R1: Hired Hands
In this adventure the local map of the area around Orussus was used and marked to show where bandit attacks had been taking place.
Orussus
-Lucky Star Stable, conveniently located just inside the southern gate, offering quality animals at cut rate prices. Ask for Doc (Doc Morningstar).
Allimon
-City watch here is stingy with information.
-the Wizards' Council and the Priests' Council run the city government jointly, so technically they both control the City Watch.
-there is apparently some sort of rivalry between Allimon and Ravensdale, as the other city is not spoken of very fondly, with comments degrading Lord Rehvand, the city council and the Blackwings, Ravensdale's version of town guard.
-At the eastern gate there is a stable located just down the street on the southern side.
-At the eastern gate you find yourself in what appears to be a merchant district, although not a heavily active one. Immediately inside the wall, on both sides of the street, are two inns. The one on the left is named "New Constantine" and the one on the right is named "Old Gertrude." They are stone structures with domed roofs that are connected by a stone bridge between the inns. Very near the gate is a large sign containing a map of the immediate neighborhood and describing some of the bigger establishments in this quarter of the city. You can see that there is a merchant’s guild, a bounty hunters guild stop-by, a mages guild, and a handful of other buildings and shops.
-The common room of "Old Gertrude". It's only midafternoon, but a few of the regulars are already heavily into their drink, including what appears to be a member or two of the city guard. A few basic queries reveal that rooms are readily available. Nothing fancy, but serviceable and cheap. The cost is 5 silver a day, food and drink extra.
-Description of "New Constantine". Walking through the front double-doors, one is immediately aware that this is your run-of-the-mill inn like the place across the street. You find yourself standing in a cozy foyer, well appointed and very neat. To the right, through an open doorway, you’ll see a dining area, with tables and chairs spread evenly throughout. To the left is a large desk with a well-groomed man standing behind it. In front is a double staircase leading up to what he presumes are the private rooms. The same routine questions inform that this establishment prefers that reservations be made, but they just happen to have a couple of lesser rooms available for the night. The cost is 2 gold per room. Meals can be enjoyed in the dining room or, for an insignificant charge, they can be delivered to the private room. He advises that if you plan on visiting the dining room then a bath and change of clothes might be in order.
-There are no temples on the map of this quarter, but if you ask any of the locals they tell you that the religious quarter to the north contains churches and temples to most deities of the land.
-People Walking north to the religious quarter soon find themselves walking along a quiet street. The neighborhood appears to have a more residential feel, it's definitely better kept than the merchant's quarter they just left. The path they are taking soon intersects with a giant paved road. A nearby sign indicates this is Temple Street, a main thoroughfare that runs from the center of town to the North Gate. The people seen about are mostly priests and scholars, with an occasional city guardsman or errand-running child.
-There is a temple of Grendath about a block to the North, on the far side of the street.
---Layman Donterrio, Name of an attending cleric of Grendath.
---Donterrio is more than willing to go double or nothing, healing donation, on a coin flip.
---The official Grendath holy symbol of his Allimon clergy is a platinum disk roughly half again the size of a normal coin of the realm. On one side is the universal symbol of Grendath and on the other is inscribed "Fortune Favors the Fool".
---Donterrio likes to help out adventurers but want to hear their story also.
[sblock]-If healing has been request and the proper donation(double or nothing) has been paid. Donterrio leads you into a side room furnished with a handful of chairs around a circular table. As each of you pass through the door and by him, he touches you on the back and murmurs a prayer.
-Once everyone is seated around the table, Donterrio speaks up again. "Now, if you please, will you relate to me your tale again, with a little more in the way of details? You see, at this Roadhouse, as with most, we like to collect the songs and stories of the adventurers we minister to." The cleric then proceeds to take out a small sheaf of parchment and an inkwell and pen from a drawer under the table.[/sblock]
--Master Tellan, the head of our Roadhouse." Head of the temple of Grendath.
-leave the eastern gate and head off to the Merchant's Quarter. After a half hour of walking, and stopping once or twice to ask directions, one finds themselves standing on Crown Street, the main thoroughfare running from the South Gate to a large keep in the center of the city. Shops, stalls, warehouses, offices, if it has to do with business it can be found on or near this street.
-Iron Crown Forge, located all the way down next to the South Gate. Big building, big sign.
-At the end of Crown Street, just to the left of the Guard Tower at the South Gate, you see a large two-story brick building with a massive chimney rising out of the center. A large sign over the double doors proclaims this as Iron Crown Forge, Barak Silverbeard proprietor.
-Barak is a dwarf. One who appears a little along in years, but still hale & hearty. He's wearing a thick leather apron and gloves, a large hammer clenched in his right hand.
-If you are trying to continue to Ravensdale. You can go through town to the West Gate and depart from there or you can depart from the South Gate and follow the Loop, a wide, well beaten path that encircles Allimon on the outside of the wall used by wagons and carriages to reach the proper gate without the hassle of maneuvering through city streets.
Road between Allimon and Ravensdale.
-There are farms immediately outside of Allimon, on both sides of the road. The ones on the north side appear to be mainly crop farms (wheat, corn, and the like). On the south side are livestock farms (cows, goats, and sheep).
