Lighting the Way (day 1)

The heroes wanted to learn a few things about the disappearance of the five children. They find out the following about the missing kids:

Kimi Eavewalker: Daughter of the famed elven ranger Idris and a beautiful seamstress named Kitani, Kimi has not seen her father in two years. The ranger is constantly away adventuring and tracking down relics for a mysterious patron. Kimi has grown into a fearless tomboy. Kimi is the protector of this band of friends, often scrapping with boys twice her age who try to bully the others. She usually wins these bouts, and many of the town's children are afraid of her.

Hollin Hebbradan: Hollin is a freckly-faced ten-year-old boy missing his two front teeth (from a bad spill off the waterwheel at the old mill). Hollin's mother died in childbirth and his father was savaged by an owlbear two years ago. Now Hollin's older sister, a beautiful young red-haired woman named Ralla, looks after him. The two have struggled to make ends meet and rumor has it Ralla works on one of the pleasure dens on Mud Street to keep food on the table. Hollin is a skilled woodcarver and he manages to earn a few copper pieces hawking his statuettes.

Mikra Jabbs: The thirteeen-year-old of the town butcher, Colbrin Jabbs, Mikra's difficult birth resulted in several mental deficiencies. He cannot read and believes almost everything he is told. Mikra is well-liked by everyone. His bright smile wins the hearts of almost anyone who meets him. Though the oldest of the bunch, Mikra is looked after by the others.

Jurin Kreed: Son of the wealthiest, most powerful, and evilest man in Falcon's Hollow, Jurin Kreed is a boy of eleven. Jurin behaves insufferably, snarling at the other children and threatening to have his dad's bodyguards beat them if they don't do everything he says. People wonder why the other children don't simply avoid the spoiled bully. Jurin spends many hours at the Jabbs' house.

Savram Vade: Son of the mysterious wizard Sharvaros, Savram is a quiet, withdrawn nine-year-old boy, whose bright eyes betray intelligence far beyond his years.

The heroes convince a few neighborhood kids with loose lips to reveal "the secret dare" taken by the five missing kids: to spend the night at the burned-out ruin of Elara's halfway house up on a mournful hill next to Darkmoon Wood.

The heroes asked around about the burnt orphanage, and they learned that a middle-aged silver-haired human woman named Elara opened the orphanage ten years ago, hard on the heels of the Gobliblood War. The atrocities committed by marauding bands of goblins left dozens of children without parents, and Elara took in droves of them.

Elara was a selfless woman who spent the greater part of her life caring for those no on else wanted. The fire was a horrible tragedy.

The fire started out of nowhere and spread so fast, by the time the town's volunteer brigade arrived all that was left was a smoking ruin, every child dead, and Elara burnt to cinders. Hard to believe a blaze that fierce could start as an accident. The locals were always afraid for the safety of that place. Elara built her halfway house far away from town and much too close to that haunted wood.

The last few months or so before the fire people claimed to hear all manner of clatter from the orphanage at night. Screams they say. Terrible screams. Some even claimed Elara lost her mind, took to torturing the children in the dead of night. That's why she built the place outside of town.