The group moved through the town gates and began to turn to go up hil to the Inner Compound of The Lumber Consortium and the town was very active for this late in the day. searching was going on everywhere. Suddenly a few people recognized you and they began to run to you asking for your help

One portly woman Arell recognized as the Dana Jabbs, wife of the town butcher pushed through tears streaming down her face. Arell Arell You have to help me. help us. The Children The Chiildren have gone missing. . My Mikra. You know he cant do things for himself help us.

Arell and Nomerendal know Mikra Jabbs had a difficult birthing and as a result has mental deficiencies. Hes as good natured and as good hearted as they come and has always been a beacon of sunshine to the town. coming and talking always with a smile on his face. Arell has read stories to him a time or two. Most folks in the town have. Mikra has a crush on Kimi and she was always looking out for him. Funny enough, Jurin Kreed, Thuldin Kreed's son, had taking a liking to the older Mikra and was usually by his side when he wasnt at home.

Arell holds up a hand, "Easy Dana," he says, "I just found out about it a little bit ago.  We're going to talk to Kreed now and see what we can do to help."

Kimi, Jurin, and now Mikra...  This is beginning to sound like a childish jaunt gone very wrong.

He gives her a reassuring smile, "Don't fret.  We'll see them returned soon enough."

"I'm so sorry Ma'am, I can't imagine how hard this must be," she offered a hug to the woman, but understood if she didn't want to embrace this strange warrior woman and didn't push it.

"I'm a friend of Arell's," she continued smiling at the often-grouchy clerk for just a second. "We're going to do everything we can to help you. To find your Mikra and the others."

"Any information you can tell us would be helpful. Who saw them last?" she asked the woman. "What were they doing? Had anyone heard the group of them making any plans? Do they have friends who haven't gone missing? We should try to talk to them."

A couple of locals pipe up in turn saying they saw the the 5 kids talking down by the old Mill.

Someone else says Savram Vade...Shavaros Vade, the mysterious wizard who sold Fidget a couple scrolls, his son was with them.

Savram is 9 years old and is always trying to tag along with the older kids. Quiet and studious not much is known about the youngling.

Then Ralla, one if the women who work at The Sitting Duck steps forward and says her brother Hollin was among the 5. The hard woman with the flashing green eyes, who the town knew made her living in the oldest profession to care for her brother since their parents died in a lumber accident when logs fell off a wagon crushing them.

Hollin fancied himself a woodcarver and sold small animals he carved at the lower market. He is only 10 though. A red haired freckle face boy with a quick temper.

Ralla said Kreed is only concerned about finding his own son. he hadnt mention ours at all. yull find Hollin wont you Arell

Arell isn't quite sure what to do with Ralla when dealing with her in this context.

They were...close, as far as these things went.  But the relationship was so strictly professional it had been a few years before he realized that she and Hollin were related.

"We'll find them, Ralla." Arell reassured, "And Kreed may be a selfish bastard, but he's had several days head start on us, so it still behooves us to check in with him...if only to know what places not to look."

Kimi the hunter's daughter,
Jurin the businessman's son,
Mikra the butcher's son,
Savram the wizard's son,
And Hollin, the entertainer's brother.

Give them a few years of training and they might being doing this shit instead of him.

He turned to the people that mentioned the mill, "Does Kreed know about this?"

The look that followed was obvious that they had no idea if Kreed knew or not
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:13, Thu 06 Dec 2018.

Arell's expression of disapproval was all he needed, no "face-palm" necessary.

"...I am disappointed in you." The paladin said evenly, "You may hate Kreed and his men.  But they are HERE, there's a lot of them, and Kreed has a vested interested in seeing this task done.  If you really wanted those kids found, you would have used that resource to the best of your abilities.  They could have been back home by now if you had just told Kreed where to start looking."

And with that, Arell starts walking at speed toward Kreed's headquarters.  Rolf at least trotting along at his heels.

