira is proud of Elara's life in Duskwatch but wishes she'd visit more. She keeps every letter in a wooden box under her bed. **Travelers:** Mira treats regular travelers like old friends, remembering their names and preferences. She's known to warn off travelers who seem like trouble and has hidden people fleeing danger. --- ## Current Concerns ### The Vanishings Increase Seven disappearances in three months is unprecedented in Mira's memory. She tracks every one, noting patterns: most occurred on moonless nights, several victims reported strange dreams beforehand, none of the bodies have been found. She fears her bell-ringing may be losing its protective power. ### The Children's Dreams When Mira hears about children having nightmares similar to [[Sister Malwen|Malwen]]'s visions, she's terrified. In all her years, the Glade's influence has never touched children so directly. She's begun ringing the bell longer—fifty-six times instead of forty-nine—hoping extra wards help. ### Her Own Dreams Recently, Mira has started dreaming of Aldric calling to her from the Glade. The dreams feel different from normal grief-dreams—more real, more urgent. She hasn't told anyone, fearing it means she's next to vanish. But she won't stop ringing the bell. ### Physical Toll The nightly climb to the bell tower is becoming harder. Her old injury (knee twisted in a fall years ago) aches more each winter. She's fifty-four and feeling every year. She worries what will happen to Oakrest's protection when she can no longer climb the stairs. ### Business Decline With increased disappearances, fewer travelers brave the Armsworth Road. The inn's income has dropped significantly. Mira doesn't complain—she's weathered hard times before—but she's dipping into savings to help struggling villagers. --- ## Motivations & Goals **Primary Goal:** Protect Oakrest through the bell-ringing ritual and by keeping vigilant watch over the community. **Secondary Goals:** - Preserve the memory of those lost to the Glade - Provide comfort and shelter to those in need - Understand why the disappearances are increasing - Ensure someone can continue the bell-ringing when she can't **Personal Goal:** Make peace with Aldric's loss and possibly discover his fate, though she fears the truth. **Secret Wish:** See Elara settled with children before Mira dies, giving her grandchildren to dote on. --- ## Adventure Hooks ### "The Bellringer's Request" Mira approaches the party with an unusual request: she needs someone to ring the bell for her for three nights while she travels to Duskwatch to visit her ill daughter. She'll pay well and provide free room and board, but they must ring the bell exactly at midnight, exactly forty-nine times. She'll teach them the ritual. This could lead to: - The party experiencing supernatural events during the ritual - Learning the bells actually _do_ have protective power - Discovering what happens when the ritual is performed incorrectly - Meeting something that tries to prevent the ringing ### "Tales of the Lost" Mira possesses the most complete oral record of Deadwood disappearances in the region. She can provide: - Detailed accounts of Alira's last known movements - Information about Fenya's disappearance - Patterns in who vanishes and when - Descriptions of strange encounters survivors have reported She shares this information freely with those who seem genuinely interested in helping, but asks that they raise a glass to the lost before they depart. ### "The Map of Memories" On the faded map in the common room, Mira has marked (with help from literate guests) locations where people vanished. The party might notice patterns: - A cluster of disappearances along a specific route - Temporal patterns (more vanishings during certain moon phases) - Geographic indicators pointing toward specific locations in the Glade Mira can explain the context of each mark. ### "Aldric's Call" Mira confides in a sympathetic party member about her dreams of Aldric. She asks if they've heard of the Glade doing such things—calling to loved ones. If the party explores deep enough into the Deadwood, they might actually hear Aldric's voice. Is it really him, trapped somehow? A cruel trick? Part of the corruption's method of luring victims? Mira deserves to know the truth. ### "The Bell's Failure" One night, the party (if staying at the inn) hears the bell ring at a time other than midnight—the danger signal. Mira is in the tower, ringing frantically. Something is approaching Oakrest from the Glade. The party must help defend the village. This could introduce: - A significant threat from the Deadwood - Proof that the bell ritual has real protective power - Opportunities to see Oakrest's people come together in defense - Character development as NPCs show their true courage or cowardice ### "The Successor" Mira's injury worsens, and she realizes she needs to train someone to continue the bell ritual. She asks the party to help her choose and train a successor from among the villagers. This creates roleplay opportunities and lets the party interact deeply with multiple NPCs. --- ## Combat Statistics (If Needed) **Mira "Bellringer"** – Commoner with Ritual Training _Medium humanoid (human), lawful good_ **Armor Class:** 10 **Hit Points:** 22 (4d8 + 4) **Speed:** 25 ft. (reduced due to old injury) **STR** 10 (+0) | **DEX** 10 (+0) | **CON** 12 (+1) **INT** 13 (+1) | **WIS** 16 (+3) | **CHA** 14 (+2) **Saving Throws:** Wis +5 **Skills:** History +3, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +4 **Senses:** Passive Perception 15 **Languages:** Common **Special Abilities:** _Keeper of Stories:_ Mira has advantage on Intelligence (History) checks related to local events, disappearances, and the Deadwood Glade from the past 30 years. _Bellringer's Ritual:_ Once per day, Mira can perform the bell-ringing ritual. When she does, creatures of evil alignment within 300 feet of the bell must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or feel compelled to move away from Oakrest for the next 8 hours. This is not magical compulsion but supernatural tradition made real through belief and repetition. _Warning Bell:_ As an action, Mira can ring the bell rapidly to signal danger. All allied creatures within 600 feet who can hear the bell gain advantage on initiative rolls for the next minute. **Actions:** - **Iron Skillet:** +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. (Mira will defend her inn if necessary) - **Kitchen Knife:** +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage. **Reactions:** - **Protective Warning:** When a creature Mira can see within 30 feet is about to be hit by an attack, she can shout a warning. The creature gains +2 to AC against that attack. --- ## Quotes _"The bells keep us safe. I've rung them every night for twenty-seven years, and I'll ring them every night until I can't climb those stairs anymore."