One: The Town of Brothers

’Sure, sure kid. Ain’t your mammy lookin for ye?’ Rook says, glancing at the ‘child’. Kids no bigger’n a corn nubbin. Should be at his mams skirt, Rook thinks to himself.

Clayton the Third and Roy immediately go back into the tent as soon as the group walk away, but Old Man Clayton, licking his wounds, keeps his eye on them until they disappear from view.

As the group approaches the Stage Stop entrance, you see Junior's donkey rehitched in front of the Waterin' Hole across the street.

Inside, Maya's brother, Hadwin is engaged in conversation with Cooper, gathering supplies for purchase. The Postmaster sits behind the desk at the opposite end.

What kin I do ya fer?

'Howdy Mister. I got two letter from Bent Fork posted to Brothers. Here you go.' Rook hands the two letters over to the Postmaster.

"This one's from Bent Fork, too." Fenhari slides the letter across the counter. "Quick question, sir, if you don't mind. How far is it from here to New Frederick Road?"

The postmaster pays you each 5sp per letter.

You fellas from Bent Fork? You happen to see this man?

He pulls a Wanted poster off the wall behind him. On it is an artist's sketch of a man mostly wrapped in scarves under a low brimmed hat. Enough of his face is revealed to show a swarthy complexion, thick eyebrows and a mole on the right side of his face next to the bridge of his nose. Last seen riding a black horse with a small child. There is also a drawing of the baby swaddled in a patterned textile, his head poking out of the top with thick curly hair.

We just got this from our carrier coming from Burns, says he saw him headed up towards the Crack in the Ground just two days ago.

"So we are two days behind. Hopefully that's enough time to catch up before we lose the child." Xur'Tual ponders out loud, but mostly to himself.

Fenhari says to the postmaster, "We haven't seen him, but we are looking for him. Can you tell us anything about this Crack in the Ground? It looks like that's where we need to go."

’Guess we’re gonna have to pull this guy outta the crack…’

What is there to say about the crack in the ground? I can tell you this, it wasn't there back when I was delivering letters. Nobody knows where it came from. In fact, New Frederick Road wasn't there either. Don't know where it goes, most people I know just avoid it.

Hadwin approaches the group.
Hello again, my siblings and I were talking, and we decided that we wanted to support your effort to bring the child back unharmed. If you promise to bring them back to us, we would like to offer our horses to you. Their names are Chestnut and Buddy. They are sturdy and they know how to listen. Those are from my brother and my sister. I would like to give this to you.

He hands a small quail trap to Fenhari.
That is my contribution. so that you may eat while you are on your journey.

'What's so dangerous about New Frederick Road?' Rook asks, tucking the silver pieces into his coin pouch.

Its not the road thats dangerous, it's the fact that it goes through the crack. It's just not a place you want to be. Who knows what kind of animals might be down there, not to mention...our carriers they say it gives you sort of a ... I mean I don't know if you fellas believe in any of this sort of thing, but it just gives you a bad feeling. One of our guys said he could hear voices coming out of it.

Plus if you wanted to go South through the desert, you just use Old Frederick Road. There ain't nothing out that way anyhow.

Rook turns to Hadwin. 'Much obliged to you and yours, Hadwin. I know those horses are your livelihood. We mean to get this kid back- and lending us your horses would be a boon. I was thinkin' of 'borrowing' one of the Claytons burros but... We'll take good care of them and return them to you. Thank ye, Sir.' Rook looks around at his companions. 'So when do we light out?'

"I say as soon as possible."

Excellent, you can meet me at the stables next to the Waterin' Hole whenever you're ready to leave.

Hadwin leaves

'We should gear up before we hit the road. Don't wanna be caught out there without supplies.' Rook says. 'Fenhari you got any recommendations about what we should bring, you being a hunter and all?'

"Some cave in the middle of nowhere seems a good place to hole up if you're up to no good. Make some rumors that make folks think it's haunted and no one comes knockin. Let's get no more than we need and get moving."

Sophia keeps quiet, and follows along with the big men.

"I am used to the harshness of the desert, not caves. Besides extra water and food, make sure you have spare torches or a lantern. I have a few gold to spare if anyone needs it."

Fenhari buys a hooded lantern (5 gp), a healer's kit (5 gp), a crowbar, (2 gp), 2 full waterskins (4 sp), 6 flasks of oil (6 sp), 5 torches (5 cp), 10 pitons (50 cp), a piece of chalk (1 cp), and a candle (1 cp).