Etappe 2b: Slaughter at Mortara

Late in the afternoon the party arrives in Mortara, a small woodcutters commune. They take lodgings in Berkan's Hoekje (Berkan's Corner), the village inn. There is no priest who can tell if their actions in the ruined mansion were sufficient to bring peace to the souls but they do find an old dwarf who was alive in the period of the drama. He remembers the tale of Laetitia as an odd story. The family lives happily in the mansion until both children disappear. The boy probably killed his sister because he is seen fleeing south. A few years later the mother drowned in the river. The sad old man lives in the house alone with the grave of his wife, isolated from the world.
This story does not fit the PC's finding entirely, but they have no more leads at this moment.

The search for Olaf
After their diner in Berkan's Hoekje, the PCs decide to entertain the locals who use the inn as their meeting hub. Hendrik orates about their mighty deeds in the Arena of Malinor while the others re-enact the scene. Apart from a minor accident with a spiked chain and a mug of beer the performance is wel accepted, and earns a 'round of drinks for all present' from Arkol Semanius who is minding his finances in the inn.
Just as the PCs are leaving for their room a panicked woodcutter's wife enters the inn. She asks Arkol for help: In the afternoon she sent her son with an errant to his father in the woods. However upon return of the father it becomes obvious that young Olaf never reached him. Hendrik helps organizing 2 search parties.
The PCs and some locals backtrack the route the boy should have taken. They find a saw, signs of a struggle, and a trail which they follow deeper into the woods. The trail joins a bigger trail which is easier to follow. Along the track a guard is discovered and captured. He reveals that there is an encampment of approximately 50 Waren, and that indeed a boy was taken into custody. He doesn't know exactly why, but assumes the boy saw something he shouldn't have. He also does not tell why they are here. One of the villagers is send back to get help while the PCs approach the camp.

The Waren encampment
A guard is taken out without raising an alarm, and disguised in a blue coat Raogda raids one of the tents for more coats and weapons.
15 Woodcutters come to the aid of the PCs. They are given the bows of the PCs and are positioned outside the camp as reserves. The PCs enter the camp in disguise and create chaos by setting a tent on fire. While the Waren try to extinguish the fire, the PCs start attacking them. With hardly any discipline, the unexperienced, and often unarmed, young blue coats are easy prey for the frenzied rescuers. After the raid 37 burned and killed Waren are counted. A few have been seen fleeing the scene.
Olaf is found in the commander's tent, as is an expensive looking dark red cape, embroidered with the initials RV, and a coded letter which the PCs translate to 'Come to Tradatum'.
20 swords from the camp are given to Mortara in case the Waren come for revenge, with the instructions to keep them hidden. If the Waren come to investigate, all the villagers know is that the PCs found and rescued the boy on their own.

A gift of gratitude
In the morning Olaf's mother, Sibella Barda, comes to the PCs. She gives them 3 berries of the Visolaris fluviam plant. These 'Sunberries' possess healing power. At sunset they become purple and are poisonous. The woman does not know if the berries become orange again at sunrise because they are normally only picked when needed.