Weāll see what the last couple replies are, and then Iāll take it from there.
That must really leave a bad taste in your mouth. The posting is fine so far. Iāll poke you if itās a problem.
Sorry about my slowness, I posted!
Overall, Kerrick will go with the group, but heād rather finish this job than leave it undone after stirring everything up.
So I think weāve got a couple lead ins to the elves perhaps? (They mostly come out at night. Mostly.) I donāt think we have any information on how often people disappear or come back, however, or if it happens in the town proper?
Iām considering some sort of half-baked plan where we dress up the bladedancer as an old woman and see if we can trick them into trying to kidnap her or whateverās going on.
If we can hit an eatery and get some info that makes any course of action besides burning it all down plausible, thatād be worthwhile.
Edit: or, now that Iāve caught up on IC, some variation of the stakeout plan as proposed by Kerrick.
Since weāre here now, Iād rather follow up a few more leads. We havenāt done anything yet except ask a couple of npcs whatās up.
But goblins was my first choice, so Iāll be good with that when the time comes.
And we paid 5 silver to get to this town, so we better find something 
by the way the plan of the bladedancer in disguise dosent sound that bad.
Until she objects and gets stabby.
Very well, it looks as if the majority plan is to stay here. I will change my vote so we have a consensus.
Sorry, but thereās going to be another slight delay in my response. My computer got knocked off a table and smashed this evening. I should have a stand-in by tomorrowā¦
Hey gents! Iāve borrowed a PC and Iām working on a reply. Sorry again for the delay. I will say this is one of the only times Iāve purchased an extended warranty, and am I ever glad I did!
Illyana offers you rooms at 5sp a night (and the Baron said heād party you back). Whatās the plan? What is the party going to do after that?
I think there were some good ideas regarding nocturnal, covert surveillance. On top of that, we have some more leads to question. How much day remains?
Itās mid-morning, still before noon.
Plenty of time for shenanigans. How far away would we estimate the elvesā residence from what the cleric told us? What about Hulgrud (probably should ask the baronette)
Iād suggest perhaps keeping the baronet apart from any investigation of Hulgrud, but with us as long as possible, up to and including overnight, if we can maybe get him a bit tipsy and asleep. (how old do we judge him? He sounds like a college aged child)
Are you trying to make me cry?
The entire town is within a 5 minute walk or so.
Youād guess he hasnāt yet seen 18 summers.
Ack! Hulgrud was an honest mistake.
ābaronetteā was not, I was being condescending towards the creature 
Though Iām considering now lightly misspelling NPC names in the future as a character flaw. Blame the fact I have so many names in my head from my study of history.
Letās not forget Leland, Neddy and Stephon. It may be time to split the party again to cover some ground. Neddy sounds like the strongest lead out of those. Does Kaul feel like rifling his place while someone keeps him talking?
I wouldnāt mind talking to the hermit, but one of the casters may have more to bring to bear there. We need to leave the Baronet out of that, if we canāt ditch him entirely.
At some point weāve got to get past asking people what they each think is going on though. Iām thinking that first inn is the best lead weāve got there. Take rooms, break in at night, or just stake it out?
I can do that.
I agree that another split will get us more information faster, and thatās a good thing.
Kerrick will join the hermitage party, both so I can abuse detect evil and to make sure weāve got fighter-types in both groups just in case of combat.
Where do you want me? Might make sense to have me engage the Elves.