(Quest) Missing Children

In aldrose, the rumour is that children have gone missing one by one for at two years. The missing children are mostly street urchins and as such it took a long while for anyone to notice, but lately a few children of resident families of Aldrose have disappeared, the roseguard has been made to take notice. The families who have reported their children missing are all elvish.

The quest can be picked up by asking anyone in Aldrose about rumours or leads for work. Commoners don't know much, other than children have been missing and the roseguard has issued an investigation. They should also guide the players to ask more from the roseguard or ask more at their keep.

Roseguard can tell them that at least 30 children has been missing that they know of but the number might be higher due to most of the children being street urchins that are much harder to account for. They will also add, that all the children they know are missing so far are elvish. No bodies have been found, no ransom or blackmail or threats have been issued.

The party then has several paths to find out who the kidnapper is. They might seek out a family whose child has been kidnapped and find out where and with who the kid usually plays with. They might track down some street urchins by themselves and talk to the kids who will tell all they know about their missing friends. They might tell them that they often play in the Saint's district and that one of their friends disappeared right after sundown one night when they were done playing ball around in the road next to the cathedral.

The party might see / find a group of kids with an elven child with them and might keep watch over them from cover, to find a cowled person later talking to the elven kid and offering him a piece of bread and encouraging the child to go with him. The person gives the child a similar cowl and they head down to Saint's quarter and in to the cathedral.

Searching the cathedral the players will find bishop Valenius in the catacombs, locking away the child with a dozen or so other elf children. Valenius will try to resist if caught red handed in the catacombs. He will summon minions magically but will not fight himself and will instead cover in fear. If questioned, he explains he had no choice. There are more poor to feed every day, and not enough food to go around. He reveals he has a contact who travels from Ilarora every six months to buy the children from him with a hefty bag of gold. Beyond taking them out of the city, he doesn't know what he does with them. He only knows the man is Ilarorian and he supposes he takes the children back to Ilarora going by the six month interval that would fit the travel time.

If the players do not confront the bishop, there will be an itinerary for the children exchanged and a bank bond with an Ilarorian sigil for a hefty sum of money in his chambers in the cathedral or in his house.

The players can provide the itinerary to the roseguard as proof or free the children who will explain to the roseguard what happened for example. Reward for his capture can be claimed from the roseguard keep.

Solving this quest also complete's Violet's favor for Earthly Delights quest.