Quest #1 - The Search for Fonkin

[Nemesis]

Our story begins on a Monday afternoon at the Laughing Dragon Inn, one of the busier establishments in the small yet proud town of Dale.

Guests scurried through the lobby, some tried to secure rooms, while others haggled with bags to avoid the inn's notorious late checkout fee.

The dining area was in the throes of the midday lunch rush. Waitresses dashed through the kitchen door with orders and serving trays. Through the open door, guests could hear snatches of the cooks yelling at each other. "No, Troy. I said a pinch of salt, not a tad!"

At a corner table, Richard Dean, known as "Ruff n' Tuff" by the locals, inhaled his second turkey leg, a deserving reward for his final shift as a garrison guard.

Near the fire, Don Quinn, a mage, was enraptured by a book, the title of which bared not Common script but indecipherable glyphs. Three tea cups sat stacked on a table next to him.

Baltheus, one of many gruff-looking fighters in the room, concentrated on a card game. He had the winning hand and needed his opponent, old Jericho the Miller, to fumble yet another turn. He smirked as Jericho revealed his hand. "Sorry, pal," Balteus said with a smirk, "looks like I won again." He fanned his cards on the table. Jericho smacked 10 coppers onto the table and rose with a huff.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the lobby. A guard burst through the door into the dining room. "Fonkin is gone," he said through heavy breaths.

The chatter ceased.

If you lived or worked in Dale, you knew Fonkin. The old gnome who was once an advisor to the Baron. But for him to... disappear? That was unusual behavior. The murmurs swelled until Johne Wolfsbane, the proprietor of the Laughing Dragon entered the room.

"Quiet!" he bellowed. The room fell silent again. "Now, guard, what do we know about Fonkin's disappearance?"

"We received a report late last night," the guard said, finally catching his breath. "These reports usually sort themselves out within a few hours: someone got lost and found their way back; a young runaway who had seconds thoughts; a drunk who sobered up and made his way back home. Usually, nothing to worry about.

"But it's been some time for Fonkin. The garrison is too small and Dale and the surrounding regions are too large. The garrison has asked for volunteers who can help."

The room remained silent.

"Fonkin is a dear friend of mine," Johne said. "If none of you lazy bastards are willing to help out of the goodness of your hearts, how does 25 gold pieces to each man or woman who steps up. That'll get you far in this down."

[Eris]

"We received a report late last night," the guard said, finally catching his breath. "These reports usually sort themselves out within a few hours: someone got lost and found their way back; a young runaway who had seconds thoughts; a drunk who sobered up and made his way back home. Usually, nothing to worry about.

"But it's been some time for Fonkin. The garrison is too small and Dale and the surrounding regions are too large. The garrison has asked for volunteers who can help."

The room remained silent.

"Fonkin is a dear friend of mine," Johne said. "If none of you lazy bastards are willing to help out of the goodness of your hearts, how does 25 gold pieces to each man or woman who steps up. That'll get you far in this down."

Everyone hears a snap as Quinn closes his book and stands, "Not sure how much help I'll be, but I'll do what I can."

As he stands you can see that the young man has a hunch to his back that gives him a bit of a sinister stance, frowning he says, "I'd help even without the inducement, but I could certainly use some coin. So, Master Barkeep, Don Quinn will take your commission."

[archolewa]

Richard carefully puts down a leg bone, wipes off his hands with a stained hankerchief, and stands a little hesitantly. His words come out in a bit of a nervous rush. "Hey, Quinn you aren't thinking of just going alone are ya? I'll come too. Thinking you'll want my spear between you and any nasties that show up."

[Eris]

Richard carefully puts down a leg bone, wipes off his hands with a stained hankerchief, and stands a little hesitantly. His words come out in a bit of a nervous rush. "Hey, Quinn you aren't thinking of just going alone are ya? I'll come too. Thinking you'll want my spear between you and any nasties that show up."

"No, I didn't think to do this alone! Thank you for speaking up Richard." says Quinn, "I might can find our man, but if there's trouble a foot I'm likely to go just as missing as he, were I to go alone."


Turning to the guard Quinn frowns at him and says sternly, "Fonkin just missing is no information at all. I am missing from somewhere or other."

