Quest #1 "Loggers Run"

[Urson]

Luther

Sorry to tell ya, guys. Part of the reson we came out was that nobody's seen or heard for a few days, and folks back at the beach were worried. I didn't see any obvious sign of where they went, either.

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Perks up with an idea. "Hey, do you think they went down that game trail we marked earlier?"

[Urson]

They might have- but I doubt it. Folks tear hell out of a game trail without even meaning to- I'm pretty sure I'd have seen sign.

[Inferno]

Jack, lost boy:

"Sorry, mister! I thought it was an outhouse!
"Um...no offense!" Jack smiles as he shuts the door and wanders around behind the shack to pee.

[Urson]

Luther

Luther pauses, going a little pale under his woodsman's tan. Any of ya'll got any magical training? I just got a horrible idea, but I don't know enough magic to know if it's possible.

What if some of those zombies we had to fight were the loggers? With some kind of compulsion spell on them, and illusions to make them look like zombies?

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Luther

Luther pauses, going a little pale under his woodsman's tan. Any of ya'll got any magical training? I just got a horrible idea, but I don't know enough magic to know if it's possible.

What if some of those zombies we had to fight were the loggers? With some kind of compulsion spell on them, and illusions to make them look like zombies?

Goes a little pale. "What if they thought we were the zombies and that is why they were attacking? He looks to Bert & Ernie. "How many men went to the beach?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Monocar stares at the tree as Jack decides to close the door again so he can go around the shack for a pee. Burt and Ernie look back and forth at each other, and at Monocar, and at Jack. They aren't sure what to make of such an invasion of eager adventurers. Burt raises his ax again and starts to shout loudly.

"All right then, just what in the blazes are you all doing out here? I promise that you wont find any adventure around here. We are just cutting trees down, nothing special about that. Now, Get your kid away from our shelter before he gets hurt!"

Ernie seems a bit more grateful for the company than his friend.

"Oh Burt, just relax, he aint hurtin nothing." He turns to Luther after hearing him mention the other loggers.

"You're kidding, right? Do you expect us to believe that a group of over 20 full grown men just vanished into thin air? They are probably all passed out in the Treehouse and that's why you didn't see them."

"The captain......I mean.......our foreman told us to keep clearing out these last few trees while they go out to search for another copse. They just left yesterday, so maybe they haven't found anything yet. You probably just missed them in town is all. I'm sure they cant be far."

"Now...... what's all this talk about zombies? I haven't seen a one of them since we have been out here."

The men continue to scratch their heads and look confused at all the talk of compulsion spells and magic illusions, not sure what any of you are talking about.

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Seeing the two loggers are not interested in work, and that his idea of blue collar diplomacy is getting them nowhere, he moves back to his gear and readies to leave, pulling his mail back on since it would appear their mission is about to turn into seek and rescue if not outright investigate a mystery. He continues to listen finding it interesting that the more answers they get the more questions it creates. He starts looking around for the elves wondering where they have gotten to as he straps his gear into place, trying not to look to obvious.

[Inferno]

Jack, lost boy:

Jack comes out from behind the shack, hiking up his pants. Then he looks with wide-eyed curiosity at all the sharp axes and saws.

[Spearmint]

Miss Tal

Krystal belatedly steps forward, suffering a little from the trek, perhaps the mosquitos bit her too much and she needed more rest. "I brought everyone out here. Your men are not in the tavern? We trekked up alone save for our dwarf friend here. Maybe the monkoons got at them? they seem quite handy with slapping branches!""

[Hotgoblin]

"The captain......I mean.......our foreman told us to keep clearing out these last few trees while they go out to search for another copse. They just left yesterday, so maybe they haven't found anything yet. You probably just missed them in town is all. I'm sure they cant be far."

Franny giggles a little at Jack's confusion about where to pee. Then catches something Ernie said, she addresses him.. Nice to meet yous both, I hope your right about your buddies and that they're all aled up! But, before Ernie, you was talking about "the Captain and foreman", which one is he and what's his name? I'd be interested in talking with him.

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

While studying the logs, you have noticed a few things that a real lumberjack would never do.

Trees being felled this way and that, cutting against the grain, and some of the bucking is really poorly done. It seems to your trained eye like these guys don't really know what they are doing out here.

He will step over to some of the others as an aside and share his findings and suspicions. "Something isn't right here. Either Bert and Ernie have been busy and are just that new at all this, or there hasn't been anyone in charge that knows what they are doing for quite some time."

[Urson]

Luther

Yeah, I saw that, too. What do ya think we oughta do about it?


I wonder if 'the captain' is Quark, or the other one? Maybe somebody's trying to take over the whole operation- violently.

Luther glances at the 'lumberjacks', checking on what they're up to.

[Nuke66]

Raythan continues to observe the situation, still not convinced the situation is stable.

[Spearmint]

Miss Tal

Will go sit on a log, looking faint and filing down her nails in lady like fashion, (all thee while scanning the perimeter and making tabs on where Bonnie has disappeared too). "Twenty men? should have twenty beds and twenty plates. Did they up camp too. Checking out a new copse or checking the tavern? More likely they are being checked out as a new corpse!"

[OGRE MAGE]

Franny catches something Ernie said, she addresses him.. Ernie, you was talking about "the Captain and foreman", which one is he and what's his name? I'd be interested in talking with him.

Burt slaps Ernie up aside his head from behind.

"There! See what ya did now, stupid? You and your big mouth!!!"

Ernie just shakes and rubs his head a little as he replies.

"I don't think its a big deal that these folks know about our little secret, Burt. It looks like we are stuck here now for the time being anyway! What is the big deal if they know that we aren't really woodsmen? Are we going to get into trouble? I doubt it."

Burt glares back at Ernie as he talks, unwilling to add anything to his story. Ernie continues speaking.

"We are actually sailors, not lumberjacks. Our Captain found out about this place a couple months ago and decided to have a look. Some rich businessman came by shortly after that and offered the captain a boatload of gold if he would transport these black logs back to the mainland for him. So, that's why we are here now, cutting these damn logs and hauling them back to Saltmarsh for gold. The money is pretty good too, if you can stand the heat and 10 zillion bugs out here."

"The captains name is Stew. Stew Bing. He is a bit flamboyant, so he is kinda hard to miss. Like I said, he should be around Beachtown somewhere, unless he has found out some other easier way to get rich by now."

There is nothing unusual to see as you scan the clearing. These loggers seem to be telling you the truth about their current plight. Bonnie is still nowhere to be found.

[Urson]

Luther

Luther grunts non-committally. Still don't tell us what coulda happened to your buddies.

Hey, Jack- come with me, huh? I want a loud voice to yell for help if there's trouble- and we know what a good shot you are.
Whether the kid follows him or not, Luther begins his own slow walk of the treeline, studying the ground and the undergrowth, looking for tracks, signs of disturbance- anything, really.

[Inferno]

Jack, lost boy:

All the grownup talk starts to put Jack to sleep from boredom.

Luther
Hey, Jack- come with me, huh? I want a loud voice to yell for help if there's trouble- and we know what a good shot you are.

Jack instantly snaps out of it and follows Luther like an eager puppy, stepping in his footsteps and doing whatever he does.

[Spearmint]

Miss Tal

"One thing I know drives the mosquitos away and that is smoke. Here Jack, help me start a little fire, plenty of white smoke." Krystal will busy herself while the men do 'men talk', figuring a plume of white smoke will either signal the new pope of St Cuthbert's or will bring the 'lost loggers' back to camp.

[Nuke66]

Raythan comes out from hiding and moves into the group. "So, 20 loggers just up and vanished into the jungle?"