Hey all, In my fantasy WIP I have my MC and his cousin go off on a task for the medicine man of their town to deliver a collection of herbs to a nearby village that's facing an unknown sickness that the lord of the territory is trying to contain. The MC and his cousin aren't fully aware of how bad the sickness is because they've been training for their tribe's Rite of Passage ceremony. Anyway I have outlined that at some point, the MC goes off the main road and finds a collection of cattle completely slaughtered. He investigates, finds a trail that only he can see (his magic is starting to develop) and just when he's going to follow it he gets captured and that starts a series of events that leads to the MC meeting the main antagonist of the volume. The issue is, I can't figure out a proper way to get him off the main road. I initially wanted the MC to arrive at the village only to discover that there isn't enough herbs for everyone as the disease has spread further than first thought. But that would have lead to an exposition scene about the disease that I already have reserved in the next chapter and is told to another character who is more directly affected by it so it seemed redundant to put it here. Then I wanted the MC to doubt that he has enough herbs and then go off the path to get some more which is where he would find the slaughtered cattle and everything. But then I thought "how would he know how bad it is?" Then I went with his cousin gets captured and the MC goes for help, which is when he finds the cattle but then that story beat is already going to occur down the line so again it seemed redundant. Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm sure there's simple solution but I've been wrestling with this for a while that I probably can't see it. Thank you in advance.
His magic leads him off the path. Something seems wrong. Something a little off. Call it a disturbance in the Force for lack of a better term. If his magic is new, this would be a good way to show of some changes he's starting to experience and how he gets "feelings" that he can't quite explain yet. Other than that, you could always have him leave the road to take a leak. Sounds a little crude, but it's a tried and true plot device.
Maybe he's thirsty and hears a stream? Or one of the cows isn't quite dead, he hears it lowing and goes to investigate? But honestly I agree with Homer above, if magic is going to let him find the path then magic can lead him off the road too.
What if the MC hears or even smells something that seems off, leading him to the site of the slaughter? His cousin may voice caution, or the MC could suggest he moves on, since no one is suspecting something awful to happen out here. Or, yeah, as the other two commenters have stated, his magic could be trying to tip him off about this grisly development and the danger of the antagonist.
- Thirsty, hears water. - Sees a bit of blood on a leaf. - Wants to go find a quiet place to take a dump. - Searching off the path for more herbs. - Sees a pretty flower that someone he knows might want. - Takes a wrong path and gets a little lost. - He sees a bird and follows it, believing it to be an omen. - Hunting a little forest creature for lunch. - Testing out his magic privately. That's what I got.
To begin, a village would absolutely never allow children to deliver anything to another village suffering from an unknown sickness. It would be extremely irresponsible. The children would be most likely to accompany an adult (most likely a father and male friend) who is simply delivering an extra order for the herbs. They don't need to know about the sickness just yet. After arriving at the sickntown, the adults should begin to be serious and start working to treat people at the guidance of one or more medical staff. At that point the children could learn of the inadequate supplies and take it upon himself to go search an area mentioned by the adults for more herbs. That would get the children to the sick village and get them to leave AND get off the main road pretty fast. Where you go from there is up to you.
Maybe he sees smoke, either from a house fireplace or the remains of someone's campsite, still smoldering. It does not have to be anything on arrival but enough to take him away from the main road, or it can add to the story in some way.
Flooded path, land slide, snowstorm, Forest fire, bridge out, A sawhorse that says do not enter. Bad advice on which path to take. Collapsed tunnel.
