A Farmers Woe

Istvan smiles and nods, trying to settle the man's nerves before they got down to business. He did not need half-crazed accounts of the occurrences, he needed facts.

"Calm down, my friend. Yes, I am called the Wayfarer and was told you believe you are the victim of pranks of an unusual nature. This is my apprentice and scribe Meygan, she will take down notes so that we do not miss anything.", he explains, patting the man's shoulder in a comforting way before continuing.

"Now start from the beginning and tell me what is happening and speak in as much detail as you can, alright?"

"Ok ok...well.." The man takjes a large gulp of his ale and sits down.
"It started about a month ago, my wife went missing 7 months ago god bless her soul. People reckon she was kidnapped or killed, can be a rough place outside the walls." he sighed seemingly lost in thought.
"Anyhow, it all started up just after i'd finished ploughing my fields ready for sowing. Someone musta snuck a whole bunch of sneaky trickery into there cause all sorts of things been happening. Floating plates, footsteps in the dark and scurrying in the walls. I keep hearing my Mrs. telling me it was my fault and that she'll make me get wha's comin to me. I swear someones walking round the fields a night too.
Thing is I can't find any of the wires or machinery tha's doin' it. And I'm getting desperate. So I figured I'd ask an expert.
Someone really wants me outa this house.." the man came to a stop and shuddered, taking another drink.

"I haven't a lot of gold...but I'll give you what I can afford....so please help me."

Istvan listens and nods, glancing back to make sure Meygan is taking notes, freeing him to interview the farmer.

"Let's start simply and discuss the disappearance of your wife. What all do you remember as far as where she was or where she was going and why are there rumors insinuating that she did not just run off or met with an accident?", he asks calmly, watching the man's facial reactions to his questions. If the farmer was involved in his wife's disappearance, it might be revealed in his face.

It was clear to you that the farmer was genuinely distressed at the disappearance of his wife, and nothing in his voice or manner spoke of him hiding things. He was clearly no master actor nor incredibly intelligent. He was just a normal farmer and quite a frank one at that.
"She vanished, she used to go out to the woods occasionally to collect wildflowers and fruits and nuts for cooking. She was a lovely woman you know, really beautiful, never understood what she could see in me. Anyways one night seven months ago I goes into town to buys me some supplies, seeds and the like along with replacement tools. She was at home when I left, when I got back she was nowhere to be seen. Her stuff was all still there and there was no sign of struggles or nothing. Me and a few of the local farmers searched for days but found nothing at all. Everyone figured that she musta gone out gathering like she normally does and got kidnapped else attacked by wild animals, its happened before in the outskirts. Less patrols by guards means more animals and bandits."

You could detect no lie in his story, though it did not leave much to go on.

Istvan nods, reaching in for his journal and taking his own notes as the farmer talks. It was not great thing that the wife disappeared, any number of causes for that.

"I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Higgins. Let us move on to the strange things you said someone is doing at your house. Were you able to snatch any of the floating dishes from the air or did you try? Why do you think someone is walking your fields at night? Have you seen someone or are there footprints in the morning?", he asks calmly, encouraging the man to relax and remember accurately.

"I tried at one point, it just held there solid, couldn't pull it away or nothing. As for why I reckon its cause I saw it, a woman in the fields, glowing in the night, too far away for me to see properly, but whenever I'd go down to check there'd be noone there, and not even a single footprint or track to say anyone had ever been there save myself."

The farmer had taken to wringing his cap nervously, clearly worried he sounded mad.

Istvan nods at the man. The fact that the floating dish was solid in the air peeked Istvan's interest. As well as a woman not leaving tracks; but that could be explained easily enough, as the ranger well knew.

"Mr. Higgins, I want to see your home and check around, see if I can't find some obvious contraptions causing your woes. I can go alone with just your directions or you can come with me.", he replies, looking at the man steadily.

"woman... in... field.... glowing..." Murmured Meygan to herself as she attempted to put the entire account to paper.

"I- I'll take you. Won't have no fools make me scared of my own house." The farmer said resolutely. He bottomed up and stoof wiping his mouth.
"No time like the present, at least if we leave at night it'll be morning before we arrive at the farm. You all ready to go? Not need to collect any things to bring with you do you? Its a fair ways out of town, we'll be taking my cart." Mr.Higgins seemed to be quite comforted at being believed, and even more so that he wouldn't be going back to his home on his own.

Istvan stands with the farmer, clapping him on the shoulder to support the man's rediscovered courage. Frowning at the question, he holds up a hand and then walks to the bar.

"I will need two loaves of bread, a wheel of hard cheese, some dried beef and a bottle of wine, bundled and ready for the road, please.", he tells the attendant, sure they can fill his request without much issue.