Redclaw's Secret of Castle Whiterock

[Walking Dad]

"My...relation?" Talon's brow furrowed in contemplation. "I am their enemy!" he then said simply. "There is nothing but blood between us."

"In that case... the enemy of my enemy... will maybe of some help. My name is Tulbar. Let's search together. Maybe the people who are afraid of orcs are willing to talk wih halflings." Tulbar says before he continues his search.

 

[the_myth]

A small gnomish woman dressed in mail steps forward from the crowd.

"I shall join this company to save your city's missing babes!

I seek a guide into the mountains, so I would gladly offer my spells and songs to any company who would take me with them there.

Upon our return, I write a beautiful sonnet... NO! a symphony...to honor their return."

With that, the gnome pulls a flute from inside her chain shirt and begins mumbling bits of words and occasionally bleating a note or two from her instrument, apparently beginning her musical opus.

 

[Redclaw]

"I'm Tulbar. I will help if I can. But I can go tomorrow at the earliest."

The guardsman looks you over and frowns a little. We're asking your help, so it would be rude to question any offer, but we'd sure appreciate the help as soon as possible. Is your other business truly so pressing that you'd leave those children in the wilds a day longer than necessary?

"I am Talon; last of the Wolf Clan. You people to not trust me but I need your help. I will find your missing pups. All I ask you help me find the Broken Tooth Clan in return and not have your doors locked upon my approach and my questions met with fear."

The guardsman takes a step back as the half-orc bares his fangs, then nods gratefully despite the sudden lack of blood in his face. You'll have our thanks for any effort you take on our behalf. I don't know much about the Tusks, except that they harass mountain caravans at times. But we can find someone with more information if you'll help in the search.

He turns to talk with a group of other adventurers that come forward together, then turns back to Talon. Most folk are showing up in numbers. Mayhap I'll ask you to search with some other singletons, hey? There's a halfling around somewhere who might help.

"I will help find the children," Elwyn says, stepping forward. He turns to address the rest of the assembled crowd. "Please, any of you with the means to do so, I encourage you to step forward and aid us in this. As the sunlight shines on us all, so must we all sometimes help each other. And, as you have heard, there are other rewards as well."

The smile that greats Elwyn's offer shows familiarity as well as gratitude. Thank you, Master Bluefoot. Your presence will bring the Sun Lord's guidance to the search, I'm sure. He looks around to make sure nobody can hear and asks, Would you be willing to work with a few...unusual...folk? We seem to have some that will need a local...guide.

"20 gold you say? Hmmm. How many are missing exactly? chimes in a diminutive Gnome, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, as if performing some daunting mental calculations. Suddenly, his head snaps up, and he addresses the guard anew: "Oh, hey! Before there are any misunderstandings, about the bounty for returned children, you didn't specify if it only applied to living children, and not bodies. Y'know, cuz if they're dead and whatnot, and i/we bring them back, i don't want to hear any kinda "Well, i meant alive, so you don't get squat" stuff, y'know?" The Gnome waits expectantly on the guard's answer.

The guardsman tries to stifle his anger as wails of dismay and shouts of hatred come from the crowd at the gnome's suggestion. The reward is for living children. We all hold out hope that they will be recovered unharmed. He pauses and lowers his voice so only the gnome can hear him, Have you no compassion? The families are all around us. The city will pay you 5 gold for the bodies, just to put an end to the questions, but please, bring them back alive.

A small gnomish woman dressed in mail steps forward from the crowd.

"I shall join this company to save your city's missing babes!

I seek a guide into the mountains, so I would gladly offer my spells and songs to any company who would take me with them there.

The guardsman nods. I have just the group for you over here. He guides her to an odd gathering of folk. Master Bluefoot, here's another for you, he says as he presents her to a human cleric.

 

[covaithe]

The smile that greats Elwyn's offer shows familiarity as well as gratitude. Thank you, Master Bluefoot. Your presence will bring the Sun Lord's guidance to the search, I'm sure. He looks around to make sure nobody can hear and asks, Would you be willing to work with a few...unusual...folk? We seem to have some that will need a local...guide.

"Of course, friend. Anything that will help bring the children home safely. And please, call me Elwyn."

Master Bluefoot, here's another for you, he says as he presents her to a human cleric.

"Greetings, and welcome. I hope I can convince you, at least, to call me Elwyn?" the cleric gives a restrained smile.

 

[WarShrike]

The guardsman tries to stifle his anger as wails of dismay and shouts of hatred come from the crowd at the gnome's suggestion. The reward is for living children. We all hold out hope that they will be recovered unharmed. He pauses and lowers his voice so only the gnome can hear him, Have you no compassion? The families are all around us. The city will pay you 5 gold for the bodies, just to put an end to the questions, but please, bring them back alive.

"Well of course it'd be preferable for all concerned to bring them home alive. Especially for the children, y'know? I'm just sayin. If they were taken by dastardly Goblins, then they're probly fine for a while, but y'know, if the local cougar population just got tired of sheep, well... Regardless, if alive, they will be returned. If not, well, closure is important as well. And they should be buried proper like with their own, not left out in the wild to feed the.. uh.. whatever. But like as not it's not big cats. If i were a big cat, i'd stay with sheep. Good mutton is hard to beat."

 

[hero4hire]

"Well of course it'd be preferable for all concerned to bring them home alive. Especially for the children, y'know? I'm just sayin. If they were taken by dastardly Goblins, then they're probly fine for a while, but y'know, if the local cougar population just got tired of sheep, well... Regardless, if alive, they will be returned. If not, well, closure is important as well. And they should be buried proper like with their own, not left out in the wild to feed the.. uh.. whatever. But like as not it's not big cats. If i were a big cat, i'd stay with sheep. Good mutton is hard to beat."

"The Mountain Cats would not take so many...So quickly. It is not their way." he replied to the Gnome before addressing the volunteers in a raspy growl. "We should leave now. Quicker is better..for them...for us." His eyes then narrow on the Goliath. "You there..Rock-man. You have the look of a hunter! Can you track?"

 

[bedford]

Rungner turns to the halforc " No I am not much of a hunter, more of a fighting man" the goliath ads with pride. He then takes a look at the gathered adventurers. "Surely there must be someone here with tracking skills.."

 

[Walking Dad]

"The Mountain Cats would not take so many...So quickly. It is not their way." he replied to the Gnome before addressing the volunteers in a raspy growl. "We should leave now. Quicker is better..for them...for us." His eyes then narrow on the Goliath. "You there..Rock-man. You have the look of a hunter! Can you track?"

"Sigh, so much for finding some answers first. I will travel with you. And we," Tulbar looks at the orc, "should share our informatons regarding the Tusks. And before anyone asks, yes, I'm a halfling, but no, I'm no trapsmith. I'm a warmage."

 

[Redclaw]

"Surely there must be someone here with tracking skills.."

The guardsman comes back, having sent off several other groups of searchers, and addresses your question. All of our best trackers have already tried and failed. It likely wouldn't do you much good to have one along anyway. We've divided the surrounding area up and ask that you search a quadrant as completely as you can. We might not be able to follow a trail, but they must have been taken somewhere, so all we need to do is find that final destination.

I've sent others out already, but we still need a group to search around the old monolith. It's an odd stone atop a plateau not too far into the mountains. Check that whole plateau and the area around it. Good luck to you, and may Pelor light your path, he adds, with a nod to Elwyn.

 

[WarShrike]

"C'mon! What are we waiting for? The sooner we leave, the better the chances we find em alive! And their worth 4 times as much alive. Let's go!" That said, he trots excitedly in the indicated direction.