-After a few hours, In the distance to the north, in the middle of a wheat field, you notice a farmstead. You remember seeing a dirt track lead off in that direction from the Road about five minutes' back.
-one of the attacks, marked as such by a large patch of scorched earth just off to the south side of the road.
-Lorne's Farm
---There is a house, barn, windmill (apparently this farm grinds its own) and a smaller outbuilding, presumably to house seasonal helps. As you approach, you see smoke rising from the chimney and see a man and boy working on something through the open doors of the barn.
---Farmer Lorne
---Oldest Son, Garrett
[sblock=Travers Ranch]
-Mr. Travers
---Horton, Head worker.
---Dak, Suspicious Teen worker
---Cider, Middle aged Worker
-Travers owns the ranch a little ways down the road from Lorne's. He raises cattle and sheep.
-The man at the barn, Horton, someone evidently with some authority, yells one last order to those inside before making his way deliberately toward you. You find yourself at the edge of a large expanse of dirt surrounded by various buildings and pens.
-Horton leads you through the work yard to a large two-story house
-Horton leads through a foyer into a large sitting room, chairs and couches spread throughout.
-If you wish to stay the night I will have guest rooms made available to you. Your horse is welcome to say in the barn, of course."
-"Mr. Travers apologizes, but you will have to share accommodations. The room on the north will hold two people while there is space in the southern room for three.
-South over the range is a recently used bandit camp.
-The campsite is obviously deserted, a fire pit containing a few scraps of charred wood the only sign of recent occupation.
-http://www.enworld.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=23798
[/sblock]
Ravensdale
-Ravensdale has a Merchant Advisory Council.
-The MAC has a representative by the name of Ms. LeCriox(Hired Hands)
-Master Romano of the Grendath Roadhouse of Ravensdale.
-The Blackwings, Ravensdale's version of town guard.
-Last post Ravensdale This is Henri. He will escort you to The Wishing Well, one of the local inns.. Henri works for MAC.
-The Wishing Well is a small, well-appointed inn located on the southern side of the Western Road, called First Street locally, just east of the Market.
-their own private room, complete with large tub and hot water for the promised bath.
-Dustin Travers, MAC
-Roland is an elf of middling years, sole proprietor of a small storefront in a small building.
Random World snip-its
-A usable Last Will and Testament. Joe is a notary
[sblock]Last Will and Testament of _________________
I, _______________, being of sound mind and body, free from unnatural influences and magical compulsions, do hereby make, publish and declare this instrument to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking any and all wills and testaments by me at any time heretofore made.
In the event of my permanent demise, and having not been raised, resurrected, reincarnated, or otherwise returned to this mortal coil, the person of ________________ shall be the Executor of this Will, and follow the instructions therein forthwith.
My Executor is hereby directed to pay any and all outstanding debts that may remain in my name, including any reasonable expenses of my funeral, as soon as practicable.
All remaining funds, equipment, and belongings will be placed in the care of the person of __________________, (relation) _________ of _______________, to be retained or disposed of in whatever manner he/she may see to be fit.
In witness hereof, I, ________________________, do hereunto set my hand and mark in the presence of competent witnesses, and in their presence and beneath the watchful eyes of the gods hereby publish and declare this instrument to be my Last Will and Testament, this the ____ day of _________, of the Common Year _____.
Signed,
__________________
Witnessed,
Joe Smith
Proprietor, Red Dragon Inn, Orussus
[/sblock]
-Myth
[sblock]-"Well, I'm no bard, but here's a story my Grandfather used to tell me. Alisan was known far and wide for having a good eye for profit, and would often take money from investors so as to be able to finance more projects at one time than she otherwise could. She ran her business among men and dwarves and elves, and they knew her merely as one of their own.
One of these investors grew surly when after a period of a few years no return had been made to him for his funds. He had invested in a Dwarven mine, and believed he was due payment. Alisan was patient, and explained to the investor that while the mine was operating smoothly, the initial profits must first pay for the equipment needed and the salaries of the dwarven miners. She assured the investor that all was well with the investment and that eventual profit was nearly certain.
The investor demanded to inspect the mine, and Alisan consented and took him on a tour. He was shown a sampling of the gemstones that the Dwarves were stockpiling for sale, and was very naturally quite taken with them, so much so that he was forced to concede that all was well just as Alisan had told him.
Even so, he demanded that his portion of the profits be given to him on the spot, and when Alisan refused him he flew into a rage. Taking up the gemstones, he announced that he would take his share of the profits on the instant. Alisan's eyes flashed in anger at this theft, but she gave him an opportunity to correct his behavior, reminding him that those stones belonged to the mine, and were not his to take.
It was then that he struck her, and told her that she was foolish to walk into a dark mine with a man so much larger than herself, and that if she would not concede him the stones he would take them with force. Her voice grew very quiet then, when she asked him if he was so sure that he wished this problem to be resolved with violence, rather than words. He sneered, and struck her again.
Now it is true that Alisan had deceived him, for while her business dealings were honest she had not revealed her true name nor even her true form. Alisan the investor was in truth more fully known as Alisandorelle the Golden, and upon being twice struck by this thief revealed her true form. The irate investor, so confident of his ability to steal from Alisan by force, was no more than a single bite for Alisandorelle."[/sblock]
-Crash victim