Go to see the mayor

Settling your gear on your back, you take your leave of the Violet Tabard and head out onto the streets of Torwin. It's a small crossroads town, all dirt paths and mud at this time of year. As you tramp along the packed earth, avoiding small puddles where the wheels of passing carts have carved ruts into the ground, you breathe deeply. At least being out in the middle of nowhere here has the advantage of fresh air.

The building that passes for Torwin's town hall is a low, half-timbered edifice on one side of the market square. Outside it stand the (currently unoccupied) stocks, the town's sole apparatus of justice besides a jail that's really more of a cellar. You enter the hall and weave your way past the several clerks hard at work weighing wheat, barley, and other agricultural goods that the local farmers have brought in to market. At the back of the hall, you find a stern-looking gray-haired woman deep in discussion with a portly red-bearded man. Judging by the sash hanging from the woman's shoulder, she's the mayor.

You wait, a polite distance away, for a lull in their conversation, then clear your throat. Both the mayor and her companion glance over to you, the mayor cocking an inquisitive eyebrow. "Yes? Can I help you, young man?"

You give her a formal nod. "Madam mayor. My name's Gavilard, and I've been here in Torwin for a couple of weeks. I'm an experienced adventurer and explorer, and I was wondering whether you might be needing any services from someone with my particular skillset. I'm not too proud to admit that I'm...running low on coin right now, so happy to take any kind of job. Even just one keeping an eye on the walls."

The mayor's eyebrow stays raised, but she smiles slightly. "Ah. Very well. I'm pleased to meet you, Gavilard. I'm Anavale Glendon, mayor here. This is Duncan Carter, the leader of our local farmer's association." The red-bearded man nods. "As it happens, Mr. Carter was just telling me about something that may be of interest to you...Mr. Carter, do you want to explain?"

Carter wipes his forehead with a handkerchief. "These l-last few weeks the farmers around Torwin have been having t-trouble with a...a wolf."

You frown. That doesn't seem...terribly serious. "Have you tried trapping it?"

He nods. "Traps, p-poison...nothing seems to work. The b-beast keeps striking our flocks, dragging away sheep...sometimes t-two or three a night. B-but that's not the worst of it..." He lowers his eyes. "L-last night the beast t-took a child. Minna Bellam's b-boy."

You straighten. This seems more like it. "I'm sorry to hear that," you say. "So, you're looking for someone to track it down and kill it?"

"That's the idea," Mayor Glendon says, nodding. "I'll be offering a hefty reward to whoever brings the beast's head back here: 5 purses of silver." She smiles at you. "You've a stroke of luck in your timing, Gavilard. This has just been decided, so you'll have the chance to get cracking before we post anything publicly."

You grin. "I'll do my best, ma'am. Do you have any idea where exactly the beast is lairing?"

Carter shakes his head. "Not p-precisely. Somewhere in the Shadewood east of t-town. If you're a decent tracker, you might try s-starting at the Bellam farm...their boy disappeared from the east field there, so there might be tracks. It's the third farm you come to on the road east."

You nod. Easy enough, as a starting point. {if Insight > 13}You're a decent tracker, though no amazing woodsman.{else}You're not particularly a skilled tracker, but it could be worth a look.{endif} "And how will I know if the wolf I find is in fact the wolf you're looking for?" you ask.

"We think it's a loner," Glendon says. "It's not taking enough stock for it to be a whole pack. And, well..."

"A c-couple of f-farmers have seen it in the distance," Carter says. His blue eyes are wide with fear. "They s-say it's huge. The s-size of a horse!"

That gives you pause, but you grin despite it. Probably just farmers' stories. "Well, when I bring you its head you can judge for yourself," you say confidently. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"No, I - " The mayor's reply is cut off by a sudden shriek from a back room:

"Mother!!"

A young woman storms out of a door off to your left and straight up to the mayor. She's a cute little morsel: barely five feet high, busty despite being petite, and with blonde ringlets that frame a serious-looking bespectacled face. Right now she's scowling.

"Mother, I heard two of the clerks talking. They say that the Shadewood Beast killed a boy! Is that true?!"

"Calm yourself, Izzy. Yes, it's true." Glendon says sharply.

"Well, what are you going to do about it, then?" the girl demands, looking furious. "You have to look out for these people! They need you to lead!"

"I am doing what I can, Isabella!" the mayor exclaims angrily. She points at you (and you take a step back, instinctively not wanting to get involved in this family squabble). "This man is an adventurer, he's going to head out to hunt the Beast even now."

The young woman looks you up and down dubiously. "Him? He doesn't look like much to me."

You bristle slightly. "I'm sorry, for interrupting, but I can assure you I'm quite capable. You don't need to worry about me."

"I wasn't. I just don't want a beast running wild in our town," the girl says scornfully. Before you can retort, she turns back to her mother. "Mother, I've asked before: please let me go out and hunt the Beast! I know I can track it down and kill it. Just give me the chance..."

"Absolutely not." Glendon's response is instantaneous and brooks no argument. "You will do no such thing, do you hear me, Izzy?" The girl lowers her eyes angrily. "Now apologize to Gavilard and go back to your studies!"

"Sorry," the girl mutters to you, whirling and stomping away. Mayor Glendon sighs.

"You'll have to forgive Isabella," she says ruefully. "She's...headstrong, like her father was. And she thinks that she can take on the world. She meant no offense."

You sigh. "None taken. I suppose I remember being like that...though I'm not much older. But getting out of your hometown shifts your way of viewing things. Once I was out in the world a bit...well, let's just say I became less confident that I had all the answers." You both chuckle.

"Well. In any case...is there anything else I can do for you, Gavilard?" the mayor asks.

You shake your head. "Not unless you've got some supplies I can take with me. Otherwise...I think I'm good."

"Afraid not. But of course you may be able to find what you need in town, if you've the coin." The mayor extends a hand and you take it, shaking firmly. "Gods be with you, Gavilard. I hope you bring me this beast's head."

Striding out of the town hall and into the sun, you can't help but smile. At last, a job to do! You could start out investigating the farm...or you could just head directly into the woods, of course. {if Coin > 0}You could also look around to see if there's anything in this town that you could purchase to help you out.{endif}