Dal didn't have any more questions so she just shook her head when Morgrim asked.  She bowed her head to the merchant and then followed Morgrim and Elle to the Seamstress.  After they had left Dunavan.  "Hmmm.  Perhaps she has something that we could buy from her.  It always helps to loosen the tongue and get information if one buys products or is generous with their purse."

Following their meeting with Dunavan, the party makes their way through town toward Terestia's worshop. A short walk later the trio arrives upon a small wooden building with a slate tile roof. A handpainted sign over the lintel reads: Terestia the Laundress and Seamstress.

A plume of dark smoke rises from the central flue and the area smells richly of detergent. Within the workshop, a friz-haired woman with an angry scar from ear to chin is busy stirring some clothing in a large vat of steaming water. She looks up from her task and to the adventurers' arms, perhaps expecting to see a bundle of laundry or clothing to be mended.

The tools of her trade litter the workshop in addition to a few racks of items to be mended and and or cleaned.

"Morning! Be right with you..." She ceases stirring the vat and continues by exchanging greetings with the adventurers and making a zealous pitch for her services, "...cleanest clean you'll get in all Ten Towns and fine stitches for finer britches!"

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 17):

"That's good to know since we'll be in Bryn Shander a bit longer.  Before I leave I wouldn't mind seeing some of your work if you happen to have anything around.  My brother has a birthday coming up and it would be good to see him in something besides what he always wears."  Dal pointed towards Morgrim when she said her brother and grinned.  She'd let him do his speechifying since he was good at it.  She could give speeches but hers were more religious oriented or "picking on Grim" oriented than finding out more information.

Ellie dips respectfully to the seamstress; "Like Dalgura here, I'm also curious. However, I do believe in honesty so I must say that your skill and talent as a seamstress is not why we visit; we believe we have a mutual friend, a Harper by the name of Aarun. Dunavan sent us your way, we were hoping to check in on Aarun to make sure that he was safe."

Morgrim smiled and nodded in kind before turning somewhat more sober and serious. "Aye. Mithann and Dunavan both fear for his safety. He has not checked in as expected."

Terestia's face grows concerned upon hearing the true cause for the adventurers' visit. Tossing a tunic back in the steaming vat she responds, "Indeed. I too am concerned. He was to take shelter here last night, but he never came."

The woman claims Aarun had been using her workshop as a base of operations to watch those coming and going out of the Northlook, just across the street. "He hasn't come back for his stuff and I haven't seen him in three days."

"Might we look over his effects?" Morgrim inquired. "Perhaps we can piece it together?"

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 22):

Dal gave Morgrim a quick look and rolled her eyes.  "His effects" were words that her order used when they didn't want to refer to the stuff from dead bodies.

"Might we have permission to go and look through what is there.  It might give a clue to what is going on."

Terestia nods in agreement to the dwarves' request and shows them to a ladder leading up to the loft above her workshop.

The loft is cluttered with supplies but tidy nonetheless. A bedroll and a large backpack are situated along the side of the loft nearest the street. Terestia suggests these belong to Aaarun. "He used the window over there," she says gesturing toward a nearby small vent window, "to watch the street." She suggests she isn't sure what, or who he might have been looking for, but he spent quite a bit of time engaged in this activity. Looking through the vent offers a great view of the Northlook.

Aarun's pack consists largely of travelers supplies in addition to a small briefcase filled with various dyes, fake mustaches, wigs, etc.

OOC: Explorer's Pack and a disguise kit.

Morgrim looks over the contents of the pack briefly, and then turns his attention to the room at large. If only Aarun had left a note, or a journal, or something...

Searching. 22:58, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  Perception.

Morgrim sifts through Aarun's pack and finding nothing, sets it aside before turning his attention elsewhere. The loft is jam-packed with Terestia's belongings and nothing obvious leaps out at the dwarf as not belonging. Looking back at the disguise kit, which is now lying just beside the pack, Morgrim notices what looks like a folded bit of parchment between two of its compartments.

Drawing the parchment free of the compartment and unfolding it, the following short note is are written in the common tongue of Thorass:

Aarun

Problems have arisen. Please meet me
at the Northlook to discuss. Soonest.

                              Mithann

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:16, Tue 21 Feb 2017.

Dal let Grim look through the pack.  She sat by the window and looked out, trying to see what Aarun would have seen.  She moved a little bit but took note of any side streets plus how far she could see.  How much of an advance notice might Aarun have been given?  How far and wide was his vision?  What stores could be seen as well as what back or side entrances could be seen.  One could see a lot, sometimes, by just being quiet and watching.

Morgrim pocketed the note and resolved to ask Mithann about it shortly. Stepping over beside his sister he followed her gaze out onto the street and watched the traffic of people for a few quiet minutes. Like Dalgura, he had no one of knowing what it was they were meant to be looking for.

