Amber's mom the midwife will take a look at the bodies that Sorrow and Tailfeathers are close to.  Sorrow also points out the small chest of severed fingers.  Amber's mom says, "Ahh Randall Mayor.  I knew when he was in our village he was nothing but trouble.  Always hanging out with a rougher crowd and wanting to see peoples pinky fingers.  It is no surprise of mine to see a chest of pinky fingers in his possession.  I do not know either of these other bandits but low lives such as them and other ruffians seem to be around Randall a lot.  He was ran out of town over a year ago because he tried to have his way with a young lady.  He was caught trying to take her left pinky.   He ran with just what he had on his body at that time as many were trying to capture him to probably kill him if caught.  I have not seen him since that day.  I did check the young lady and she was uninjured in any way."

Meanwhile at the roadway.  Veeshal spots a group of men dressed like hunters slowly moving towards them with bows out.  When they are spotted one of the men say in a loud voice, "You there unhand the two youngsters.  We know you have already taken Wilbur but now you use him to take his sister?!  You are scum and need to be killed!!  Move away slowly and keep your hands where we can see them!!"  As you all look around you see that every male in the party are the only ones here on the road with Karie and Wilbur.

Quickly and quietly Vee says to the others ‘Karie, Wil-are they friend or foe? Mill-beat feet to get Sorrow.’ He looks at the approaching men. ‘Don’t know you lot and I don’t answer to you, but we just freed young Wilber from his captors. So I’ll thank you to shove off with your bows before things get ugly.’ He chin points towards the DBs. ‘This lot was all set to kidnap Karie and met an unfortunate-and violent-end. Cuz people who do that to younglings deserve no mercy. Keep pissing up a rope and you could end up the same.‘ 

Sorrow sighs heavily then asks ‘Did he have any-friends-or other lowlifes or some such that he would hang around with? Someone he would stay in contact with no matter what? Or someone he may have been able to coerce by threat of violence or..?’ She paces a bit as she tugs her balaclava back down, almost a reflexive subconscious move. Thinking out loud ‘He almost HAS to have a source in the town, else how could so many go missing. Someone with some kind of authority to make people either not question or to look the other way. Or someone he is blackmailing.’  She pauses to look at the midwife ‘Would taking in just their heads suffice or will the town need to see the bodies as well? I have a feeling we’re going to need to rally the town around this now.’ 

Puzzled as a group of hunters surround the travois, he gets ready to make a run for the others and finds a broadhead aim at his throat. Millwater slowly raises his hands into the air,  realizing escape isn't possible.

"Whoa! I think we are on the same side here." as he backs up with his back to Veeshal's 

Millwater Male Tabaxi Monk 1 8hp 

Tail Feathers sighed as the news about Mayor was relayed. "I agree, Sorrow. There must be someone else at the town." She glances over to the midwife and Amber, "The best way to find out, might be not letting them know that he is gone. Though they have already seen Wilbur most likely it won't matter."

J'nah, slowly, practiced at not drawing attention, he sidesteps his pack and tries to slide down the back side of it away from the approaching party. Snuggling up behind it for some cover,  he unstrapping the bow but leaving it in position on the pack ever so gently angling it in their direction. Then he slides some arrows out of the quiver gingerly and lines them up along the pack ready to use.

Stealth: 17

Sorrow pulls on her gloves absentmindedly, her mind spinning. ‘True, Tail. Ma’am’ addressing the midwife ‘Was there anyone around when Mill and Wil came looking for you? Or were they discreet enough to remain unseen or unnoticed?’ She pulls up her hood and unlimbers the axe. ‘And that also begs the question-where ARE the boys? I thought they’d accompany you here as a guard…Vee would have let me-us-know where he was settled if he was remaining out of sight but on guard. Something doesn’t smell right.’ She starts to trot back down the pathway, axe in hand, head on a swivel as she moves. 