"Surely, you can tell us more than that! When missing? Where missing? What might have he been up to when he went missing? Speak up and tell us what you know!"

[Elysium777]

Balteus puts the coin away and looks up from his card game, “Hold on now! I believe you two will need my help as well! My name is Balteus.”

[archolewa]

Richard slaps Balteus on the shoulder. "Good man! We'll find the half-pint yet! I mean, uhh, the very honorable man. Gnome. Person."[\dialog]

[Nemesis]

"Aye," Johne said approvingly. "Glad to see some people care about one of their own."

The patrons returned to their food, drinks, and conversations; the wait and cooking staff resumed their work.

The guard turned to Don Quinn.

"We know Fonkin was supposed to meet Twyla Brownstone, the shopkeeper, for a delivery, a day and half ago. When he didn't show this at dawn, Twyla reported him missing. The last time she saw the gnome was about a week or so ago, for a previous delivery. The commander went to Twyla's house this morning for more information, but she wasn't there.

[archolewa]

"Wait, is Twyla missing now too? Or is she just out running errands or something?" asked Richard. "Perhaps we should swing by Twyla's place and see if she has returned. If not, maybe investigate Fonkin's home? I suppose we could also potentially look around in Twyla's place, though I don't know the guards would be too happy about that, since we don't necessarily know that she's missing."

[Elysium777]

"Wait, is Twyla missing now too? Or is she just out running errands or something?" asked Richard. "Perhaps we should swing by Twyla's place and see if she has returned. If not, maybe investigate Fonkin's home? I suppose we could also potentially look around in Twyla's place, though I don't know the guards would be too happy about that, since we don't necessarily know that she's missing."

”I say we investigate Fonkin’s home for now.” Says Balteus, after giving it another thought, he asks, ”Wait a minute, would the commander be okay with us getting permission to enter her home?”

[archolewa]

”I say we investigate Fonkin’s home for now.” Says Balteus, after giving it another thought, he asks, ”Wait a minute, would the commander be okay with us getting permission to enter her home?”

Richard scratches his head thoughtfully. "I suppose we could ask. Strictly speaking we aren't acting in any official capacity, but I doubt he'd mind the help. Especially since I used to work for him, so I have some sense of the appropriate procedures."

[Eris]

"Wait, is Twyla missing now too? Or is she just out running errands or something?" asked Richard. "Perhaps we should swing by Twyla's place and see if she has returned. If not, maybe investigate Fonkin's home? I suppose we could also potentially look around in Twyla's place, though I don't know the guards would be too happy about that, since we don't necessarily know that she's missing."

”I say we investigate Fonkin’s home for now.” Says Balteus, after giving it another thought, he asks, ”Wait a minute, would the commander be okay with us getting permission to enter her home?”

'Let's visit Twyla's shop first and ask what Fonkin was supposed to be delivering to her. That should give us a clue as to where he went." says Quinn

"If she's not there... Well, we can go from there to Fonkin's house and look around."" Quinn turns to the guard and says, "If we're looking, then you've got to get us permission to actually look and ask questions, right!"

"Enough talking! Let's go!" , Quinn bundles his book into his pack and picks up his staff and starts for the door attempting to pull the guard along with him, "You can help us for now, right?"

[Nemesis]

"Twyla doesn't seem to be missing," the guard said to Richard. "Or, at least we haven't received a missing person report for her... yet."

Don Quinn relayed his plan to visit Twyla's shop first, asking the guard for his help and whether the party had permission to search her house.

"You all volunteered for this investigation, so that makes you part of the Dale Guard, working for Commander Dorin," he said. "The commander said I am to lead the group of volunteers in the search. My name's Cameron."

The party exchanged pleasantries. Don Quinn, Richard, and Balteus flicked some money to Johne for their meals and left the inn.

They walked several blocks to Brownstone's Goods & Services. A small ding welcomed them into the store, an establishment nearly the same size as the inn, with rows of shelves stocked with food, herbs, medicine, and other supplies. On the walls hung tools, hunting trophies, and some weapons and armor. Most of the provisions Brownstone's sells are adequate for local work.

