The warmth of the inn was a pleasant change from the outside. Kalgren took a moment to savour it before the sight and smell of homemade cooking reminded him that the last bite he had to eat was half a day past now. A quick scan of the place revealed that two of his travel companions, the golden dragonborn and tiefling duo was hard to miss, had already treated themselves to a meal. He manoeuvred his way past the tables and patrons and reached the woman who had just placed two plates of steaming roast on the table.

'Greetings, your ladyship.' Kalgren gave a polite bow. 'I see you have provided my friends with some exquisite dining. Might I bother you for a third plate of the same, along with a mug of your finest ale? Much obliged.'

He took a chair from somewhere and sat himself down at the table with the others. 'Gentlemen.' Kalgren addressed the two. 'How's Drefeld treating you so far?'

Vigil raised his head from his plate when Kalgren called out to him. He couldn’t help but scoff.

"Gentleman? Ha! You’ve got the wrong guy."

He turned his head back to his meal while talking with the holy man.

"As for this place, can’t complain. Food’s pretty good. How’s your priest friend?"

"Thank you for the map, Wulfa," Zack bows his head, looking at the map before pocketing it. He looks around the room, "Word is you're a wizard. I see you have quite a few notes here. Though I must admit, this is a strange library..." his arm sweeping the room, "as there's not many books. Would you have any on local legends or creatures? Perhaps I might find a clue."

After he finishes his conversation, and if there are no books, Zack will turn for the door. "Thank you again for this information, Wulfa. I'll find the others now and we'll see what we can ascertain as to what is happening in your town."

Demolishing his meal as if he had not eaten in days, Grell leans back rubbing his stomach affectionately, before belching loudly. He lets out a roar of a laugh, slamming a hand down onto the bar, "Hah! Now that is what Grell calls a good meal!".

He turns, seemingly only noticing Kalgren for the first time, smiling as the Half-Elf talks about the priest.

'An amicable fellow.' Kalgren replied. 'Knows nothing more about the string of disappearances than we do so this Wulfa is our only lead.'

A loud belch interrupted his speech. 'Charming.' Kalgren continued with a raised eyebrow.

He looked around and noticed the one absent. 'Where's our investigator pal?'

"I'm hardly a wizard... I... I try, but I haven't even managed a single spell. But I know the theory, and I enjoy studying magic and its effects on life." Wulfa laughs a bit. "There are a few books I have lying around, chronicling the old tales of Drefeld. Most are goliath in origin, since they inhabited this valley before humans did. Here." He walks over and grabs a couple books, handing them over to Zach. "Just don't let them get destroyed, if you would please! And please, let me know if you find much of anything."

Elandar, meanwhile, goes back and brings out an additional plate for Kalgren, and a stein of ale. "Another half-elf? Mh, and not too bad looking." She winks and gives a giggle, before moving out to attend to other patrons.

Zach, upon leaving the library with his two books and the map of Drefeld (which Devan will provide to you all in DMs when he can), is able to head back to the Cask without incident, and can see the rest of the group at the bar.

Still enjoying his meal as he was conversing with Kalgren, Vigil pointed towards the exit with his thumb.

’’Went to the library after you left for the temple. Elandar said that that’s probably where Wulfa would be. I imagine they’re both having a little chit-chat over there.’’

Grell listens and then thinks, "Grell does not recall where the other went, but bar-lady said this Wulfa is likely in the library, should we want to ask him anything. Also..." the Dragonborn pauses to lean in a little closer, "... she told us about two families disappearing, and a Captain of the guard that's a bit..." Grell makes a gesture to imply the other man's incompetence.

"So..." he continues, "... we could find our investigator, find Wulfa, find Captain, or..." he turns to face the two with a stern look, "... pick up a trail at the missing families' homes."

'I'd say we wait for our fourth companion.' Kalgren replied, his eye perhaps lingering a moment too long on the serving lady's back. 'At least until I've had a taste of Drefeld's cuisine.'

He picked up his knife and fork and cut into his roast in a refined manner, courtesy of his upbringing. 'We'll discuss what to do next if he shows.'

"Grell agrees, four is better than three..." the Dragonborn says seriously, reaching for his stein of ale, sniffing it first before happily taking a large swig.

While he walks, Zack peruses the pages of the two books he has been given, but not knowing Goliath he cannot understand at this point. He considers casting Comprehend Languages but thinks better of it. He's going to need proper time to sit and read, Maybe tonight, he thinks.

