The group was traveling to the town of Last Resort, on the southern slopes of the Dragon's Teeth mountain range. To the north of the range lies the Barren Wastes, a wind-swept frozen tundra where traditions say vast resources lie. The party includes: Bernall Reeban (IRL Killian), a male elf ranger with a hawk named Mesker. Josh Haymaker (IRL A), a male (?) barbarian whose race is unclear, but who has hands and feet like Kirby . Nuri (IRL AJ), a female elf fighter. Seodra (IRL Matt), a female halfling thief. Some of the rumors, myths, and legends about the Barren Wastes include: A Great Wolf who roams the Wastes, guarding a great treasure and attacking those who dare to venture in. A pair of mountains. Originally one was a witch and the other a giant, both of whom turned to stone when they were exposed to the sun. An inverted tower that goes all the way to the planet's core. A dragon skeleton wraps around the above-ground exposed part. A statue with very valuable gems for eyes, one a ruby and the other an emerald. As the group followed the road through the forest to the town, they encountered a farmer sitting next to an inverted cart. The farmer was being attacked by human-sized hairless rats and he was near death. Although the rats wore no clothes, several had leather satchels around their shoulders. After the party defeated the rats, the farmer pleaded with the group to rescue his very young daughter and take her to the cleric in town who would know how to care for her. After making his plea, the farmer died. The party saw another naked rat further ahead on the road, carrying a child. They pursued it over a rise in the road and then down the other side. Upon cresting the hill, the road emerged from the forest to a grassy slope leading down to the base of a high cliff about 1 kilometer to the north. On the cliff face could be seen large open-faced caverns containing buildings and connected by ladders and balconies, leading all the way up. At the top of the cliff the party could see a large crack in the wall, open to the sky above, and leading through the mountains beyond. The hairless rat ran across the grassy plain to the west of the town, finally entering a small dead-end cave about 2 kilometers away. The party cornered the rat and killed it, rescuing the child, and taking the rat's head. They learned that the rat was a Blood Rat . These vampiric creatures live in colonies headed by a queen rat. The queen is known to drink the blood of victims and then enzymatically transform it into some kind of new substance. The worker rats' instincts are to bring her new victims for the transformation. Half of the party then went back to the overturned cart to investigate, while the others took the child to the cleric. Quill is a cleric of the order of the earth, a sect that forbids bathing. His stench is so bad that being a an enclosed space with him will make a person sick until they can get back to open air. He is fat, and wears very dirty brown robes and the symbol of his church, a small wooden globe on a chain around his neck. His motivation is to protect children and small animals. He will gladly accept donations to help his cause. The group that investigated the overturned cart found only a pile of vegetables, but were able to right the cart and sell it for 12 coins upon arriving in town. The rats' satchels contained only bits of junk as they appear to be hoarders. The party then regrouped, having learned that they might get more information from Gerta Rockbottom, the proprietor of the tavern Gerta's Place. Gerta Rockbottom is a retired dwarf fighter who owns Gerta's Place. She has graying hair, a stocky build, and a very gravelly voice. Her motivation is to live out her retirement in peace. Gerta's Place is a tavern in one of the caverns of Last Resort. At the back wall of the large room is a fireplace containing a roaring fire and to the left of the entrance is a long bar, behind which stands Gerta. On the wall behind the bar is an old, well-used battleaxe. In the open area of the room are scattered tables at which sit folks eating and drinking. Gerta informs the party that the specialty of the house is a tea made from the waters of the natural spring found in the mountain pass above. The water has some special properties: while it is hot, the tea is slight intoxicating, much like ale. When the water cools to room temperature, it takes on healing properties (+1d4 HP), but can only be consumed 3 times before the person must bath in the hot waters of the spring to "reset". When the party presents the head of the blood rat to Gerta, she informs them that there have been several people who have gone missing from the town recently and that the mayor is offering a reward for anyone solving the problem. The party then went to talk to the mayor about the reward. Mayor Austen Becker is a thin, charismatic man with a squeaky voice. His motivation is to keep the peace and get reelected. Mayor Becker informs the party that several people have disappeared in recent weeks, most recently Bertha Sandyman, the wife of halfling Clarence Hedgehopper, and offers the party 200 coins to solve the mystery of the disappearing townsfolk. The party was considering speaking with Clarence next.