A blemish on the blessing

It is the early morning on the 7th of Avrel as our heroes all arrive in the small farming community of Bastow. This day will celebrate Eheruna's Blessing and the villagers will ask for bountiful crops as well as healthy livestock from the Goddess. The people of Bastow are beginning to set up stalls with food, drink and games in the town square. A troupe of wandering actors has also arrived and is setting up shop to entertain the townspeople and perform popular folk tales regarding the Goddess Eheruna and her workings.

The festivities are in full swing even before noon and the villagers are celebrating merrily as one of Bastow’s residents stumbles into the town square. It is Berthio, assistant to a wise man, Thomaid Honoras, who has recently come back to his home town of Bastow to spend the eve of his life in this quiet and calm community. Berthio is bleeding and sporting an arrow protruding from his right shoulder. The home of his master has been ambushed by a group of Goblins, who have abducted Thomaid, their motives unknown. Berthio fears for his master’s life as Thomaid is of old age and quite frail. Townmaster Helmer Cuthbald is at a loss. He feels that the town guards are ill equipped and trained to deal with such monsters and on top of that have their hands full searching for a band of bandits in the area. He subsequently asks the gathered townspeople for volunteers who feel up to the task of taking on a band of Goblins.

Naturally, our adventurers rise to the occasion. With the help of an elven ranger named Cithrel, member of The Emerald Blades, they make their way to Thomaid’s house on the outskirts of Bastow to search for clues. Upon their arrival they find the front door ripped out of it’s hinges and the interior of the house devastated. There is no trace of Thomaid. The Goblins though have left a trail of debris leading up to the nearby woods and our heroes were able, aided by Cithrel, to follow the trail of the Goblins to their den in a cave. Sneaking up on the band of Goblins the adventurers discover that Thomaid is unharmed and the Goblins have mistaken him for a healer or at least a medically schooled man. For the Goblins’ chieftain has an obvious ailment in the form of a menacingly swollen left leg, an injury incurred either by an accident or a possibly poisonous bite. The adventurers make short work of the Goblins and Thomaid is saved, unharmed, and returned to Bastow, where he receives medical attention. Celebrated for the rescue of a townsperson and slaying a band of Goblins, the adventurers are invited to stay at the local inn, which is owned by a jovial Halfling woman, Jessa Weedale. They are furthermore invited to speak to reeve Helman Wente in the morning to receive thanks and a reward.