A few customers lingered in the store: Some in heavy concentration comparing canned goods, while others admired several pieces of rope on the wall. Toward the back of the store, a young man finished a transaction with a customer. The party approached him.

"Afternoon, Chase," Cameron said.

"You here about Fonkin?" he asked, sharply.

"Aye. Twyla reported him missing. Something about not showing up for a delivery?"

"I don't know anything about that. I just work the register."

"Have you seen Twyla?"

"Aye. Just before my shift started at 9 a.m."

"She reported Fonkin missing. A couple of guards went to her house in the back early this morning and couldn't find her."

"I'm not my boss's keeper. I only know what happens during my shift." Chase looked at the clock near the door. "Which ends in about 10 minutes. And as you can see, we're really busy currently."

The party looked around. The store was not, in fact, as busy as Chase believes it to be.

[archolewa]

"Huh," said Richard, scratching his head and looking around. "If this is your definition of 'busy', I'm thinking you guys are overstocked. Might want to downsize a bit. Maybe even let a few people go. Anyway, we can wait 10 minutes, and then you'll have plenty of time to answer our questions. And you can spend the next ten minutes trying *really hard* to remember your conversation with Twyla before your shift started, because we're gonna want to know about that. In detail."

[Eris]

"Huh," said Richard, scratching his head and looking around. "If this is your definition of 'busy', I'm thinking you guys are overstocked. Might want to downsize a bit. Maybe even let a few people go. Anyway, we can wait 10 minutes, and then you'll have plenty of time to answer our questions. And you can spend the next ten minutes trying *really hard* to remember your conversation with Twyla before your shift started, because we're gonna want to know about that. In detail."

Quinn has a thought...

Int check: [1d20+1]=12+1=13
Wisdom

...thinks it's a good one so he rashly acts on it!

Why don't we let Richard and Cameron keep Chase company while Balteus and me go around back and knock on Twyla's door and see if she's come home yet." says Quinn, "But, wait a mo! Aren't most shops connected to the living area through a inside hall or door? Yeah, that seems to be the case, doesn't it Balteus?"

OOC: If this is wrong and there is no door or hall to the back cancel this part, but if there is...even if it goes to a break room or warehouse or even outside...Quinn is gonna try to go blundering right on through!

"Say, Chase old son, does that door right there go back and through to Twyla's?" Quinn is already moving quickly toward the opening expecting somebody to follow him as he barges through.

[Elysium777]

"Huh," said Richard, scratching his head and looking around. "If this is your definition of 'busy', I'm thinking you guys are overstocked. Might want to downsize a bit. Maybe even let a few people go. Anyway, we can wait 10 minutes, and then you'll have plenty of time to answer our questions. And you can spend the next ten minutes trying *really hard* to remember your conversation with Twyla before your shift started, because we're gonna want to know about that. In detail."

Quinn has a thought...

Int check: [1d20+1]=12+1=13
Wisdom

...thinks it's a good one so he rashly acts on it!

Why don't we let Richard and Cameron keep Chase company while Balteus and me go around back and knock on Twyla's door and see if she's come home yet." says Quinn, "But, wait a mo! Aren't most shops connected to the living area through a inside hall or door? Yeah, that seems to be the case, doesn't it Balteus?"

OOC: If this is wrong and there is no door or hall to the back cancel this part, but if there is...even if it goes to a break room or warehouse or even outside...Quinn is gonna try to go blundering right on through!

"Say, Chase old son, does that door right there go back and through to Twyla's?" Quinn is already moving quickly toward the opening expecting somebody to follow him as he barges through.

“Indeed my friend, I believe most shops are connected to the living area.” He follows Quinn and says, ”Hopefully we won’t have to kick down this door…”

[Nemesis]

Chase rolled his eyes at Richard’s comment.

"Listen…" He looked at Richard top to bottom, then bottom to top. "…sir. Like I told you: I saw Twyla this morning, and she seemed more standoffish than usual, maybe even stressed. Wouldn't that make sense if your business partner went missing? From what I know, they both have some deal going on. Every few weeks, Twyla asks me to carry boxes from her house to the back of the shop to our storeroom."

He thumbed toward a door at the end of a small hall next to the register.

