Ameiko is Missing!

The sheriff has asked you to makes yourselves conspicuous, and, well, the best way to do that would appear to be to walk around town, chatting to people and generally being seen. It feels strange, but the town guards who remain (a contingent of 4 left with Sheriff Belor Hemlock a few hours ago) have been told of your temporary 'induction' into their ranks.

It all feels a bit odd, to be honest, and when lunch time approaches, the suggestion of returning to the Rusty Dragon for some leftover boar sandwiches, and perhaps weak ale. Well, that is being 'conspicuous' too, isn't it, and there is no good having the town’s erstwhile defenders falling unconscious from fatigue and hunger.

Things don't quite turn out this way, unfortunately. When you walk into what should be a bustling lunchtime crowd at the Rusty Dragon, you see Bethana (the timid, elderly halfling woman who cooks for Ameiko) standing in the middle of the empty room looking distraught. She starts to speak, as if to inform you that the place is closed, before recognizing you all. You can see the relief wash over her face, albeit temporarily, before being replaced with a mask of worry again.

"Oh, thank Avandra you are here. Thank Avandra! Ameiko is gone!"

She seems panicked, her voice nearly breaking.

"I got up this morning with the fishermen ((a local phrase, meaning a very early start)), as I always do, and went downstairs to start the hearth and heat the ovens. Normally, by the time I am getting things cleaned up from the night before, Ameiko comes downstairs and heads out to get the food for the morning's breakfast. Well not today!"

She pauses for dramatic effect, her little hands twisting against a piece of folded paper she holds.

"I was a bit worried, thought maybe she was feeling ill, so I went and knocked on her door but didn't get a response. Now, normally I ain't no sneak, and Avandra will tell you I don't go putting my nose in other people's business, but I was worried, see, so I took a peek. Her room was empty, and her bed was unslept in. I thought maybe that girl has got herself a nice man, at last, but then I saw this note lying on her floor."

She thrusts forward the note to you. It is a handwritten single sheet, completely indecipherable to all of you. It has clearly been written in some language of sweeping arches and angular shifts.

"That there is the lady's native tongue, you see! Likely to keep prying eyes from seeing it ... but she taught me how to read and write her language over the last few years I have been working for her, well a bit. I mean, I ain't no expert, but I can read enough to know it ain't no good!"

She stretches out her hand to retrieve the letter, and then, laying it flat on a table starts to slowly read out a faltering translation:

"Hello, sis!

I hope this letter finds you well, and with some free time on your hands, because we’ve got something of a problem. It’s to do with father. Seems that he might have had something to do with Sandpoint’s recent troubles with the goblins, and I didn’t want to bring the matter to the authorities because we both know he’d just weasel his way out of it. You’ve got some pull here in town, though.

If you can meet me at the Glassworks at midnight tonight, maybe we can figure out how to make sure he faces the punishment he deserves. Knock twice and then three times more and then once more at the delivery entrance and I’ll let you in.

In any case, I don’t have to impress upon you the delicate nature of this request. If news got out, you know these local rubes would assume that you and I were in on the whole thing too, don’t you?

They’ve got no honor at all around these parts. I still don’t understand how you can stand to stay here. Anyway, don’t tell anyone about this. There are other complications as well, ones I’d rather talk to you in person about tonight.

Don’t be late.

Tsuto"

She lets out a little shriek of despair.

"Tsuto ... he is a bad one! A family scandal. He was born, what, must be 21 years ago ... but he is a half elf!!!! Neither of Ameiko's parents are elves. Do you see what I am saying?"

Scandalous indeed, if you are an old halfling woman. Her eyebrows arch and she nods sagely, as if this revelation itself were enough to prove that the boy was a lost cause.

"His father disowned him ... well fair enough if you ask me, for the boy obviously wasn't his ... and sent him away to the Turandarok Academy to be raised outside the Kaijitsu family. He was cut off completely by his father, and his mother was not allowed to see him, but I know Ameiko used to go see him a lot. Probably once every couple of weeks.

Well, that all changed about six years ago. They must have argued, for Ameiko came back bloodied, and in tears. She left the town for about a year after that, went wandering. That was before she bought this old place and did it up. Went wandering, made a bit of a name for herself, and came back with quite a bit of cash. She only came back for her mother's funeral. The old dear fell off a cliff. She was a lovely old lady, but got a bit mournful near the end, and it appears she killed herself. Tsuto was having none of that though. He made a right scene at the funeral, blamed his father for killing his mother. Said he pushed her off the cliff. Mad, but then that is what being disowned can do to you.

It was a terrible scene, of course, and Lonjiku nearly whacked Tsuto's head off with his cane. In the end some local lads had to come and drag the boy out of town. I know Ameiko tried to reestablish contact with Tsuto after this. She spent a lot of time and energy trying to trace him, but as far as I know she never managed.

And then this letter turns up. I don't know what to do. I heard that Hemlock has left town, so I cannot very well go to him, and ... well ... I am at a loss. Please help!

The little old lady starts sobbing, burying her eyes in her hands.