"Mmm. If those are the most pressing concerns then it should be relatively trivial to determine which motivated the young man by examining the equipment he chose to take on his venture. And there are no other pressing calls to 'adventure' occurring locally of which you are aware? " Tseran inquires, setting out his usual brand of clockwork 'if this, then that' kind of thinking in advance of results - something he tends to find helps to avoid his rationalizing what he'd like the result to be instead of following where the evidence lies.

Orophear remained quiet through just about all of the conversation but perked up at the story about the orcs. The Duskblade had a certain "softspot" for the pig faced toothy creatures, and by softspot he means just below the sternum.

If given the chance the elf will push to hunt the orcs.

'Hmph. There's always something going on. Monsters in the sewers, treasure in the hills... You're still in the adventuring trade – you tell me.' Haldyn remarked with a heavy shrug.

'And what of current internal politics?' Maelarra inquired pointedly.

Haldyn's look darkened to think of that matter, and he thought over what he could share. 'The Vyperwoods are the greatest rivals to the Stormkins. It's no secret I'm no friend of Duchess Alascartha Vyperwood. She's refused to speak with me over this. She's a rotten woman with a vicious temper.' he growled. 'But none of the houses would dare raise a finger against us or to any other. Rivals we may be, but we are... firm allies. But some, among the houses or others, might seek to take advantage of this.'

'But what are your son's views on this?'

'Of late, he's been arguing that peace and cooperation between the great houses is possible, maybe among the younger generation.' He shook his head at this notion. 'He's much too trusting. I've forbade from making any liaisons that would affect our position or security.'

Orophear stood, itching to be on his way now that the path of the hunt has been laid before them.
"I believe you have given us enough to start with Lord. I'm sure my companions and I can begin our charge post haste and hopefully have this wrapped up promptly. " the normally quiet elf said with a bow, turning to the others and waiting for them to begin to move with him, figuring they could discuss their next move out of his ear shot.

Aerin raised an eyebrow at the elf's sudden action, she could not agree more, yet is was rather unusual for him to behave in such a manner. It appeared he had taken up some traits of the shorter-lived races after all. The dragonkin smirked a little at the thought then got out of her chair, causing more creaking from the abused furniture.

Nodding she showed her agreement "Aye, I do believe we should not waste any time to pick up the trail."

Duke Haldyn also rose, like a mountain on the move, towering over the group once more, accompanied by the same creaking of the couch. 'Good. May the gods speed your search and bring my Orryl home.' he said gravely.

Lady Mae finished her tea and promised 'We shall do our utmost best, your grace.'

'I'll leave you to your work. Question the serving staff and guards as you wish, but don't go creeping about the manor without permission.' Some guards appeared to escort them as Duke Haldyn lumbered out back to his personal quarters, leaning heavily on his thick oaken staff.

*

Fortunately, on their way out, Maelarra's valet Tamae returned and proved she wasn't only useful in organising the priestess's fabulous dresses. 'Well, the washerwoman says Master Orryl's clothes might come back cut and bloody, but they don't stink of drink. There's gossip that he's visiting the temple of Loviatar for, well, you know...'

'Confirming what we already knew: Orryl's carousing is a cover for his adventuring. And Orryl Stormkin, Kallen Vyperwood, Argent Thanatar, Eltain Mintharl, and Kara Ormsarr are the five noble scions that Dorn Hammerhand led off on adventures, each with their own cover stories to their families. Now we must pick up their trail. Come! The game is afoot!' The enthusiastic priestess swept off in a swish of skirts.

On the way, Tamae was able to confirm the rest of what Haldyn had told them, including that The Mocking Maiden was Orryl's current hang-out, and adding 'And they say he once lost a lot of money to a con-artist pretending to be one of them dancing naked dark elves. Turned out she was using a lot of body paint. His lordship covered it up, of course. He doesn't want scandal.'

*

Fighting through the stench in the streets, the adventurers made their way to their first stop.

Although Aerin wished to first find the dwarf mercenaries of Clan Hammerhand and ask about Dorn's whereabouts, Maelarra quietly advised against it: 'If we are being followed or watched by other parties, it would be suspicious if we immediately sought out someone apparently unconnected to the case. Let us wait until we have a solid lead to Dorn... Besides, I don't know where the dwarves gather. The Foamy Beard is a little-known, underground establishment.'

Instead, they went to The Mocking Maiden. Getting directions from a leather-goods seller, they were led into a more-unsavoury-than-usual neighbourhood in the south of Calaunt, with narrow winding streets between the bland grey domiciles. Kaijn had a close-call, jumping aside when someone poured a chamber pot out of a second-story window, the waste splashing over the cobbles. Their guide could only tut that it was a waste of good urine for the tanneries.

