The group was convinced it would not work and would only further cause a rift in the town, but the underlying issue IS that there is a rift in the town - and it's roughly along an imaginary age line of "above 20ish" and below.
With the goblin occupation over, the youth of the town expect things to be easy and no longer hardship and dominance. To the elders in town it is finally time to work for themselves and not have taskmasters taking what they've built. But it requires work - and the youth haven't seen a single drop in required work during the shift from occupation to freedom.
And the cracks are forming around the foundation of Shakun.
Write up follows:
Morning of Firemonth the 6th, the majority of the party remained asleep but Flimflam awoke early and met with Marshall Westwinter briefly before the two of them continued on their way to meet with Baron Taugis. Given the recent number of issues regarding the local youths in and around Shakun, the Marshall wanted to establish, within the town limits including the cemetery, a minimum drinking age of 19 (currently 16). In addition, wanted to make the crime of public drunkenness punishable by 3 days in the stocks.
What followed was a rousing debate between the 3 of them, with Flimflam arguing that the two measures would not work, and instead we needed to find the cause of the drinking and definite poor attitude amongst the locals. The Baron did side with the Marshall but tempered the punishment to 2 days. The ordinance was going to go live today at noon and criers would be announcing it in the town square at that time.
After the Marshall left, Baron Taugis impressed upon Flimflam that the party should further investigate the drunken youths in a different manner, since their attitudes/actions were reminiscent of the GoblinWater issue from 3 months ago. He agreed and returned home to the Hall of Heroes where he sat with Fist’al and Marcus, filling the 2 elves in on the situation as it stood.
We also learned from Fist’al that he found no obvious holes anywhere in his walking and the digging tools had been dirty, but dry.
By early noon the party was up and then the criers were making the announcement. This brought wails from the younger people in town and barks of support from the older. We wanted to avoid being out there this day but we had some errands we wanted to accomplish so we split up and hit them as fast as possible while joining up during our mission.
Auri, Marcus, and Flimflam went to Captain Thragriel @ the Militia where they verified some information, learned the girls captured last night would fall under the new ruling and suffer 2 days in the stocks but not until the Magistrate met with them in the morning and sentenced them (it was Restday). We would be helping out the watching of the cemetery by having someone on hand from 10 PM to 3 AM each day until the Undertaker and the gravedigger were better and able to resume their duties. Auri was offered a job as a night walker on the walls, given that Captain Thragriel was looking to hire 20 more militia and rotate the experienced guards from the walls to walking the streets. This of course, in the interest and issue regarding the new decree and ordinance.
Fist’al and Fergus went to visit Zarik Ikarsbane, the Consul and former adventurer in the process of training the latest class of young men in the warrior arts. They wanted to meet with Codron, Thrish, and Hagan – three men that we had met with and used earlier. We learned that Thrish was no longer in the program, quitting after becoming increasingly cruel and short tempered. This was different for Fergus to learn, since our belief to date was that the pseudo-goblinwater symptoms were trafficked through the imbibing or alcohol. Thrish was a well-known teetoller and to our understanding, never drank. The paladin instead told Codron that we might need him soon and would be in touch.
Flimflam and Marcus took a brief detour to the baron where a note was written and dropped off for the nobleman regarding things learned and interest in meeting with the Castellan at a future time to have some questions answered.
Auri went to Sern’s general store where she watched a seeming rush on whatever alcohol the trader had in stock and the refusal to sell to citizenry of Shakun under the age of 19. She purchased a half-sized wine/waterskin and tried to get a bottle of red wine, but had to get someone to vouch for her age so Mamma Rhyback came down and spoke for the half-orc girl.
Fist’al and Fergus went to Thrish’s home and spoke with his mom for a short while. The 17/18 year old was not home and had left a week or so ago. No, he was not drinking, but did hang out with a new class of rude teens. She doesn’t know where he is and hopes he is well and would one day come back.
At this point the party met up together and went to the Hospice where they checked in on the Undertaker and gravedigger. The two men were still pretty bad off but were out of danger. We were able to get the Undertaker’s keys and knew that night that Fist’al and Fergus were going to walk patrol.
Flimflam went off to talk to the herbalist briefly and then the party returned to the Hall and the day passed. Auri went off to report for duty and handled questioning of the Night Captain poorly, who fired her from being in the militia and asked her to leave.
During the night, Fergus was walking picket in the cemetery and Fist’al continued his searching of the grounds, this time armed with the keys. We learned that the Undertaker’s shed had new iron tools in there, most likely replacement of the tools that might have been stolen/misplaced – pretty similar to the ones we found hidden in the mausoleum. Fergus was able to walk about, learning that roughly 1/8th of the cemetery along the south east section had a very low aura of evil radiating from it, but like Castle Canastal some time ago, it was at ground level or lower.
The next morning we shared what we learned with one another and talked about what was next. From what we gathered there was some angry youths in town standing pillory around the stocks where Gisette and the others from the attack on the Undertaker was fulfilling their sentence. We decided to find out where the Rescent homestead was, since during various questioning, we learned that apprentice Rescent had been let go from Ungoth’s Distillery for selling his own drink out the back door to anyone who wanted it. Was this the origin of the strange pseudo-goblinwater?
What made it even more interesting was the Rescent Homestead was the closest to town, and was situated right next to the cemetery, along its eastern edge. We were not welcomed onto the property as Master Rescent and his son (early 20’s) met us at the gate and answered our questions tersely and with no elaboration.
There was some sort of burial going on this morning and from what we were able to tell, it was a half-sized coffin which meant a child.
We left the Rescent Homestead with the feeling that we needed more information and maybe a trip back to the cemetery was in order.
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