Kae's Investigation...

Kaedari traveled on the back of her trusty pink hawk strider, Streak. Her goal was to reach the Wetlands to make some new-fangled wand her insane master sent her to learn to make. In her opinion, what use is a silly wand? She had a sufficient wand already, and besides, she had the power of fire at her disposal!

“Turn right past the inn. Turn right past the inn,” she repeated to herself over and over. Once the ground started turning grayer, she knew it she was approaching the Wetlands.

The road turned to a dusty cobblestone and puddles appeared from a recent rain. Streak slowed to an easy walk and Kaedari’s rabbit Spring poked his nose out of the riding pack nestled on Streak’s saddle. His nose twitched restlessly and he took in the new smells of a new area.

Streak walked easily towards the inn, having spotted the sign and with a little urging from Kaedari. As they approached, the light fog that always seemed to permeate the Wetlands lifted a little.

Kaedari’s heart sank.

There the inn stood, burned to the ground. Fresh smoke trailed into the sky and a skeleton frame barely stood revealing what the building once was. A blond human man paced the grounds restlessly.

“Mysterious hoof prints, scorched shields, stray badges… How do we make sense of all this?” she overhead the man say to himself.

Surprised he was speaking Orcish, she slid gracefully from Streak and approached him directly.

“Excuse me, but what happened?”

The man looked at her with piercing blue eyes and a deep scowl. Worry lines crossing his face showed his age and she noted the glistening plate armour he wore.

“I am Inspector Tarem,” he stated harshly. “The inn has burned down.”

He then kneeled next to a few hoof prints left in the mud and stared at them intently. Rows of these prints lead the way from the inn and seemed to disappear in the darkness.

After several minutes of silence, she kneeled and looked at the hoof prints as well. Tarem immediately stood, and walked back towards a tree, seeming to ignore Kaedari’s existence.

“May I help?” Kaedari managed to muster the strength to ask.

Tarem looked at her with absolute scorn and scrutiny. He paced to her, looked at the mud tracks, looked at her, and returned to the tree. He leaned on the tree with his arms crossed and stared at her silently.

Kaedari flashed the biggest smile she could and waited for a decision.

“I will accept your help in this inspection, mage. Do not assume that I will trust your findings or your motives without my own verification.”

With a small nod, Kaedari took several items from Tarem.

“Deliver these to Krog in Brackenwall Village,” he stated shortly.

The items consisted of a burned shield and a small insignia covered in ash. It was white with a gold anchor on it, with the name Lieutenant Paval Reethe.

“Hurry up!” demanded Tarem with a snarl.

Kaedari immediately hopped on Streak and started in the direction of Brackenwall Village.

Kaedari and Streak arrive at the burned inn...