The armored guard excuses himself for the trouble and you pass. The Old Toll House is the largest and sturdiest building in the city, of clear dwarven design. It stand just at the river's margin, next to what looks like the base remains of a ruined bridge.
Knowledge (Local or History) or Gather Information DC 15
This building serves as the town hall, courtroom, jail and town guard headquarters, housing twenty of the guard members. The rest have small houses of their own in and around town.
Right in front of the building there's a small gathering of people, of which stands out a tall, strong-boned woman with simple good looks hidden behind an unsmiling manner. She's clad in a breastplate and with a sheated longsword at her side. Right next to her it's a balding man of about fifty who wearing a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. He dresses in expensive-looking white and red clothing and uses a fine wood cane for support, but has no jewelery besides a silvery amulet at his neck. They carefully observe you approaching down the street and when you get close the man speaks in an aristrocatic manner:
"Greetings travelers, my name is Norro Wiston, and I'm the Town Speaker for Drellin's Ferry. This is our town guard captain, Soranna. I'll get right to the point, we're in a lot of trouble. Our town is under attack. Hobgoblin raiders have been harrying our lands for several days now. They've attacked and killed peoplle in the outlying homesteads, and they've been waylaying travelers along the Dawn Way."
The captain continues:
"We've had some trouble with them before-a quick raid on homesteads on the west side of the river, usually not that bad-but this is different. It looks like a large, agressive tribe has moved down out of the Wyrmsmoke Mountains. Frankly, I fear they might be numerous enough to sack the town."
The speaker follows up:
"Beyond the immediate threat to our homes, the road is our lifeblood. If the hobgoblins make the Dawn Way impassble to the west, trade won't come this way, and we'll be ruined. Not only do we need to repel the invaders from our town, but we've got to keep that road open. "
The captain add:
"We lack experienced forces for this kind of action."
"And we need our dear captain here to oversee the defences. But you look like quite capable people. Can you help us do it?"-finishes the speaker.
Knowledge (Local or History) or Gather Information DC 15
Norro Wiston is about fifty years old, a wealthy landowner whose family has been proeminent in Drellin's Ferry for generations, he's a hard worker and keen businessman who comes by his fortune more or less honestly. Wiston has been Speaker (or head of the town council) for almost ten years, and in that time, Drellin's Ferry has enjoyed peace and prosperity.
Captain Soranna Anitah holds a seat on the council, but she strictly interpets her role in running the town's affair and follows the Speaker's lead unquestioningly. A former merchant's guard captain who traveled widely before settling in Drellin's Ferry.
Knowledge (Local) or Gather Information DC 20
The threat of the Red Hand is something that Wiston is ill suited to counter, and he knows it, but he is hesitant to let anyone else call the shots for the townsfolk.
The captain has a good idea of the sort of trouble the town is in for, and she is worried sick.