Are you immediately exhausted after commiting to the quest or after the final results? This is in regards to the Old Wives Tale card. If I commit all 3 heroes then draw this card and have no resources to pay are they not part of the quest willpower anymore?

Thanks

The characters commited to quest exhaust immediately...

In the case you described, they are still comited to the quest as the card doesn't specify their are removed from questing... If the card is this

Great thanks for the reply.

And to add, my understanding is that even if they are already exhausted you still need to discard resources "if able" so already being exhausted isnt quite a get-out from the card (unless your hero has zero resource as per your example)

After I draw Old Wives' Tales is the only time you'll hear me say "Yessss! All my heroes are exhausted and have no resources!"

Follow up question. After I declare a defender he/she is exhausted immediately? Meaning the shadow card that says defending player must exhaust 1 character does nothing if 2 heroes are exhausted from questing and the 3rd is defending this attack?right?

Yep you exhaust to declare a defender well before the actual attack and any shadow cards resolve.

Follow up question. After I declare a defender he/she is exhausted immediately? Meaning the shadow card that says defending player must exhaust 1 character does nothing if 2 heroes are exhausted from questing and the 3rd is defending this attack?right?

If you still have a character (an ally perhaps) who is not yet exhausted, then you must exhaust an ally to comply with the requirement of the shadow effect, even if all your heroes are already exhausted.