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The Brazen Strumpet Tavern

The newcomer Wrathbone is welcomed and served. As far as the settlement is concerned, it is considered a safe haven so few residents or adventurers pre or post expeditions go around totting much armour. Consider any accommodation is safe and includes a s strongbox to keep stuff in. It is fine to carry a favoured weapon but unless you actually start trouble, there is nothing above fisticuffs to injure you in Helix. There is a Duchy militia, usually on guard at the village gates,training in the Old Manse or patrolling the hex area to keep it safe.

Four adventurers mill about (those from the recent Survey & Survivors trek). Others are due in shortly. As most folk take a week of downtime to recover, you can forward another four days of Upkeep payment to cover your stay in Helix.

Fydmar

Will buy a round for whoever is at the table.
gp to deduct? 4? 10? He's a tipper, so round up

As per the costs outlined in the first page post. 1gp can get a thirsty dwarf twenty local ales or ... 1gp - bottle of 100% dwarven hooch potato vodka.

Golgarth

July 3rd 1066

Arriving after the expedition escapades, I will buy a round of celebratory ales -1gp.

I will mingle and chat as folk want, primarily though I will sort out my personal vocation stuff.

"Beer Bollo please. A couple of frothy ales apiece for me and my comrades.

What have I missed these last weeks?"

I will try to catch up on local gossip, from the Hospice blaze, the capture of the Soothsayer lizardman we first met on the road to Ironguard, the recent execution of Nergal cultists, the rescue of Karl Barrelgut, etc and I will pay the bard Bublé to recite any expedition songs and stories -5gp that can bring me up to date with ooc or news from other expeditions.
I don't need pay accommodation as I can be hosted in the old cottage from now on.

Fydmar
Will buy 2 bottles of dwarven hooch & pour some for whoever want some. Seems we have some new faces hereabouts. Welcome, have a drink!
2gp & 8sp deducted (tip)

Wrathbone

I will cover the Deluxe Upkeep and daily stew for five days in total -2gp until 6th.

On the 3rd:

I see the other dwarf named Fydmar. It appears I arrive a couple of days after he returns so I would expect those newly purchased bottles if hooch to have been drunk dry.

To introduce myself, assuming he is in the tavern on 3rd, I will buy another hooch -1gp and take a couple of glasses.

"Please, let me sit snd introduce myself. I am newly arrived in the village after completing guard duties and now seek fame and fortune elsewhere. I am Wrathbone, from the Moon Peaks".

I will pour the hooch, toast my guest's health and enquire about the region and Barrows.

Fymar
Well met Wrathbone. Good to see another dwarf in town! I am Fydmar, and I thank you for the cup of fine hooch. These are my companions, Durgo, Brother Symeon, Genaromes (whichever of them is in the tavern anyway).
We have been doing some investigating of missing young ones and gathering spider silk. Before that, we were exploring the barrow mounds - which I'd like to get back to after some down time. Unless someone comes up with a better idea - ha! Would you like to join our merry band? We have gotten out of some tight places with skins intact, so I figure we've got some divine favor.

Durgo
Evening Jun 29th
Durgo nods to Fydmar, Gen and Brother Symeon if they join, "I agree. Cara and Squirrel are taken care of. The Guild master Osen suggests an expedition to scout the crypts and tombs that lead from the Harpy lair, creating a blueprint of the Barrowmaze and locating the knight's tomb.

You folks up for a scouting adventure? I've got a little business stuff to take care of first and I'd like to get a line on some training. We can go after that if everyone is willing."

"What about the kids? Is there no will from anyone to find a way to rescue them?" asks Genaromes, looking abviously worried.

Durgo
Jun 30 Evening

Gen, Fydmar, Brother Symeon, "I have spoken to the Lord Krothos and he has listed them as casualties of the ophidian/lycanthrope disease. If I run across them, I am to humanely free their spirit to St. Ygg. If there was another way that is available to us without risking that disease on any other settlements, I'd like to hear it. The gnolls already indicated they were doing this at midnight tonight. Assuming they can even do what, they plan to do, which is kill the kids themselves. I have been granted the deed to the lands for the logging operation. My first task is to secure the area. I have also been given a commission to scout the harpy lair barrows to find the paladin's body who once owned this shield. Perhaps we can further our skills by securing the logging camp first then try to map the harpy barrows find the paladin's body for Master Osen."

I'm planning on making my bear skin into a winter cloak that's waterproof and gloves. I'm hoping to make some of it into a tribute as well. I can have them do the same for you or you can for yourself. Either way. I didn't just want to do that in case you wanted to do something else with it.

I'm placing time stamps hoping they're feasibly accurate in the timeline of Durgo's activities.

Genaromes, stays silent for a while, keeping quiet while drinking.

Golgarth

conversations in the tavern, socialising between July 3rd +

The cleric of Cromm Cruach will touch base in the tavern with the folk who went to the quarry.

