Into the Woods

* Grindstone is on the Penobscot River and consists of several homes as well as a general store, post office, and church
** The church is the only building made of stone
** There is no one around (sus)
** Lumber mill is on the river
* Alec asks Signe about what it’s like hunting Vaesen. Signe replies in a vague manner.
* Martha is stinged that there is no candy dish!
* We have a very cordial chat over dinner with Mrs. Chamberlain about what occurred in Grindstone with James and Geoffrey. 
** The house and her chair have vines and woodland motifs decorating it.
* The details as she claims;
# The two men arrived and Jeffrey discussed selling the mill to Augustine Meyer
# James seemed more like the lackey, Jeffrey had boss energy (ie. the more valuable person)
# The village priest Rian McGowan talked with Geoff the night he disappeared.
## People saw Geoff heading to the church after dinner
## Mary seems to have a distaste for Father McGowan
* Alec mentions the details from James about the beast with red eyes
** Mary tells us of a local legend of a large creature, more agile than a wolf, rumored to protect holy grounds. 
** She claims not to believe it. . . She’s too proper to believe in such things
* Signe asks about Father McGowan: 
** He’s a nice man
** Lived here his whole life
** Apprenticed under the previous priest and took over when he died. 
* We thank Mary and go put our bags in our rooms.
** Martha takes James’ room and Signe takes Geoffreys’
* We decide to take a walk to get a feel for the place. As we get closer to the church Alec suddenly is overcome by fear. Something appears to have spooked him.
** He is very wary and does not approach the church, he wants to go back.
** William agrees and starts to head back
* Martha and Signe snoop closer to the church:
** It’s an old stone building with a walled cemetery to the right side
** Martha sees a window in the back overlooking the cemetery lit by a single candle.
* Signe is about to get closer to the door when something comes over her.
** She freezes like a deer being stalked by a predator, she goes pale
* She grabs Martha and without a word they run back to the Chamberlain house.
* William has already reached the house and returned to his room.
** He discovers that his belongings have been searched and that his whiskey is missing!
* The ladies and Alec return, Signe rushes up to her room and shuts the door. Martha tries to follow but stops at the door.
* Alec does not believe William when he tells him about the missing whiskey.
** Thinks he just drank it all
* Martha looks and also sees her things have been searched by nothing is missing.
* Everyone turns in for the night:
** William tries to self medicate and fails. He’s looking beyond rough!
** Alec undresses and reads a passage about fear in a book
** Martha is looking out the window of her room (James’) and takes note on how beautiful it is here.
*** There is an awning under the window, someone could stand on it
*** There are more pillars with the vines & nature motif on them
** Martha sits down and tries to Write.
* Meanwhile Signe is in the middle of a panic attack. After returning to her room she paces around, wringing her hands, breathing heavily. 
** She starts searching through her bags frantically looking for something until, in her pocket, she finds the charcoal drawing.
*** She burns the drawing inside the bed warmer.
* The next morning William confronts Mary about the theft of his whiskey
** She’s quick to name Dorothy Keegan, says she is a cagey & untrustworthy woman who lives in a very large house down the road. 
** She was left alone for a brief time when she came to visit the night before. 
** Dorothy and the Pastor are friends.
** SUS AF
* After breakfast and we are alone, Martha shares a note she found in her room. Wonders if it could be written by James? (see handout)
If you hear the sound of fleeing birds, snapping branches, and loud footsteps, you shall be its next victim. Pray then that your fate will be swift; for staring into its infernal gaze can plunge even the purest mind into madness. Those who threaten the place of God will suffer its wrath. This fell guardian is our Church Grim. Larger than a stag, stronger than a bear, and more agile than a lynx, it watches over God’s acre. Running faster than a horse it hunts down anyone who endangers this place. It rests at the place where the Lord’s eyes are watching.
* Signe recognizes it to be written by Martha’s hand
* Signe looks around the main floor of the house. It looks dusty and untouched, like Mary is the only one who lives here and no one uses this floor very often. 
** Mary’s living quarters are down a long hallway on the second floor
* We prepare to go back into the town, Signe takes her gun.