[from the red dragon]
When the group arrises, they enter the large common room to find the table replentished with baked goods, breakfast foods and fruit juices. Fangs is eating heartily at one table, along with several other youths of various races. Cirus runs to Atrax whining in piteous hunger, unaware that someone has attached a large tag to his harness reading "I have already been fed."
There are two large hearths in the room, one of which has been lit, and the other which is emiting a continual rain of soot and debries. After a few minutes, the shower slows and then stops, and a very dirty but happy looking Kirin drops down from the chimney. "I think they make these long brushes now, you know..." she says to the youths with a grin. Seeing the others awake, she waves and says "I'll be down after my bath, Jenrald will be out to breif you soon."
As you are finishing breakfast, an older looking half elf enters and claps his hands briskly to the youths. "Learners assemble in the rear gardens, Master Stephanie will meet you there. Don't take Cirus, he eats the bulbs!" Calling the riding dog over to him, he continues on to the table where you were eating and pours himself a glass of juice. "Pleased to meet you all, I'm Master Jenrald, I'm here to help. Let me tell you what we know about the problem. On the far side of the south reach of the Stonespike Mountains there is a fort. It protects a productive salt mine and the men who work it from goblins, local wildlife and competeing miners to be, and it has always been well defended from outside threats. As far as we can gather from eye witness reports and two long nights of divinations, it has fallen from the inside. A swarm of undead has arisen from within the mine, and ravaged the fort. They are slowly wandering out from its walls, and we are concerned that they will prey on travelers in the area or even spread to local towns. Also, we have been unable to determine the exact source of the undead, and there are disturbing signs that there may be more coming out of the mine, though not in as great numbers as the initial rush.
"These creatures need to be laid to rest, and whatever or whoever is producing them needs to be stopped. I will admit the situation looks dire, and we may need to recruit still more aid in dealingwith it, but I hope you will agree to help."