Maybe it’s just me, but if my progeny was missing and I was fearing the worst, I’d be disinclined to let four complete strangers into my home. Especially if they have weapons. (Unless thay also have badges, of course.)
They’ll come out to talk to you.
Not sure what anyone else will do, but I’ll let good old Nar make any introductions.
“Seld, Benea, and Lern, this is my brother Brunis. He’s going to help find Kial. He’s a good man and you can trust him. It’s OK to answer his questions.”
Ingmar will make with the smiling and the comforting! Who better to understand the child than a man who is makink the toys to bring joy to the little children? Ingmar has the heart and mind of the children he makes the toys for in mind, he will always help the children.
“Do not be afraid, little one, Bork bork bork! Uncle Ingmar will help you of your troubles!” Ingmar smiles at the child, gently to comfort him. but he will let someone… better from the party ask the questions. He will only seek to ensure the child is not afraid.
I take it you have your toys with you? (Because where would you have set them down?)
Since the type of deal is largely dependent upon what Sir Mayald will allow, it’d be best to talk to him first.
So up to the big mansion it is, then.
"Good folk, we feel your loss. We would like to help but can’t think of anything that you and your neighbors haven’t already tried. To find better ideas of where to look for Kial, we must speak with Lern to find where they went, where he last saw his brother.
I ask your leave to take him aside so that this priestess of Peoni and I may press him on the matter. We have no wish to discomfit the boy, but it’s past time to learn more of how his brother came to be missing.
Have we your leave?"
I give my most winsome smile.
“Sir Mayald, thank you for taking the time to see me. I am here on the search for a new master but as there is none about I want to take time to help out with looking for your missing boy. Can you give me any direction or any additional knowledge of the area that I could use in my search?”
Do the boys’ parents know which direction the boys set off in that day, or where they were headed or why?
Gered heads up the hill to the manor.
Symon, Sir Mayald is a gruff man who does not seem given to smiling. There’s a definite sadness about him. “Yes, I welcome your assistance in finding the boy. If you have need of anything to help you, I will do my best to supply it. I just hope he’s still alive. Children die.” He sighs. “Children die.”
The rest of you may speak to Lern, but his mother will be present at all times. She’s an emotional wreck and is being very clingy. Lern is so far not talking to anyone. He can barely look any of you in the eye. He seems almost… ashamed.
The boys were up before the parents were. They were seen all over, but spent a lot of time near the woods.
OK, guys, between Cella and I we have some options. I have:
and Cella has
; however, we are new in town and it remains to be seen what reaction mummy here would have to our even suggesting that we perform these kinds of rituals at this point.
tdn, Violet Eye is an entity unto itself, is that right? Like I don’t have to cast it on the kid and then ask him the question, the eye answers the question?
Actually, it’s a spell, not a ritual. And you don’t cast it on anyone, you just cast it. And it would be for general knowledge, such as “Does this road lead to Tashal?” or “Does the earl beat his wife?” It should be noted that if the spell fails, you might get a false answer.
Oh, good question to the moderator: how subtle (or not) is the casting of my spells? Is it like a simple religious blessing that the peasants wouldn’t necessarily recognize as having effects? Or is it like a full-blown exorcist rite?
They’re prayers. The invoking of them would definitely be noticeable. Villagers may or may not realize that they have effects, but as most are religious, they’d probably believe that they do.
"Let us pray that that will not be that case with this poor boy. Would you happen to have a detailed map of the area so I may learn the location of places that boys would like to play; caves, ponds, streams, or other interesting places?
You sound as though you had a child was there any place in particular that they liked to go? "
“No map, but there’s a stream where women wash clothes. He wasn’t there. There’s a pond, but that’s been searched. There’s Moaning Mouth cave, but everyone knows it’s haunted, so he wouldn’t be there. I think maybe he ran away.”
The servants in the room stop what they’re doing when you ask that, and give you a “Don’t go there!” look. He just replies “I’d really rather not talk about it.”
"That is understandable, I’m sorry I brought the topic up. It seems that all areas have been searched. Perhaps as boys are prone to do the child decided to test his bravery in the haunted cave.
I think I will search the cave. There is a priestess in town of my acquaintance who should be able to help with the ghosts.
Thanks for your time, Lord. Do I have your permission to go search"
Symon wait to be dismissed and then heads off looking for Cella in the village
“It’s your funeral. I can provide you with a couple of torches.”
He gives you permission to leave. On your way out you run into Gered, who appears to be headed into the manor.
"Its Gered, right? You wouldn’t believe what’s going on, apparently there is a child missing and the entire town has turned out to find him.
I just talked to Lord Mayald and he thinks the child ran away but there seems to be an obvious spot no one is searching, a near by cave. So I’m off to gather a search party care to help me out?"