Ronalt listens to the report then rolls over and returns to sleep. ~No much he can do about it now.~

Vestan stops scratching his arm pit. Apart from a chronic case of bedhead, he looks quite perky. His eyes seem to shine with an alertness which belies the condition he had entered the room in the night before.

"I', absolutely famished! He says " I could right do with a full fry up! Any one eldse?" He pauses a moment and cocks his head to one side. "Hang on a mo! You say the tanner's burnt down?" he asks, his voice tinged with concern. "That's awful!" Four lines cross his forehead telling others in the room he is worried. His wife and children are missing?" H

He stands up and begins to head to the door. "Come on folks, this is horrendous! Breakfast can wait......We've got to go and search for them....who knows where they might be? If  goblins have them, we'll have to rescue them!"

He reaches the door and turns to the others, pulling himself upright.  "Come on folks, we must do something! The Tanner's missus is the only one who can finish my snake skin suit!"

"You walk out that door and you will be lynched from a nearby tree branch if any of the locals spots you. Got back to sleep the tanner matter will wait till morning." Ronalt replied from his bedroll without enthusiasm.

Vestan blinks in surprise at the human's response. "Lynched, why on this plane of existance would they want to lynch me? I've not done anything. Infact I even gave the tanner coin in advancement. If there's anyone who deserves to be strung up, it's that thieving little bleeder!"

"Unfortunately, the village blames us for the troubles from which we are trying to extricate them.  At the moment, the council is giving us shelter until the can get us out past the villagers so we can get on with our job."

"Shut, up, boy! You're in 'nough trouble already!" Arek growled.
"I've a feelin' we shouldn't b' hangin' bout waitin'. The locals might b' lookin' for scapegoats..."
Maybe sneaking out would be the best idea. Go finish the job and present the fact on their return, along with a few bandit and gnoll heads for flavour.
Naturally while good in theory, the real problem would be getting out of the village, in broad daylight, undetected.

Felicia frowned with disaproval at the halfling and his words.

Well then Gramps, if you want to go, let's go! We can sneak past the Tanner's on the way out and I'll just nip in and see the widow, get this sorted out in a jiffy!"

"We gave our word we would stay, Arek." Ronalt added with a resigned sigh. "If we leave what message is it sending those whom are trying to protect us from the wrath of the grieving locals?"
"And as to point out the obvious, some of our number do not sneak at any time."

This message was lightly edited by the GM at 02:50, Fri 01 May 2015.

Vestan moves up the stairs and opens the door at the top of their ‘bedroom’.  The hulking figure of Rufus stands before him. It is clear that he has been outside for sometime, though out of earshot. Smiling grimly at the halfling he says 'Going somewhere? Out of the question, the council is going to sit shortly to discus the events of the night and you presence is required." without waiting for a reply he gently closes the door in the thief’s face.

Time moves on slowly and somewhere around dawn the door is opened again and food brought in for the ‘guests’. Shortly thereafter the council all enter looking even grimmer that usual. Elmo enters and stands at the back his arms folded across his chest.

Jaroo speaks as they take their seats, "My friends things are..." he is cut short by the priest of St. Cuthbert, "Jaroo! We still do not know if they are friends or enemies!".  Jaroo stares at the priest before continuing, "Things are reaching hysteria level in the village.  The tanner’s house and shop were burned to the ground last night, totally destroyed.  Inside we found the body of his wife but not his children, it would appear they have been abducted. Elmo found traces of goblins near the scene and they undoubtedly are involved as is someone within the village. As newcomers, suspicion has inevitably fallen on yourselves."

Scowling, he pauses for a few seconds before going on, "It is fortunate that you were all here last night, had even one of you been out in the darkness, we would be facing a witch hunt. Clearly none of you were involved." Again the priest interrupts "We’ve been over this before Jaroo, they might have outside help!" for some reason the priest looks at Elmo as he says this.

"Silence, by Beory!" and exasperated Jaroo commands the priest, who contents himself to mutter something to the mayor. "For better or worse we are all in this together.  We do not have the strength to mount some form of rescue mission for the children, but they must be found! The confidence of the village folk in their leaders is sorely stretched and will not withstand further tragedy."

Visibly pulling himself together, he continues, "Although, we do not all agree on this, it has fallen on yourselves to complete this task. Such a rescue will help restore confidence in the villagers, failure or refusal, will almost certainly result in you being outcast. I am sorry."

He pauses and waits for any response....

Ronalt frowns, "You realise this sounds more of a bait and trap the longer it is thought about."
"As we are the only external help you have, are you certain such an endeavour is the wisest course of action?"

The cleric of St. Cuthbert jumps to his feet and shouts "Two inocents have been abducted and you contemplate leaving them to their fate! Rael, is this not proof enough?"
This message was last updated by the player at 01:18, Sat 24 June 2006.

