While taking a rest at Dinvaya’s, I learn that while I was away, a ratfolk named Redtooth has hired us to locate and retrieve his child – Whiskerfits – who has found himself to be in trouble with a gang.

And then, faintly, we hear some scratching at the door – apparently someone or some thing was trying to pick the lock. Dinvaya seems to seem to gladly grasp this opportunity to segue to the fact that she needs hardware to (re)build her security system. So, we go looking for irising mechanisms for her. It doesn’t take long to find some tracks, which we naturally follow. We run across some rust monsters, but successfully avoid a confrontation. We’re are so very not interested in tangling with them.

After a bit, we come across a lot of people on litters – wounded ratfolk. Those that can scurry off upon our arrival, but I offer help. I slowly walk towards the wounded, arms out, showing my Holy Symbol of Healing and my healing kit, and simply saying “Help” and “Heal”. They flinch initially, but once they realize what it is I have and am offering, they rush to me. I do not feel threatened.

They speak quickly, almost nervously. I try to calm them down, have them speak much more slowly. Their indecipherable chittering now passes for a sort of Pidgin Common.

I let them know that I’ll help their injured, but we’re looking for someone. That we’re not bad and we’re not looking to punish this person. When I say “Whiskerfits”, they go back to chittering but I can make some things out, like “No” and “Traitor” and “Bad Man”. I ask what he did – why he’s bad. I’m able to make out that he’d apparently moved in with the Smilers – and they’re the cause of the casualties around me.

I seem to have lost a little trust, but reassure them that we think the Smilers are bad too, and that we’ve killed many of them. This seems to not be going very far, so I ask about Redtooth. Apparently, Whiskerfits is Redtooth’s brother? I thought he was his son? Either way, Redtooth won’t come out as he’s warplanning.

I strike a deal – I’ll stay here to heal the wounded and act as a sort of collateral, if one of them will lead the rest of my party to Redtooth. They agree, and as they walk off, I begin showing these folk my methods of healing, and teach them of the Goodness of Sarenrae.

04/21 +600xp for selflessly healing. +750xp (share of party successfully reaching & talking w/ Redtooth)