Zack enters the inn to find his fellow travellers sitting at the bar enjoying some food and drink. He sits down, placing the two books on the bar, and turns to the others. "How is the food? I've had a reasonably fruitful conversation with our host and benefactor, Wufla." He pulls out the map and lays it out flat on the bar for the others to see, then points to each of the indicated marks. "These two north of the river are the homes of the missing people, while these two further south are the farms of the first animal disappearances. Whatever it is attacks at night and seems to leave strange markings made with some form of tool... perhaps not too unlike what we found on the tree along the road." Zack pauses a moment, looking around, then leans in and lowers his voice, "The people have not been found, but the animals that were taken were found. However, only the bones were found with not a mark upon them, nor any muscle. Perfectly clean." He sits back up. "That was the crux of it. I have these couple of books..." he places a hand on the books in front of him, "...and I hope to read them later on. They're written in old Goliath and apparently chronicle some of the history of the town. I'm hoping that there is something in the town's historical lore that might help."

"How did you all fare so far?" 

Vigil listened to the details reported by the investigator. He started stroking his chin, making a mental note of all the information he considered pertinent.

Attacks at night...Markings on wood...Bone remains with no marks...Attacks seem to have occurred near the river...Attacks animals and people...he repeats in his head.

Taking all of these clues in consideration, it wasn’t much. Any number of creatures could fit into these criteria. Investigating the targeted houses might reveal more clues.

’’I’ve discovered that the food here is the best I’ve had in a while’’ says Vigil, with a laugh and a smile at the corner of his mouth.

'Priest knows nothing.' Kalgren replied to Zack's exposition as he continued his meal. 'So it's down to good ol' fashioned bothering people for information.'

He pondered the information given for a moment. 'If it takes both animals and people but returns the animals' bones yet not the people's, it seems a good guess that it, whatever it is, eats the animals for sustenance but has a different use for people.' He swallowed a particularly juicy bit of roast. 'Adding to that strange markings seemingly made with tools... why, if I were a sensationalist, I'd wager a cult. Cults are always a popular explanation.'

He put down knife and fork, wiped his mouth and reached for his mug of ale. 'The food here is indeed delicious.' He said to Vigil with a sly smile.

Grell listens, and finishes his ale in silence, placing the stein carefully down on the bar as he looks into dead space, thinking.

"Cults take people, yes. But why leave animal bones picked clean? Cults in need of food would take back to their home, no?" he says to no one in particular. Turning to look at his "companions", the Dragonborn continues, "... if not human, strange markings make Grell think that either a beast or monster is marking its territory, or..."

Grell scratches the side of his face for a moment, deep in thought. "We need to see for ourselves, otherwise it is only talk" he says finally, standing up from the bar and looking to the others once again. "Grell is happy to have found companions after the same thing, so think it best we go together... When you are ready..." he says with a warmhearted smile.

"Agreed, we need to investigate these markings some more. The other question is, since these attacks are happening at night, do we rest and wait for evening to begin our search or begin immediately?" Zack looks at the books for a moment, wanting to read them, but then puts them in his backpack.

‘’There’s still some daylight left. Should make the most of it. The holy man and I might be able to see once the night sets in, but you and Grell might be at a loss.’’ Vigil stands up, grabs his coin pouch and places 2 silver on the counter to pay for his tab.

Grell nods his agreement, picking up his pack and maul, slinging both across his back.

Kalgren looked at Zack with an incredulous look on his face. 'You have no idea what it even is that we're dealing with and you immediately want to go at it during the night?' He reached for his mug of ale. 'You're either too brave or too arrogant for your own good.'

He finished his drink. 'I'm with sir Red here.' Kalgren pointed a thumb at Vigil. 'He and Grell have a lead on the captain of the guard: why don't we go have a talk with him first before it's dark? Guards always tend to be a bit jumpy after sundown.'

He got up to see how much Vigil put on the counter and took out the same amount. He spotted the serving lady, not a hard thing to do, and approached her once more. 'You have my thanks for a delicious meal.' Kalgren said to her with a warm smile. 'Do you perchance have enough room to stash away four strangers for the night in your fine establishment?'

Zack shakes his head, "No, no. Just curious. And what better way to identify our quarry than watch it in its habitual endeavours?" He picks up his things to move with the others. As he did not drink or eat, he notices the coin left, but turns away for the door with his mind already wondering onto the next leg of their investigation. He turns to Vigil and Grell as they move, "What does the captain offer us in our search? We may need to be careful in our talks with him. I've found that captains rarely appreciate others interfering with their investigations," his notebook at the ready to jot down notes.

On their way out, Grell ponders at the question. “Half-Elf lady merely implied the Captain is perhaps struggling with his finding of the bodies, and in his duties to protect...” the Dragonborn shrugs, “But you may be right, Grell does not think this Captain will receive us well. Perhaps we look to the empty homes, before nightfall...?”