ATCL03 In Shadowmere

Elara will stow away on one of the wagons. Her elder siblings the Gruff brothers will hunt her down. The player characters have to decide Elara's fate.

The date in Cerwyn calendar is 337 - Brth - Festival - Vespera (337 - 2 - 1 - 10 - 90). Despite the lack of clouds and rain, the unseasonably hot temperature is drawing gale force winds from the plains across the Sarpath range.

Overnight, strong winds have picked up, their force somewhat mitigated by the surrounding mountains but still affecting travelers and wagons alike. Several merchants, awakened by the gusts, hurriedly secure their tarpaulins with assistance from Asus and Suilven. Despite the persistent winds, the upcoming market and its patrons remain undeterred.
Business is brisk with deals to be made, goods to be exchanged—buying and selling proceed regardless of the weather. The morning progresses swiftly; Asus and Suilven remain vigilant, attending to the merchants' needs and unable to stray far.
Branwen oversees proceedings, ensuring merchants' requirements are met and business agreements are solidified, as she holds ultimate responsibility for the village's prosperity.
As the successful trading day nears its end, unexpected shouting erupts from the eastern edge of the village, momentarily halting activities. Two distinct voices, rough and threatening, cause concern among villagers. Some hastily gather their purchases and depart, avoiding the approaching disturbance.
Nearby, a villager whispers to the merchants, "That's Jarek and Kael, the Gruff brothers—known for their toughness rather than charm. The elder, Jarek, is larger; Kael, leaner but equally fierce. I must go," they add, slipping away to safety.
The shouting grows nearer, "Where are you! You cannot hide! We knews you'd be here!" Two menacing figures on horseback suddenly appear in the village square, their eyes scanning the area with intent.

Jarek, the larger man, sports a rugged beard and piercing eyes that seem to cut through shadows. His weathered face bears scars from countless conflicts, his unkempt hair adding to his intimidating presence.
Kael, the younger brother, contrasts with dark, intense eyes ever alert for trouble. His disheveled appearance and hardened demeanor suggest a life accustomed to challenges.

What do the players do? Asus, roll an Animal Handling check (DC 5).

The animals show signs of neglect—muddy coats, resistance to harsh reins, and welts from unnecessary use of riding crops.
Asus and Suilven try to intercept the Gruff brothers, but are dismissed out of hand with a curt "It's none of your business. Get out of our way!" And they ignore them as they continue to scan the area.
"Elara! You'd better come out! When we find you, you'll be so sorry! Mother is distraught and you wouldn't want that now would you!"
And the two brothers having dismounted, now stomp around the village square, going to each of the merchant wagons and checking under the tarpaulins.

Roll perception checks (DC10) both players.

You notice Otto, the dog belonging to Selene, lying next to the herb wagon. It's eyeing the evolving scene with bewilderment, but slowly chewing on a piece of wood, or rag. It drops the item on the ground to get a better grip, and you notice it's a child's doll. A piece of wood carved with a crude head and a rag dress wrapped around it.
And out of the corner of your eye, there's a slight movement of the herb wagon tarpaulin.
The Gruff brothers are occupied with a wagon 20' or so away. But will be heading towards the characters direction in just a few seconds. The merchants feel powerless to stand in their way. Even Boris, the muscled Dwarven timber man, is reluctant to get involved.
"Now, see what a disturbance you're creating Elara! You'll be repaying your debt for the rest of Brth at this rate. Don't make me drag you out in front of this snivelling lot! I warn you. This is the last time!" Jarek growls.

What action do you take?

If they point out where the girl is hiding, Jarek will come over, rip the tarpauling back, and grab the little girl by the hair, pulling her off the wagon and to the ground. Kael will come over to the character who did the pointing, sneer in their face and toss a 1cp into the dirt "For your troubles!"
You stand in the way of the brothers when they come to the wagon. Jarek faces up to the characters, without drawing any weapon, and begins to throw verbal abuse at them both.
The village elders refuse to get involved. Family matters are just that, and the brothers have done nothing wrong.
Despite this, the attempt to stand against them is slowly build momentum, and the merchants and travellers who have muscle now start to back up Asus and Suilven. Jarek spits into the dirt at the feet of the characters, and say "Fine, if you want the extra mouth to feed you can keep the little, filthy scoundrel. But you pay 20gp!". Kael confirms "20 gold, or we smash up your wagon!"
Branwen urges you pay, as they don't want any trouble once the wagons roll out of the village.
If you try to fight the brothers, Branwen will step into the conflict to try and mitigate any such action, reminding the characters that the missing girl is their sister, and the brothers are doing nothing wrong. Any physical attack on them could get the characters arrested. Jark and Kael sneering laugh at the thought of this.
Asus and Suilven stand up to the brothers and while openly holding the hilts of the swords, they don't draw the weapons. The brothers step back from the challenge, and spitting into the ground near the feet of the dwarf, they tell them they can keep the snivelling little snort, and return to their horses. Cursing and cussing the whole way.
After the brothers are warned off, they mount their worn out horses are continuing to announce insulting remarks about their sister, the trott out of town.
The crowd stand in shocked silence till the brothers have finally left the village.

What do the characters do now?

Once all the commotion has died down, and while everyone else is otherwise occupied, Asus and Suilven discover Elara poking her head out from underneath the tarpaulin, and secretly take her to safety in their room at the inn.

You find who you assume to be Elara.
Elara is a small, frail-looking girl of about 10 years old, with a delicate frame that speaks of her lack of proper nourishment and care. Her long, matted hair, once a vibrant chestnut brown, now appears dull and tangled, cascading down her back in unkempt waves. Her large, expressive eyes are a striking shade of green, but they carry a haunted look, reflecting the hardship and fear she has endured at the hands of her elder brothers, the Gruff brothers.
Her face is smudged with dirt, accentuating her pale complexion, and a few small scratches and bruises are visible, hinting at the rough treatment she's received. Elara's clothes are tattered and too big for her small frame, as if they were hand-me-downs from her brothers. The fabric is worn and stained, with frayed edges and several poorly mended tears, indicating that she has been neglected for quite some time.
Despite her disheveled appearance, there is a certain resilience in Elara's posture. She huddles in the corner of a wagon in Shadowmere, trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible, but her eyes are alert and watchful. She clutches a small, threadbare blanket around her shoulders, seeking comfort and warmth in its thin embrace.
When the player characters find her, she initially shrinks back, wary of strangers, but there is a flicker of hope in her eyes. She looks up at them with a mixture of fear and curiosity, ready to flee at the first sign of danger but also desperately yearning for kindness and safety. Elara is a girl who has been through much, but there is still a spark of hope within her, waiting to be rekindled by those who show her compassion.

What do you do?
There is plentiful support from all on the wagon train to take the young girl with you. She will be looked after well, and cared for by all like she is a shared daughter, offering her much love, more than she will have experienced in her short life.
Elara believes she has a kind uncle and aunt who live in the City League, and Branwen backs up this belief. If she can be delivered to these relatives all will be good. The brothers, on accepting the payment, relinquished all their rights to own the little girl.

And so, as the evening of first full day of trading comes to an end, the wagons are all packed up and ready to depart early the next morning, and the merchants and travellers are enjoying a pleasant meal before they turn themselves in to a warm bed above the inn, or in their tents next to the wagons. Elara is tucked up in a warm bed, along with her wooden doll, sleeping safely for possibly the first time in her life, dreaming of the new life she is about to begin.

Parent Plot

337-088 Arncastle to the City League

Related Characters

• The Gruff Brothers

Related Locations

• Shadowmere