Ronalt glares at the priest, riled by the man, "We are not stopping you from going to look for them."
"I have heard no thanks for bringing back the wounded or dead. You seek to blame others for what is happening, yet you don't even offer to help or give thanks."
"You want our help, you ask, Priest of St. Cuthbert."
"No demands, no threats. Just a please help." Ronalt is fed up and angry.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:01, Sat 24 June 2006.

Adia-Ny may be infinitely patient, but even he is ready to get up and get going.  However, he whole-heartedly agrees with Ronalt and sits back to watch the situation play itself out.

Vestan picks at the fabric of his new shirt."The tanner's brats eh? Perhaps they can recompense me for the suit their dear departed father robbed me off one way or another? I hear there's barbarian tribes to the north who will pay premium prices for young 'uns to raise." He then gives a sigh. "But I'll need to change me shirt first. I must have been drunk last night to have wanted to gamble for this shirt!"

You'll do no such thing! Felicia practically shrieked at the halfling's plan to turn slaver.  With her fists balled up on her hips she glared at Vestan, her eyes filled with fire.

Vestan matches the woman's stare, his head cocked to look up at her. His hands slam on his hips. "BUT I MUUST!" He yells in a high pitched voice. "FUCHSIA, IS SOOOO NOT MY COLOUR!!"

"Please can we have some calm reasoned discussion here!" said the druid in a powerful voice. "Arguing amongst ourselves only helps the enemy. !" he calms down slightly and continues in a softer tone, "Ronalt, you know what is right here, the children cannot be abandoned. It would destory eveything we have tried to build here if this came to pass. Believe me I would do otherwise if possible but we have no option but to ask you to rescue them. Only the concil members present could attempt such a rescue if you do not undertake it and for the sake of the village we must stay here to prevent any further incursions and to mainatin the saging morale of the villagers."

He paused for a few second then says, "It should not be necessary, but I do ask you to please do this. Oh.... and Vestan, any further talk of slaves, zombies... in fact, just about any other talk, will get you arrested."

[Private to Vestan Pance: The look Jaroo gives you leaves you in no doubt he will do as he threatens.

OOC: Liked the shirt posts buy the way. ]

"As you wish Jaroo. I know the children need to be found. It just riles the Priest of St. Cuthbert should be a support not an irritant." Ronalt replies to Jaroo turning away from the Priest of St Cuthbert.
"Do you have any insight to where the children might have been taken?"

Vestan opens his mouth to protest the dispicable treatment he is being subjected to when he catches the druids look. Instead he shrucks off his pack, huffing with the effort and letting it fall to the floor. He then bends over it, muttering under his breath (just) and begins to rummage through it, looking for a spare shirt.

He exchanges shirts whlst the others discuss the mundane efforts of rescuing the offspring of a thief and a liar.

From his position leaning against the wall Elmo speaks up, "I know where they left and the trail looks quite easy to follow. It heads to the South East towards the Kron hills, I heard tell of a goblin camp down that way and was planning to check it out before you found the bandits at the moathouse."

OOC: in case this has never been mentioned, the moathouse is to the North East.

"Sounds like we have hurt them in the moathouse for them to try to draw us of to the Kron hills." Ronalt offers, "It would be a shame to withdraw the pressure we have exerted there to chase the children but it is a necessity at this point in time."
Ronalt dons his armour in preparation or leaving upon the hunt for the goblins and children.

"Ah don't like it! Th' moat house 'as barely been touched so far, an' I'm loathe to leave it lay now."
Arek hadn't been too happy at the need to withdraw to Homlet in the first place, but with what seemed half the village menfolk dead or injured, they'd truely been left little choice. Now this further distraction from the real goal threatened to allow a complete evacuation or worse, reinforcement of the stronghold before they could deal with it properly.
"We 'ave no choice. Child'en must be found!" Areks clenched fist slammed down on the table before him, driving home the import of his words.

Vestan rolls his eyes. "Gramps is right, well very nearly, that last bit spoilt it." He finshes buttoning up his shirt. "We're exploring that ruin, not chasing after goblin fodder." He pauses, thinking hard." I just don't understand why we should chase after them if there's no gain to be had. The little blighters are probably already digesting nicely in any case. Still at least that means the goblins will be slower in moving. Infact we may even catch them in a post meal snooze! That should make it easier for us to dispatch them, eh?"

With the way forward reluctantly agreed, the meeting runs to its close.  Jaroo and Terjon heal the party as soon as it is over.  Rufus and Jaroo escort the group to the edge of the village as a precaution.  It is still early enough that the villagers up and about are to busy with their daily chores to take much notice.

The sad sight of the burnt building, still smoldering in places is enough to keep the mood somber as they approach the place Elmo saw the tracks.  The party leaves Hommlet under a dark cloud, perhaps rescue of the kidnapped children might help redeem their good name.