Despite this, The Mocking Maiden turned out to be a very good quality inn and tavern, with a merry atmosphere and busy staff. They spotted enough weapons and wands to know it was friendly to the adventuring trade. The food smelled good too; it was just after highsun, they could have lunch here.

"The game is afoot!" echoed in Aerin's mind, making her roll her eyes, to her this was not a game, it was about saving lives, but what did she expect of some snobby noble like her. To Lady Maelarra this seemed to be nothing more but a way of wasting her time between official affairs where she could prance around in pretty dresses or the next-best business deal. The dragonkin's face was dark in disapproval, yet she understood and agreed with priestess' reasoning. Plus it gave her an opportunity to fill her empty belly.

As they arrived at the inn, the Rashemi made sure the waitress noticed her and found a table for all of them, they would draw less suspicion if they actually consumed some of the offered goods...

 Tseran of course, seeks out more detail. An adventure consisting of the expectation of tracking the restless dead through nice, dry tombs generally calls for different equipment than hauling a half-frozen body up a mountain to battle orcish raiders and neither is likely to overlap all that much with the kind of high boots and floral posies carried into any well-organised sewer expedition.

 Come to that, knowing what sort of cuts and stains the gear he does take comes back with can also be of interest, at least to anyone who knows something of the local area - which Tseran doesn't, as yet.

 That isn't to say that he'll get it, but he'll certainly ask and be dwelling upon any information provided while he walks with the others to the Inn, as he does so observing that "A lead is unlikely to present itself. Where then does it seem most practical to begin?"

Orophear followed the other to the inn quietly, his mind wandering to the hills where the hunt for orcs would be plentiful. The elf had an unhealthy bloodlust when it came to ridding the world of those ugly brutes, seeing them as nothing more than a blight.

As if he had been in a trance the elf shakes his head as he stood in front of the table as the others took their seats. Sitting the elf looked about trying to figure out who might be the best to start with for questioning.

"My kind of city." Kaijn muttered as he avoided the the splash of the chamberpots content. He pondered how he would have reacted many years ago, most likely destroyed the building and its occupants. He shuddered and turned his attention to the group as they had arrived at the inn.

The dragonkin was growing hungry and a hungry dragonkin was nothing to be trifled with. Aerin stopped the next waitress passing by, if necessary by stepping in her way, asking her in the nicest way "Please, Miss, we would like a table and some food and drink." then smiled, hoping to sway the lady into serving them.

The run-off-her-feet waitress was startled as the half-dragon interposed herself in her path. 'Alright, alright, right this way.' she stammered, leading them to a recently vacated table and clearing away the last party's platters. 'What can I do you for? Today's specials are roasted lamb and onion, and poached clam and curd cheese. We also have Haskenvale mushrooms, back on the market, for what you care to put them in. We have raspberry tarts for dessert.' The clams probably came from the river outside, so seemed less appetising than usual...

Maelarra and Tamae wisely ordered the roast lamb. On the account of the priestess of Waukeen and the city of Procampur, the adventurers could afford to eat up.

After the waitress took their meal orders, the bartender came over to take drink orders, a middle-aged half-elf woman with keen eyes and easygoing manner. She seemed like the sort who'd know what went on here. 'Well met, my name's Ethel. Welcome to the Mocking Maiden. What would you like to drink? We have Smoke Wyrm stout and an opened bottle of Saerloonian Glowfire, along with all the usual drinks.'

The Rashemi followed the waitress happily and took a seat at the table, preferring to keep an eye on the door. "I'll have all that you suggested - minus the clams. Thank you." she said to the waitress, grinning. Ethel she asked for a mug of stout, then focused her attention back on the people at the table.

"I will have a glass of the Glowfire. Also, I was wondering if you have seen a friend of mine lately, Orryl? My companions and I have recently come in to town and I was hoping to see him. His father pointed me in the direction of this fine establishment in hopes he might be here. " Orophear said to Ethel.

Ethel began to take drinks orders. She looked blankly at Orophear, though there was a good chance she'd at least know of the most famous Orryl in the city right now. 'Sorry. We get a lot of people through here, but I can't say I recall an Orryl. Of course, they don't all give me their names.'

 Ordering for himself nothing more than a light tea and a modest soup dish - having had something of a delicate stomach ever since his experiences in the trackless depths of the swamp - Tseran waits until the waitress has departed and remarks "In the absence of better information, we may wish to attempt to retrace the steps of our quarry. This is an... 'adventuring' tavern. Perhaps someone better versed than myself in the social niceties of the profession ought to see if there is a... board? A grapevine? A means by which adventuring groups pass word of tasks and perils and rat-infested cellars of unexpected size back and forth."