_ _"Aldric always said the Glade would take him eventually. I told him it was foolish talk. We were both right—it took him, and it was foolish to think we could avoid it."_ _"I've heard every story about the Deadwood there is. Monsters, ghosts, living trees, demon gates—all of it. You know what the real horror is? Most of those stories are true."_ _"You want to know who vanished last spring? Torren Blackwell, age seventeen, went out to check his trapline and never came back. His mother still sets a place for him at dinner. That's what the Glade does—it doesn't just take people, it leaves holes behind."_ _"The young folk think I'm superstitious. Maybe I am. But superstition has kept Oakrest standing while braver, smarter places fell. I'll take superstition over courage any day."_ _"When you ring the bell, you're not just making noise. You're telling the darkness that we're still here, still fighting, still refusing to surrender. Every ring is an act of defiance."_ _"My daughter thinks I should move to Duskwatch, away from all this. But who would ring the bell? Who would remember the names of the lost?"_ --- ## Special Knowledge ### Information Mira Can Provide **About Disappearances:** Mira can recount specific details about dozens of disappearances, including: - Time of day, weather conditions, moon phase - Last known locations and activities - Victim's age, occupation, personality - Any unusual signs or warnings beforehand - Whether any remains or belongings were found **About the Bell Ritual:** - She learned it from her grandmother, who learned it from the previous bellringer - The exact count (49 rings, 7 sets of 7) has specific meaning—seven is sacred - The bell must ring at midnight precisely - Missing even one night feels wrong, like inviting darkness in - Other villages tried similar rituals; most stopped and those villages are now abandoned **About Aldric:** - He was investigating reports of strange lights near the Armsworth Road - The night before he vanished, he seemed troubled, said something felt "wrong" about the air - His wagon showed no signs of struggle; the horses were calm - One search party member claimed to hear Aldric's voice but couldn't find him - His wedding ring was never found (Mira wears hers and his would have matched) **About the Gallows Rest:** - Built over 80 years ago by a Duskwatch merchant - Original owner died in the inn under mysterious circumstances (claimed he saw his shadow move independently) - The bell tower is older still—at least 150 years, possibly more - Strange occurrences over the years: objects moving, voices in empty rooms, cold spots (Mira has learned to live with them) **About Oakrest History:** - The village has contracted inward three times in living memory - Population peaked at around 300; it's now 180 - Several buildings near the western edge stand empty—too close to the Glade - Old families have abandoned Oakrest generation by generation --- ## DM Notes Mira serves as the heart of Oakrest's community—a repository of history, a source of comfort, and a symbol of endurance against the Deadwood's darkness. She represents ordinary people doing extraordinary things through sheer determination. **Roleplay Tips:** - Speak with warmth and welcome; Mira makes people feel at home - Show her encyclopedic memory by recalling specific details about past events - Demonstrate her weariness physically (touching her knee, moving slowly) while maintaining emotional strength - Let grief show in unguarded moments when discussing the lost - Use the bell ritual as a defining character moment if the party is present for it **The Bell Ritual as a Scene:** If the party witnesses Mira's midnight ritual, make it memorable: - Describe her slow, painful climb up the narrow stairs - Show her ritual preparation (lighting a candle, touching Aldric's shrine) - Make the bell-ringing itself solemn and powerful - Describe how the village seems to sigh with relief when the last ring fades - Perhaps have something supernatural occur—shadows pulling back, a distant howl cut short, etc. **Plot Integration:** Mira provides: - Extensive lore about the Deadwood and its victims - A safe haven and information hub in Oakrest - Emotional stakes (protecting this kind woman and her community) - Potential plot hooks through her knowledge of disappearances - A grounding in the human cost of the supernatural threats **Development Opportunities:** - Discovering Aldric's fate could provide closure or tragedy - The ritual could be proven effective or revealed as false comfort - Mira might need to choose between her duty and visiting her dying daughter - Teaching a successor could involve the party in village politics - Her dreams of Aldric could lead to a rescue attempt or a heartbreaking discovery **Balancing Hope and Darkness:** Mira embodies the balance this campaign needs—she's experienced terrible loss but hasn't given up. Use her to remind players that even in dark settings, people find ways to keep living, keep hoping, keep ringing the bells against the dark. Her belief in the bells might be superstition, might be real magic through tradition and faith, or might be psychological comfort that has real protective value through communal belief. Leave this ambiguous unless revealing the truth serves the story.