Festoon, sighs as the confronting band challenge the group. Not willing to be the spokesbeing at the best of times, he steps around a person, place or thing and tries to conceal himself to get ready for a possible fight. *Bigguns sure need to yell a lot.* he thinks as he does his thing.

Sorrow and Tailfeathers asks the Midwife a couple questions she responds.  "First off you can call me Emilee.  As for people out in the village I did not say anything until I crossed the bridge however  I heard Karie yelling Wilbur's name the moment she stepped out of the inn by the sound of things.  There is someone in town that is causing all of these people to disappear.  At first it was people who spoke up about electing a new mayor as the old one had an accident and died.  The acting Mayor Durmont Fresion is a good guy and was the lead council member before stepping as the acting mayor.  He is a good guy.  After a few towns folk spoke up about the election they disappeared.  Since then it is been a few more kids and young adults who have disappeared.  While there has been some grown ups the most are the young adults and a few kids.  Most of the kids have been boys while the young adults have been female.  With what Amber has said they are sex slaves.  All I can say about the disappearances, most people stay silent and pray it does not happen to them.  Everyone is afraid that someone may hear a complaint and they will be next to go missing.  The villagers are afraid of the unknown.  I wish I could figure out who is doing all of this."  Both Tailfeathers and Sorrow listen to what Emilee has to say before Sorrow questions about the delay of the rest of their companions.  She heads for the trail follows by Emilee, Amber and Tailfeathers.

Meanwhile on the road.  As you all react to these men Karie speaks out.  "Danart it is OK these men here have found and fried my brother Wilbur and I am here to help make sure he makes it home with out trouble.  If you wish you can make sure I get home safely with Wilbur as these fine men and their other companions have helped save me from these bad men you can see over there by the trees.  I do not know any of them but could you and the other hunters check to see if you know any of them?"  After she speaks the men all relax.  They replace the arrows in their quivers and stow their bows.  Danart moves a little closer.  "Sorry fellows but we had to make sure.  I have lost a daughter to the list of the missing she was 16 and set to marry one of the farm boys who has been courting her.  He is distraught over her going missing but who can blame him.  I am sorry where are my manners.  I am Danart Wilken.  I am one of the five hunters who go and provide some extra meat to those of Dnahor.  Along with me are Steve, Lumar, Jasken, and Tomas."  As he says each name a young man will raise his left arm up acknowledging themselves. 

Millwater's harden face relaxes as he realizes he is among friends and he lowers his hands. He nods as the hunters introduce themselves. "I must admit we were trying to get the midwife and Karie to Wilbur and Amber quietly. But that plan went sour the moment I mentioned Wilburs name to Karie. His reaction to Seth's name made us want to know why. I can see our intentions seemed alarming, but someone in the village is connected to this and we aim to find out what and why."

He looks up at each of the hunters "We know there is a place about a day's travel, that should take us to the other missing villagers, together we would make a formidable posse to take out this evil!" Pleading to Danart with his hands plams up.

Millwater Male Tabaxi Monk 1 8hp 

Tail shook her head, truth be told it would be hard for her to even keep her mouth shut if she had seen a family member thought to be gone. "Well, it looks like that might have gone out the window." Her brow furrowed in thought, "Emilee, does the town have any frequent visitors? Not exactly returning on a schedule, but enough to know them and what they are about in the town?" She wasn't going to say it, but the tabaxi was worried that other regular strangers might have been the ones to bring people away.

Vee exhales heavily thru his nose, relieved that the altercation has resolved peaceable and he hadn’t needed to use his small allotment of spells on them. He nods at each as they are named. ‘I’m Veeshal, that’s Millwater, Festoon and J’nah. Our original ‘commission’ from the lady at the inn was to find out about the missing supplies. But as the day goes on, the plot seems to thicken, just like a good gumbo does. The big deaders tried to catch Karie while she was fishing-most likely to add to thier captive/slave numbers, but she managed to elude them and brought them face to face with a dose of swift justice. The goblins’ He spits ‘Just seemed to be around so can’t say truthfully if they’re part of the plot or no..’ Points to Mill ‘The Tabaxi scouted ahead, and managed to do away with the one we assume is the leader-our at least the leader of this group. We found where they had buried a couple boxes of goods and dug em up-and freed young Wil and another young lass.’

