Chapter 27: Spinebrook

Kenshiro and his companions arrive at Spinebrook, a rugged logging outpost nestled at the edge of civilization. After days in the wild, the shift to noisy roads, hard stone buildings, and warm sunlight is both welcome and jarring. The town is alive with activity—burly laborers, tattooed orcs, massive beetles used for hauling timber—and Kenshiro finds himself absorbing a new layer of culture in Nowhere.

As the party splits up to take care of errands, Kenshiro stumbles upon something at the town’s notice board that shakes him deeply, forcing him to confront a part of his recent past. Fel’Tal tries to reassure him, but the emotional weight lingers. Later, the group reunites at the local inn, where laughter, drinks, and a moment of camaraderie help ease tensions. Through it all, Kenshiro gets a small taste of normalcy—and a reminder of just how foreign, dangerous, and unpredictable this new world truly is.