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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 463315" data-attributes="member: 6294">"Unearthing the Past" by Jesse Decker (WotC Cliffhanger) - Part 1The tap room of the Birchwhistle Tavern is filled to bursting.  Festival time has come, and the population of Amberdale has swollen to three times normal.  Adventurers, traders and assorted other ne'er-do-wells rub shoulders in the tavern, on the streets and - if they get too unruly - in the equally crowded jail cells of Captain Jarrek.With three of their members already occupied with their own projects, the Company has lost more of their number in the last twenty-four hours: Gabrielle has accepted a temporary assignment with the town guards, while Elspeth has disappeared in search of the local ranger, intent on giving him a stern dressing down for his poor efforts in looking after the area.  The elven ranger has forcibly dragged poor Rose along on this quest, apparently taking Cpatain Jarrek's injunction to "keep the halfling out of trouble" very seriously.This leaves just Ming Li and Ulfgar - newly acquainted as they are - to share a table in one corner of the crowded room.  Between the gruff dwarf and the contemplative monk, there is little being said, and the corner is almost startlingly quiet compared to the hubbub from the rest of the room.As the two enjoy their more or less companionable silence, a man enters the tavern.  He is slightly overweight, and bears the harried expression of someone with a great many things on his mind.  Glancing around the room, he hurries over to a particularly voluble group of adventurers near the door.  He speaks for some time, gesturing in an agitated fashion as he does so.Suddenly one of the adventurers - a burly, hawk-faced man - bangs his mailed fist on the table,"I am Kyrnyn, Champion of Heironeous!" he bellows, "Not some grocer, to be bothered with such errands!"The other man steps back, raising his hands in a placating manner, then hurries away from the table, looking around urgently.At length, his gaze falls on the silent duo, and - taking in their clothing and weapons - he approaches, half nervous, half eager.  Up close, they can see that he wears an apron, and has a smudge of flour on one cheek - the kind of smudge that always make you worry that there might be something on your own face."Excuse me," he begins, "my name is Gendrew.  I'm the cook responsible for the Harvest Feast."Ming Li nods,"We have met." She observes, "Your wife is a sorcerer.""A wizard, yes." Gendrew agrees, "I have a bit of a problem that I was hoping you could help with.  You see, we have a missing shipment of food.  I sent two of the local boys to meet the wagon this morning, but no one has returned.  I'm busy here with preparations, and I need someone to go check on that wagon.  The village needs the food - the Harvest Feast will be a disaster without it.""We might be able to look into it." Ulfgar allows, "What can -""I'd be pleased to assist in your endeavours."The speaker is an extravagantly dressed halfling, whose dapper appearance is rather spoiled by the pattern of fresh breadcrumbs on his shirt."Macwood Fleetfoot, at your service." He doffs a non-existent hat, "Bard and explorer, extraordinaire.  If food is in danger, I'm your man."Given the state of his clothing, it seems more likely that he would be the culprit than anything else, but Gendrew seems not to care,"Oh thank you so much." He nods worriedly, "I'm very concerned I must say.  The roads can be dangerous this time of year.  I didn't think of it, when I sent those boys out, because I used the same road myself a few days ago, but now I am very concerned for them.""Excuse me." A slightly built human lad approaches the group, "I couldn't help but overhear.  My name's Briar.  The lads you sent to meet the wagon were friends of mine.  If they could be in danger, I should go and look for them.""Your accent is not local." Ming Li observes.Briar snorts,"Neither is yours, lady." He smiles disarmingly, "I'm from Tarkamul.  Came into town a day or two ago and got friendly with Jesper and Garal." He turns to Gendrew, "That was who you sent, right?  Tall, red haired kid and a smaller, darker guy with a broken nose?""I didn't get their names, but that sounds like them." The cook acknowledges, then turns back to Ulfgar and Ming Li, "Can you help these two gentlemen look for the wagon?  I'm very concerned about it, and the boys that I sent.  I'll pay you each 20 gold if you find them.""Sounds fair." Ulfgar glances suspiciously at his new companions, "I just hope these two can pull their weights.""Can either of you heal?" Ming Li has a focussed and specific mind.At the answering negatives, she turns to Gendrew,"We lack a healer, and will thus require supplies from the Sanctuary.  Can you pay us in advance?" the question is phrased baldly, the monk seemingly oblivious to the idea that anyone might doubt her sincerity."Um ..." Gendrew looks uncomfortable, "I guess I can give you half?""That is acceptable." The monk allows, before turning to her companions, "Are you ready to leave now?"Briar nods as Ulfgar merely slaps a hand on his axe by way of answer."Just give me a moment." Macwood dashes for the bar, "I need to grab a snack for the journey."While the halfling ensures his appetite is well-catered for, the others get details of the wagon's planned route from Gendrew."The shipment was mostly oysters and fish from the coast." The cook explains, "It was coming from a little harbour village named Roskan's Wharf.  Take the road heading south-east out of town.  Roskan's Wharf is only about ten miles away, so it must be somewhere between there and here."With their destination established and Macwood happily munching on his snack, the four adventurers leave the tavern and head over to the Sanctuary.None of them notice the small figure which flits from shadow to shadow in their wake.</blockquote>

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