**Key NPCs**
- **Baptiste**: Keeper of the Yawning Mastiff. He allowed Rowan to search Pierre’s room after confirming Hugo had given the key. He warned that Gascar resents secrets more than loss. He admitted he did not check Pierre’s room, nor did he see visitors directly, though he could not rule it out.
- **Sylvie**: Shared breakfast with Rowan before he returned to the inn. Continued to provide warmth and counsel.
**Locations**
- **Yawning Mastiff (Pierre’s Room)**: Rowan searched again with his Awareness. He discovered two crucial canonical clues: ink impressions on the desk (a circle crowned with branches) and Pierre’s journal (notes about swamp gas, bog, and a lake in the Azura Wood). Other details included cup stains suggesting Pierre was not alone, a chest with clothes and papers, and a leather satchel with small remnants. Rowan made a rubbing of the impressions and secured both the journal and rubbing.
**Clues**
- **Ink Impressions**: Revealed symbol of a circle with branching forms.
- **Journal**: Contained observations of swamp gas, a bog, and a hidden lake.
- **Cup Stains**: Overlapping rings indicating a visitor joined Pierre before his disappearance.
- **Papers & Satchel**: Suggest Pierre was following unfinished leads; contents were sparse, implying something removed or already used.
**Encounters & Developments**
- Rowan handled discoveries with care, sharing transparently with Baptiste to maintain trust.
- Baptiste emphasized the importance of bringing truth to light rather than hoarding secrets.
- Rowan observed Gascar’s streets after leaving the inn; the fog continues to narrow visibility, presenting the village as both familiar and ominous.
**Rowan’s Progress**
- Secured Pierre’s journal and rubbing of the impressions.
- Confirmed second-cup evidence of a visitor.
- Balanced investigative work with careful diplomacy to keep Baptiste and the villagers on his side.
- Reinforced Guardian ethos of patience, respect, and transparency.