"Yeah, that's kinda concerning." 

"Must be a pretty big gang. And if they have wizards, too... That's a lot of firepower for outlaws."

"It kind of implies they'd have to be recruiting, right? I mean I guess building stuff probably involves magic but a bunch of disgruntled stonemasons probably doesn't spontaneously mutate into a bunch of wizards?" 

"Yeah, wizards aren't usually just lying around on the side of the road for anyone to pick up. Unless you're living in the high elf lands. Or blood elf or whatever they're calling themselves. They're like all wizards is the point."

"Right? Except for fuckin' Liadrin," wait, shit, why does she even have this opinion? when does Liadrin even start doing anything?? whatever, she's already halfway through this sentence, "who instead is the worst paladin." 

"Uh, if you say so."

"...yes." 

Time to very awkwardly give condolences to the guard post about the deaths of their missing people! 

Guard Thomas takes the news mostly in stride. At least he can finish his report now.

If they're looking for something else to do, he's had several requests from the Eastvale Logging Camp that he's too short-handed to deal with. And then maybe on their way back they can pick up his report for the Marshal.

Eugh, more spiders - no, wait, that was the logging camp in Tiragarde Sound. 

Does Diane think their less formal report to the Marshal regarding 'Defias have wizards: please advise' can wait? It does seem like it would be nice and efficient to go solve whatever problems the loggers are having and then go deliver Thomas's report at the same time. 

Yeah, that sounds good. She doesn't think they were doing anything too worrisome, magic-wise. As far as she could tell.

Okay, great. To the Eastvale Logging Camp! 

The camp is in the very shadow of the Redridge Mountains, and is home to a couple sawmills as well housing for the various workers and overseers. One of the overseers seems to be having some kind of argument with herself near a half-loaded wagon.

People who talk to themselves are often easily startled. Theri makes an effort to walk more loudly as she approaches so as not to alarm her before offering a cheery "hi, Thomas sent us to help!" 

"What- oh, adventurers. Well, if you're looking to help, I need someone to gather up the wood out there or this shipment is never going to get out of here on time." She gestures vaguely to the north. "The laborers chopped it all, but the murlocs and the bears drove them off before they could bring it back."

So they just, what, ran off and left piles of chopped wood behind? 

... No, yeah, on further reflection this makes sense, lumber is heavy and awkward to transport, especially if you have to do it without heavy machinery and while being attacked by bears.  

Not to worry, madam, the Adventurers(TM) are on it! 

Great. If they can gather up eight stacks, that should be enough.

Theri is not totally done with the novelty of being able to casually lift heavy objects and will have a great deal of fun gathering large stacks of wood with intermittent pauses to fight wildlife. With any luck, Diane, who is probably less enthusiastic about it, will not even actually have to carry anything, if she is on the ball about making things all frosty and slow when they try to get in the way. 

Diane is so on the ball about frosting things up. She should be a pâtissière in a circus.

Diane is the best. In that case they will collect lots of wood and reduce the angry wildlife population and return to the overseer very pleased with themselves! 

The overseer thanks them for their help, and gives them some money.

Hooray. 

Time to swing back by the guard post to pick up Thomas's report and go talk to the Marshal. This whole Defias business does not seem to be over. 

The Marshal agrees this is indeed concerning. In light of this new information, he's going to make the killing or capture of one James Clark much higher priority. There's a flyer on the board over there with information, if they're interested.

She's increasingly thinking the right way to get an audience with the King might just be to run this questline all the way through the Deadmines, so, "sure, we'll take a look," and hey, is there anything else on the notice board? In games of course they always contain approximately one (1) level-appropriate quest but it's actually a whole board, right? 

In addition to the Wanted: James Clark, there's also a standing request from William Pestle for kobold candles, a flyer about the Darkmoon Faire, and a request for an exterminator at the Maclure Vineyard.

OH MAN THE DARKMOON FAIRE SHE WANTS FIRE WINGS IMMEDIATEL ahem that is an unwise use of time even if achievement rewards are somehow a real thing. She will write down the other things and confine herself to aspirationally doodling flaming wings in the margins. Unfortunately, since Clark was apparently last seen at the logging camp it won't be convenient to visit the vineyard on the way but if his defeat is straightforward and doesn't immediately spawn an emergency maybe they can do that next.

Does Diane have any ideas for dealing with a lot of mages all at once, if it turns out that's where their mark is? Theriel is not sure if line-of-sight shenanigans actually work in real life and she does not have a death knight handy to barrel in with an antimagic shield and murder everything while cackling.