"I went before. We met a gnoll ranger, took some spider silk and chased off an ogre who raided the derelict cabins for honeycomb."

His experience was quite limited, (the cave you met the ogre and ghost dwarf was the cave we took spider silk from. There was evidence the upper reaches of that cavern was occupied by apes of some kind).

Durgo

Jul 3rd evening

Durgo grabs his ale and takes a good swig.

"Welcome Wrathbone and Golgarth. Fydmar, Brother Symeon, Gen you know of this already. Master Osen has commissioned me to map the harpy's lair and connected barrows in search of The Red Lion of Aerik - Sir Guy de O'Veargne the previous owner of this shield. Durgo shows the shield, perhaps we can all rest up until the Jul 6th and proceed to the Harpy's lair and map our way out there, if needed, and around it trying to find the Paladin's resting place in the barrows? This could be very dangerous, and we'd need to watch out for those of us less skilled/seasoned. If this sounds appealing to you stock up on a healing kit and any supplies, you think you might need."

Wrathbone

The dwarf meets and greets fellow adventurers over the next couple of days in the Brazen Strumpet Tavern. Obviously a good place to learn about previous adventures and rumours.

We have been doing some investigating of missing young ones and gathering spider silk. Before that, we were exploring the barrow mounds - which I'd like to get back to after some down time. Unless someone comes up with a better idea - ha! Would you like to join our merry band? We have gotten out of some tight places with skins intact, so I figure we've got some divine favor.

"I noticed a dwarf posted on the Bulletin Board about trekking to recover a hero's petrified body. But that is on the Moor not in these Mounds." I will listen with interest to any stories and

What other new dwarf rumours do I know or hear about? The recent dwarf rescue of the lizard man prisoner.

"What about the kids? Is there no will from anyone to find a way to rescue them?" asks Genaromes, looking abviously worried.

It sounds very sad if I am privy to any conversation. The Gnolls are going to murder or sacrifice children? But you are commissioned to kill the children anyway. So they seemed doomed wherher you do or don't. But will them being killed by Gnolls affect anything (like they are sacrificial offerings). "How does the church feel about their mortal souls? Even if their bodies are corrupted, can they be redeemed?"

Wrathbone is not religious, maybe nominally as whatever is normal for dwarves. Is it common knowledge that a druid is on expedition taming Orphidians out upon the Barrow Moor somewhere? Or is that just ooc information from reading the Expeditions thread?

Could you then rescue the snake-children and take them to the druid?

I am happy to join any group. As an aside, I had +1 bonus language and rolled it as a choice between either lizard man or gnoll as they seem to be the main protagonists. It came up with Gnoll so I will share that with the group if it helps.

Wrathbone, hunting a paladin's grave seems a noble task. Harpy's?

ogres with ghost friends, gnolls sacrificing to demons, snake-men and snake-kids, Harpy's; safer to stay at home!

Yngvar

Yngvar enters The Brazen Strumpet and looks around, Yngvar is 5'9" tall, 165 pounds, dark hair, olive complexion. He wears a blood red robe over black trousers and low soft boots. He carries a backpack on his back with staff in his hand. You see he carries a few daggers, one on his belt, one in a baldric across his chest. He has a spell component pouch on his left shoulder. He has a huge brown and black Mastiff at his side, he doesn't look real polite, but seems to be minding his own business! "Greeting ladies and gents, hoping you are all well! We are new here and are in need of food, beverage, and a room. Our name is Yngvar, this is our friend Brutus, he protects us. We have just arrived from Ironguard Motte and seek employment and adventure, we are a wizard, though of no repute yet. We will soon be renowned!" He then looks around for an invitation to sit, he obviously has a bit of ego.

He pulls his purse to prove he isn't begging.

Durgo

"Welcome Yngvar and Brutus. Here, I'll order a round for all and some meats, cheese and bread. A plate for Brutus too if you're ok with that. Fydmar, Gen, Brother Symeon, Wrathbone, Yngvar.. tavern server, some food and beverage please. A bowl of water and a juicy raw bone for Brutus or meats.

Everyone, we considered as many options as we could for the kid's safety, but the gnolls were getting a bit twitchy. They are ophidians now. We were outnumbered 20 to 4. I wasn't going to put our party in danger without knowing we'd have a chance of truely saving the kids. Trust me we discussed it and we had a pretty good Idea the gnolls were itching to just kill us before we left. We got out just in time. We would have needed to get someone there to cure the kids before sundown. It wasn't going to happen. You talk as if we just sacrificed the kids. Once we got back, I was able to talk to Lord Korthos and he already cleansed the logging camp by killing the kid's parents who had been afflicted with the disease a couple months ago. To him the kids were lost to the jungle and were no longer human. He won't risk the village Helix with the contagion. I was told that if I encounter a Lycan or ophidian to end their suffering.

