Prologue: Troubles at Red Larch.

Midnight wakes, takes the time to go through her morning routine -- precisely 87 strokes with the comb -- and then comes down for breakfast. "Good morning everyone! I'm ready to start our QUEST." She looks around at everyone eating... "OOOH BREAKFAST!" and promptly begins shoveling food into her mouth.

Breezy grimaces at the horse with the attitude, pulling against the reins in an effort to get it under control.

"Indeed I did, and indeed I am." Yohna replies to her companions as they greet her. She assumes a similar stance to last night, her chin resting on her fist, which is in turn leaning on her elbow. "With all due respect, Master Vardo, you strike me as the type who would sooner depart this world than learn that lesson. Though maybe I can keep you hanging on long enough to let it stick." She chuckles.

When Midnight arrives, she thinks to comment on the gnome's eating habits, her eye twitching a little at the astounding lack of table manners she's witnessing. However, she thinks better of it and turns back to her other companions and sighs. "I suppose we're just waiting for Master Breezy, then. As soon as he's done, we can consider where we stand with our preparations."

Falka jolts awake, thrust from unpleasant dreams as a slim snag of sunlight pierces through a gap in the shutter. Breathing heavily, she comes to the bittersweet revelation of having arrived back in the waking world, no longer under threat. When eventually her heaving slows to a sigh, she turns her head to look at Mort, who still sleeps as soundly as he had the prior night. Falka was not surprised. She steps out of bed, unfettered by the normal sleepy reluctance to leave its comfort. She had not in fact, found it comfortable. Too much give in it, she thought. Certainly not a problem one would find in a sturdy, reliable dwarven bed.

She washes up, trying fastidiously to hide any signs of her restless sleep. Next, she runs through a routine of exercises like a well-rehearsed play. When finally she is satisfied that her appearance projects strength, she unlatches the door and stomps downstairs to breakfast.

There, she finds almost all her new companions already gathered. At least her nightmares hadn't woken her at an early hour, she thought.
"Fine morning. Wish my shutters had been a bit tighter though," she grumbles. "Wood's not fit for keeping the light out." Pulling up a chair beside Midnight, she claps the gnome on the back, perhaps a little too hard. "Ain't that right my magical friend! One needs a few feet of earth between her and the sun in the morning."

As she looks on in wonder at the sheer volume of food passing the gnome's teeth, she catches a twitch in the eye of the woman across from her as she regards the same spectacle. "What's wrong, Lady Cleric? Aren't you as intrigued as I am where she puts it all?" she simpered mockingly. With one hand the dwarf mimicked her pose with characteristic inelegance, even as her other hand scooped morsels into her mouth. Hers was a type Falka knew all to well - the same attention to manners and delicacy she found in her clan elders. The thought brings disgust, just barely showing in her face.

"Thank you, Breezy replies to the dour one. "Time to hunt orcsss and devilsss.

Breezy walks quickly to the inn, looking for his traveling companions. He imagines that they have left this late in the day, but he is hoping to catch them before they head out. If they are not there, he will check the tavern. As a last resort, he will head to the bath house and look for them there.

Midnight finishes her plate of food, then looks up to see everyone gathered at the table. "So... what's the plan?"

"Well, apparently these bandits were last seen on Cairn road. I can think of two options, either try to actively track them, or set ourselves up as a target and counter ambush them."

Keavan looks around at the others.

"Unless anyone has any other ideas, or spells or abilities that we could use."

"You're the professional soldier amongst us, so I'll defer to your expertise, Vardo replies. "However, I would ask for a few considerations. First, we aren't a group of typical soldiers so we should be...creative...in how we allow them to 'ambush us' if we choose that stratagem."

"Secondly, regardless of whether we confront them on the road, or track them to their lair, I strongly think we should wind up tracking back to their base in the end. It's the only way to be sure we will have removed the problem from the root." Vardo pauses to gauge the mood at the table before concluding, "And finally, if we are to act on the bandits this day, we should be under way shortly. Although I am quite comfortable in the dark, I think our group as a whole would be more efficient in the daylight hours."

Yohna leans back in her chair, taking to ignoring the grotesque display from Falka - Ignorance was excusable, spite was petty. Instead, she takes another look at the poster. "Well, whilst we wait for Master Breezy, I would suggest we go speak to the constable for more details. All of us going at once may be overwhelming though - I'll go with one other, if any of you are willing, to make sure we cover all the questions we need. The rest should see to supplies and possibly take a look at getting the lay of the land."

Midnight is easily entertained. She spends the morning people watching, doodling and writing in her journal, and writing bad poetry.

Lofty man of the color blue
Spends the morning flinging poo
We're waiting until he's ready to
Go out on our QUEST

"I have already spoken with the constable, in fact I got that poster from him.
I can think of nothing further to ask him, I tend to the straightforward, but take the poster with you and tell him you are working with me.
That should at least start the conversation."

Keavan will check prices of breastplates at Ironhead Arms, and Tantur Smithy, while the others go to the constable.