Butterskull Ranch and the rescue of Alphonse Kalezorn

Back in Phanlyn, the first news we hear is that Adabrah Guinn was attacked in her tower home, by the rumored white dragon, nine days ago (back when we heard the screech on our way out of town). We head to the Inn and find that she is still damaged and recuperating slowly. She is being well taken care of but the town lacks proper divine support. I call for Mitra’s aid and he cures her wounds. She is clearly not used to such sudden aid and it takes her a while to accept that she is healed. I am going to have to work on my showmanship, if only so that people are faster to recognize divine intervention as it happens.
 
Adabrah comes down to the common room for dinner and ale. The townsfolk cheer her return. We trade stories of the past couple weeks. Her experience was that her windmill was attacked as she was waking up in the morning. She was partially buried but lucky enough not to be directly attacked. She did not see the attacking creature much but thought it was the dragon. We quiz the townsfolk but they have nothing to add on further dragon sightings. The party agrees to head back to her place in the morning and see what we can do to repair it.
 
I run into Lyanne of the Lyonshield Coster. She has my banner and I can pick it up in the morning. (Which I later did.)
 
In the morning, I do sunrise service. Tuath is kind enough to support me by attending. The townsfolk ignore me. I hope word of my healing Adabrah helps them come around.
 
We buy provisions. Tuath rents a cart. We head up to Umbrage Hill. The windmill has taken a lot of superficial damage but the dwarves pronounce the structure to be sound. We make a trip back to town to recruit help and spend two weeks repairing the structure and adding a panic room and escape tunnel.
 
At the end of two weeks, a messenger rides in from Phanlyn. He says that there has been an orc attack on Butterskull Ranch and that Harbin Westor would like us to rush over there and rescue anyone there that can be rescued. The owner of the ranch is one Alphonse Kalezorn. Alphonse is a retired sheriff and Harbin says that he (Alphonse) will have a reward for us if we save him. If he is dead, then we can bring Harbin proof and Harbin will pay us 100 GP for our efforts.
 
Tuath made mention of being a wanted criminal and asked that we call him by his last name around the retired sheriff. Hmmm. At some point we may have to look into that story and see what, if anything, needs to be done.
 
We set out immediately, leaving the last of the windmill construction project to the townsfolk. It is mostly painting and cleanup anyway. It takes us two days to reach the ranch. Along the way we pick up three horses with the BAK brand. Ozzie works up rope bridles as they have no bit, bridle, or saddle. We take the horses with us. We also pass a cow with the BAK brand but opt to let it be. Around 6 PM, we reach the ranch.
 
We can see pigs, dead orcs, and dead humans. The ranch has crops and an orchard. There is a standing, two story farmhouse and a barn and smithy that have been burned to the ground. We hear screaming from the farmhouse so we know we are heading for a fight. We make an approach, through the orchard, check out the burned barn, and run in to assault the farmhouse. The house is full of orcs. They outnumber us but our assault means that they have no time to organize. It is a tough fight and by the end, I am out of spells, everyone is bloody, but no one (on our side) has fallen. Balderdash has a mean left when using an axe. Ozzie raged the entire time. He is a sight to behold. [Out of character: Dave, are you getting the damage resistance for rage?] Tuath even got into Melee range and was kind enough to stab an orc or two that were bothering me.
 
We do a search of the building and find Alphonse tied up in the basement. Somehow he is still alive. At a glance, we are three for three on property owners being the sole survivors of attacks on their homes or business locations in the past few weeks. I should start a business operation.
 
I had been thinking that, while we were doing good works, we were also somewhat acting as errand boys for Harbin. I was thinking that we might need to look for bigger problems to solve that delivering warnings and supplies (even if there is always a crisis in these border lands). Now I think it is possible that the local orcs are on the move. If I am right, we have them and a significant dragon threat in the area. Harbin may not know it but Phanlyn is likely going to need a fair amount of saving in the near future. In a bit here, Alphonse will wake up and we will quiz him about recent events and anything he learned.
 
We have a lot of bodies to bury. It will be interesting to hear what Alphonse makes for plans given that the ranch population has been wiped out save for him. (Though, perhaps, there are hidden survivors. Many farm animals seemed to have escaped. It is possible some of the people did as well.)
 
On an only somewhat related note, I hope we score some significant cash soon. I could use better armor and I see that Balderdash could as well. I could also use ruby dust for Continual Flame. I wonder if the Lyonshield Coster can procure that for me?