"I'm going to plan a trip to get the Paladins body location mapped out and hopefully clean out any creatures of threat or just get it mapped out if we run into something we should avoid and get the info back to Osen. After that I'd like to secure the logging camp and get it up and running. I'd recommend some silvered weapons as it may be useful for the barrow expedition. I have guaranteed torchbearers to assist us from the mercenary guild too. We can plan on leaving Jul 6th ish so you have time to gear up or possibly silver up a weapon possibly.

Durgo grabs a bite to eat and gets a couple drinks in to settle down a bit. He'll pay the tab with a tip.

The Brazen Strumpet Tavern

July 3rd 1066

Yngvar enters The Brazen Strumpet and looks around, Yngvar is 5'9" tall, 165 pounds, dark hair, olive complexion. He wears a blood red robe over black trousers and low soft boots. He carries a backpack on his back with staff in his hand. You see he carries a few daggers, one on his belt, one in a baldric across his chest. He has a spell component pouch on his left shoulder. He has a huge brown and black Mastiff at his side, he doesn't look real polite, but seems to be minding his own business!

Entering behind the newcomer dwarf Wrathbone, another figure enters.

Yngvar speaks his need, Bollo the bartender points him to a menu and another chart dealing with accommodation and Upkeep.

"Whatever suits your tastes." A welcoming host, he sorts out a bone for the dog to chew on.

You can find a welcome alongside Wrathbone and soon get engaged in conversations with adventurers, local merchants and village patrons.

Yngvar

"We thank you! Yes, Brutus would love some meat and a bone! We thank you for the fine repast and drink as well! If we may, we will join you in your endeavor, we are down to our final 17 gold pieces! Just enough to get us through these next three days, but not enough for a silvered weapon!" Yngvar informs his new found friends!

He shakes all of the hands that he can reach, and moves to reach those he can't. He then sits down and eats and drinks heartily.

-1gp, 8sp for basics to stay alive for 3 days, drinking water and 1 beer a day.

Durgo
Jul 3 evening

Durgo pays 3 gp for 6 stews for the group, 6 sp for some cheese and bread, 1 gp 2 sp for 12 tankards of ales for the 6 at the table, 1 bowl of water and a bone and stew for Brutus 5 sp. Paid 5 gp 3 sp total

Eat and drink my friends. Tomorrow is a new day.

Fydmar
What the big man said (motions to Durgo). They are not human anymore. Tis sad, but one must move on lest it eat your insides.
(to Wrathbone) I seem to remember enquiring about that before, but the expedition was delayed.
(to Durgo) I'll be ready. I'm well stocked with silvered weapons. Hopefully there aren't any more harpies. Bloody awful things warping your mind - but not to worry, next time I'll plant a blade in its chest. (Fydmar has a definite hatred of harpies)

Wrathbone

(Fydmar to Wrathbone) "I seem to remember enquiring about that before, but the expedition was delayed."

"There has been some upheaval I understand with the local community. Perhaps they are hard pressed with other considerations." he offers. If the hero they want to repatriate has been turned to stone then there is probably no rush.

It seems these lost children cannot be repatriated either.

I wasn't going to put our party in danger without knowing we'd have a chance of truely saving the kids. Trust me we discussed it and we had a pretty good Idea the gnolls were itching to just kill us before we left.

this is probably wise. Harsh but wise.

I'm going to plan a trip to get the Paladin's body location mapped out and hopefully clean out any creatures of threat or just get it mapped out if we run into something we should avoid and get the info back to Osen.

"So, repatriating a paladin. A noble quest
and surely that will earn us some reputation as well as gold?"

Wrathbone from reading threads gathers that the group has a proficient map-maker, a cleric who has extra power over Undead, a couple of warriors, possibly a ranger to navigate the Moor and a halfling cook who adds some healing benefit to good meals. He feels he has fallen on his feet in terms of joining a merry and well accomplished band.

"Apart from speaking Gnoll, my halberd does the talking in battle." he says. I don't have much more to add but would happily join the group to adventure. He has paid his tavern Upkeep until 6th July.

He has all the equipment he can afford, rations, basic expedition gear, plenty of weapons.

He drinks his tankard of ale up, "Is there any help needed by anyone with anything over the next couple of days?" He can labour or support someone, gather equipment, apply any dwarf race skills to anything? If not I will just be ready to go when you set out.

Durgo

Jul 3rd evening

"I have some things to finalize over the next few days with the mercenary guild, St. Ygg Chapel mainly so nothing I'd need help with but you're welcome to join me."

Durgo having a tentative time to get going for the expedition pays his lodging up to the 6th. If this needs to go further out there's thing he can do in downtime.

Lodging paid 12sp x 7 nights. Jun 29 evening to Jul 5th evening. paid 4 gp 4 sp