Aerin did not contest Tseran's suggestion to trace the steps of Orran and the other scions, but she felt it would make more sense to investigate further with the dwarves. Yet, it was clear they could not go to the Hammerfist clan or their secret involvement wouldn't be secret anymore. Instead she settled on filling her stomach until they could.

Ethel returned shortly with their drinks, passing them around with care. The keen-eared half-elf had evidently caught the tail-end of Tseran's words, for she added 'Somebody tried setting one up, once. But city authorities tore it down on orders of the Seven, calling it an attempt to organise armed seditious trouble-makers.' She tucked her tray under her arm, carefully not saying much on what she thought of that. 'If you want local news and lore, you have to go the old-fashioned way. You can try Tanshiver the Bard on Turncobble Street, he knows a lot; or listen out for the town criers, but you can use your own judgement there; or just talk to people. Of course, I guess I've heard most of it right here...'

Just then, burly delivery men and women came in, rolling barrels of ale bearing a certain serpentine crest. 'Thanks! Just take them out back.' Ethel called to them, then turned her attention back to the group. 'A new batch of Vyperwood Ale, if you'd like some?'

'So, is everything to your satisfaction?' Ethel inquired, before turning her knowing eyes on Aerin 'And welcome. I must say, we don't get many of the dragonish persuasion here.'

Aerin smiled at the suggestion of Ethel, "A new batch, aye that's something I would be interested to try. - " she replied before slipping a hand into her coin pouch and sliding over a gold coin, carefully hidden under her scaled hand "Should you pick up anything that you consider interesting to us, I'm sure you know how to get the word to us." the dragonkin added inclining her head slightly. She was confident Ethel would have no trouble finding the hotel where they would be staying, Aerin's armor and heritage was drawing more than enough attention to be the talk of the town. Quietly she missed Arrazin, they could have conferred briefly and he would go where she would be getting too much attention. Alas, she was certain the Thayan chainslinger would meet them eventually.

Ethel quirked a momentary smile at the gold coin. 'I'd be able to get a word to you very easy if you were staying at my fine establishment...' she suggested, angling for business, and not unreasonably, for her inn. The Mocking Maiden doubled as both tavern and inn, and had stables out the back. It also noticeably not at all decrepit. 'But I think I'd need to know what you'd find interesting?'

Aerin let go of the coin and took a swig of her drink before answering "Anything on that Orryl boy and other missing youngsters... like him. Whatever you learn about the reason why the orcs are coming down from the mountains - and should there be information about dragons or their kin, particularly the chromatic kind, I'd be happy to hear." she said smiling. "I may have dragon blood, but I'm not as tight about my coins as they are, as you may have noticed." the Rashemi added with a wink, intensionally not letting out if she was going to stay at the inn or not, yet.

'Indeed,' Ethel discreetly removed the gold coin, holding it thoughtfully between her fingers. 'I'm afraid I don't think I know anything special about dragons; I'd say you're the expert there, ma'am. As for the orcs, there's a story going around that they're not just raiding and killing, but kidnapping.'

Ethel paused as the waitress returned, handing out their meals. Once she was gone, she went on, admitting 'Orryl Haldyn never came here, but Kallen Vyperwood certainly did. He was a regular, holding parties for his guests in the private rooms.'
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:21, Wed 06 Sept 2017.

Aerin had been hoping for some clue as to Velvet's whereabouts or at least if his minions had been operating in this area (she'd be only too happy to pay them a visit) but alas, it shouldn't be. However, the second info piqued her interest "Orcs kidnapping people rather than just raiding sounds odd. Do they ask for ransom or are they taking them as slaves? It would be interesting to know who had contact with these orcs and more specifically which areas are they raiding?" the dragonkin asked, curious if this had anything to do with Orryn's disappearance. Was he one of the kidnapped or had he been caught by the orcs as he was investigating the kidnappings with the others?

The Rashemi nodded thoughtfully at the information Orryl had never frequented the Mocking Maiden, contrary to what he had told his father. It seemed a suitable alibi for his adventuring, yet, how did that Vyperwood boy fit into the equation?

At the mention of the pig faced creatures taking prisoners Orophear leaned forward.
"Indeed, orcs usually kill all....unless....perhaps they are selling to slavers. Trade might entice them more than bloodshed....but I highly doubt it. " the elf said as he sat back, his hand rubbing his smooth chin.

'I wouldn't like to think of it.' Ethel said with sadness and fear for the fate of anyone captured by the brutish orcs. 'You'd have to ask the refugees, but I gather they didn't hang around long enough to ask... All I know is the orcs seem to be clearing the land up the River Vesper.'