Nadia sat and listened to Tess's story, her eyes growing wider and wider as the paladin described the monsters.  "Oh... oh my.  I'm... sorry you had to go through such an ordeal to reach our town."<br/><br/>She shifted nervously in her chair, focusing her attention on smoothing her robes for a moment before looking up at Tess again.  "It started a few months ago.  We don't usually get much trouble here, but we still have routine patrols that search for any signs of incoming trouble - we've been attacked by orcs and kobolds in the past, though never anything too severe.  However, a few months ago one of the patrols failed to report.  We sent another patrol out to investigate, but they too never returned.  At first it seemed they only vanished when they got several miles outside of town, but it seems whatever's happening is happening closer and closer to the town.  Several townspeople that decided to go out into the woods for only a short while never returned.  Soon after that, we started hearing less and less from the outside world.  There haven't been very many people vanishing from the roads, but even so it's scared most travelers out of coming to our town."<br/><br/>"These creatures, though... I don't know if they're what's been abducting or killing people, or if there's something else behind it, but I'd say it's a pretty good bet they're responsible.  It doesn't sound like any creature I've ever heard of, though.  If you manage to find and kill any more, I can imagine some of our scholars here would like to examine them."<br/><br/>"Anyway, I suggest getting a good rest after your travels for now.  I've already made arrangements at the inn for you.  Tomorrow though, I would like you to search for the latest missing patrol.  I have a map of their patrol route and the last checkpoint they were seen at."