"How do I know this? Fonkin's got his damn initials on the side. The man makes his own boxes. Very efficient, if I do say so. Now, don't ask me what's in those boxes because I don't know; Twyla's forbidden me from opening them, let alone tell me what's inside."

He leaned over the counter, his voice dropped to nearly a whisper.

"Between you and me, I've tried to find out, but each time Twyla prepares to open the shipment, she shoos me away. I listen out the door but, amazingly, I don't hear a sound. After she's left the room, I go in and find the box has been broken down and nothing seems awry."

Quinn inched toward the door then burst into a run, throwing his body against the heavy door. The door shook but didn't budge; the vibrations from the slam reverberated through the hall.

Chase rose from the register, a loud screech pierced through the air as the metal stool scratched against the wooden floor. Richard winced.

"What in the hell are you doing, man?" Chase shouted. Customers stopped their shopping and stared.

"Only store employees are allowed back there. I fail to see how forcing your way in will help. I'll have to ask you all to leave and speak with Twyla. Her house is out the side door and around the back."

"Now just a minute," Cameron, the Guard, said.

"Nope! Out! All of you!" Chase said. "Or shall I call the guard and say a couple of corrupted inquisitors are trying to extort us as part of their little 'investigation?'"

[archolewa]

"Dammit Quinn, he was talking!" said Richard in exasperation. "Had him on the ropes, I did! Also, don't go trying to break down doors yourself. If there were some hideous slime monster back there, he'd have eaten right through your robes, quick as a wink."

Richard turns to Chase. "Relax man, ain't no need to go throwing around accusations here. Quinn's just a bit overzealous. Too much time spent reading books, you ask me. Don't get me wrong, a bit of time with the written word is all well and good, but fellow takes it too far sometimes. We will head around back and knock on Twyla's door, don't you worry."

Richard good-naturedly, but firmly takes Quinn by the shoulder of his robe and starts pushing/pulling/prodding him towards the door.

[Elysium777]

"Dammit Quinn, he was talking!" said Richard in exasperation. "Had him on the ropes, I did! Also, don't go trying to break down doors yourself. If there were some hideous slime monster back there, he'd have eaten right through your robes, quick as a wink."

Richard turns to Chase. "Relax man, ain't no need to go throwing around accusations here. Quinn's just a bit overzealous. Too much time spent reading books, you ask me. Don't get me wrong, a bit of time with the written word is all well and good, but fellow takes it too far sometimes. We will head around back and knock on Twyla's door, don't you worry."

Richard good-naturedly, but firmly takes Quinn by the shoulder of his robe and starts pushing/pulling/prodding him towards the door.

”Damn! Your plan almost worked, Quinn! It was going to be alright Richard, if there was some hideous monster behind the door, I would’ve jumped in the way!” Balteus says as he follows the pair towards the door, he shoots a glare at Chase.

[Eris]

"Dammit Quinn, he was talking!" said Richard in exasperation. "Had him on the ropes, I did! Also, don't go trying to break down doors yourself. If there were some hideous slime monster back there, he'd have eaten right through your robes, quick as a wink."

Richard turns to Chase. "Relax man, ain't no need to go throwing around accusations here. Quinn's just a bit overzealous. Too much time spent reading books, you ask me. Don't get me wrong, a bit of time with the written word is all well and good, but fellow takes it too far sometimes. We will head around back and knock on Twyla's door, don't you worry."

Richard good-naturedly, but firmly takes Quinn by the shoulder of his robe and starts pushing/pulling/prodding him towards the door.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Quinn holds his shoulder as Richard pulls him along muttering to his companions, "Now I really want in that back room! You know they are hiding something back there. If we don't get in there whatever it is gonna go away and you know it!"

[Nemesis]

The group exited the store's side door and followed a narrow, cobbled stoned path to a smaller residence behind the building. Cameron approached the door and gave it three hard knocks.

Silence from the door.

But before he could knock again, the party heard the crunch of boots on dirt from an adjacent alley. Cameron placed a hand on the hilt of his long sword. The others readied themselves.

A man turned the corner, startled at the group huddled near the door. Cameron exhaled in relief.

"Ah, Gurkidd Wyvernbane. So good for you to join us," he said, smirking. "Your reputation for punctuality precedes you."