Tanien quietly followed along with the group.  Not knowing the worried mothers, the best he could do was to give a knowing nod and his own worried frown.

Nom joined Sara in reassuring the locals. They all knew him and he them. The little gnome had watched these children grow up, had performed for them, pulled coins out of their ears and so forth. There was certainly a level of anxiety and concern on his part, and though it might not match that of the parents and relatives, folks around here were his family in the years since his parents had passed on.

"We'll find them. Please, Arell's right for the most part, if anybody knows or hears or discovers anything, please let us know quickly!"

"Arell! Wait up!" Nom shouted and scampered off after his old friend.

Dorak, who doesn't really know these people, isn't blinded by personal concern. Instead he looks at each face in passing and reads their body language. He notes the actions of folks who appear to be withholding information, if any.

Sense Motive 23 on d20+7.

Sara followed Arell closely, her strange lack of coordination slowing her, but not so much that she couldn't keep up. she was interested in hearing what Kreed had to say.

Dorak looked over the crowd and saw nothing but genuine concern exhibited.

Making their way up to the compound they saw Kreed standing in front of his house. Kitani Eaveswalker was talking animatedly with him as well as several other townsfolk. Standing a short distance away looking on unemotionally was the Wizard Shavaros

Payday Teedum stood to the left and back half a step from Kreed, as well as a few other guards.

Kreed saw the group and smiled. well look what we have here. I see youve lost 3 of your group in the search for my lumberjacks. Did you fix the problem? Will my shipments start again?
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:12, Thu 06 Dec 2018.

If anything Arell's frown deepened.  Kreed's priorities had always been skewed, but this was a new low.

"Yes, Kreed, once the men recover from almost being eaten by giant spiders, I'm sure they'll get right back to work." He replied, general cantankerousness masking his overt sarcasm somewhat, "My concern right now is the missing kids.  The townsfolk say you've started canvasing.  How much ground have you covered?"

oh yeah. that. that fool son of mine gone and got himself lost. for a split second Arell could see the mask of incivility slip and the eyes of a worried father stared back then it was gone as fast as you could blink and in its place was a dead pan uncaring face.

you neednt trouble yourselves about this. my men will handle it. they are close to finishing searching the town vicinity them they will spiral out further and further until we find a sign. We've got this.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:58, Thu 06 Dec 2018.

They clearly didn't have it. She bit her tongue before explaining it to the boss.

"Let's be on our way then," she said tugging at Arell's arm. "They've clearly got this." She smiled graciously at Kreed and then slapped herself on the side of her head trying to silence the voice there.

Once away from Kreed she'd explain to her friends what she thought they should do.

"They're doing a brute force search. We can be smarter. Let's head for the mill where they were spotted gathering and see if we can talk to anyone who saw them there. Or other kids who heard what they were doing there."

And there went Arell's opinion of Kreed as a savvy businessman.  Congratulations!  You searched the entire town without asking a single person a single damn question.  To what depth of stupidity will you sink next?

"I see..." the clerk replied, the picture of civility, "Well, we're going to go try a little further afield.  We'll let you know if we find anything."

He nodded to the worried parents and headed off towards the old mill.

"...last time I defend that moron." he muttered none too quietly once they were out of earshot.

"I must speak with Kitani for a moment.  I will catch up with you very soon.", Tanien said to Sara and Arell"

He walked over to Kitani and greeted her warmly.

"Kitani. I just got into town and heard about the Kimi.  It pains me to hear such news."

Nom had to give Arell and Sara high marks for the way they were comporting themselves. Subtlety and patience weren't really their strong points. Usually they tended to punctuate their speaking with a sharpened tongue or the sharp end of a sword. He'd need to congratulate them later however.

"Actually Kreed, I believe we've completed, quite admirably, the task you set forth regarding your men and the camp. There's a matter of payment needing to be settled. As it appears you have the search and so forth completely in hand, I'll assume that now is as good a time as any to settle up?"

