Uh, try to avoid having to do that? She can maybe counterspell one at a time if she recognizes what they're casting.

Right, okay, caution is as usual the word of the day. 

Someday she will be a grown-up paladin who can dive into piles of enemies with reckless abandon and - oh, that's right, she has a to-do list item reading 'get a dang shield' for a reason. 

Back to Eastvale!

Questioning of the locals produces leads on James Clark's whereabouts that point south, rather than north, somewhere in the vicinity of the Brackwell pumpkin patch.

Oh, good, she can worry about the mages later. 

Are the Brackwells doing okay? None of them have been stabbed or kidnapped or anything, right? 

Well, they're not out working the patch.

The front door to the farmhouse is standing open, though.

That is ... mildly concerning. Time to investigate, weapon at the ready in case of Ambush. 

James Clark is waiting inside the house!

"You'll never take me alive, coppers!" he shouts, and attacks.

Rude.

Well, at least he was easy to find. 

HAMMER TIME. 

And frostbolts!

Mr. Clark was perhaps prepared for regular militia, but not their magic and magic-enhanced might. He dies.

Eeeheehe yes they are not regular militia, they are slightly advanced militia! And Theri is very pleased about it. 

Time to further investigate the farm, she wants to make sure the Brackwells are okay or failing that figure out what happened to them. 

Below is the process and schedule of Defias gold collection from the mines of Elwynn to our headquarters in Westfall.

Collection Schedule:

Sunday: 12:30pm
Wednesday: 12:30pm

By each specified day, gold gained from the Elwynn mines will be gathered at the Brackwell pumpkin patch. The agent in charge of these gatherings, "The Collector," will be known by the engraved ring he possesses. A ring I gave him.

A party from Defias headquarters will contact the Collector, after which he will transfer the gathered gold.

Be sure this process is performed without fail and with utmost discretion. The Collector is responsible for the transfer of gold, but ultimately it is the responsibility of each member of the Defias Brotherhood to ensure that his role is acted out with attention and discipline.

Remember, my brothers, we were once proud craftsmen. We'll perform our current duties with the same precision we used in our past trade.

-EVC

G. has missed the last two pickups. Must have a talk with him. May need reminding of our cause.

Okay, if they left in a hurry and took stuff with them that means they're not dead, that's good news. It also means they were probably scared off by, rather than participating in, this GIANT CONSPIRACY that Diane seems to have identified, goodness. She does not remember this questline having this many steps, maybe that is because in real life a quest is half a day instead of like five minutes.

What day is it, she wonders, and does she have the brain-to-mouth filter sufficient not to say something that sounds as though she knows things she shouldn't like "Man, you'd think if Van Cleef was such a proud craftsman he would at least have built himself a cool villain castle or something," haha nope, failed with flying colors. 

"Uh. Who's Van Cleef?"

Awkward cough. "Er." She points at the letter signature. "That guy?" 

She squints at the letter again.

"Ee vee cee... I guess that could be Van Cleef."

"The 'E' is 'Edwin' I think. He's the guildmaster of the stonemasons. Or uh. I guess he was and now he's the head of the Defias?" 

"Huh."

"We should probably tell someone."

Nod nod nod. "Definitely." 

So back to Goldshire?

 Yeah, even if the right solution to this is to come back to the exact same spot and ambush whoever comes looking for Clark they should probably check in with the Marshal first. To Goldshire! 

The Marshal is concerned about this development! Regardless of Theriel's suspicions, if these bandits are indeed so organized as to have effectively taken over all the mines in Goldshire, it seems like they're going to need to ask for reinforcements.

The Marshal would like the two of them to take this note as evidence and present their concerns to the court at Stormwind.