Why the Northlook? And why would Mithann ask to meet him there of all places?

Unless something of credible interest caught their attention Morgrim at last turned back from the window and suggested to the others that it was time to leave.

"Lets go find this huntsman. We can speak with Mithann after."

Leaving the Explorer's Pack and disguise kit for now.

"Remember, if something has happened to Aarun, then Mithann could be in danger too" Ellie said, thinking back to her previous 'episode'. She was, however, ready to go as Morgrim suggested.

"This note is at least three days old," Morgrim replied. "And we've seen Mithann since. Although I suppose you're right, there are no assurances that anyone is safe at present, ourselves included."

"Keep an eye about ourselves."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:19, Tue 21 Feb 2017.

Following their meeting with Terstia the Seamstress, the party heads to Geldenstag's Rest to meet up with Algonell the Hunter. As it turns out, he is out about town running various errands and several hours pass before they catch up with him.

Eventually, they meet up with him in the common room at Geldenstag's. Algonell has just returned from checking on a line of traps he set outside town, all of which have apparently been tampered with. The half-elf appears quite sour over this point and mentions as much.

"Been like this for weeks!" he scowls.

"Been like this how?" Morgrim asked once he had introduced himself and explained their reasons for being there. "Are animals stealing from your traps? Or something more clever?"

"Yes. Animal's missing from my traps, whne they did not remove themselves. This much I know."

Algonell further explains this has been happening for several weeks now. He was also recently accosted by three thugs outside of Bryn Shander. He was hauling an elk back to town when he was robbed at sword point.

"I reported the robbery to the sheriff, but he said there was little he could do because he had already committed his guards to other activities in town."

He further says he went to Mithann after he got no help from the sheriff. "Mithann suggested I meet with a man named Aarun, and supposedly arranged a meeting. He never came."

"Something has to be done," he laments. "Already too much food has been lost with winter already biting at our heels."

"We've been trying to locate Aarun ourselves," Morgrim grumbled ominously. "What can you tell us about these men who accosted you? And how far away are your traps? I would be willing to have a look, however I'm not sure we can do so today with our commitments as they are."

A dark, concerned look flashed across Ellie's eyes when the hunter mentioned the sheriff being unhelpful. She bit her tongue however, satisfied with the way Grim was handling things thus far.

In reply to Ellie Dovehand (msg # 35):

It didn't come as a surprise that the law in the town was not exactly helpful. She personally thought it was wrong but she didn't live here and many would take exception to outsiders interfering.  She smiled at the thought that  they might not be exactly pleased with Grim.  Of course all things that upset the law would be Grim's fault.  It was a matter of principal of course.

"Did Mithann give a suggestion on how Aarun would be of help?"

"They were three. None locals, judging from their thick Luskan accents," Algonell says. He goes on to say the men were lightly armed and seemed to be laying in wait along the game trail. After the ambush andf his subsequent encounter with Sheriff Markham, Algonell did some reconnaissance of his own, to try to put an end to his traps being tampered with.

He continues by claiming his belief these outlaws may be operating out of a cave about seven miles north of Bryn Shander, near Maer Dualdon, about halfway between Bryn Shander and the village of Termalaine.

"Sure enough, they slip in and out of Bryn Shander," he says in a conspiratorial whisper, his eyes darting from face to face.



"She suspected the men who accosted me might be in league with some Luskan by the name of Slim. Up to no good here in town. Aarun was apparently working to root these men out of the region and thought my knowledge might help."

Ellie pursed her lips, and gave a "Mmmhm" sound. Everything was matching up, this was bigger and more dangerous than anyone cared to admit.

"I'd suggest staying away from the sheriff and his men, unless you trust them absolutely, Algonell. You might do best to make yourself scarce in general; if they find out you've been looking into things then you could wind up in trouble. Would you be willing to lead us to the cave you spoke of?"

She looked at her two companions, and shrugged. "I don't know if we can go now, but perhaps? It is not far, we could certainly be there and back before it got too late, although it would depend on the size of the place. If it's just three men it wouldn't take long."

Morgrim shook his head. "That's a four hour journey there and back on a clear road. We'd never be back on time for Dunavan tonight. But tomorrow we can take a look."

"Speaking of," He continued, addressing Algonell. "It may not make up for your lost game but we could use another steady hand tonight, and you may get a chance to push back against some of these Luskan bastards if you're interested," Morgrim offered, explaining their commitment.

Algonell nods in agreement and says, "Thanks for the offer. The last few weeks have not been very bountiful and any work I can get will help."

Alogonell claims he is skilled with the bow and spear, "but hopefully I won't have to prove it and the night will be uneventful, save for the metallic clink of coin at the end."