Kitani sees Tanien and a wild mixture of emotions play across her face, relief...anger...hopeful ...fear ...she walks up to him well met Tanien. i didnt expect you to come by. whats ot been 8 years since you were here last?! Have you heard anything if Idris?...


Kreed look at the gnome like he was a bug...a bothersome but...

yes quite. 600 wadnt it? 100 per?

"I am traveling south on business and thought I would visit as you were on my path. I'm sorry, Kitani. No.  We have heard nothing of Idris back in Greengold.  I just learned of him leaving earlier tody. ", Tanien replied, an answer she probably half expected.

"Enough about Idris for now. He can take care of himself.  I'm more concerned about Kimi.  Everyone seems to believe that she and the other children are in danger."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:35, Fri 07 Dec 2018.

In reply to DM Dread (msg # 43):

Dorak looks at Nom. "You're usually the lad that does the negotiatin', now, aren't Ye lad? Was that what was offered?" The dwarf rumbles "If Tarack's in town, I'll have to see if me cousin will let me work out of his home. Got to put my anvil somewhere."

Fidget still trying to understand how all these people could just loose five children was hard for to grasp. Arell, Nom wait for us. I want to speak with the wizard before we take off. He may know some thing or no of some way we can discern at least which way the children went.

Sara would you come with me, to head are better then one when solving a problem. She asked as she was pulling her away from the group and towards the wizard.

Sarvaros I'm so sorry what can we do to help? Have you heard anything? Can you think of any place they might have gone or even a spell that could help us locate or maybe track the kids? After a pause she adds. Of course it goes with out saying that we are going out and finding all the children as soon as we've spoken to everyone here,

Fidget reaches out and takes one of the wizards big hands in both of her tiny ones then looking up into the old mans face, as tears trickle down her cheeks. I'll bring Savram home safe I promise.

Practically dragged by the little gnome, Sara went along to see the Wizard. She still wanted to talk to children around town.

someone who would better than me who had decent diplomacy should roll gather information. I botched it when I rolled earlier.

"That's very generous of you, thank you. As you noted, we've lost three of our companions... If I might simply request the payment they would have received, it would go far to help offset the losses and resources spent, as well as the supplies and incidentals which we understood would be reimbursed as well. So six hundred, more three and another to cover our costs, makes an even thousand gold. Certainly a good deal for you to have the logging shipments back on schedule?"

Nomerendal, having learned his lesson in trying tricksome tactics against Payday, spoke simply and businesslike in his request.

Diplomacy (Versatile Performance: Oratory): Nomerendal Tunespinner rolled 27

"I'd be happy to accept the full amount now so that you and your men can get back to controlling the situation, or rather keeping the situation controlled, erm... finding your son and the other children I mean..."

Kreed looked at the slight Gnome and his gaze was a steely glint. and long moments passed and then with a glance around the crowd he growled Pay them Payday.

The gruff body guard moved forward and motioned the gnome to follow him to the structure that served as the Consortium's headquarters here in The Hollow, where he pulled 1000 gold out in the form of 100 platinum pieces from a wall safe and handed it to Homerendal. Dorak and Arell had gone with Nomerendal.


Meanwhile Tanien continued to talk with Kitani. worry flitted into the Clothiers eyes as she began to tell the story how Kimi had left in the morning like she always did after her chores were finished and gone to play with her friends. She always came back at sunset, but yesterday she hadnt. Kitani had spent a fitful night trying to find her and knocking on doors. The only clue she could give was that Kimi kept talking about being an adventurer like her dad.

Savaros looked down at Fidget with a deadpan face showing absolutely no emotion. If he hadnt been outside listening to Kreed, the diminutive sorceress would think he didnt care. Then the arcane caster said thank you. Ive told Savram many times to stay away from those other children. Its best to seclude yourself for your studies. People will always lead you astray. Hurt you. I wouldnt know where he might have gone, nor do my studies lend themselves to that sort of magic.