Festoon comes out from hiding once the violent stances are gone. Bowing slightly when introduced, he smiles as Veeshal tells the tale. 

Sorrow continues to jog toward the road. Depending on the timing: if she sees weapons drawn on her friends, she’ll break into a run, screaming in Abyssal and brandishing her axe. If they are talking and no sense of hostilities, she’ll continue the jog up to Vee.

J'nah kind of pops up when called out and puts his elbow on the bow supporting his chin and grinning, a half finished crude pipe sticking to the side, "Fellahs, nice to see folks from the homestead caring about their own."

The four ladies make their way back to the roadside.  There they see their companions talking with a group of five men who look like hunters because of their bows being in their hands as well as a couple deer down by their feet.  They can sense that there was a tense moment that has passed.  On the way to the road Emilee tells Sorrow and Tail feather.  "The only people who have frequented this town on a regular basis is the traders who bring us supplies from Foulat which is a few days ride south of here.  I have reason to suspect these traders as they know us as much as we know them.   I have heard rumors of monsters who may have taken the people and young adults away but I myself have not been able to prove this in any way.  Not seeing the people when taken at night or even middle of day proves that who ever is doing this has magical help."

Meanwhile as the women are approaching Danart answers a few questions. "Yes people have gone missing but right now is not the time to talk about such things.  We can talk about this at my place after dinner.  My house is the third from the end of the village one road/path west of the inn and town hall.    I know there area few caves a little more than a days ride south of here.  We do not dare go there for the talk of monsters in the cave.  We are just hunters and not the type that others call heroes or even saviors.  We leave that to people like you who seem to relish the joy of riding the world of these creatures.  Take even those Goblins.  We encounter a few of them here and there but they do not bother five men with bows.  Since they leave us alone we leave them alone but do make it clear that we hunt these woods by the village so they should stay away.  While that has worked in the pass we have seen a greater increase of them roaming the woods.  Sometimes in numbers greater than us five.  Does this have anything to do with the goings on of late I can not say."

Hearing what Danart said to you Emilee also replies.  "Yes, Come to our house after you rest and get some food.  We can talk of these disappearances then.  We do not wish to make those that may or may not be listening any excuse to harm us.  I am sure that your presence here has gotten their attention."

She looks at all of you and tells everyone, "Come lets go back to the village and rest for a bit after all that has happened today.  I know that having my Amber back is a big relief as I am sure Lana will be thriller to see Wilbur after such a long while."  The hunters are quick to get back moving towards the villages as Emilee, Amber, Katie and Wilbur move in that direction too.

If you will be heading back too just let me know with a yes or a no.  If N,o what will you be doing?

Yes

Yes

Millwater Male Tabaxi Monk 1 8hp 

Yes

Sorrow shakes her head no. "Need you townfolk to follow me a minute. There's something in the clearing y'all need to see and give input on." She'll do a head toss back the way she came, then follow thru with turning around and heading back. 

Once in the clearing, she'll point out the DB's. "Recognize any of these lowlifes? And what would be appropriate evidence-the full body or will just the head suffice?" While they mull it over, she'll take them to the hole and point out the crate. "Here's a chunk of the missing supplies. Any way we can sneak them into town without alerting the whole town to what we've found? Although " she shakes her head slightly "that might be a moot point, what with the way Karie announced the fact Wil had been found. Anyway-I'd like to get them to their rightful owners without a bunch of fuss and noise if possible. Any ideas? And" she lowers her voice so as not to carry beyond the vicinity of the hole "What gices between young Wil and Seth? Is there bad blood between his family and Seth?"